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
Small Red-eyed Damselfly: 10+ Really disappointing numbers for this site which has previously had peaks of well over 100. Only very thinly spread over the extensive algal mats
Azure Damselfly: a few
Emperor 1m, 1f ovipositing
Brown Hawker 1m
Common Darter: numerous 50+
Note: this site is getting increasingly overgrown with access to the water's edge more & more difficult.
Stephen Burch
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| Common Darter © Stephen Burch |
10s Azure Damselflies,
10s Small Red-eyed Damselflies
1 Emperor Dragonfly.
James Wainscoat
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| Small Red-eyed Damselflies in cop. and an Azure Damselfly © James Wainscoat |
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| Azure Damselflies © James Wainscoat |
LESSER EMPEROR 2!
Male patrolling the "causeway" between the John Allen Pit and the smaller pit at the south end.
Female low over the smaller pit.
John Allen Pit, Bishop's Court Farm, Dorchester on Thames.
Geoff Wyatt
1m,1f Lesser Emperor (in cop at one point). Flying back & forth along the south-west edge of the first lake. SP382070
Also:
Common Blue Damselfly
Red-eyed Damselfly
Emperor
Brown Hawker
Four spotted Chaser
Black-tailed Skimmer
Common Darter
Stephen Burch
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| Lesser Emperor © Stephen Burch |
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| Lesser Emperor © Stephen Burch |
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| Lesser Emperor through a bush! © Stephen Burch |
1 Lesser Emperor
10s Small Red-eyed Damselfly - well out on the algal mats
2+ Emperor
Brown Hawker
Black-tailed Skimmer - many
Stephen Burch. David Hastings
No sign of the Wood Sandpiper 😢
SOUTHERN MIGRANT HAWKER - 3 patrolling males and I also crossed paths with a fourth when walking out across the rifle range land. Ewan joined me to confirm.
Dozens of Darters, including many Ruddy tandem pairs.
Distant Blue damselflies
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| The Pill at present |
Huge numbers of Darters along the Roman Road and 2 teneral Migrant Hawker
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not enter this area if the RED FLAGS are flying!! Information on range firing times can be found here but may change at short notice and may not be accurate!
Whitecross Green Wood
Beautiful Demoiselle 3
Banded Demoiselle 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly 5
White-legged Damselfly 1
Common Spreadwing 30+
Emperor Dragonfly 5
Brown Hawker 3
Migrant Hawker 2
Southern Migrant Hawker 2
Four-spotted Chaser 1
Ruddy Darter 8
Common Darter 12
Otmoor
Common Blue Damselfly 10+
Brown Hawker 3
Southern Hawker 2
Ruddy Darter 80+
Common Darter 6
David Hastings
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| Common Spreadwing © David Hastings |
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| Beautiful Demoiselle © David Hastings |
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| Southern Migrant Hawker © David Hastings |
2 Lesser Emperor: One male briefly at the viewing railings on the east side and then another male patrolling the north-west corner viewed distantly from the boardwalk.
Ian Lewington
28 July:
Willow Emerald 1
Beautiful Demoiselle 1f
29 July:
Brown Hawker 3
Emperor 4m 1f ovipositing
Also
Black-tailed Skimmer,
Ruddy Darter,
Common and Azure Damselflies,
Blue-tailed Damselfly.
Steve Holliday
Black-tailed Skimmer 40+
Small Red-eyed Damsel 10+
Emperor 10
1m Lesser Emperor - one brief, distant view and one possible glimpse, despite warm conditions and a fair amount of sun.
1+ Small Red-eyed Damselfly; one distant and several other damsels too far out to identify
2+ Brown Hawker - 1 ovipositing
2+ Emperor - 1 ovipositing
10+ Black-tailed Skimmer
Buckthorn Meadow (in a cloudy spell):
1 Brown Hawker
Stephen Burch
Southern Migrant Hawker - Male in flight then a pair in tandem
Migrant Hawker - 24 in total in the wood, my first ones of the year.
Southern Hawker - Male at the main pond
Brown Hawker - 7 in total
B T Skimmer - One late individual
Emperor - 5 incl. ovipositing
Emerald Damselfly - 60 plus (50, and 10 at the main pond). Including pairs in tandem
Beautiful Demoiselle - Male at the far end of the EW ride where I saw one last visit.
Azure Damselfly - Many
B T Damselfly - 4 at the main pond
Ruddy Darter - Many
Common Darter - Numerous but not as many as RD
John Edwards
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| Southern Migrant Hawkers in cop © John Edwards |
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| Southern Migrant Hawkers in cop © John Edwards |
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| Emerald Damselfly © John Edwards |
5+Beautiful Demoiselle
Common Blue Damselflies
3 Blue Tailed Damselflies
2 Southern Hawker
5+ Emperor Dragonflies
1 MALE LESSER EMPEROR!!
2 Brown Hawker
3 Black Tailed Skimmer
5 Common Darter
Wayne Bull
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| Lesser Emperor record shot. © Wayne Bull |
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| Southern Hawker © Wayne Bull |
Pool behind the weir:
1 Blue damsel
1 Emperor (m)
1-2 Common Darters (m)
Stephen Burch
Lesser Emperor
Morning 09:30 to 12:30: one male showing distantly and occasionally. One probable tandem seen once.
Afternoon 14:00-15:30: showing extremely well. Needs sunshine and warmth! (per Jeremy Dexter)
Also:
Brown Hawker
Emperor
Black-tailed Skimmer, several
Common Darter
Ian Lewington, Peter Law, Steve Burch
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 20-50+: including mating and tandem pairs, and presumably both a teneral individual and an emerging individual. Many exuviae seen, assumed from this species.
Emperor Dragonfly 1 ovipositing female, 1 other seen
Azure Blue Damselfly 1 ovipositing female with male attached, a tandem pair and at least 1 lone male
Possible Brown Hawker x1 sighted flying over the Merton Beds at the Botanic Garden
Jake Dudderidge
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| Emperor ovipositing © Jake Dudderidge |
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| Azure Damselflies © Jake Dudderidge |
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| Small Red-eyed Damselfly emerging © Jake Dudderidge |
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| Small Red-eyed Damselflies © Jake Dudderidge |
Red-eyed Damselflies (at least 10, m and f)
Four-spotted Chasers (at least 6, m and f)
Black-tailed Skimmers (2 x m, 2 x f)
Emperor Dragonflies (m and f)
Paul Wyeth
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| Black-tailed Skimmer © Paul Wyeth |
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| Four-spotted Chasers © Paul Wyeth |
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| Emperor © Paul Wyeth |
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| Four-spotted Chaser © Paul Wyeth |
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| Red-eyed Damselflies © Paul Wyeth |
Sunday 21-7-24 - Lyford (River Ock bridge)
10 Beautiful Demoiselle M/F
12 Banded Demoiselle M/F
Tuesday 23-7-24 – West Hanney garden
1 Migrant Hawker
Tim & Ali Baker
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| Banded Demoiselle (m) © Tim & Ali Baker |
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| Banded Demoiselle (f) © Tim & Ali Baker |
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| Banded Demoiselle (f) © Tim & Ali Baker |
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| Migrant Hawker © Tim & Ali Baker |
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| Migrant Hawker © Tim & Ali Baker |
Quick visit after work.
Common Darter (10+)
Emperor (1)
Common Emerald Damselfly (7 males)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (4 males)
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| Male Common Emerald Damselfly ©️ JP Brouard |
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| Male Blue-tailed Damselfly ©️ JP Brouard |
Lesser Emperor: reported from southern/eastern shores of Thrupp Lake but only seen occasionally from the "viewpoint" on the east side.
Peter Law, Wayne Bull et al
Wayne Bull also reports:
1 Banded Demoiselle
6 Emerald Damselflies (3 males 3 females Orchard Lake)
1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (Female Orchard Lake)
1 White Legged Damselfly (Female)
Common Blue Damselflies
Azure Damselflies
10+ Blue Tailed Damselflies
15+ Red Eyed Damselflies
1 LESSER EMPEROR (Male Thrupp Lake)
4 Emperor Dragonflies
5 Brown Hawker
10+ Black Tailed Skimmers
8 Common Darter
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| Emerald Damselfly (f) © Wayne Bull |
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| Willow Emerald Damselfly (f) © Wayne Bull |
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| White-legged Damselfly (f) © Wayne Bull |
Lesser Emperor - at least two tandem pairs reported from the hide
David Hammant per Facebook
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| Tandem pair of Lesser Emperors! © David Hammant |
Common Blue Damselfly (plentiful)
Azure Damselfly (common)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (fairly common)
Red-eyed Damselfly (fairly common)
Small Red-eyed Damselfly (1 male Orchard Lake)
Common Emerald Damselfly (4 males Orchard lake)
Willow Emerald Damselfly (3 males Orchard lake)
Ruddy Darter (10+)
Common Darter (1)
Emperor (fairly common)
Lesser Emperor (2 males + tandem pair late afternoon east side of Thrupp Lake)
Brown Hawker (a few)
Black-tailed Skimmer (common)
Four-spotted Chaser (2)
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| Male Lesser Emperor ©️ JP Brouard |
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| Male Willow Emerald Damselfly ©️ JP Brouard |
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| Male Small Red eyed Damselfly ©️ JP Brouard |
Beautiful Demoiselle (1 male)
Common Blue Damselfly (few)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (several)
Common Emerald Damselfly (10 males)
Ruddy Darter (2)
Brown Hawker (few)
Emperor (several)
Southern Migrant Hawker (2 males car park)
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| Male Southern Migrant Hawker ©️ JP Brouard |
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| Male Emerald Damselfly ©️ JP Brouard |
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| Female Black-tailed Skimmer ©️ JP Brouard |
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| Male Southern Hawker ©️ JP Brouard |
A female Emperor Dragonfly and a Brown Hawker were in my garden this afternoon.
David Hastings
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| Emperor Dragonfly © David Hastings |
2 Azure Damselflies,
1 Emerald Damselfly,
3 Emperors,
2 White-legged Damselflies,
4 Common Darters,
1 Ruddy Darter
James Wainscoat
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| Emerald Damselfly © James Wainscoat |
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| Emperor ovipositing & Azure Damselfly © James Wainscoat |
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| White-legged Damselfly © James Wainscoat |
4 Brown Hawker,
2 Black tailed Skimmer
6 Emperors
4 Azure damselflies
James Wainscoat
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| Brown Hawker & Black-tailed Skimmer © James Wainscoat |
Lesser Emperor - still on east side of Thrupp Lake. intermittently at 4 pm
Note: report of a tandem pair seen by others at 5 pm
Ian Lewington
Records from a garden pond SP423383:
Emperor Dragonfly ovipositing 18th July
Blue-tailed Damselfly 18th July
Common Darter (m) 19th July
Paul Wyeth
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| Emperor © Paul Wyeth |
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| Blue-tailed Damselfly (ovipositing) © Paul Wyeth |
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| Common Darter © Paul Wyeth |
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| Common Darter in flight © Paul Wyeth |