Oxfordshire Dragonfly Site Guide - Part 2
Introduction
This is Part 2 of a guide to the best places for dragonflies and damselflies in Oxfordshire. For Part 1, see here
Sites
See below for more information on these sites:
Lamb’s Pool and Woodford Bottom BBOWT reserve (contributed by Steve Holliday, March 2023)
River Thames at Farmoor
Location:
Immediately to the west of Farmoor Reservoir SP438061
Access:
Park in the Farmoor reservoir car park (fee may be payable on exit), and walk over the causeway. Access to the Pinkhill hide (code needed for the lock) is to the right and down the slope at the far end of the causeway. The Shrike Meadow Hide (unlocked) is to the left, and reached down the zig-zag path accessed from the fisherman's car park along the W side of Farmoor II.
Behind the Shrike Meadow hide is a footbridge over a lagoon on Buckthorn Meadow. This can be a good vantage point for dragonflies, especially Four-spotted Chaser and Migrant Hawker later in the season.
Alternatively, access is possible by parking in Farmoor village and following public footpaths down to the riverside and the meadows. Note there is no access into Shrike and Pinkhill Meadows.
Links:
Habitat:
Riverside lagoons with reeds and emergent vegetation. River Thames, grassy meadows.
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| Shrike Meadow from the hide |
Description:
Farmoor reservoir is one of the premier birding site in the county, but the reservoir itself is concrete lined, and has little dragonfly interest.
However, the adjacent River Thames and the Pinkhill lagoon (with hide) can be reasonable for dragonflies, especially in mid/late season when hawkers can be fairly abundant in a good year. It is a notable site for Brown Hawker, usually to be found along the Thames between the two lagoons. From the Pinkhill hide various species can be seen albeit distantly such as Black-tailed Skimmer, and various damselflies. Migrant Hawker is often be seen here, and can even be photographed from the hides or from the footbridge over the lagoon in Buckthorn Meadow.
Club-tailed Dragonfly has also been seem here, although very rarely. There is a single recent record of Scarce Chaser from Pinkhill Lock.
Notable species
- Migrant Hawker
- Brown Hawker
- Black-tailed Skimmer
Tar Lakes, near Witney
Location:
Tar Lakes are found to the south east of Witney, on Cogges Lane, a single track road that runs from Cogges to Stanton Harcourt. The Rushy Common car park is probably the best place for parking at SP380074, although there is space for one or two cars immediately next to the site entrance on the bend.
Access:
From the Rushy Common car park, take the path east, cross the road and enter the Tar Lakes site. A path leads round the first lake and there is access to a second lake beyond. A small pool in the north east corner of the site, close to the road, should also be checked.
Links:
Habitat:
Shallow lakes and a small pool.
Description:
The Tar Lakes reserve has been recently established on the site of former gravel workings by Oxfordshire County Council's admirable Lower Windrush Valley Project. It is notable for providing access to the waters edge, which has clear benefits for photography etc, but some unfortunate consequences in the form of disturbance from the general public, especially dog walkers.
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| Tar lakes access map showing the footpaths around the area |
This site appears to have considerable potential and might some day attract Small Red-eyed Damselflies as the habitat looks good for them. However in recent visits all I found were Red eyes, and good numbers of other common species, as listed below.
The many other flooded gravel pits in the area appear to provide plenty of suitable breeding habitat for dragonflies and are probably worth more exploration, although access is usually problematic, especially to the waters edge. There was once a Lesser Emperor seen from one of the hides at "Pit 60" near Standlake (another great LWVP reserve) but generally there is nothing more notable than Brown Hawkers and Black-tailed Skimmers.
Notable species
- Emperor
- Brown Hawker
- Black-tailed Skimmer
- Four-spotted Chaser
- Red eyed Damselfly
- Common Blue Damselfly
Cholsey Marsh
Location:
River Thames east of Cholsey, SU601854
Access:
From the A329 east of Cholsey take the minor road called Ferry Lane past the southern edge of the old Fair Mile Hospital down to the river. Also in the same area, there is a notable storm water pond on a new housing estate, at about SU600859 with convenient parking at SU599860
Habitat:
River Thames with emergent vegetation. Freshwater marsh.
Description:
This site gives easy access to the river Thames and is just a few miles upstream from Goring. A path goes both north and south from the end of the road. To the north is better for immediate access to the river bank, but to the south is where most of the Clubtail sightings have been. These have usually been found as immatures resting in the vegetation by the path, all the way downstream to the railway viaduct. A few have also been seen along the Thames upstream from here.
In addition to possible Club-tails, more likely are good views of White-legged Damselfly and Banded Demoiselle.
Notable species
- Club-tailed Dragonfly (possible)
- White-legged Damselfly
- Banded Demoiselle
The nearby stormwater pond has a wider range of species, including
- Small Red-eyed Damselfly
- Emerald Damselfly
- Willow Emerald Damselfly
- Emperor
- Common and Ruddy Darters
Faringdon Folly Park Pond
Access:
Going into Faringdon on the A417 from the A420 side, turn right onto Palmers Way just past the supermarket entrance. Then turn right again down Clements Way. Park in the small area adjacent to the park entrance at the end of Clements Way (SU294948). Walk into the park and you will see the fishing pond no more than 100m ahead of you. It is possible to walk around the pond, but the most productive bank is often the one closest to the park entrance.
Expect some disturbance from those fishing, dog walkers etc, especially on fine, sunny days (which are of course the best for dragonflies). Avoid sunny weekends where possible!
Habitat:
Small urban fishing pool with floating and emergent vegetation.
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| The pond in Faringdon Folly Park |
Description:
This is a surprisingly productive site, given its location, although disturbance can be annoying and prevent close approach to some of the water's edge. This site was visited for several years by one dedicated local recorder, but it did not come to the attention of other county dragonfly enthusiasts until as recently as 2017. With the sad demise of nearby Shellingford pit, it remains one the best sites in the county for Small Red-eyed Damselfly. Very large numbers of this species occurred in the hot summer of 2018.
This small pond also has a considerable species list, including the occasional localised Emerald Damselfly, which can also be found on the same visit as the SRE Damselflies. In a normal summer, early to mid August is probably the optimum time for a visit for these two species.
Notable species
- Small red-eyed Damselfly
- Emerald Damselfly (occasional)
- Emperor
- Migrant Hawker
- Brown Hawker
- Ruddy and Common Darters
Trap Grounds, Oxford
Access:
The site lies between the canal and the railway line, immediately south of the Frenchay Road canal bridge (off Woodstock Road) at grid ref. SP503081. An information board marks the entrance to the site, at the start of a track called Frog Lane. Click here for maps of the habitats and other features.
Habitat:
Wooded urban oasis in North Oxford with three ponds (including a dragonfly pond), marshy areas and more open meadows, all readily accessible by a network of paths.
Links:
Description:
A delightful small site. Worked regularly by one dedicated observer, until summer 2022, with an impressive species list for its size. Early in the season, Hairy Dragonflies can be seen and on one special occasion a wandering Clubtail was seen for a few days. Downy Emerald has been seen on Swan Lake in recent years.
Later on in the season, the aptly named dragonfly pond is notable for emerging Southern Hawkers (June/July). Other notable sightings can include include Emerald Damselfly and Beautiful Demoiselle. Good numbers of Brown, Southern and Migrant Hawkers are often present.
In 2020, Willow Emeralds arrived on-site (best seen at the Swan Lake viewpoint near the entrance) and increased their numbers in 2021 and further in 2022. The Trap Grounds is probably the most reliable site in the county for this new arrival.
Another recent addition to this site is Small Red-eyed Damselfly, that can generally be seen distantly on the far side of Swan Lake, from the viewpoint.
Notable species
- Hairy Dragonfly
- Downy Emerald (scarce visitor)
- Clubtail (once!)
- Southern Hawker
- Emerald Damselfly
- Willow Emerald Damselfly
- Small Red-eyed Damselfly
- Beautiful Demoiselle
- Migrant Hawker
- Brown Hawker
Lamb’s Pool and Woodford Bottom BBOWT reserve
Location:
West of Banbury between Sibford Ferris and Hook Norton SP354361
Access:
North of Hook Norton head across the crossroads at the Gate Hangs High PH and head towards the Sibfords. After 1.2 km at the bottom of the hill, park on left at about SP356361. Then cross stile by the reserve sign. Follow hedge on right through a field (Woodford Bottom) for 300m then cross meadow to a gate marking the entrance to the Lamb’s Pool reserve.
Links:
Habitat:
Large man-made pool, stream fed (the upper waters of the River Stour), marshy area with reedmace, meadow with occasional pools from stream overflow (Woodford bottom), mature hedgerows.
Description:
Early season is the best time for Large Red Damselfly among vegetation along the path by the main pool. Blue-tailed, Azure and Common Blue Damselflies can be found along the pool edge throughout the summer with 100s of Common Blue over the water at times. The speciality is White-legged Damselfly with up to 30 present by the pool in June and July when ovipositing can be seen. There is a small breeding population of Red-eyed Damselfly while Banded Demoiselle is occasional with males flying along the stream and pool side.
The approach through Woodford Bottom is marshy after heavy rain when the stream can burst its banks and create temporary pools. These are typically found by Broad-bodied Chasers with 2-3 males often interacting and searching for passing females. Over the pond Emperors are regular in early and mid-summer as are Four-spotted Chasers and the occasional Brown Hawker. Small numbers of Black-tailed Skimmer readily settle along the path and by the pool edge as do Common Darters in late summer into early autumn.
Notable species:
- Banded Demoiselle - occasional
- Large Red Damselfly
- White-legged Damselfly
- Azure Damselfly
- Common Blue Damselfly
- Blue-tailed Damselfly
- Red-eyed Damselfly
- Brown Hawker
- Emperor
- Broad-bodied Chaser (Woodford Bottom only)
- Four-spotted Chaser
- Black-tailed Skimmer
- Common Darter
Steve Holliday March 2023
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