Birds
Crookham and Greenham Common, only just to the south of the County yesterday (18th) had the following rare species:
Red-veined Darter (4-5 terneral males)
Lesser Emperor 1
Small-red eyed Damselfly 10+
So those looking for dragons and damsels in Oxon should keep an eye out for these!
Of the above, there are fully document records of Lesser Emperor in Oxon, most recently from Pit 60 and Radley Lakes. Shellingford Pit even had one in 2008. They are quite easy to identify - small dark hawkers with a vivid blue "rump".
Red-veined Darters are more elusive, but there are some not well documented records from Otmoor in 2006 and Radley in 2007 so you never know! Incidentally, the last time any were seen at Crookham was also in 2007. Immature males are not that easy to identify but the blue lower half to the eyes is diagnostic. Mature males are vivid red - brighter than Common Darters and hence stand out more.
SRE Damsels do occur regularly at a small number of sites in Oxon, with a few records this year from Shellingford Pit and Didcot.
- June Highlights
Hairy Dragonfly by Andrew Last So that was June. Did it live up to it's billing as the most boring birding month of the year? Well to a large degree sadly it did but there were enough nuggets of interest to keep things ticking over. By way of diversification...
- Radley 22nd September
Red-veined Darter again at Radley early afternoon north of H/I between the fence line and the main train track. (per Jason Gosling) No further sign 4-5pm ...
- Red Veined Darter Radley Gp 13th September
Red veined darter record shot. W.P.Bull (4th Oxon record) +4 Hobby Wayne Bull's Wildlife Blog No sign between 5-6p.m (Badger)...
- Shellingford Pit 30 July
Despite worryingly low water levels: Greenshank 2 Green Sand 1 + Several Small-red eyed Damsels Greenshank (c) Stephen Burch Click here to enlarge...
- The Birds Of Oxfordshire, 1889
I have found a copy of the book The Birds of Oxfordshire, by O.V. Aplin, 1889. It can be read online here: http://www.archive.org/stream/birdsofoxfordshi00apli#page/n7/mode/2up It has a few hand written notes but otherwise is clean and easy to read. It's...
Birds
Rare dragonfly alert!
Crookham and Greenham Common, only just to the south of the County yesterday (18th) had the following rare species:
Red-veined Darter (4-5 terneral males)
Lesser Emperor 1
Small-red eyed Damselfly 10+
So those looking for dragons and damsels in Oxon should keep an eye out for these!
Of the above, there are fully document records of Lesser Emperor in Oxon, most recently from Pit 60 and Radley Lakes. Shellingford Pit even had one in 2008. They are quite easy to identify - small dark hawkers with a vivid blue "rump".
Red-veined Darters are more elusive, but there are some not well documented records from Otmoor in 2006 and Radley in 2007 so you never know! Incidentally, the last time any were seen at Crookham was also in 2007. Immature males are not that easy to identify but the blue lower half to the eyes is diagnostic. Mature males are vivid red - brighter than Common Darters and hence stand out more.
SRE Damsels do occur regularly at a small number of sites in Oxon, with a few records this year from Shellingford Pit and Didcot.
Immature male Red-veined Darter at Crookham Common Berks (c) Stephen Burch
Small red eyed Damselfly at Crookham Common Berks (c) Stephen Burch
For more info on dragonflies in Oxon, see http://www.stephenburch.com/dragonflies/OxonDragons.htm
- June Highlights
Hairy Dragonfly by Andrew Last So that was June. Did it live up to it's billing as the most boring birding month of the year? Well to a large degree sadly it did but there were enough nuggets of interest to keep things ticking over. By way of diversification...
- Radley 22nd September
Red-veined Darter again at Radley early afternoon north of H/I between the fence line and the main train track. (per Jason Gosling) No further sign 4-5pm ...
- Red Veined Darter Radley Gp 13th September
Red veined darter record shot. W.P.Bull (4th Oxon record) +4 Hobby Wayne Bull's Wildlife Blog No sign between 5-6p.m (Badger)...
- Shellingford Pit 30 July
Despite worryingly low water levels: Greenshank 2 Green Sand 1 + Several Small-red eyed Damsels Greenshank (c) Stephen Burch Click here to enlarge...
- The Birds Of Oxfordshire, 1889
I have found a copy of the book The Birds of Oxfordshire, by O.V. Aplin, 1889. It can be read online here: http://www.archive.org/stream/birdsofoxfordshi00apli#page/n7/mode/2up It has a few hand written notes but otherwise is clean and easy to read. It's...