Oxon Dragonflies: October 2022

Saturday 29 October 2022

Little Wittenham - 29 October

19 Common Darter (including a pair in cop) and 4 Willow Emerald Damselflies enjoying the exceptionally warm mid-afternoon sun on the last weekend of October.

Observations entered in iRecord

Common Darter (c) John Bloomfield

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) John Bloomfield

Ardington - 29 October

Pool to SW of village SU430882:

2+ Willow Emerald Damselfly
3+ Common Darter, inc one pair in cop.

Enjoying the absurdly warm sunlight in the top of a small oak tree.

Stephen Burch

Tuesday 25 October 2022

Sunday 23 October 2022

Shillingford - Little Wittenham - 23 October

During the few brief hours of warm sunshine today, 14 Common Darter and 3 Willow Emerald Damselflies in the Shillingford-Little Wittenham area. In addition, I had a view of a distant blue mosaic hawker (probably Migrant Hawker) but was not able to get a positive id.

Common Darter and Willow Emerald Damselfly records entered in iRecord.

Common Darter (c) John Bloomfield

Willow Emerald Damselfly - male (c) John Bloomfield

Ardington - 23 October

Pool to SW of village SU430882:

2 Willow Emerald Damselfly
1 Darter sp - presumed Common (glimpse only)

Stephen Burch

Nicola Devine 1971-2022

Some very sad news to report. As some of you may already know, Nicola Devine, one the most prolific contributors to this blog, has died aged only 51.

In 2018, Nicola developed an interest in the dragonflies and damselflies of the Trap Grounds Town Green & Local Wildlife Site, the small urban nature reserve in north Oxford. She then started sending me news and photographs and she quickly became adept at photography and identification. Through her assiduous recording, huge patience, sharp eyes and lengthy almost daily visits, she accumulated an impressive site list for such a small urban reserve and established the Trap Grounds as a key odonata site in the county.

By this summer, she had recorded and photographed a total of 22 different species, including notable finds such as Club-tailed Dragonfly (once), Downy Emerald and Small Red-eyed Damselfly (from 2021). In 2020, Nicola discovered Willow Emerald Damselflies had arrived at the Trap Grounds which was then one of only three known sites for the species in the county. She also confirmed breeding for the first time in the county. As a result, the site started to attract enthusiasts from both within the county and further afield and I understand Nicola then kindly acted as chief spotter, pointing out this diminutive species to all comers!

Since 2019, I am most grateful to have been shown around the reserve by Nicola every year, including this one. Each time I was extraordinarily impressed by her powers of observation, and her patience. In addition to odonata, Nicola was interested in all forms of wildlife and by quietly walking around and waiting she was able to get some wonderful photographs including ones of young Sparrowhawks just out of the nest, and even an inquisitive weasel.

Since summer 2019, Nicola had known that her life was limited by a terminal disease but she bore this with extraordinary fortitude and determination to keep visiting the Trap Grounds as often as possible. She was able to keep getting out until very shortly before her death and even managed to get away for a last late summer holiday.

Nicola will be sorely missed as a source of photographs and information on the varied wildlife of the Trap Grounds.

Catherine Robinson, secretary of the Friends of the Trap Grounds, and I would like to appeal for contributors to this Blog to visit the Trap Grounds during the summer months to photograph and identify the dragonflies and damselflies to be found there. The Trap Grounds reserve is an important site for odonata, but in order to maintain its status, the Friends need continuing evidence and expert advice now that Nicola is no longer with us.

For those of you new to the site, which is open to the public 24/7, the entrance is on the canal towpath in north Oxford, immediately south of the Frenchay Road canal bridge (nearest postcode: OX2 6TF). Maps of the site can be found on the Friends of the Trap Grounds website and Catherine can be contacted through this page on the website.

Here is a small selection of Nicola's huge number of dragonfly photos from her beloved Trap Grounds.

RIP Nicola.

Stephen Burch

Willow Emerald Damselfly by Nicola Devine
The most notable species she found at the Trap Grounds

Emergent Southern Hawker by Nicola Devine.
The Dragonfly Pond was the place for these in June/July

Fully mature male Southern Hawker by Nicola Devine.

Common Darter by Nicola Devine

Saturday 22 October 2022

Aston, 22nd October

A male Common Darter was in my garden in west Oxon at lunchtime today.

David Hastings

Common Darter ♂© David Hastings

Thursday 20 October 2022

Otmoor, 18th October

Migrant Hawker - 1
Common Darter - 6+

David Hastings

Tuesday 18 October 2022

Wroxton College - 16 October

Example of numerous Willow Emerald oviposition scars on an ash twig. This is a good method for confirming breeding of this species which is rapidly expanding its range in the county.

Willow Emerald oviposition scars © Gareth Blockley, Gill and Steve Holliday

Also a female Common Darter at Balscote Quarry on 13 October

Saturday 8 October 2022

River Thames at Farmoor - 4 October

1 Willow Emerald Damselfly

Geoff Dymott per Facebook

Standlake Common - 8 October

1 Common Darter

SP391019

Stephen Burch

Steeple Aston - Southern Hawker emergences in 2022

Deborah Dunn has had a very productive year for her daily monitoring of Southern Hawker emergences and exuviae at her small garden pond. This year she counted a remarkable total of 60 exuviae, spread out over an extended period from 29 June to 1 August. She also recorded 12 live emergences.

The plot below shows the daily exuviae counts for comparison with 2020 and 2021. The 2022 total of 60 was by far the highest of these three years and this year was the most extended season so far.