A blog for sightings of Dragonflies and Damselflies in Oxfordshire. To submit records and photos for posting, just email stephen_burchemail at yahoo.co.uk. Photos with resolutions up to 1280 pixels may be provided. These will be displayed at a resolution of 640 pixels horizontally but viewers can then click to see them at full resolution
3+ Common Darter
1 on the fence by the weir, and 1 tandem pair ovipositing in the pool! SU426877
Are there going to be any December dragonfly records this year, anyone?
If so, I am pretty sure that would be a county first.
Also a Red Admiral nearby and 1 Brimstone on the footpath to the SE of Ardington SU435881!
Stephen Burch
On fence by weir trying to warm up in the weak late morning sun. SU426877
1 Common Darter
Stephen Burch
3 m Common Darters sunning themselves on the small gate leading to the bird feeder. SP569128
Report of more nearer the hide
Phil Cruse
Pool by the weir SU426877:
5+ Common Darter including 1 pair in tandem, ovipositing. 2 sunning themselves on the wooden fence by the weir.
Stephen Burch
Pool by the weir SU426877:
7+ Common Darter including 2 pairs in tandem, one of which was ovipositing. Up to 4 sunning themselves on the wooden fence by the weir.
Stephen Burch
1m Southern Hawker - patrolling the small pond at the N entrance SU377860
Stephen Burch
1 Willow Emerald Damselfly
6 Common Darter including a pair in tandem
Steve Holliday
Crossing School Road, just W of NavTech SU427881:
1 Hawker sp, presumed Migrant
Just before it started raining.
Stephen Burch
In the cool morning sun at the pool by the weir SU426877 there was still a little activity:
1 Migrant Hawker
1 Common Darter on fence by pool below the weir
Stephen Burch
Willow Emerald 11+ including 2 pairs in tandem, one with female ovipositing on Wych elm
Migrant Hawker 2m
Common Darter 6
Steve and Gill Holliday
Near the gate leading to the Langley Lane hide (SP391018) :
Southern Hawker 1
Common Darter 1
c 7 Willow Emeralds, 2 pairs in cop
2 Migrant Hawker
Common Darter (many)
Southern Hawker
Alan Dawson
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly © Alan Dawson |
In the warm morning sun at the pool by the weir SU426877 :
5+ Migrant Hawkers (highest count at this site!)
3+ Common Darter
Stephen Burch
2 Common Darter enjoying the sunshine along the path from Aristotle Lane to Burgess Field gate
Willow Emerald: Oviposition scars on about 7 branches
Alan Dawson
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| Willow Emerald oviposition scars © Alan Dawson |
Lockinge: Pool by weir SU426877
2 Migrant Hawker
1 Ruddy Darter (on fence by path)
c. 4 Common/Ruddy Darter
Ardington: Pool to south of village SU430882
1f Willow Emerald (only the 2nd seen at this site this year)
1 Common Darter with remarkably red pterostigma
Stephen Burch
Willow Emerald Damselfly: at least 4 pairs in cop
Many Common Darter ovipositing
Migrant Hawker
Southern Hawker
Alan Dawson
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| Willow Emerald Damselflies (c) Alan Dawson |
3 Willow Emerald (Males Orchard Lake)
1 Common Blue Damsel
8 Migrant Hawker
2 Ruddy Darter
10+ Common Darter
Wayne Bull
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Wayne Bull |
1 Common Darter
James Wainscoat
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| Common Darter (c) James Wainscoat |
Pool on Ardington Brook by weir SU425877:
Blue Damselflies 6+
Migrant Hawker 1
Common Darter 5-10 inc ovipositing tandem pairs
Stephen Burch
Common Blue Damselfly 7
Migrant Hawker 4
Common Darter 10
Ruddy Darter 13
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| Ruddy Darter ♂© David Hastings |
Garden Pond
3 Southern Hawker (2m & 1f ovipositing)
1m Ruddy Darter
3+ Common Darter
Large Pond
2m Southern Hawker - probably the same as at the Garden Pond
Common Darter 5-10
Stephen Burch
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| Southern Hawker head on © Stephen Burch |
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| Southern Hawker sideways on © Stephen Burch |
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| Crop of photo above © Stephen Burch |
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| Southern Hawker close up © Stephen Burch |
SP453376:
3 Willow Emeralds ( 1 pair in tandem & 1 male)
15+ Common Blue Damsels
2 Blue Tailed Damsels
25+ Migrant Hawker
15+ Common Darter
Wayne Bull
2 Southern Hawker,
2 Migrant Hawker,
8 Common Darter
James Wainscoat
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| Migrant Hawker © James Wainscoat |
Southern Hawker - female ovipositing amongst the roots of a Yellow Flag Iris in my garden pond.
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| Southern Hawker ♀© David Hastings |
Western Willow Spreadwing - 1 female near Pinkhill
Southern Hawker - 2 (pair in cop at Pinkhill)
Migrant Hawker - 7
Common Darter - 20+ (at least four pairs in tandem with the female ovipositing at Pinkhill)
I observed Little Egrets actively hunting dragonflies on the Pinkhill lagoon.
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| Western Willow Spreadwing ♀© David Hastings |
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| Migrant Hawker ♂© David Hastings |
11 Willow Emeralds (4 pairs in tandem and 3 males)
8 Common Blue Damsels
6 Blue Tailed Damsels
6 Red Eyed Damsels
10+ Migrant Hawker
4 Brown Hawker
10+ Common Darter
3 Ruddy Darter
Wayne Bull
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly (m) © Wayne Bull |
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly tandem pair © Wayne Bull |
SP46344 37023
2 Willow Emerald Damsels (m&f)
2 Common Blue Damsels
7 Red Eyed Damsels
2 Migrant Hawker
6 Common Darter
Wayne Bull
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly (f) © Wayne Bull |
A male Common Darter was in my garden in Aston, west Oxfordshire today.
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| Common Darter ♂© David Hastings |
2 Brown Hawker
10s Darter sp (mostly Common Darters in ovipositing tandem pairs)
James Wainscoat
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| Common Darters (ovipositing tandem pairs) © James Wainscoat |
Hot, sunny intervals, light winds.
Willow Emerald Damselfly 36+ incl 9 pairs but probably missed some high in lakeside trees. At least 3 pair with female ovipositing on small ash saplings. 23+ around small pool, 13+ around large pool.
Blue-tailed Damselfly 1m
Common Blue Damselfly 10 - 2 pair and 6m
Blue Damselfly sp 50 + over main lake probably Common Blues.
Migrant Hawker 15, mostly males, 1 fem ovipositing
Brown Hawker 2
Southern Hawker 1m
Ruddy Darter 10 incl 3 pairs, 1 with female ovipositing.
Darter sp 4
Steve Holliday and Gareth Blockley
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly © Steve Holliday |
Blue-tailed Damselfly 4
Red-eyed Damselfly 1
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 7
Southern Hawker 3
Emperor Dragonfly 1
Migrant Hawker 2
Common Darter 10
Probably more SRED, but they were mostly sitting on lilypads out in the lake so not easy to spot.
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| Small Red-eyed Damselfly♂© David Hastings |
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| Southern Hawker ♂© David Hastings |
Pool south of village SU430882
1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (first of season at this site, and only a very brief sighting)
On 8 September:
1 Common Darter but no sign of any WE
Stephen Burch
Note: Common Darter in my Wantage garden - first site record!
3 Willow Emerald Damselflies
6 Ruddy Daters
2 Common Darters
James Wainscoat
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly © James Waincoat |
1 Brown Hawker
6 Migrant Hawkers
100s Darters
James Wainscoat
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| Migrant Hawker © James Wainscoat |
2 Banded Demoiselle
1 Blue-tailed damselfly at Ham Mill
Migrant Hawker
Common Darter
Mark Bradfield
20+ Willow Emerald, along River Cherwell. In one area 9 pairs and a lone female egg laying on Ash, also individual male(s) in the same area. In another area 2 males.
2 Southern Hawker
12+ Migrant Hawker
5+ Brown Hawker (all egg laying)
Common and Ruddy Darters
2 Common Damselfly
2 Blue-tailed Damselfly
8 Common Blue Damsels
30+ Red Eyed Damsels
10+ Migrant Hawker
4 Brown Hawker
2 Southern Hawker
Common and Ruddy Darters
Wayne Bull
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| Migrant Hawker © Wayne Bull |
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| Migrant Hawker © Wayne Bull |
Small Red-eyed Damselfly: c. 50+ rough estimate
Blue-tailed Damselfly: 1
Emperor: 1 still
Migrant Hawker: 2+
Southern Hawker: 1
Common Darter: c. 50+ rough estimate
Stephen Burch
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| Migrant Hawker © Stephen Burch |
Common Blue Damselfly: 4
Western Willow Spreadwing: 1m, 3f
Southern Hawker: 1
Migrant Hawker: 8
Brown Hawker: 2
Common Darter: 30+
Ruddy Darter: 25+
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| Western Willow Spreadwing ♂© David Hastings |
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| Western Willow Spreadwing ♀© David Hastings |
1m Willow Emerald Damselfly (first site record)
2+ Blue-tailed Damselfly (1 pair in cop.)
10+ Small Red-eyed Damselfly - reduced numbers compared with last visit and last year
1-2 Migrant Hawkers
Common Darter 50+, most in cop. ovipositing
Stephen Burch
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch |
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| Migrant Hawker © Stephen Burch |
Willow Emerald 2
"Red" Darters 10+
As predicted, Willow Emeralds finally appeared at the Trap Grounds in September on the main pond.
Adam
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| Ruddy Darter |
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| Willow Emerald |
3 Willow Emerald
Emperor
Migrant Hawkers
Common Darter
Alan Dawson
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| Migrant Hawkers © Alan Dawson |
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly (m) © Alan Dawson |
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly (m) © Alan Dawson |
30 August
1 Emerald Damsel (Female)
10+ Common Blue Damsels
10+ Red Eyed Damsels
1 Small Red Eyed Damsel (Male)
2 Migrant Hawker
1 Southern Hawker
Common & Ruddy Darters
4 September
5 Common Blue Damsels
20+ Red Eyed Damsels
6+ Migrant Hawker
1 Brown Hawker
1 Southern Hawker
4 Ruddy Darter
3 Common Darter
Wayne Bull
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| Migrant Hawker settled © Wayne Bull |
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| Migrant Hawker in flight © Wayne Bull |
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| Small Red Eyed Damsel (m) © Wayne Bull |
Smaller lake:
10 Willow Emeralds inc. 2 mating pairs with probable egg laying taking pace in some very small ash trees on the bridge
1 Brown Hawker
Several Migrant Hawkers
Michael Higgs
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| Willow Emerald © Michael Higgs |
5 (4m, 1f ovipositing) Willow Emeralds
5 Migrant Hawker
2 Emperor
Ian Lewington
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| Male Willow Emerald © Ian Lewington |
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| Willow Emerald ovipositing © Ian Lewington |
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| Male Willow Emerald (record shot into sun) |
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| Banded Demoiselle (over-mature female) |
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| Banded Demoiselle (over-mature female) |
