Whitecross Green Wood information now added

Many thanks to David Hastings for drafting an entry for Whitecross Green Wood, one of the best sites for Odonata in the county.

To see this, click here.

Anyone else with further suggestions for sites to add?

Stephen Burch

New and updated information on Sites

I'm pleased to announce that information on four new sites in the Banbury area has recently been added to the Site information that can be found on the tabs near the top of this page (below the photo and bold text). 

Thanks very much to Steve & Gill Holliday and Gareth Blockley for summarising so well their available information on these sites:

Lamb’s Pool and Woodford Bottom BBOWT reserve
Wroxton College Lakes 
Clattercote Reservoir 
Grimsbury Reservoir and Upper Cherwell Valley, Banbury

In addition to the above sites, the text for the other sites has been reviewed and updated where necessary. 

Please let me know of any errors or omissions.

If anyone has a favourite site they would like to see included, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Not long to the start of the 2025 season now! 

Stephen Burch

County Dragonfly Recorder for Oxfordshire

2024 Highlights

Here is a summary of the main Odonata highlights for 2024 for the ceremonial county of Oxfordshire, which includes a large section of Vice County (VC) 22 (old Berks) to the south and a small section of VC24 to the north (Whitecross Green Wood).

The weather for the 2024 dragonfly season was generally disappointing for much of the time, with fine sunny days at a premium. Numbers of the commoner species appeared well down, but there were still some notable highlights for some of the rarer species. 

Unlike its exceptional showing in 2023, 2024 was more average for Clubtail sightings, with 18 records between 9 May and 2 June. Most were from the traditional area of Cholsey and Goring, with a notable count of 11 exuviae from downstream of Gatehampton Railway Bridge.  There were also reports from the upstream section of the Thames at Chimney Meadows, Shifford and Tadpole Bridge, where this species is seen less often. 

Clubtail (c) Alan Dawson

There was a better showing for Variable Damselfly, with 6 records. Most were from the usual Barton Fields area near Abingdon but two were from a site northwest of Oxford (Dukes Pond) - an area from which there have been intermittent reports previously. 

Variable Damselfly © Ian Lewington

There were 26 records of Downy Emerald from nine sites (well up on the four sites last year), with the highest count being 8 at Rousham Lake. 

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies were again reported from stormwater ponds at Longford Park, Banbury and Didcot (including a new pond to the north of the town). A single record from Grove, near Wantage belatedly came to light – a new location for this rare species. 

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (aurantiaca female form) © Ian Lewington

Emerald Damselfly records were similar to last year, with reports of small numbers from just nine sites scattered across the county, with the exception of high numbers found at a new pond in Whitecross Green Wood.

Emerald Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Summer saw the first county record of Norfolk Hawker on Otmoor, a much anticipated new arrival., given its spread westwards from East Anglia. Lets hope this wasn't just a one off, and more records follow - almost certainly on Otmoor.

First Norfolk Hawker for Oxon © Jeremy Dexter

There was an unprecedented increase in sightings of Lesser Emperor. Hitherto, this had been a very rare species, recorded less than annually. However this year there was an early report of an immature at Eynsham, away from any potential breeding sites. This was then followed by over 30 reports from a further eleven sites, with breeding behaviour being widely noted. The peak count was seven at Tar Lakes. What will 2025 hold for this species? 

Lesser Emperor at Tar Lakes © Stephen Burch

Another new arrival, Southern Migrant Hawker, continued to consolidate its presence on Otmoor, with more reports than previously from all over the reserve area, especially around the Pill. Smaller numbers were also seen at nearby Whitecross Green Wood and there was an isolated record of one from the Pinkhill reserve at Farmoor reservoir.

Southern Migrant Hawker © Ian Lewington

The comprehensive Cothill BBOWT transect surveys for Southern Damselflies and Keeled Skimmer showed a continuous slow decline in peak counts at Dry Sandford Pit (despite the restrictions on access) but more stable numbers at nearby Parsonage Moor. Unlike last year, there were a few reports of Small Red Damselfly (peak count of 5) at Parsonage Moor.

Small Red Damselfly © Wayne Bull

Small Red-eyed Damselfly numbers were well down at several sites presumably due to the poor weather.  However, the late season Willow Emerald Damselfly appeared more robust, with a continued spread. There were over fifty reports from almost thirty sites, with several sightings into October. 

Willow Emerald Damselfly © David Hastings

Over the year as a whole, in iRecord there were over 3000 records of 31 species – both figures being records..  

Record of Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly in Grove, June 2024

A remarkable record of a Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly has belatedly come to light while I was looking through iRecord entries for VC22 (Berkshire) for last year. It was on 6 June 2024, from a location in Grove, near Wantage, given as SU398902. 

[Note that Vice County 22 includes the large section of what has been Oxfordshire ever since the re-organisation of county boundaries in 1974 - everywhere to the right of the River Thames, looking downstream].

The photos (for one see below) appear to confirm the identity, and look as though they were taken in the observer's garden! Unfortunately there is no valid observer name nor contact details for this record. 

If by any chance the observer reads this post, I'd be delighted to hear from him/her!

Grove is some distance from Didcot, the only other known location for this rare species in southern Oxfordshire, and even further from the other sites in Banbury. 

In Oxon, this species is currently usually found only at stormwater ponds, so it is possible there is a breeding colony nearby, yet to be discovered. Something to bear in mind in June this year!

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly in Grove, 6 June 2024

Steeple Aston - Southern Hawker emergences 2020-2024

Showing remarkable dedication, Deborah Dunn has now completed five years of daily monitoring of Southern Hawker emergences and exuviae at her small garden pond. 

The plot below shows weekly exuviae counts for the five years 2020-2024. Feedback from Deborah suggests that the lower totals in 2020 and 2021 can probably be attributed to shorter monitoring periods. 

Since 2022, the overall annual totals have shown remarkable consistency, year on year, only varying by 4 (7%), and the mean dates for the exuviae varied by only a week. The poor weather in 2024 may have led to the mean exuviae date (19 July) being about a week later than for 2022 and 2023. 

It is also notable that in 2024 Deborah recorded 18 emergences - her highest total so far. 

Weekly exuviae counts from a small garden pond in Steeple Aston for 2020 - 2024

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