Otmoor - 22 November

 Belated news of a very late Common Darter on Otmoor from Pete Roby

Late Common Darter (c) Pete Roby

Trap Grounds - 12 November

 1 Common Darter

Nicola Devine

The great 2020 season carries on!

Common Darter (c) Nicola Devine

Otmoor, 4th November

 Three Common Darters at Otmoor this morning - 1 male and a pair in tandem.

Common Darter © David Hastings

Farmoor, 26th October

 Seen along the Pinkhill hedgerow this morning:

Common Darter 2

Migrant Hawker 1

Radley Lakes, 21st September

Red-eyed Damselfly 3
Brown Hawker 1
Southern Hawker 4
Migrant Hawker 8
Common Darter 14+
Ruddy Darter 4

Migrant Hawker © David Hastings

Ruddy Darter © David Hastings

Trap Grounds Willow Emerald Update 22nd September

Lunchtime today at least 5 male Willow Emerald around the Swan pond at the Trap Grounds: 1 along the east side and 4 in the NW corner. All seemingly holding small territories which they defend from each other whilst waiting to snare a passing female. There were probably more but in breezy conditions they were a bit reclusive.

Also seen:
1 Southern Hawker
1 Migrant Hawker
Several "red" Darters

 

Trap Grounds update - 20 September

Again at least 6 Willow Emeralds; more likely 10+  . Swan Lake

Ovipositing observed for third day in a row - bodes well for next year!

Nicola Devine

Willow Emeralds ovipositing (c) Nicola Devine

Trap Grounds - 19 September

 6+ Willow Emeralds - probably into double figures at Swan Lake

Nicola Devine

Willow Emerald Damselflies (c) Nicola Devine

Trap Grounds - 19 September

 c. 6 Willow Emeralds
Migrant Hawker
Southern Hawker

Nicola Devine

Southern Hawker (c) Nicola Devine

Willow Emerald (c) Nicola Devine

Trap Grounds - 17 September

 3 Willow Emeralds 
1 Migrant Hawker (m)
1 Southern Hawker
5 Common Darters 

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Nicola Devine

Southern Hawker (c) Nicola Devine

Orchard Lake, Radley - 16th September

 

Ruddy Darter (above and below) © Peter Law

Many Ruddy Darter and some Common Darter

Several Migrant Hawker

Still a few Blue-tailed, Red-eyed and Common Blue Damselflies

NB - The Barton Fields fishing pond is now difficult to access as the margins are becoming overgrown and the site looks like it is no longer being maintained as such.

Trap Grounds - 16 September

 3 Willow Emeralds 
1 Migrant Hawker (m)
1 Southern Hawker
5 Common Darter

Nicola Devine

Willow Emerald Damselflies (c) Nicola Devine

Common Darters (c) Nicola Devine

Trap Grounds - 15 September

 3 Willow Emerald Damselfly

Nicola Devine

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Nicola Devine

Trap Grounds, Oxford - 13 September

 c. 4 Willow Emerald Damselflies

Nicola Devine

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Nicola Devine

Otmoor Noke End - 13th September

 A female Willow Emerald Damselfly at 16:45 pm beside the bridleway opposite the black sheep field

Approx SP 55221 13198

Willow Emerald (fem) ⓒ Peter Law (above and below)

Trap Grounds, Oxford - 12 September

 2 male Willow Emerald Damselflies again at Swan Pond

Nicola Devine

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Nicola Devine

R Thames at Farmoor, 12th September

Blue-tailed Damselfly 2

Southern Hawker 3

Migrant Hawker 5

Common Darter 13+

Migrant Hawker ♂© David Hastings

Southern Hawker ♀© David Hastings

Radley Lakes - 10 September

 A slightly belated posting from Thursday:

At the location where a Red-veined Darter was seen on 4 September SU5248297453:

1 Migrant Hawker
1 Southern Hawker
1 Brown Hawker
Ruddy/Common Darters

No sign of any RVD for the second time.

Common Darters (c) Stephen Burch

LESSER EMPEROR - on Lake north of the Drayton to Sutton Courtenay Road - 26 August

Adrian Parr has just been in touch to point out that the apparently old or worn female Emperor, reported by Brian Walker on 26 August, was in fact a female Lesser Emperor!

This is the first record of Lesser Emperor in the county since 2011, and quite possibly the first record ever of a female!

SU489943

Female Lesser Emperor eating a wasp (c) Brian Walker

Willow Emeralds Trap Grounds - 10 September

At least 3m & 1f Willow Emerald Damselflies inc 1 pair in cop.

First confirmed breeding in Oxfordshire!

Nicola Devine

Male Willow Emerald (c) Nicola Devine

Willow Emeralds in cop. and potentially ovipositing (c) Nicola Devine

Willow Emerald - Trap Grounds - 8 September

 1m Willow Emerald Damselfly -  much lower down over the Main (Swan) Pond

Nicola Devine

Male Willow Emerald Damsefly (c) Nicola Devine

Willow Emerald, Trap Grounds 8th September

One Willow Emerald found early afternoon on the Trap Grounds. This was on the low overhanging willow branch on the main (Swan) pond in front of the main viewing area.

Willow Emerald

Trap Grounds - Willow Emerald - 7 September!

 1m Willow Emerald Damselfly - in a tree overhanging the Heron Pond.

First site record

Nicola Devine

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly (only second Oxon photo of a male) (c) Nicola Devine

Otmoor, 5th September

Not a lot at Otmoor this afternoon, but I did find my first UK Western Willow Spreadwing (aka Willow Emerald). It was a female, along the bridleway at about SP 56983 12952.

Also seen: 

Common Darter 2
Ruddy Darter 6
Migrant Hawker 4

Western Willow Spreadwing ♀© David Hastings

Radley Lakes - 5 September

10:45 - 12:45. At Wayne's RVD location from yesterday:

1m Southern Hawker
1f Migrant Hawker
Ruddy/Common Darters

No sign of any RVDs!

Stephen Burch

For a larger image, click here

Southern Hawker (c) Stephen Burch

Radley Lakes 4th September - Red Veined Darter

1 imm RED-VEINED DARTER

From Thrupp Lane, walk past Thrupp Lake on your right, turn left on to gravel track (old railway line).

The darter was in brambles c. 20 foot beyond the metal gate on the left. SU 5248297453

Wayne Bull per his superb Blog

Red-veined Darter (c) Wayne Bull

Farmoor - 1 September

 5-6 Small Red-eyed Damselfly - from the wooden bridge at the back of Shrike Meadow

Geoff Wyatt

Small Red-eyed Damselfly (c) Geoff Wyatt

Lake north of the Drayton to Sutton Courtenay Road - 26 August

SU489943

1 Lesser Emperor Dragonfly

12 Common Blue Damselfly
1 Blue-tailed Damselfly
1 Common Darter
2 Ruddy Darter

Brian Walker

Female Lesser Emperor eating a wasp (c) Brian Walker

Common Blue Damselfly without an abdomen but alive and moving (c) Brian Walker

Otmoor - 26 August

 Roman Road and Pill area:

Emerald Damselfly (1 Roman Rd, 2+ Pill)
Migrant Hawker
Brown Hawker
Ruddy Darter

No sign of Willow Emerald or SMH.

Stephen Burch

Click here for a larger image

Emerald Damselfly [focus stacked] (c) Stephen Burch

Otmoor - 24th August

 Along the Roman Road 16:00 - 17:30:

1 common Emerald Damselfly (male)
2 Migrant Hawker
1 Ruddy Darter
Several Common Darter

But I was shown where to look for the Willow Emerald next time

Otmoor - 22 August

Some photos from Otmoor on Saturday, all courtesy of Stephen Kill. Note the female Common Emerald Damselfly was on the Roman Road at the same location at the Willow Emerald but lower down near the ground - a potential source of confusion for the unwary! 

Female Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Stephen Kill

Female Emerald Damselfly (c) Stephen Kill

Mating pair of Small Red-eyed Damselflies (c) Stephen Kill

Male Migrant Hawker (c) Stephen Kill

Radley Lakes, 22nd August

 Looked for Willow Emeralds around Orchard Lake, but no sign of any.

Common Blue Damselfly 10+
Red-eyed Damselfly 8+
Southern Hawker 4
Migrant Hawker 1
Ruddy Darter 11
Common Darter 10

Migrant Hawker © David Hastings

Southern Hawker © David Hastings