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I recommend you also look at Paul Ritchie's website and blog. Paul has information about the Dorset sites in South Hampshire (VC11) e.g. Town Common, Ramsdown, Troubleflield and Moors Valley CP (which spans the VC11 border).
Below is a selection of sites in south west Hampshire with public access.
The HIWWT reserves at Blashford Lakes, Lower Test / Testwood Lakes, Fishlake Meadows and Swanwick Lakes are also good for dragonflies. You can find information about them on the HIWWT website. Titchfield Haven NNR is another good site.
There are many other good dragonfly sites in Hampshire but I don't visit them enough to know them in depth . If you have an iRecord account it is easy to create a filter to view dragonflies in VC11 (or VC12 North Hampshire) and you will be able to find sites for the species you want to see.
Access
Walk from Ashley Walk car park (c.SU195155).
Description
Craters caused by practice runs for the bouncing bomb, heathland, bog and mires. Species list is for the general area.
Species
Damselflies: Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles, Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Small Red, Large Red
Dragonflies: Migrant, Southern and Common Hawkers, Emperor, Golden-ringed, Downy Emerald, Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers, Keeled Skimmer, Common and Black Darters
Occasional: Black-tailed Skimmer
Last Visited: September 2020
Access
By the road at c.SU288158
Description
New Forest Common with a pond and boggy areas. Furzley Common is just to the east of the road with a more extensive boggy area. This is the most reliable pond I know to see Common Hawker.
Species
Damselflies: Emerald, Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Red-eyed, Small Red-eyed, Large Red, Small Red
Dragonflies: Migrant, Southern and Common Hawkers, Emperor, Downy Emerald, Keeled and Black-tailed Skimmers, Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chasers, Common and Black Darter
Occasional: Beautiful Demoiselle, Brown Hawker, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Scarce Blue-tailed (Furzley Common, Cadnam Common Jun/Jul /2013, Jun 2014)
Last visited: September 2020
Note: This site is actually in VC8 - South Wiltshire (even though it is in Hampshire!)
Access Crockford (SZ348988) or Crockford Clump (SZ352991). Both car parks are shut annually to 31st July to protect breeding birds. Parking is also available at Norleywood which you can see at the bottom of the map. You can explore most of the monads SZ3498, SZ3499, SZ3598, SZ3599, SZ3698 and SZ3699 but the link above shows the Crockford Stream just down from the car park where Southern Damselfly is usually easy to find.
Description
One of Britain's best known dragonfly sites with 27 species seen in the area including Hampshire's only Scarlet Darter.
Species
Reported post 2012
Damselflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Emerald, Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Southern, Large Red, Small Red
Dragonflies: Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Common Hawker, Emperor, Golden-ringed, Downy Emerald, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Keeled Skimmer, Common Darter
Last Reported 2000-2012
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, White-legged Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Black Darter, Ruddy Darter, Scarlet Darter (19.06.2002)
Last reported pre 2000
Banded Demoiselle, Scarce Chaser
Last visited: May 2020
Access
Car park at SU369016
Description
Easy access but there can be large numbers of anglers and picnickers. A full description is in the Brooks and Lewington book. Species given are for the main pond plus the two small ponds to the south accessible from the Hatchet Moor car park, and for the mire at the western end of the main pond.
Species
Damselflies: Emerald, Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Southern, Large and Small Reds
Dragonflies: Emperor, Downy Emerald, Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers, Black-tailed and Keeled Skimmers, Black and Common Darters
Occasional: Beautiful Demoiselle, Red-eyed Damselfly, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly; Migrant, Southern and Common Hawkers; Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Ruddy and Red-veined Darter
Access
Ogdens Car Park at SU18111240
Description
The link above takes you to the area north of the Latchmore Brook where you should start to see the target species of this site - Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
Species
Reported 2013-2019
Damselflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Emerald, Blue-tailed, Scarce Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Southern, Small Red-eyed (new in 2019), Large and Small Reds
Dragonflies: Migrant, Brown and Southern Hawkers, Emperor, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers, Black-tailed and Keeled Skimmers, Common Darters
Last reported 2000-2012
Common Hawker, Downy Emerald (2 dates only) , Scarce Chaser (1 date only), Black Darter
Access
At SU38250703 there is room for one car to get off road.
Description
An easily accessible pond and nearby stream with a good selection of species. Furzey Pool (SU386067) and Dibden Bottom ponds (c.SU390066) are close by. Species list for Rushbush and Furzey.
Species
Damselflies: Emerald, Large Red, Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure
Dragonflies: Migrant and Southern Hawkers, Emperor, Golden-ringed, Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers, Black and Common Darters
Occasional: Red-eyed, Small Red-eyed (40 on 12/09/07), Small Red, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies, Downy Emerald, Hairy Dragonfly and Common Hawker
Last visited: September 2020
Access
Puttles Bridge Car Park (SU270029)
Description
This is the easiest walking I know to see Southern Damselfly. If visiting then it would be worth walking west (but skirting the edge of mires) along Ober Water for White-legged Damselfly (c.SU264030 is a good spot). Species are for the area rather than just along Silver Stream. The Puttles Bridge carpark area can be good for Small Red Damselfly and Keeled Skimmer and there is a clearing not far east of the car park where Southern Damselfly rests.
Species
Damselflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, Blue-tailed, Southern, Common Blue, Azure, Large Red, Small Red, White-legged (Clumbers area)
Dragonflies: Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Keeled Skimmer, Common Darter
Occasional: Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly is occasionally found and no doubt a variety of Hawkers.
Access
There may be room to park at SU2230409848 otherwise you may have to find the nearest car park which will make the access take somewhat longer.
Description
New Forest heathland pond and seepage pool a short walk from the road.
Species
Damselflies: Emerald, Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Large Red, Azure
Dragonflies: Emperor, Downy Emerald, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Keeled Skimmer, Black Darter, Common Darter
Occasional: Small Red Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker, Common Hawker, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Red-veined Darter (2006, 2007, 2009)
Access
In Hill Lane (c.SU411143) near the Bellemoor pub or in Cemetery Road (c. SU417137) (There has been a cycle lane added in Hill Lane removing the on-street parking - you will need to find a side street nearby)
Description
The Ornamental Lake (SU414145), the Boating Lake (SU416144) with nearby ditches and the Hawthorns Centre (SU416139) are the places to look. The Boating Lake was one of the first sites in Hampshire to hold Small Red-eyed Damselfly. Cemetery Lake is usually devoid of dragonflies.
Species
Damselflies: Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Red-eyed, Small Red-eyed, Large Red
Dragonflies: Migrant and Southern Hawker, Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter
Occasional: Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle (2017), Emerald Damselfly (2017), Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Downy Emerald (2011, 2018), Four-spotted Chaser, Red-veined Darter (2009, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019,2020), Ruddy Darter (2018)
SouthamptonCommonDragonflies.pdfPage updated
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