Radley Lakes, 30 September 2026

Thrupp Lake

Common Darter 7
Migrant Hawker 2

Orchard Lake

Common Darter 4
Migrant Hawker 5  including ovipositing female

Brian Walker

Common Darter

Lockinge and Ardington, 30 September

Lockinge

Pool above weir.

2+ Migrant Hawker
1+ Common Darter & several on the paths in the area

Note that sadly the water has stopped flowing in the brook.

Ardington

Pool to SW of village

2+ Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Sideleigh Fishing Lake, Bodicote - 30 September

Willow Emerald Damselfy, 1m

Wayne Bull per the WhatsApp Group

Boundary Brook NR, Oxford - 29 September

Two of the three ponds completely dry.

Common Darter - a few around including 1 tandem pair ovipositing into the Garden Pond that appears to have benefitted from a recent water top up. 

Hawker sp - glimpses of 1-2 hawker sp, probably Migrant around the dry Main Pond.

Stephen Burch

Common Darter touch down. © Stephen Burch

Common Darters in cop. [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Lamb's Pool, 21st September

Willow Emerald Damselfly 12+
5 Common Darter
8 Migrant Hawker in two distinct locations

Steve Gresty, per the WhatsApp group

Migrant Hawker  © Steve Gresty

Blenheim 21st September

North end of Queen Pool. 

Migrant Hawker - 8
Common Darter - 1
Common Blue Damselfly - c10
Willow Emerald Damselfly - 3

Gareth Casburn

Aston 21st September

Surprise visitor to my garden today - a male Western Willow Spreadwing. 

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♂ © David Hastings

Dix Pit 20th September

Common Blue Damselfly : 4
Migrant Hawker : 9+
Common Darter : 20+, several pairs in tandem with the female ovipositing.

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ © David Hastings

Farmoor 16th September

Around Pinkhill:

Migrant Hawker 3
Common Darter 1 

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ ©  David Hastings

Drayton/Oday Hill, 12 September

SU4894

10 Willow Emeralds
3 Migrant Hawker
Common and Ruddy Darters. 

Andy Last per the WhatsApp group 

Farmoor, 5th September

 4 Common Darters, 
10 Migrant Hawkers ( Pinkhill )
1 Common Blue Damselfly

James Wainscoat

James also commented that he is "a fairly regular visitor to Farmoor and notes that the abundance of dragonflies is much less than say 3 or 4 years ago".

Maybe increased predation, as illustrated below, is part of the reason for this decline!

Any comments from other regular visitors there?

Little Egret consuming an ex Migrant Hawker © James Wainscoat

Pied Wagtail with Common Blue Damselfly (female/immature deceased) © James Wainscoat

6th September The Trap Grounds

Two Willow Emeralds sunning themselves late afternoon in the south east corner of the main pond in a Willow (appropriately enough).

Adam Hartley

Willow Emerald

 

Standlake Common 6th September

Common Blue Damselfly 1

Blue-tailed Damselfly 1

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Darter 9

David Hastings

Common Darter ♂ © David  Hastings

Trap Grounds 5th September

3 Willow Emerald, including pair in tandem by the usual viewing point on the main pond
6+ Common Darter 
2 Migrant Hawker, m&f 

Adam Hartley 

Willow Emerald

  

Lockinge, 5 September

Pool above weir:

Migrant Hawker - 5+ inc a tandem pair
Common Darter - 1 tandem pair

Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker at the start of a rapid turn to the left © Stephen Burch

Abbey Gardens, Abingdon, 1 October

 River cut-off / pond:

10+ Willow Emerald Damselfly

Martin Green