Cholsey Meadows and Lollingdon, 11 November

Good numbers of Common Darters present

Alan Dawson, per Cholsey Wildlife

Lockinge, 12 November

No activity observed in a reasonable sunny spell. 

Stephen Burch 

Balscote Quarry BOS reserve 31 October

Common Darter 18 including  7 pairs (5 in cop, 2 in tandem) although no sign of ovipositing

Steve Holliday 

Lockinge, 27 October

Some activity in a brief sunny spell early afternoon in the pool just upstream from weir SU426877:   

1 Migrant Hawker
4 Common Darter, inc 1 pair in cop & ovipositing 

Stephen Burch

Aston 24th October

A female Common Darter spent some time sunning itself on my garden fence in Aston this morning. It also sat on my finger for a while.

David Hastings    

Common Darter © David Hastings

Lockinge, 22 October

Pool by weir SU425877:

1 Willow Emerald Damselfly - on fence

First site record!

Stephen Burch 

Willow Emerald Damselfly (mobile phone photo) © Stephen Burch

Oxford, 19 October

Oxford Botanic Garden

Common Darter 1
Southern Hawker  1 

University Parks, Oxford

Willow Emerald Damselfly 1+ male 
Southern Hawker 1f ovipositing

Jake Dudderidge

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Jake Dudderidge

Common Darter © Jake Dudderidge

Southern Hawker © Jake Dudderidge

Lockinge, 19 October

 Pool by weir SU425877:

1 Migrant Hawker
1 Common Darter - on fence

Stephen Burch

Farmoor: Pinkhill/Shrike Meadow & River Thames, 17 October

Common Darter 12 (m/f)
Willow Emerald Damselfly 5, including 2 tandem pairs 
Migrant Hawker  1 (m)

Tim & Ali Baker

Migrant Hawker © Tim & Ali Baker

Willow Emerald Damselflies tandem pair © Tim & Ali Baker

Common Darter © Tim & Ali Baker

Balscote Quarry BOS reserve 16 October

Migrant Hawker 1m
Common Darter 2

Steve & Gill Holliday 

Lockinge, 11 October

Sunning itself on fence by weir SU426877 : 

1 Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Pinkhill, Farmoor - 7 October

Willow Emerald Damselfly still near the hide
Southern Hawker
Migrant Hawker
Common Darter

Peter Philp

Peep-O-Day Lane area, including Sutton Wick nature reserve - 4 October

1 Willow Emerald Damselfly
Common Darter: 15 m&f, including 3 tandem pairs 

Tim & Ali Baker

Common Darter © Tim & Ali Baker

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Tim & Ali Baker

Farmoor, 4th October

Seen mainly along the hedgerows at Pinkhill and Shrike Meadow:

Migrant Hawker 3 

Southern Hawker 1 

Common Darter 14

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker © David Hastings

Common Darter © David Hastings

Ardington, 5 October

Pool SW of village (SU430881):

1-2 Willow Emerald Damselfly - first (and probably last!) record this season from this site that has held this species for the previous two years.

Stephen Burch

Faringdon Folly Park Pond, 4 October

3+ Migrant Hawker (2+ m, 1f)
1m Southern Hawker
3+ Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker © Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker © Stephen Burch

Common Darter © Stephen Burch

Grove Meadows Stormwater Pond, 3 October

2 Willow Emerald Damselfly (tandem pair)
2+ Migrant Hawker 

Stephen Burch 

Wroxton College Lakes 2 October

 Migrant Hawker - 4 males around edges of two main lakes, despite the recent wind and rain!

Steve and Gill Holliday 

Pinkhill reserve, Farmoor, 18 September

100s of Common Darter, many being consumed by a Little Egret

James Wainscoat 

Little Egret with Common Darters (c) James Wainscoat 

Common Darters in flight (c) James Wainscoat 

Whitecross Green Wood, September 18 PM

Car park and rides

Willow Emerald Damselfly, 1

Migrant Hawkers, 5 (at least)

Common Darters, several

Main Pond

Emerald Damselfly, 1

Migrant Hawkers, 1 (briefly)

Common Darters, 2 pairs ovipositing, 1m

Phil Cruse

Common Darters in tandem (c) Phil Cruse

Otmoor 18th September

Western Willow Spreadwing 11 (all but one along roman road)
Southern Hawker 2
Migrant Hawker 5
Ruddy Darter 5
Common Darter 30+ 

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♀© David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♂© David Hastings

Wroxton College lakes, 17 Sept

Partial count:

Willow Emerald Damselfly 6. Three pair in tandem, all perched on ash saplings

Common Blue Damselfly 2m

Migrant Hawker 8m

Common Darter 14, 10 away from water, 2 pair in tandem, female ovipositing

Steve Holliday 

Lamb's Pool and Woodford Bottom BBOWT, 16 Sept 2024

Willow Emerald Damselfly 6 (at least 3 males)
After finding ovipositing scars early in the year, adults were seen
today in both willows and alders by the pool.

Migrant Hawker 8 (6m and a pair in cop).
Three males were along a mature hedgerow in Woodford Bottom, 3 males
and a pair by the Pool.

Common Darter 8
At least 6 were in the meadow and hedgerows in Woodford Bottom with a
pair in tandem by the Pool, the female then ovipositing.

Steve and Gill Holliday

Iffley Meadows, 16 September

2f Willow Emerald Damselfly 
2 Southern Hawker 
4 Common Darter 

Wayne Bull

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Wayne Bull

Ardington, 13 September

Single Common Darters briefly at:

SU430881 - pool south west of village
SU431881 - by public footpath south of Ardington House

Stephen Burch

Lockinge, 12 September

 Pool by weir:

1 Migrant Hawker
1 Common Darter 

Stephen Burch 

Trap Grounds 9th September

A visit to the Trap Grounds in the afternoon sunshine paid off with up to 4 Willow Emeralds seen in the trees and vegetation around the main poind.

Cholsey Meadows, 9 September

3 Willow Emerald Damselfly
1 Migrant Hawker
1 Southern Hawker

Alan Dawson

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Alan Dawson

Didcot, 6 September

Garden at SU 512902:

1 Willow Emerald Damselfly

Debbie Lewington

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Debbie Lewington

Warburg Nature Reserve, 30 August

4 Common Darters
7 Southern Hawkers

James Wainscoat

Southern Hawker © James Wainscoat

Ardingon, 4 September

 Pool south of village:

4+ Common Darter including 1 ovipositing tandem pair 

Stephen 

Grove Meadows Stormwater pond, 30 August late pm

Willow Emerald Damselfly: c 5+

Small Red-eyed Damselfly: 2-3

Southern Hawker 1m

Common Darter: a few

Stephen Burch

Southern Hawker © Stephen Burch

Grove Meadows Stormwater pond, 27 August

10+ Small Red-eyed Damselfly, including a pair in cop.
4+ Willow Emerald Damselfly
1 Migrant Hawker
20+ Common Darter (estimate)

Note: This site has now been mown, making access much easier then before. But that has a downside of more litter etc. 

Stephen Burch

Willow Emerald Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Small Red-eyed Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Whitecross Green Wood, 26 August

 Rides

Possibly a Southern Migrant Hawker Dragonfly f?
Migrant Hawker Dragonflies, several 
Brown Hawker Dragonflies, several
Southern Hawker Dragonflies, several
Common & Ruddy Darter Dragonflies, many

Main Pond

Brown Hawker Dragonflies, 1 m, 1 f ovipositing
Southern Hawker Dragonflies, 1m, poss. 1 f
Ruddy Darter Dragonflies, several, at least 4 pairs ovipositing
Several Common Darter Dragonflies
Emerald Damselflies, 1 f
Willow Emerald Damselflies, 1
Blue-tailed Damselflies, 2

Phil Cruse

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Phil Cruse

Emerald Damsely © Phil Cruse

Brown Hawker ovipositing © Phil Cruse

Ardington, 26 July

 Pool to south of village (SU430881):

1 Common Darter

First Odonata sighting of the season at this site!

Stephen Burch

Oxford Botanic Gardens, 26 August

1 Southern Hawker
3 Common Darters

James Wainscoat

 Southern Hawker (f)  © James Wainscoat

Common Darter  © James Wainscoat

Farmoor, 25th August

Migrant Hawker 2
Common Darter 11

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker © David Hastings

Tar Lakes, 18 Aug

Afternoon walk. 

Common Blue Damselfly (common)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (a few) 
Red-eyed Damselfly (several)
Small Red-eyed Damselfly (2/3)
Ruddy Darter (several)
Common Darter (common)
Brown Hawker (several)
Emperor (several)
Lesser Emperor (4 males)
Migrant Hawker (several)
Black tailed Skimmer (1)

Small Red-eyed Damselflies ©️ JP Brouard

Otmoor RSPB, 17 Aug

Spent the day at Otmoor. 

Ruddy Darter (very common)
Common Darter (very common)
Southern Migrant Hawker (5 males seen)
Migrant Hawker (20+)
Southern Hawker (several about)
Brown Hawker (several about)
Emerald Damselfly (2 males, one in tandem with Willow Emerald)
Willow Emerald Damselfly (11 total - 6 males/5 females/ on a quick evening visit 13 Aug, saw 1 female on the Roman Road)
Common Blue Damselfly (Common)
Azure Damselfly (a few seen) 

Southern Migrant Hawker male ©️ JP Brouard

Southern Migrant Hawker male in flight ©️ JP Brouard

Male Emerald Damselfly in tandem with female Willow Emerald Damselfly ©️ JP Brouard  

Otmoor, 17 August

2 Brown Hawker,
2 Southern Hawker, 
2 Migrant Hawker
100s Common/Ruddy Darter

James Wainscoat

Migrant Hawker close up (c) James Wainscoat

Migrant Hawker (c) James Wainscoat

Radley Lakes, 16th August

Common Blue Damselfly 30+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 2
Red-eyed Damselfly 10
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 4
Brown Hawker 3
Migrant Hawker 5
Ruddy Darter 12

David Hastings

Small Red-eyed Damselflies © David Hastings

Tar Lakes, 16th August

Common Blue Damselfly 15
Red-eyed Damselfly 1
Emperor Dragonfly 2
Lesser Emperor 2
Brown Hawker 1
Migrant Hawker 8
Ruddy Darter 4 
Common Darter 30+ (several pairs in cop, and in tandem with the female ovipositing)

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker © David Hastings

Otmoor, 16 August

Southern Migrant Hawkers: showing well at the Pill. 

In the photo below, the male was holding the female's wing when they landed. I think he was trying to get a grip behind the head as he changed position while we watched. But the female got away!

Pete Roby

Southern Migrant Hawkers. (c) Pete Roby 

Dix Pit, 16 August pm

Lesser Emperor: Upto 5 at 3 locations along W side (a tandem pair ovipositing, a single male and 2 males tussling)
Banded Demoiselle 2+
Red-eyed Damselfly: 5+
Blue damsels: numerous 
Emperor: probably outnumbered by Lessers!
Brown Hawker: 10+
Migrant Hawker: 5+
Common Darter 

Stephen Burch 

Distant Lesser Emperor tandem pair ovipositing © Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker (with damselfly exuviae) © Stephen Burch

Tar Lakes - 13th Aug

3 Lesser Emperor (m) still

Lesser Emperor (m) © Peter Law

Lesser Emperor (m) © Peter Law

Brown, Southern and Migrant Hawkers
Ruddy and Common Darters

Blue Damselflies
Banded Demoiselle

Faringdon Folly Park Pond, 13 August

1 Lesser Emperor (?). Very brief view of a probable that quickly vanished and did not reappear,

Small Red-eyed Damselfly: Only 1 on floating vegetation. It seems that much of the floating material is cleared for the benefit of the fisherman but not this species. Formerly this pond was one of the best in the county for this species. Not anymore it seems. 
Red-eyed Damselfly: There were only a few well out on the floating vegetation.
Common-blue Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Emperor 2-3m
Brown Hawker 1-2m
Southern Hawker 1-2m
Common Darter: many

Stephen Burch

Otmoor, 12 August

11 Southern Migrant Hawkers, 3 between the screens and 8 around the Pill including a pair in tandem.
Many more Migrant Hawkers
3 Brown Hawkers

Ian Lewington

Southern Migrant Hawker © Ian Lewington

Southern Migrant Hawker © Ian Lewington

Southern Migrant Hawker © Ian Lewington