We're pretty much heading towards the end of the Odonata season now that we're into September. There have been a few Odo trips that I've been on over the summer which I thought I would amalgamate into a single post. I had a rough aim to try to see all the rarer recent colonist species of the county over the summer and fortunately things worked out pretty well.
Red-Veined Darter
After my last foray to see this species up at Wroxton Quarry I signed off my blog post by saying "I imagine that they will become increasingly common in the county". How true this turned out to be. After that find up in Banburyshire, there was a large influx at Blenheim Palace up in Woodstock with double digit counts seen on some days and plenty of evidence of ovipositing. Clearly a new colony was being established before our eyes and it seemed positively rude not to pay a visit. So one sunny Sunday morning I headed off and past a somewhat frustrating morning in the company of SB trying to find some. There were a few distant red Darter sp. over the water which were probably them but none of the crippling views that had been reported over the last few days. In the end SB found one that was staying loyal to a particular perch and I managed to get a photo of it settled. Initially both of us were a bit unsure of the ID as, despite the prominent red wing veins, the blue lower half of the eye was very faint and the single diagonal pale thorax stripe wasn't easy to see either. However, back home and looking at the photos the pale pterostigma with the dark border was easy to make out so the ID was secured.
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| Red-veined Darter |
Lesser Emperor
While I was trying to photograph the Red-veined Darter a Lesser Emperor dropped in briefly before flying off rapidly. They are well established at Blenheim and can often be seen patrolling over the water though usually rather distant. While I didn't get a photo I could at least tick it off my county Odo year list.
Southern Migrant Hawker
Another recent colonist of the county is Southern Migrant Hawker. Now well established in various locations I was keen to catch up with this species. In particular I really wanted to see one on my local patch of the Trap Grounds where it hadn't been recorded so far. On one visit towards the end of July I chanced upon a Hawker species that was flying relatively low and slowly along the end of the boardwalk. I was immediately interested as it had really striking blue eyes. In the end I managed to secure the ID as a Southern Migrant Hawker though wasn't able to get a photo. It turned out that ML had seen it the previous day at a slightly different location in the Trap Grounds so it looked like it was lingering. The next day I came back and it had moved to what is known as Tim's Pond where it perched up regularly and I was able to get a photo.
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| Male Southern Migrant Hawker |
A few days later I came across one SMH at the main pond on the Trap Grounds and an ovipositing pair working their way along the stream. Apparently Southern Migrant Hawkers are the only Hawker species where ovipositing is done paired up. With at least three of this species on site, hopefully this means that the will now become established there for next year. Fingers crossed!
Willow Emerald
This species has been established for a few years in the county now with my local Trap Grounds being a reliable site. They are usually relatively late there, with early September being the best time. After a few failed attempts when the weather was a bit iffy I finally managed to connect on a sunny Saturday afternoon with a single and a pair in tandem seen. Photos were poor but it was nice to connect with this end of season species.
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| Willow Emerald |
So that rounds off my Oxon Odonata season. I never caught up with Norfolk Hawker in the end though it looks like they are becoming established at Blenheim as well. Still, seeing the rest of them made for a good summer of Odonatoring.
