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

Tar Lakes, 12 August

5m Lesser Emperors
3 Brown Hawkers
3 Emperors

Ian Lewington

 Two Lesser Emperors together! © Ian Lewington

Lesser Emperor © Ian Lewington

Lesser Emperor © Ian Lewington

Cholsey Marsh, 12 August am

Banded Demoiselle 5
Common Blue Damselfly, many
Small Red-eyed Damselfly, many
Emperor 3
Migrant Hawker 1
Southern Hawker 1
Brown Hawker 3
Common Darter, many
Ruddy Darter, many

Willow Emerald 1

Alan Dawson

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Alan Dawson

Trap Grounds 11th August

First Willow Emeralds of the season for this site with one by the "Dragonfly Pond" and one along the canal.

Also
2 Brown Hawkers
1f Emperor ovipositing
Lots of Common & Ruddy Darters
A few Blue-tailed Damselflies
One Common Blue Damselfly
2 Banded Demoiselles

Tar Lakes, 11th August

Common Blue Damselfly 40+
Red-eyed Damselfly 2 
Banded Demoiselle 2
Emperor Dragonfly 4
Lesser Emperor 2
Brown Hawker 3
Ruddy Darter 3
Common Darter 35+ (at least ten pairs in tandem with the female ovipositing)

David Hastings

Common Darter © David Hastings

Whitecross Green Wood, 11 August

1m Southern Migrant Hawker

Ewan Urquhart

Pinkhill, Farmoor Reservoir - 11 August

1m Southern Migrant Hawker: Just to left of Pinkhill hide

Peter Philp

Possible range extension, or an isolated record?

Standlake, Pit 60

1 Lesser Emperor still

Andy Last

Otmoor RSPB, 9 August

Late afternoon/evening visit.

Ruddy Darter (very common)
Common Darter (very common)
Southern Migrant Hawker (5 males)
Brown Hawker (3)
Southern Hawker (4+)
Emerald Damselfly (2 females)
Azure Damselfly (several)
Common Blue Damselfly (several)
Blue tailed Damselfly (1male)

 Southern Migrant Hawker male ©️ JP Brouard

Southern Migrant Hawker male ©️ JP Brouard

Southern Hawker male ©️ JP Brouard

Otmoor, 9 August

2 Azure Damselflies, 
1 Brown Hawker, 
2 Southern Hawkers, 
10s Darters ( Common and Ruddy )

James Wainscoat

Southern Hawker © James Wainscoat 

Southern Hawker close up © James Wainscoat 

More on Otmoor Southern Migrant Hawkers - August

Jeremy Dexter has kindly provided more information on his recent Southern Migrant Hawker sightings from Otmoor:

9/8/24 Car Park to Pill: 11 - including 3 females (one of which was egg laying in tandem) - it was windy so numbers probably an underestimate

7/8/24 1st screen to 2nd screen: 4 including 1 female

5/8/24 Oddington track to 100 acre: 7 including 1 female

[Note also 2 males at Bernwood Forest which were just outside the county but presumably have spread from Otmoor/Whitecross Green Wood at SP61227 11466 and SP61758 11110 on 18 July].

He has also provided photos of an unusual blue-phase female (SP57209 13328 on 9 August):

Southern Migrant Hawker (blue form female) © Jeremy Dexter

Southern Migrant Hawker (blue form female) © Jeremy Dexter

Radley Lakes, 9th August

Common Blue Damselfly 50+
Red-eyed Damselfly 6
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 2
Blue-tailed Damselfly 2
Western Willow Spreadwing 1
Southern Hawker 3
Brown Hawker 3
Black-tailed Skimmer 3
Ruddy Darter 7
Common Darter 3

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing © David Hastings

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © David Hastings

Ardley Trow Pool 9th August

1 LESSER EMPEROR! 

Gareth Casburn

Lesser Emperor  © Gareth Casburn

West Hanney garden, 6 August

1 Banded Demoiselle (m) 
2 Blue-tailed Damselfly (f) – form rufescens-obsoleta

Tim and Ali Baker

Banded Demoiselle  © Tim Baker

Blue-tailed damselfly (f) © Tim Baker