Trap Grounds, Oxford, 25 July

Tim's Pond
Southern Hawker
Brown Hawker
Migrant Hawker (prob.)
Common Darter 
Blue-tailed Damselfly

Swan Pond
Common Darter

No sign of the SMH on any of the ponds.

Stephen Burch

Common Darter within 1/30 sec of landing! © Stephen Burch

Blenheim 25th July

Lesser Emperor - 3 at northern end of Queen Pool.

No Norfolk Hawker or Red-veined Darters seen today.

Emperor vs Lesser Emperor

Emperor with Ladybird prey

Bodicote, 25th July

New storm water pond at SP4535138131

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

Lesser Emperor

Christchurch, Oxford, 20 July

Mercury Pond, Christ Church college
2-5 Common Blue
2-5 Common Bluetail
2 Emperor incl. 1 female trying to oviposit
6-20 (possibly more) Small Redeye, and 5+ ovipositing tandem pairs
1+ Azure Blue (likely)

Christ Church Meadow
1 Southern Migrant Hawker. First for site.
2 Willow Emerald Damselfly
2-5 Common Bluetail
4 Banded Demoiselle
2 Black Tailed Skimmer
1 Brown Hawker
c. 5+ Common Blue Damselfly
1 tandem Azure Damselfly ovipositing (likely)

Jake Dudderidge

Southern Migrant Hawker © Jake Dudderidge

University Parks, Oxford, 17 July

1, possibly 2 Southern Migrant Hawker. First for site.
3 Ruddy Darter
1 Azure Blue
2-5+ Black Tailed Skimmer
1 Beautiful Demoiselle TBC - see below. Any comments anyone? 

Jake Dudderidge

Demoiselle sp. (pterostigma position suggest Banded but colouration more like Beautiful). © Jake Dudderidge

Cothill, 17 July

Dry Sandford Pit
3 Migrant Hawker

Waterbodies along path at The Plantation (path before Parsonage Moor)
2-5 Emperor
2-5 Brown Hawker
2-5+ Common Bluetail
2-5 Ruddy Darter
1+ Common Darter
5+ Common Blue Damselfly
2-5+ Azure Damselfly
1 Four Spotted Chaser - female ovipositing

Parsonage Moor
2-5 Southern Damselfly
2-5 Small Red
6-20 Keeled Skimmer. Mating pair also seen. 
1 Azure Damselfly (likely) 

Jake Dudderidge and Samuel Fabian

Keeled Skimmer © Jake Dudderidge

Small Red Damselfly © Jake Dudderidge

Boundary Brook NR, Oxford, 24 July

Willow Emerald Damselfly 1m
Southern Hawker 2m
Ruddy Darter
Common Darter

Ponds suffering from low water levels and reed growth.

Stephen Burch & John Rowley

Willow Emerald Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Trap Grounds 23rd July 2026

The male Southern Migrant Hawker has now taken up residence on Tim's Pond in the Trap Grounds. In more cloudy weather this afternoon it was perching up regularly.

Also
2 Southern Hawkers
Brown Hawker
Emperor
Common Darter
Ruddy Darter 
A few Red-eyed & Small Red-eyed Damselflies

2 Banded Demoiselles along the canal 

Adam Hartley

Southern Migrant Hawker courtesy of Adam Hartley

 

Valley Park, Didcot, 22 July

40+ Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies

During a brief evening visit. Mostly copulating pairs and adults. First time I've ever seen females ovipositing. All on the western pond. Water levels getting extremely low.

Ian Lewington per the WhatsApp Forum

Tar Lakes, 22 July

Common Blue Damselfly
Red-eyed Damselfly (conservation area pond)
Lesser Emperor - several on the south-west shore of the first (NE) lake inc. a tandem pair briefly, 1 on the second (southern lake), c.  5+ in total
Emperor (males at conservation area and S lake + 1f ovipositing om S lake)
Brown Hawker
Common Darter
Black-tailed Skimmer (numerous)
Four-spotted Chaser (1 conservation area)

Stephen Burch

Lesser Emperor © Stephen Burch

Parsonage Moor 21st July

19 Southern Damselflies (18 males and a female)
1 Small Red Damselfly
1 Blue-tailed Damselfly
27 Keeled Skimmers - all males
1 Black-tailed Skimmer

Brian Walker

Keeled Skimmer

Small Red Damselfly

Southern Damselfly

Shillingford - 21st July

Thames south-west bank upstream from the bridge, and River of Life 9:45 - 11:45 am:

White-legged Damselfly (male)

Black-tailed Skimmer

4 White-legged Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
3 Banded Demoiselle

Disappointing count. No sign of any Willow Emerald yet at River of Life

Orchard Lake, Radley Lakes, 10 July

 

Southern Migrant Hawker © Steve Gresty

Blenheim 20th July

Norfolk Hawker - 1 in the usual spot. This one is a different individual to that I photographed on 10th July (post on this blog). The wing damage on that one is not present on this one which looks fairly fresh. If more than one is alive in this area currently then I've yet to see them flying together. So quite how many there have been is hard to know, but at least two now! They are though remarkably inactive at times. This one today appeared after about 45 mins of watching the patch of reed bed. Despite other large dragonflies circuiting over that spot, they didn't rouse it into flight. When it did fly it cruised around over the reed bed for about 30 seconds before landing again out of sight. I would say they are the most relaxed flyers of the hawkers we regularly see, very unhurried.

Red-veined Darter - 6 males seen perched along the west edge of the Queen Pool. Some look quite worn now but others reasonably fresh in appearance. 

Lesser Emperor - 6 seen at various points across both lakes. 

Norfolk Hawker

Red-veined Darter landing (composite image)

Blenheim 12th July

Scarce Chaser - a belated post to cover my sighting of a male along the Glyme at Bladon where it leaves Blenheim. I had considered this species a possibility along this stretch of the river as it's slow moving with plenty of dense vegetation, and I was actively looking on this visit. The image below has had a fair amount of scrutiny now and Steve asked Adrian Parr to have a look and he was unequivocal that it was one, therefore confirming the general consensus. The blue cast to the eyes and black frons are quite distinct and clearly dissimilar to the skimmer next to it. The dark bases to the hind wings are just about visible and the additional observation made by Adrian was that these follow the vein on the wing. This would suggest those black marks aren't its legs. He also made the point he'd never seen one sit in a knees out pose so further indication those marks are on its wings. I've had another couple of looks in the same area since but not seen any more. I will be minded to look earlier in the year next year.

Otmoor 20th July

MoD land

Common Spreadwing 1
Brown Hawker 3
Migrant Hawker 1
Southern Migrant Hawker 2
Black-tailed Skimmer 1
Ruddy Darter 31

RSPB land

Brown Hawker 5
Southern Hawker 1
Southern Migrant Hawker 4
Common Darter 1
Ruddy Darter 24

David Hastings

Common Spreading ♀ © David Hastings

River Cherwell, Grimsbury Revervoir - 19th July

Willow Emerald Damselfly 2

Seen by Clive Payne

Dorchester-on-Thames - 19th July

The following c 10am from perimeter hedges around private fishing lake @ SU579947:

3 Brown Hawker
Black-tailed Skimmer
Common Darter

Common Darter (fem)

Also 2 Banded Demoiselle on Overy Mill Pond @ SU582941, but nothing else there

Whitecross Green Wood, 19 July

 c. 10:30 - 15:00

Rides:
White-legged Damselfly 1
Lesser Emperor 1 (near the main pond)
Brown Hawker 2+
Southern Migrant Hawker 1m (briefly)

Main Pond:
Azure Damselfly 5+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 1
Brown Hawker 1
Common Darter
Black-tailed Skimmer
Four-spotted Chaser

No sign of any SMH over this pond, nor the reeds on the N side (unlike last year)

West Pond:
Southern Migrant Hawker 1-2m, flushed from vegetation only, not patrolling
Emperor 1m, 1f
Southern Hawker
Four-spotted Chaser 2+
No sign of any Emerald Damselflies (formerly quite numerous here)

Stephen Burch

Southern Hawker © Stephen Burch

Trap Grounds 17th & 18th July

Southern Migrant Hawker male (first for site!) seen on the 17th patrolling the northern boundary ditch. What was probably the same individual then relocated to the southern end of the boardwalk just before the Dragonfly Pond on the 18th.

Also
3 Brown Hawkers
5+ Common Darter
1 Ruddy Darter
A few Blue-tailed Dragonflies & Small Red-eyed Damselflies

2 Banded Demoiselles along the canal

Adam Hartley, Matthew Lloyd 

Photo courtesy of Matthew Lloyd

Warburg BBOWT, 17 July

Southern Hawker head-on © Nick Truby

Southern Hawker sideways view © Nick Truby

Lamb's Pool and Woodford Bottom BBOWT reserves, 17 July

White-legged Damselfly 18 including 6 pair in tandem,2 with female ovipositing
Azure Damselfly 3m
Common Blue Damselfly 5m and 1 pair with female ovipositing
Blue damselfly sp 300+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 5m plus 1 pair in tandem
Red-eyed Damselfly 5m
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 64+ including 28 pairs in tandem with females ovipositing into algal mats
Brown Hawker 2
Emperor 6m 1 f
Four-spotted Chaser 3
Black-tailed Skimmer 15m 2 f
Common Darter 1

 Steve Holliday, Gill Holliday, Gareth Blockley

White-legged Damselflies © Steve Holliday

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Steve Holliday

Trap Grounds, Oxford, 16 & 17 July

 Southern Migrant Hawker (first records for site):

1m hawking over the ditch at the northern boundary, Matthew Lloyd, 16 July

1m by the end of the boardwalk just before the Dragonfly pond, Adam Hartley 17 July

Bodicote, 11 July

New storm water pond, as per Wayne's records on 11th July.

52.039592143354604, -1.340035653387352

Lesser Emperor © Steve Gresty

Sideleigh Fishing Lake, Bodicote 15th July

2 Banded Demoiselle
3 White-Legged Damsels
20+ Common Blue Damsels
6 Azure Damsels
4 Blue Tailed Damsels
10+ Red Eyed Damsels
3 Small Red Eyed Damsels
3 Emperor Dragonflies
1 Brown Hawker
1 Four Spotted Chaser
6+ Black Tailed Skimmer
1 Scarce Chaser male ( SP4632736985)
2 Common Darter
3 Ruddy Darter

Wayne Bull

Scarce Chaser above and below (c) Wayne Bull

Dix Pit 14th July

14:15 to 16:00

Along the west side of the pit where it was sheltered from the wind.

Common Blue Damselfly: hundreds
Emperor Dragonfly: 2
Lesser Emperor: at least 10
Brown Hawker: 8 
Four-spotted Chaser: 1
Black-tailed Skimmer: 1
Ruddy Darter: 1

David Hastings

Lesser Emperor ♂ © David Hastings

Brown Hawker ♀ © David Hastings

River Thames near Pinkhill, 14 July evening

Lesser Emperor 5+

Andy Last per the WhatsApp forum

Lesser Emperor (c) Andy Last

Lesser Emperor (c) Andy Last

Bodicote, 11 July

New storm water pond at SP4535138131:

5 Common Blue Damsels
4 Azure Damsels
5 Blue Tailed Damsels
2 Scarce Blue Tailed Damsels males
4 Emperor Dragonflies
1 Lesser Emperor male
2 Four Spotted Chaser
3 Broad Bodied Chaser
8+ Black Tailed Skimmer
2 Keeled Skimmer males southern end 
1 Common Darter
1 Red Veined Darter male

Wayne Bull

Keeled Skimmer (c) Wayne Bull

Keeled Skimmer (c) Wayne Bull

Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly (m) (c) Wayne Bull

Lesser Emperor (c) Wayne Bull

Radley Lakes, 10 July

4 Emerald Damsels 3 males 1 female Orchard Lake
1 Willow Emerald female just north of Orchard Lake
100's if not 1000's Common Blue Damsels
5 Blue Tailed Damsels
15+ Red Eyed Damsels
6+ Small Red Eyed Damsels Orchard/Bullfield Lake
7 Emperor Dragonflies
10+ Lesser Emperors 3 pairs in tandem inc 1 pair ovipositing on Bullfield Lake plus males on Thrupp lake, orchard Lake, Bullfield Lake and Lake H I     
5 Brown Hawker
1 Southern Migrant Hawker male Orchard Lake 1st for Radley SU5200596993       
1 Four Spotted Chaser
50+ Black Tailed Skimmer    
3 Common Darter     
10+ Ruddy Darter

Wayne Bull

Southern Migrant Hawker - first for Radley (c) Wayne Bull

Emerald Damselfly (c) Wayne Bull

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Wayne Bull

Blenheim 10th July

Norfolk Hawker - 1 male still in the same area as before patrolling the main area of reed bed. I've seen it a few times this week and I'm fairly sure it's the only one here at the moment.

Red-veined Darter - 4 males perched up on the west side of the Queen Pool. I've not seen any on the main lake over the past few days so they seem to be exclusively on the northern end of the Queen Pool.

Lesser Emperor - approximately 8 seen, but likely far more than this across the lakes.

Downy Emerald - 1

No Southern Migrant Hawkers seen today.

Norfolk Hawker (c) Gareth Casburn

Red veined Darter (c) Gareth Casburn

Lesser Emperor (c) Gareth Casburn

Otmoor RSPB, 10th July

From car park to second screen and roman road.

Banded Demoiselle 1

Willow Emerald Damselfly 2

Blue-tailed Damselfly 6

Azure Damselfly 4

Common Blue Damselfly 3

(hundreds of blue damselflies over the main waterbodies)

Red-eyed Damselfly 50+

Small Red-eyed Damselfly 7 (only close ones seen from 1st screen)

Brown Hawker 18

Southern Migrant Hawker 7+

Emperor 4

Four-spotted Chaser 2

Black-tailed Skimmer 40+

Ruddy Darter 200+ 

(no Common Darters seen at all!)

Farmoor Reservoir causeway, 9 July

8 Lesser Emperor!

James Wainscoat

Lesser Emperor (c) James Wainscoat 

Wroxton area, 9th July

Wroxton Abbey

Small Red-eyed Damselfly 1 (only 1 definite, but not thoroughly searched for)

Wroxton Quarry

The pool that the Red-veined Darters were recorded ovipositing in earlier in the season is now completely dry.

Radley Lakes, 9 July

Lesser Emperor - tandem pair over Bullfield Lake.

Across all lakes there were a minimum of 

3 Emperors, 
3 Ruddy Darters, 
30 Black-tailed Skimmers, 
200 Common Blue Damselflies, 
60 Red-eyed Damselflies
3  Blue-tailed Damselflies.  

Orchard Lake had plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers but few other dragonflies

Brian Walker

Black-tailed Skimmer © Brian Walker

Emperor © Brian Walker

Ardington, 9 July

Pool to SW of village. SU430881

Emperor - 1m
Blue Damsels

Stephen Burch

West Challow, 8 July

North of the village, Childrey Brook forms a small lake, a corner of which can be viewed from the adjacent FP. SU368886.

Emperor 1m

Blue damsels - too far away to ID

Stephen Burch

Chalgrove and Stadhampton - 9th July

I checked both my local sites this morning for Lesser Emperor, without success

Oxford Way storm water ponds, Chalgrove (SU623977):

2 Emperor - a male on each pond
Black-tailed Skimmer - up to 6 males on larger pond and 3 more on second pond
1 Broad-bodied chaser (male)
1 Four-spotted Chaser
1 Banded Demoiselle
A few blue Damselflies

Very similar to my 16th June visit but an increase in BTS numbers

Stadhampton Meadows LNR (SU594987):

Beautiful Demoiselle (female)

2 Brown Hawker on territory

Numbers of Banded Demoiselle

1 Beautiful Demoiselle (fem)

Valley Park, Didcot, 8 July

Common Darter 5
Black-tailed Skimmer 11
Broad-bodied Chaser, 1 fem ovipositing 
Emperor 3 inc 2 ovipositing females
Lesser Emperor 1 male fly-over
Red-eyed Damselfly 2
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly many; inc. forms rufescens, rufescens-obsoleta and violacea

Tess Wright

Video showing Blue-tailed Damselfly "cleaning up" after eating © Tess Wright

Cholsey gravel pit, 8 July

SU 59552 88152

Lesser Emperor: 1

Oxonbirder

Farmoor Reservoir, 8 July

Lesser Emperor: 1m along causeway, then tandem pair

Conor Mackenzie, per the WhatsApp Group

John Allen Pit, Bishop's Court Farm, Dorchester, 7 July

Lesser Emperor:  c. 8 males and 2 females

Geoff Wyatt

Blenheim 7th July

Norfolk Hawker - 1 male seen briefly in flight a couple of times, on one occasion clashing with a Southern Migrant Hawker.

Southern Migrant Hawker - 5 or 6 males patrolling small territories at the very tip of the main lake in the same general area as the Norfolk Hawker.

Red-veined Darter - 3 males. One on the gravel path north of the Queen Pool, and two perched on the vegetation on the western edge. Certainly fewer now and not as active over the water as they were a week or two ago.

Lesser Emperor - 2 males 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly - several seen on the floating vegetation in the shallow water near the Fisheries Cottage.