Thursday 15 December 2016

2016 Dragonfly records & BDS 2017 Club-tail survey

2016 records and review

With the 2016 season surely at end, now is the time for submitting any outstanding Oxon dragonfly records for this year either to myself or iRecord. For my contact details, see the 2016 dragonfly page on my website.

Unfortunately 2016 was not a particularly notable year for dragonflies in the county, with below average numbers. Probably the mediocre weather was mostly to blame.

The season got off to a fairly slow start, and it wasn't until 30 April that the first Large Red Damselfly was reported by the Robys and David Hastings.

Thereafter most of the early season action was in the Abingdon area. Following the discovery in 2015 of a new site for Variable Damselflies around a small pool by Barton Fields, further records were obtained this year, but numbers were generally down.

The season's county highlight was probably  the discovery of Downy Emeralds at the same pool by first Ian Green who located an exuvia and then Martin Green who found an adult.

Downy Emerald at Barton Fields (c) Stephen Burch

Hairy Dragonflies continue to spread, and were seen at the same Barton Fields pool and at their regular site of Otmoor, where they favour the Roman Road. 

Good numbers of Club-tailed Dragonfly exuviae were found on one date at the traditional site of Goring Railway Bridge but as usual sightings of the elusive adults were very few and far between.

The Cothill Fen/Parsonage Moor/Dry Sandford Pit complex again produced their county scarcities  - Small Red Damselfly, Keeled Skimmer and Southern Damselfly, although late season observers found worryingly low water levels at Cothill Fen and Parsonage Moor.

The sad decline of Shellingford Pit unfortunately continued in 2016 although a small number of Small Red-eyed Damselflies managed to hang on there for another year. With ever declining water levels at this site, their future here, and in the county as a whole, looks uncertain.

As often has been the case in recent years, the season continued into November, with the last record of a Common Darter on 13 November (David Hastings).

2017 BDS Club-tail survey along the Thames in Oxfordshire

In 2017, the British Dragonfly Society (BDS) are planning to organise a thorough survey of the River Thames along its full length through the county. This will be a considerable undertaking as they are aiming to repeat the methodology used for a survey of the River Severn in Shropshire in 2016, which was at a 1km x 1km square (monad) resolution. As there are well over a hundred of these squares along the Thames in Oxfordshire, we will be looking for as many volunteers as possible - to survey squares for exuviae and adults on multiple visits.

Emerging Club-tail (c) Stephen Burch

Club-tail exuvia (c) Stephen Burch

Further details on this survey will follow in the new year, but if you have any interest in participating please don't hesitate to contact me now. Lets hope for better weather during the 2017 season!

Saturday 22 October 2016

Cholsey Fungi

There is not much fungi to be found in Cholsey but these 3 over the past week around Lollingdon.

Have not id'd them yet.




Friday 16 September 2016

Probable Convolvulus Hawk Moth Kingston Bagpuize 15th September




CONVOLVULUS HAWK MOTH- Very large migrant from Africa with a 12cm wing span. Feeding on Petunia in garden using its long proboscis on and off between 19:30-21:30. Seen on the south coast but probably a real rarity in Oxon. 21:00.

Jed Cleeter

Monday 12 September 2016

Tuesday 30 August 2016

Friday 26 August 2016

Port Meadow Annual Creeping Marshwort Survey

For those botanists amongst you, you might be interested to know that the annual Port Meadow Creeping Marshwort survey is taking place tomorrow on Saturday 27th August. If you're interested in coming along then meet on the Meadow side of Aristotle Lane bridge  at 10 a.m. Please remember that the bridge itself is currently closed so you'll have to come in from Walton Well Road.

Creeping Marshwort

Roman Road, Otmoor - 23rd August 2016

 
Four-spotted Chaser : form praenubia

Sunday 21 August 2016

Thursday 18 August 2016

Saturday 30 July 2016

Otmoor & Bernwood

Grass Snake
Bee on teasel at Noke

White Admiral @ Bernwood 16/07/2016