County records are underlined and in orange
text
*= first/last sighting of species of year in CA
**= possibly new flight data for species in CA
#= possibly a migratory event
92 species (out of 108 known species)
were reported to this site as flying in CA in 2002.
There were
92 county records &/or upgrades to county records
this year (this # includes several
upgrades of previous 'sighting only' records, and newly accessed museum collections).
`Sighting only' records need further documentation,
but please report them so we can try to get substantiation. There may be some
upgrades of previous `sighting only' records and new specimen records from
recently examined museum/private collections. If you find such a record, please
email it in.
County records should be substantiated with specimen (preferable)
or photo and notes.
DECEMBER
28 December 2002
Nevada County
David Lukas
... I don't know if this is seen very often but I found an overwintering
Variegated Meadowhawk* [last sighting of '02] on December 28. It was an
apparent female clinging to a fern about 12 inches above the ground on a south-
facing grassy slope in the South Yuba River canyon (at the Hwy. 49 crossing) in
Nevada County of the Sierra Nevada (about 2000' elevation). This was on a cold
raining day (snowing just a few hundred feet higher), but it's also been raining
and snowing pretty continuously for about two weeks straight so she couldn't
possibly have flown during the last two weeks at least. She was perched
vertically so that the rain ran down her body but she was obviously breathing
steadily and readjusted her front leg once during the time I watched. Her colors
and condition looked normal (not tattered or faded at all)
17 December 2002
Imperial County
Bob Miller
... we had one Variegated Meadowhawk and one Roseate Skimmer*
[last sighting of '02]near the Salton Sea just outside of Calipatria in Imperial County.
Yuba County
Tim Manolis
... Bruce Webb found some Variegated Meadowhawks
on the Marysville CBC (Dec. 17), include one he collected (I have the
specimen). It was actually in the foothill part of the count circle, in open
Blue Oak woodland, but near to marshy ponds. I regularly see these guys
around Sacramento, often in reasonably good numbers, in the CBC period till
near the end of December. I have never seen one in January, however. But
that is because January is mostly rainy or foggy around here (not much sun).
I don't doubt that some occur well into January in the Sacramento Valley and
surrounding foothills and perhaps overwinter, however. I would urge folks
who find some in December (especially if they find more than one in a small
area that includes potential breeding habitat) to mark the wings with some
sort of waterproof color marker and see if they can find wing-marked
individuals later in January, February, or thereafter in the same area. Some
sort of study such as this is about the only way we are going to prove that
individuals survive the winter.
15 December 2002
Imperial County
Bob Miller
... we had one Variegated Meadowhawk in a backyard in BorregoSprings which is San Diego County.
8 December 2002
Imperial County
Bob Miller
New River Wetlands Imperial site:
**Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii)** - about 1,000;
photos and specimens taken
**Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)**- ~100
Roseate Skimmer - ~20
[**=new late season flight data]
7 December 2002
Butte County
Bruce Deuel
I led a birding field trip to Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Butte Co. It was
very calm, mostly sunny, and got up to 65 degrees. I saw 2 male Variegated
Meadowhawks during our hike around the trails.
1 December 2002
Sonoma County
Chris Heaivilin
I saw a female S. Corruptum at Jack London's pig palace
(Glen Ellen).
NOVEMBER
30 November 2002
Sonoma County
Alan Wight-
I saw two probable Variegated Meadowhawks at Bodega Dunes
Campground. Neither hung around long enough for me to get a good look.
19 November 2002
Sonoma County
David A. Hofmann -
I visited Gualala Point Regional Park in Sonoma county, located at the
mouth of the Gualala River. I had one late dragonfly there, a female Shadow
Darner*. [last sighting of '02]She was perched head up, on a California
Coffeeberry bush. Unfortunately there was ten feet of brush between my camera
and her, so no photos. I was however able to use my birding scope to get an
excellent view of her. That was all I saw all day on the Sonoma county coast.
18 November 2002
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel -
Here in Redding, .... the weather has been mild so ....
I checked one of the best ode spots in town, Turtle Bay West. Only 1
ode was flying, a suspected Shadow Darner.
17 November 2002
Imperial County
Doug Aguillard-
... I finally was able to get away today, and went tramping down to the
Imperial Valley, at my secret spot near Calexico, there was NOTHING
flying, so it was off to Fig Lagoon, and still nothing, so I hit
Bob's places and at the Imperial Wetlands Project I had the following.
Desert* and Rambur's Forktails, and maybe the Powdered Dancer(?,
we'll see when I put the pics on my web site). One Blue-eyed Darner.
At the Brawley Wetlands Project, I saw Roseate Skimmers, **Blue-ringed
Dancers**, Blue-eyed Darner* [last sighting of '02] and a small Reddish
Dragon
(Variegated ?)
Overall, it was a beautiful day in the desert, and cooler than the
coastline in San Diego. [**=new late season flight data]
15 November 2002
Butte County
Ray Bruun-
... At Butte College in their No. 1 biology pond, I saw 8 to 10
Sympetrum pallipes (Striped
Meadowhawk)* [last sighting '02] including three pairs in wheel. It was
a beautiful day, warm (in the 60s) and sunny.
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs-
Helped lead a bird watch for the local HS Advanced Biology class at the
Laguna Wetlands Park this morning, 9:30-10:15. Not even a Variegated
Meadowhawk was seen. :-(
14 November 2002
Imperial County
Bob Miller-
...While birding (of course) ..., I had a few Rambur's
Forktail at several locations. Roseate Skimmer are still widespread
andfairly common. A few glimpses of what I thought were Variegated
Meadowhawk but not certain.
11 November 2002
Sonoma County
Rod Miller-
Rod watched a female **Red Rock Skimmer
(Paltothemis lineatipes) flying along Warm Springs Creek next to
Morgan's Hot Springs Resort (near Glenn Ellen). He saw it about 2:15 and
it amazes both of us after the weekend's rather violent storm, but it is
presently sunny and in the 60-70 degree range here.
[**new late flight data - kb]
8 November 2002
Imperial County
Bob Miller-
...While birding in Imperial County ... Friday the 8th, I did not
see any flyers around the New River Wetlands Project but was there very
early in the morning. As the day warmed up we did see Rambur's and
Desert Forktail, **Powdered and **Blue-ringed Dancer, Roseate Skimmer
andVariegated Meadowhawk in several places near the shore of the Salton Sea.
Saw other fliers but the focus was birding so was not able to
investigate!
[**new late flight data - kb]
5 November 2002
Yuba County
Tim Manolis-
...today was so nice and warm and sunny, that after seeing good numbers of
Variegated Meadowhawks (Sympetrum corruptum), including many
tandem pairs, and darners (most if not all Blue-eyed [Aeshna
multicolor]but also some possible Common Greens [Anax
junius])* (last sighting of '02) while birding the flooded rice country
of Yuba County northeast of Marysville (thousands of Tundra Swans, Greater
White-fronted Geese, and White-faced Ibis were out there, among other things),
that I decided to drive a few extra miles to where Los Verjeles Road crosses
South Honcut Creek, the county line between Butte and Yuba counties at that
point. This is a good spot for California Spreadwing (Archilestes
californica)* (last sighting of '02) and I have harbored hopes of finding
Great Spreadwing there as well, which is known from elsewhere in Yuba County but
had not been found in Butte -- until today!
Butte County
Tim Manolis-
... I saw 1-2 male
Great Spreadwings (Archilestes grandis)
along the creek and finally netted one for a Butte County voucher
specimen. Also saw a handful of male **American Rubyspots (Hetaerina
americana), 1-2 patrolling male Walker's Darners (Aeshna
walkeri)* (last sighting of '02), and 5-6 California Spreadwings,
including 2 tandem pairs, along the creek. Throw in a couple of poor looks at
forktails (Ischnura) in rice country roadside ditches (possibly
one of each of Pacific [I. cervula] and Black-fronted [I.
denticollis]) and you have a fairly nice variety of species for the
first week of November.
[**new late flight data - kb]
3 November 2002
Sonoma County
Kit Crump, Kathy and Dave Biggs-
Went to Bodega Bay and looked for the 'Western' Meadowhawk with Kit
Crump, the biologist at Chanslor Ranch. We saw 2 meadowhawks. The one we
got in hand was a Variegated Meadowhawk and the other was elusive. Kit
says that
the Variegated didn't match the one they saw, but I guess it'll just
have to remain as speculation as to the species. Kit and Dave saw one
lone damsel, probably a Bluet.
many observers inc. Kathy & Dave, Rod Miller
Elsewhere in the county we are still seeing both Variegated Meadowhawks
and Darners which I
assume to be Shadow Darners. Rod thought he might have seen a Cardinal
Meadowhawk, but this would be
new late season data and would need a voucher.
OCTOBER
28 October 2002
Shasta County
Ray Bruun-
Took an hour long look at Mary Lake in Redding today. Not much happening
but not altogether quiet either.
Enallagma carunculatum (Tule Bluet)* [last sighting of '02]
- not
lots but quite a few along the shore of the lake. Many paired.
Sympetrum pallipes (Striped Meadowhawk) - 10 to 20
individuals (none paired)
Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher) [last sighting of '02] - 1 male
Libellula saturata (Flame Skimmer) [last sighting of '02] - 1 male
27 October 2002
Contra Costa County
Chris Heaivilin-
I had some time on my hands so I took a hike to Diablo today.
Pond was completely dry. Normally there's a perimeter ~10m
thick of dense reeds around a 1m deep circle of open water. Now
the water is gone leaving the wall of reeds. I managed to hack
my way through the weeds to the dry bed at the center. Found that
Common Spreadwings* (last sighting of '02) are still there and mating.
Tooka male and female Spotted Spreadwing L.
congener * (last sighting of '02)
and a male L. disjunctus. To my
surprise, I also discovered a small population of CA Spreadwings!
All summer I've been looking for that species on Diablo, only to
find them at the very end of the season. I managed to take a
male and female back with me.
26 October 2002
Sonoma County
Kathy & Kit Crump-
On a trip to Bodega Bay, they were lucky to see two male
Meadowhawks that might have been Westerns on a dirt trail up in the
hills not too far from a shallow pond containing 22 Western Pond Turtles. These
were the first possibleSympetrum occidentale and Western Pond Turtles
they have seen in the wild.
[and IF they were Western Meadowhawks, this would be only the 2nd time for
Sympetrum occidentale to be seen in this county! - kb]
Siskiyou County
Kathy Dave Biggs -
We looked for A. californica but no luck. Even shook the
willows at Cayuse Put-in on the Klamath where I've seen/photoed them
before to no avail. No odes seen at all.
21 October 2002
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs & Nancy Bauer-
I coaxed Nancy into wading across the river with me
and we were then able to watch some Am. Rubyspots who were so
cooperative as to even mate right there next to us. The beautiful heart
they formed while in the wheel really amazed her. I looked for
Archilestes species at both sites, but saw neither.
Sightings:
Healdsburg area: Russian River at Alexander Valley Bridge:
American Rubyspot - several seen across the river
Darner sp. - 2 'fly-bys'
Meadowhawk sp. - 3 seen, 1 IDed as Variegated
Asti area: Russian River at Summer Crossing:
American Rubyspot - 4-5 males and 1-2 females. Pair in wheel observed
Pond Damsel sp. - a few seen at a distance, most likely Tule Bluets
Common Green Darner - one male seen
Darner sp. - 1-2 seen
Meadowhawk sp. - 4 Variegated Meadowhawks IDed; one other,
possibly a Striped Meadowhawk
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
....at lunch, I took a little walk near the Sacramento River here in
Redding. ... mention of Archilestes
grandis (Great Spreadwing) motivated me to check out likely habitat, mostly
because A. grandis has not
been found yet in Shasta County. But I had no luck with that species. The
habitats I searched were flat/hilly dry
grassland, dry pond, and dry streambed.
Species observed:
Archilestes californica (California Spreadwing) - 3 caught,
two flybys assumed to be A. californica
Lestes congener (Spotted Spreadwing) - 2 seen; 2 caught
Sympetrum pallipes (Striped Meadowhawk) - lots and lots (50?
+); mostly single males, a few
females, and 5 to 10 in wheel
The few L. congener I've seen, seem to prefer dried up ponds, at
least this time of year. Both specimens
today were in that kind of habitat. The five A. californica were all
found in (3) or near (2) the dried up channel
of Salt Creek as itruns through the Arboretum (sp?), a natural habitat on the
Sacramento River. S. pallipes
occupied a diversity of habitats, including grassland, dry pond, and dry
streambed. There were few pallipes on
the hillsides.
20 October 2002
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs-
Dave and I realized that no one had reported seeing an *Archilestes
grandis (Great Spreadwing)* yet this year, so when we went into Rohnert
Park today to shop, we also took time to go up in the foothills nearby
where we've seen them before. It took a bit of searching, but we finally
did find some: 2 males and 1 female on Lichau Rd, Rohnert Park. Also seen were
3-4 Variegated Meadowhawks and a Darner- probably a Shadow Darner by the
greenish face.
Shasta Co.
Ray & Steven Bruun
Steven (my son) and I went looking for birds and dragonflies yesterday in
extreme southern Shasta County near Battle Creek.
Archilestes californica (California Spreadwing) - 1, male
Hetaerina americana (American Rubyspot) - 8 males <<
Steven's first look at these; he was
jazzed.
Enallagma carunculatum (Tule Bluet) - 50+; males,
females, pairs
Enallagma sp. - from a distance, one of the bluets did
not appear to be Tule
Argia vivida (Vivid Dancer)* [last sighting of '02] - 1,
male
(may have been
some other kind of Argia, but that is
my best guess)
Anax junius (Common Green Darner) - 5+
Aeshna sp. - 3
Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawk) - 5+
Santa Clara Co.
Teresa Nemeth
11:00 AM Sighted within McClellan Ranch Park, along Steven's Creek,
Cupertino, CA.
Variegated Meadowhawk - Sympetrum corruptum
19 October 2002
San Diego Co.
Doug Aquillard
... Today there were large numbers of the Common Green Darner flying
about with up 5 seen at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, and then
later 7 at Lindo Lake in Lakeside.
13 October 2002
Shasta Co.
Ray & Steven Bruun
... My son, Steven, and I checked out Nora Lake this afternoon:
Aeshna umbrosa (Shadow Darner) - 8 to 10 males (two were
caught; I assume the others were the same)
Archilestes californica (California Spreadwing) - 4 males, 4
females
Numbers haven't changed much in the last month three weeks.
12 October 2002
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
... I took about an hour to look for odes along Cow Creek in Shasta County
Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawk) - 1
Sympetrum pallipes (Striped Meadowhawk) - 2 (several
unidentified sympetrum also seen)
Anax junius (Common Green Darner) - 1
Libellula saturata (Flame Skimmer) - 1 (Haven't seen
one of these for a while)
Hetaerina americana (American Rubyspot) - 2
San Francisco Co.
Paul Saraceni
I observed a (the?) **Pacific Spiketail Corduelgaster
dorsalis**in the same location where I observed one on 10/7-- behind our
house in upper Cole Valley in San Francisco (this location is about midway up
the north-facing hillside leading up to Sutro Tower/Twin Peaks). I observed it
on and off for 5 minutes around 11:45 before it zipped off to the east. [new
late flight season data!- kb]
8 October 2002
Butte Co.
Ray Bruun
... a rare return to the days of mid-summer. While on a ranch in Butte
County, I saw 50 to a 100 each of Lestes
congener (Spotted Spreadwing) and Sympetrum pallipes (Striped
Meadowhawk) depositing eggs, the spreadwings laying them in
or on grass stems, the meadowhawks dropping them while flying above the dry
tules. Both species oviposited in tandem,
congener always, pallipes most of the time. I also saw 15 to 20
Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawk) but these were
mostly in the open fields away from the dry pond which had the two other
species.
I'd forgotten my net, this being a work related trip and after a while
discovered that the spreadwings were very easy to
catch while in pairs. Photographing them was another story. The single
spreadwings were especially hard to approach. But
after 2.5 hours and about 100 pictures, I got a few passable shots.
7 October 2002
San Francisco Co.
Paul Saraceni
upper Cole Valley, SF:
As on Sept. 13th, I observed (with 10X binocs) a single, large (approx. size
of a Green Darner) dragonfly with alternating yellow and black spots along the
length of its abdomen and two yellow stripes on the side of a black thorax. In
each instance, the dragonfly exhibited a strong flight characteristic as it flew
into the wind and repeatedly returned to roughly the same spot where it hung in
the air - Pacific Spiketail Corduegaster
corsalis .
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun, Bruce Deuel, Kathy and Dave Biggs
We met in Redding and Bruce and Ray showed the Biggses the Neon Skimmer
spot at Turtle Bay East Fishing Access. No skimmers, but we saw a couple of
Vivid Dancers, then moved to the dried pond where Ray had
captured and photographed Shasta Co.'s first
Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener
yesterday morning. Some Tule Bluets and a couple of Variegated
Meadowhawks were all we could find.
We then moved to Turtle Bay West, where 3 Widow Skimmers* [last
sighting of '02], 2 more Variegated Meadowhawks, and many, many bluets
were cruising over the backwater. We identified both Tule and Familiar
bluets. In spite of the 95-degree temperatures, it appears ode season is
definitely winding down.
6 October 2002
Siskiyou Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We looked for dragonflies in the Medicine Lake Highlands area (not on
Medicine Lake itself however):
Blache Lake was reduced to nothing but a big puddle with mud around the
edges. There we saw a few pairs of Sympetrum costiferum* and S.
pallipes (Saffron-winged* and Stripped Meadowhawks) [*=last sighting of
'02] and one or two Aeshnas.
Bullseye Lake (just .2 miles away) still was full! There we saw NO
meadowhawks but several Aeshna (Mosaic Darners), 2 Lestes type
spreadwings and a few pond damsels.
Little Medicine Lake (just north west of Medicine Lake) had several
spreadwings and pond damsels and many darners, which we assumed by their
behavior to be Shadow Darners. We looked for Archilestes californicum
(California Spreadwing) in the willows there, but found none. We still
need a voucher for Siskiyou County. One female Lestes congener
(Spotted Spreadwing) collected.
At our last stop, despite the late hour (~4 pm), there at tiny Pumice
Stone Well Pond (which is not much larger than a backyard swimming pool
and with similar depth to a swimming pool), we saw many darners, some
pond damsels and several spreadwings. 2 Aeshna we found floating dead on
the pond surface turned out to be a male and a female Aeshna
interrupta (Variable Darner)*. [last sighting of '02] We presume the 2
males we saw flying were the same
species as their general appearance was the same. We also collected one
female Spotted Spreadwing and a male
Familiar Bluet (E. civile) and
therefore a voucher for the species for Siskiyou County!
1 October 2002
Santa Cruz Co.
Dennis Ecklon
Los Gatos, Ca. I took some shots of a
Common Green Darner Anax junius
"sleeping in the sun" in my front yard.... I got a great close-up with my new
Sony Cybershot... [upgrade of previous sighting only record - kb]
SEPTEMBER
28 September 2002
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
Saturday I stopped by Cow Creek for about an hour of chasing odes.
Pale-faced Clubskimmer* [last sighting in '02] - 1
Variegated Meadowhawk - about 7, two pairs in wheel/linked
Striped Meadowhawk - about 5, one pair in wheel
Common Green Darner - two dozen or more patrolling over the water
Tule Bluet - dozen + (individual males + teneral male + possible female)
Sooty Dancer* [last sighting in '02] - 2 males
American Rubyspot - 4 or 5 males
23 September 2002
Marin Co.
Bob Behrstock
Stafford Lake Co. Park, west of Novato (c. 6.25 mi SW of U.S. 101 / CA 37
intersection, noon-2:30 p.m.
Sunny, hot, little breeze, water low with most of bank exposed and unvegetated,
most odonates in one small cove with emergent vegetation.
Lestes
congener - Several at lake edge, 20+ (males) in
weedy patches back from lake edge
Enallagma carunculatum - Abundant
Enallagma civile - Common
Ischnura perparva* [last sighting of '02] - 6+
Aeshna sp. (presumably multicolor) - Several at lake edge
Anax junius - Several at lake edge
Sympetrum corruptum - 1
Sympetrum illotum - 3
Sympetrum pallipes - 5+
Tramea lacerata - 6+ lake edge
20 September 2002
San Mateo Co.
Al Jarmillo
California Spreadwing, Archilestes
californicum - a male photographed and
collected at Alpine Pond in San Mateo county.
19 September 2002
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
California Spreadwing, Archilestes
californicum - 2 at Nora Lake, a male and
a female photographed
Butte Co.
Tim Manolis & Bob Behrstock
We visited a couple of sites in Butte and Yuba
counties to photograph species Bob had not seen previously.
Our first stop was at a small, drying pond with dense sedge borders along
Rabe Road on the Oroville Wildlife Area a few miles east of Oroville, Butte
County. Here Bob got to photograph a number of Spotted Spreadwings
(Lestes congener), including at least one tandem pair. Other species at
this site were: Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes), in good
numbers, males seemingly on territory in the sedge beds, with much chasing about
going on; hundreds of bluets, all those netted or seen well being Familiar
Bluet (Enallagma civile); Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)*
[last sighting of '02]; Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum);
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)* [last sighting of '02]; and
Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor).
Butte/Yuba Co.
We next went to South Honcut Creek at the Los Verjeles Road bridge, about 2
miles SE of Bangor, Butte County. The creek is the Butte/Yuba county line at
this point. Along a small, bone-dry side channel on the Yuba County side of
the creek we found a little "pocket" of **California Spreadwing
(Archilestes californica) [last date sighted 2002] activity. Of
about 10-12 spreadwings, at least 6 were flying about in tandem, often landing
on small 2-3 m high
willows and occasionally exhibiting ovipositing behavior. This was the other
"target" species on Bob's list. Other species seen here were: Vivid Dancer
(Argia vivida), a few
along the creek; Striped Meadowhawk; Black Saddlebags; a Widow Skimmer
(Libellula luctuosa) ; a few male darners, probably Walker's
Darner (Aeshna walkeri), collected here in the past, patrolling the
creek; and as we were leaving, a male Pale-faced
Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) was
threading its way down the creek between us. I did not realize until some time
later, when back at home, that the clubskimmer sighting represented a first for
Yuba County, quite surprising considering how common the species is in
neighboring Butte County.
San Francisco Co.
Paul Saraceni
Mt. Davidson, SF (grassy hillside):
Common Green Darner - 2
Striped Meadowhawk -1 [this will be a new county record if a
voucher can be found - kb]
7-14 September 2002
San Diego Co.
Doug Aguillard
I've added 3 new lifers last week to my list, all from San Diego. They are
Black Saddlebags from the Eastlake region of Chula Vista, Neon Skimmer
from the Bonita region of Chula Vista, and today in my own yard, a
Wandering Glider.
13 September 2002
San Francisco Co.
Paul Saraceni
Tank Hill, SF (while scanning for raptors)
I observed (with 10X binocs) a single, large (approx. size of a Green
Darner) dragonfly with alternating yellow and black spots along the length of
its abdomen and two yellow stripes on the side of a black thorax. In each
instance, the dragonfly exhibited a strong flight characteristic as it flew into
the wind and repeatedly returned to roughly the same spot where it hung in the
air. From Common Dragonflies and the web site all I can deduce is
Pacific Spiketail Corduelgaster dorsalis
*. [It is, and this is a new sight record
for the county - kb]
11 September 2002
Tehama Co.
Tim Manolis and Bruce Deuel
We made a valiant effort to find Archilestes
but couldn't find any. Here is our trip list.
Foothill Road near A Street, Tehama Co.
Irrigation ditch along road
Common Green Darner -- 1-2 flybys
Blue-eyed Darner -- a patrolling male
Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis
lineatipes -- a patrolling male, 1st
Tehama County sight record
Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few
Black Saddlebags -- a few
Cone Grove Park, Tehama Co.
Antelope Creek
American Rubyspot -- a few seen
California Dancer Argia agroides
* -- a male netted, but not kept, first Tehama
County sight record [last sighting in '02]
Sooty Dancer -- at least 2 seen
Vivid Dancer -- a few seen
Familiar Bluet -- common
Tule Bluet -- common
Pacific Forktail -- fairly common
Common Green Darner -- a few seen
Blue-eyed Darner -- 1 male at least, a few other Aeshna sp? seen
Western Pondhawk* [last sighting in '02] --4-5
Common Whitetail* [last sighting in '02] -- 1 female
Flame Skimmer -- a few males seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- 8-10 including some ovipositing pairs
Black Saddlebags -- a few seen
Butte Co
Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, Butte Co.
Big Chico Creek along the Yahi Trail
American Rubyspot -- some seen
Sooty Dancer -- 10-15 seen
California Dancer -- fairly common
Vivid Dancer -- fairly common
Northern Bluet* [last sighting in '02]
-- 2-3 males netted; bluets in general fairly common
Familiar Bluet -- at least 2 netted
Tule Bluet -- at least 3 netted
Pacific Forktail -- uncommon
Black-fronted Forktail -- a male seen
Desert Firetail -- 6-8 seen, including a tandem pair
Common Green Darner -- one seen
Neon Skimmer* [last sighting in '02] -- a male seen
the Oroville Wildlife Area:
Oroville Wildlife Area, Butte Co., small drying pond at Clay Pit Shooting Range
Spotted Spreadwing -- 8-10 males seen
Bluets -- 100s roosting in shade, probably Familiar Bluets for the most part
Variegated Meadowhawk -- some seen
Striped Meadowhawk -- 5 seen
Black Saddlebags -- 1 seen
9 September 2002
Tulare Co.
Terri Gallion
Fish Creek, Sequoia National Forest
Walker's Darner Aeshna walkeri
8 September 2002
Inyo Co.
Terri Gallion & Susan Steele
We went to a few of the ponds and springs on the west side
of Owen's Lake. We were surprised to find plenty of water despite
several years of continued drought.
Before Owen's Lake, we accessed Haiwee Reservoir at two fishing areas and
saw only a few Bluets in the desert bushes and a couple of Aeshna
flying high overhead. The highlight here was a Canada Warbler!
At a small, marshy, sedge-filled seep spring (2-3" standing water) near
were Dirty Socks Spring used to be, we found:
Paiute Dancer (Argia alberta) * [last sighting in '02] - 4 seen, one pair in tandem.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -1
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) - 1
Aeshna sp. (Probable multicolor) -1
Next, we went to the ponds at Cartago. Lots of shorebirds and a few ducks.
The highlight ode was Desert Whitetail.
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum) - common in the tea-
colored puddles
near the ponds and some along the edges of the ponds, 30
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) - common in the tea-colored puddles, 20
Desert Whitetail (Libellula subornata)* [last sighting in '02] - 2 males
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) - 5
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) - 4, two tandem pairs
Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor) - Two caught and released, 15
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) - 3, two in tandem.
The last stop was lower Lubken Canyon. This canyon contains a cold stream
that is dense with, salt brush, bushy willows and cane (Phragmites australis).
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) - 8
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) - 3
Aeshna s p. (Probable multicolor) - 2
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) - 1
San Diego Co.
Bob & Dee Parks
One male Red-tailed pennant* [last sighting in '02] at Santee Lakes
7 September 2002
5 September 2002
4 September 2002
3 September 2002
2 September 2002
1 September 2002
AUGUST
31 August 2002
29 August 2002
28 August 2002
26 August 2002
25 August 2002
24 August 2002
21 August 2002
20 August 2002
19 August 2002
18 August 2002
17 August 2002
16 August 2002
15 August 2002
14 August 2002
12 August 2002
11 August 2002
8 August 2002
4 August 2002
1 August 2002
1 August 2002
JULY
31 July 2002
29 July 2002
28 July 2002
26 July 2002
24 July 2002
22 July 2002
20/21 July 2002
20 July 2002
19 July 2002
18 July 2002
19 July 2002
18 July 2002
17 July 2002
16-18 July 2002
14 July 2002
13 July 2002
12 July 2002
11 July 2002
10&11 July 2002
9 July 2002
8/9 July 2002
8 July 2002
7 July 2002
6 July 2002
5 July 2002
4 July 2002
3 July 2002
2 July 2002
1 July 2002
very early July or late June 2002
JUNE
30 June 2002
28 June 2002
27/28 June 2002
27 June 2002
26 June 2002
25 June 2002
24 June 2002
22 June 2002
21 June 2002
20 June 2002
19 June 2002
18 June 2002
17 June 2002
16 June 2002
15 June 2002
13/14 June 2002
12 June 2002
11 June 2002
10 June 2002
9 June 2002
8-10 June 2002
7 June 2002
6 June 2002
5 June 2002
3 June 2002
2 June 2002
1 June 2002
MAY
31 May 2002
30 May 2002
29 May 2002
28 May 2002
27 May 2002
26 May 2002
25 May 2002
24 May 2002
23 May 2002
22 May 2002
20 May 2002
17-19 May 2002
18 May 2002
15 May 2002
14 May 2002
13 May 2002
12 May 2002
11 May 2002
8 May 2002
6 May 2002
4 May 2002
3 May 2002
2 May 2002
1 May 2002
APRIL
30 April 2002
29 April 2002
28 April 2002
25 April 2002
24 April 2002
23 April 2002
21 April 2002
22 April 2002
19 April 2002
18 April 2002
14 April 2002
13 April 2002
12 April 2002
11 April 2002
10 April 2002
6th - 9th April 2002
6 April 2002
MARCH
30 March 2002
28 March 2002
27 March 2002
25/26 March 2002
24 March 2002
22 March 2002
21 March 2002
20 March 2002
19 March 2002
17 March 2002
15 March 2002
13 March 2002
12 March 2002
11 March 2002
9 March 2002
8 March 2002
5 March 2002
4 March 2002
2 March 2002
1-3 March 2002
1 March 2002
FEBRUARY
28 February 2002
26 February 2002
25 February 2002
24 February 2002
21 February 2002
20 February 2002
9 February 2002
4 February 2002
JANUARY
26 & 27 January 2002
20 January 2002
12 January 2002
11 January 2002
5 January 2002
4 January 2002
1 January 2002
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
I spent some time at Cow Creek and Lake McCumber today. Both places were
pretty slow except for Common
Green Darners which were abundant.
Cow Creek:
american rubyspot - 6+
sooty dancer - 3
common green darner - 20+
variegated meadowhawk - 1
pale-faced clubskimmer - 2
northern bluet (probable) - 1
pacific forktail - 3+
western forktail - 1
common green darner - 50+
western meadowhawk* [last record of '02]- 1
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
This evening I played in the mud, under the guise of research you
understand, in the little canal that runs in front
of my house. It was an overcast day, very humid with monsoon flow pushing
through. Hoped for rain did not happen.
The surrounding deserts are the driest I have seen them in my lifetime. So back
to the ditch.... I was checking all of the
ischnura that I could find and they were all Deserts! I have found few
Rambur's along the canal systems here in
the Imperial Valley. They are mostly found near larger ponds and lakes like the NR Wetlands.
Blue-ringed Dancer ~20
Familiar Bluet ~20
Desert Forktail ~50
Western Pondhawk 1
Roseate Skimmer 3
Mexican Amberwing* [last sighting of '02] 2
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
On the way back to the Imperial Valley I stopped at the Brock Research
Center (CA) on I-8 and spent an hour there. There is one little overgrown
canal that supplies the property and it is in the middle of the desert
although the All American Canal is less than a quarter mile away. This is
the only "marshy" type habitat for miles. Two Roseate Skimmers. About
ten each of Blue Dasher and Western Pondhawk. Four Blue-ringed
Dancers and about 15 Rambur's Forktail.
Sierra Co.
Doug Vaughn
Sand Pond
Variable Darner, one netted, other Aeshna seen probably this sp?
White-faced Meadowhawk*,[last sighting of '02] one male collected
(the only one seen) -- I'm reasonably comfortable with this identification,
based on illustrations of hamules in Needham et al., the pale face, and dark
wing veins, but I have no comparative experience with very similar spp
Striped Meadowhawk, one netted
Nevada County
Oregon Creek Day Use Area
Walker's Darner, one male collected
two elusive and unidentified red skimmers, most likely Flame Skimmers?
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
East Turtle Bay, Redding
Desert Firetail Telebasis salva
* [last sighting of '02] - 1 male
photographed; several seen
Bruce Deuel
Emma's Dancer* [last sighting of '02]
at the Redding sewer ponds
Trinity Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Common Green Darner Anax junius - seen at Deadfall Lakes & at
Bucket Line Dredges at Highway 3
Blue-eyed Darner Aeshna
multicolor
- specimen taken for county voucher at Bucket Line Dredges at Highway 3
(ponds in the midst of mining trailings and within
view of Trinity Lake).
Mosasic Darner sp. Aeshna sp. - seen at Bucket Line Dredges
at Highway 3, most likely Shadow Darner, which is not recorded yet in the county
Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum
- specimen taken for county voucher at Bucket Line Dredges at Highway 3
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
The meadow area on the west side of McCumber Lake was full of Sympetrums,
and I managed to catch a voucher specimen of White-faced Meadowhawk for Shasta
Co. Other things I noticed were:
Common Spreadwing - 3
bluets of 2 kinds, not identified- 6-7 total
Western Forktails - 3-4
Common Green Darner - 100+
Widow Skimmer
Twelve-spotted Skimmer* [last sighting of '02] - 1
Variegated Meadowhawk - 2
White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum
- 3
Western Meadowhawk - 5
Striped Meadowhawk - 10-12
Black Saddlebags - 1
Plumas Co.
Doug Vaughn
Little Bear Lake
Variable Darner, several netted
Shadow Darner, several netted, one male collected -- this is perhaps
a half mile from the Sierra County line; there appear to be no records for
Sierra County
Striped Meadowhawk, one male collected (the only one seen)
Shasta Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We went out to Big Lake with our kayaks and went across to
the shores of Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park (located at the end of
McArthur Swamp) in Shasta Co.. There we saw many species inc. one
very 'interesting' female Meadowhawk. She was very bulbous in the 2nd
abd. segment area, and prunoise (or at least very pale) under this area.
Her coloring was golden without stripes and she had a prominent scoop
like ovipositor and all pale legs. I failed to notice the stigma. The
only other Meadowhawks seen that day at all were Variegated ( S.
corruptum), which were mostly tenerals. This most likely was S.
vicinum (Yellow-legged Meadowhawk)? I really don't want to call a county
record on just one sighting but since this might possibly be only the 3rd place
to find the bug in CA, I'd love to have someone else go look for it.
What we could ID at Big Lake were:
CA/Aztec Dancer- only a few seen from a distance
Northern/Boreal/Familiar Bluet - ABUNDANT - Familiar IDed in hand,
No/Boreal type not distinguishable with my little handlens
Tule Bluet - ABUNDANT - IDed in hand
Pacific Forktail - some
Western Forktail - some
Blue-eyed Darner - IDed in hand; dead specimen collected on lake surface
Shadow Darner - probably this species
Green Darner - many; dead specimen collected on lake surface
Western Pondhawk - many
8-spotted Skimmer* [last sighting of '02] - ~12
Widow Skimmer - one male and one young female
Common Whitetail - 2-3 males
Flame Skimmer - many, males and females
Blue Dasher - >/= one male
Variegated Meadowhawk - many emerging
Meadowhawk sp. - most likely S. vicinum (Yellow-legged Meadowhawk)
Black Saddlebags - many in the middle of the lake flying over
algae mats. Hardly any alongside the shore!
Elsewhere in Shasta Co. we saw a Western Meadowhawk on Spring Creek
Rd. to the west of Big Lake.
Siskiyou Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
All we saw were Common Green Darners, hundreds of them in Squaw
Valley out of McCloud. A very few Aeshna (probably Shadow Darners)
were flying along Squaw Creek.
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
I did bird surveys at the New River Wetlands sites and spent the rest of the
day oding and taking pics.
American Rubyspot - ~100
*Powdered Dancer Argia moesta[first sighting of '02]- ~200
Blue-ringed Dancer - ~50
Familiar Bluet - ~40
Rambur's & Desert Forktail - ~300
Mostly Rambur's but I did find some that were Desert. (got some great
comparison pics of the two which will be
posted soon!) It is interesting that these are the first Deserts I have found at
the Imperial site since I first photographed
them there about a year ago. I did find them in one other location near the
Salton Sea about one month ago.
Common Green Darner - ~50
Western Pondhawk - ~800
Widow Skimmer - 2
Roseate Skimmer - 6
Blue Dasher - +1,000
Wandering Glider* [last sighting of '02] - 15
Spot-winged Glider* [last sighting of '02] - 1
Mexican Amberwing - ~100
Black Saddlebags - 8
Red Saddlebags* [last sighting of '02] - 2
A note on White-belted Ringtail. I have recorded only one individual at
each of the NRW sites for a total of two. I have not been able to find them anywhere since?!
Sierra Co.
Doug Vaughn
Along the N. Yuba River, near Bassetts, Sierra County
Common Green Darner, numerous in spots, one female collected
Tehama Co.
Bruce Deuel
There is now a specimen of Blue-eyed Darner
Aeshna multicolor
for Tehama Co., thanks to my wife's Mercury
Villager. It's in remarkably good
shape for being hit by a mini-van!
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
This evening, I took an hour or so to check out Nora and Grace Lakes near
Shingletown (about 4 miles from
home). It was
kind of late and there wasn't much flying. The lakes are in the forest and
there was little sunlight to be had.
Common Green Darner - 1 (maybe one more)
Shadow Darner - 2 caught (and possibly several more flying around)
Western Forktail - 3
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
This evening I took a quick look at McCumber Lake here in Shasta County.
Common Green Darner - about 15
Aeshna sp. - about 5
Sympetrum type (probably)- 1
Pacific Forktail - abundant
Western Forktail - 3 (2 were pruinose females I took to be
Western's)
Common Spreadwing - about 6
Boreal Bluet* [last sighting of '02] - 4 (2 males and 2 females)
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
Just got back from the Contra Loma Park (In Antioch) and Big Break
Regional Trail (Oakley).
Contra Loma is a small res. lake. There were more Variegated Meadowhawks
and Blue Dashers than you could shake a camera at. Almost no damsels
though (odd). Saw only a couple Flame Skimmers. A good number of
Black Saddlebags, Blue, and Green Darners. Lots of big ugly black
spiders had strung webs between two reeds to catch bugs blown from/to
the lake. I only mention them because THOSE THINGS ARE UG-LY.
Oakley had better ode diversity. Found a good number of Flame
Skimmers, Bluets, Dancers, Forktails, Variegated Meadowhawks, Blue and Green
Darners, and Black Saddlebags. I found only female Western
Pondhawks. Couldn't find males anywhere. Got some good shots of
a Green Darner and Flame Skimmer.
San Diego Co.
Bob Miller, Dee & Bob Parks
At about 1330 at Santee Lakes - it was great.
We spent our time at the beginning of the first lake only. Got some great
pics of my first Red-tailed Pennant!
Black Saddlebags, Common Green Darner and Familiar Bluet were the others on the
shoreline. Dee took us over to the
trees and vegetation in the corner where she had seen more damsels and, with the
help of a net, we found that we were
seeing Pacific Forktail, another first for me! A few adult and teneral Blue
Dasher where seen here also.
Common Green Darner ... ~10
Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata)-1
Black Saddlebags-3
Blue Dasher-10-15
Familiar Bluet-~10
Pacific Forktail-~30
We then went over to Mast Park along the San Diego River and were a
little disappointed to find so few odes in what looked like prime habitat.
There were a few minnows and the water and vegetation looked healthy but few
odes!? Did get a decent photo of another damsel which, by studying the pic, I
think is Blue-ringed Dancer, another first for me.
Common Green Darner-2
Blue Dasher-5
Mexican Amberwing-1
Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula)-6
Kern Co.
Terri Gallion
Bluet sp. Common Green and
Flame Skimmer. The nights have started to get pretty cool this week.
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun and Bruce Deuel
We visited this area off SH 44 at noon, the same site
where we had such good luck on 26 July. Again, we saw dozens, if not
hundreds, of Common Green Darners stacked up as high as we could see
over the creek, but not going anywhere. Our list:
Blue-eyed Darner type 1-2
Common Green Darner dozens
White-belted Ringtail 1
Pale-faced Clubskimmer 6-7
Western Pondhawk 15, 1 female laying eggs
Widow Skimmer 2
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 1 (we think; may have been Eight-spotted)
Flame Skimmer 4-6
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
Black Saddlebags 8-10
Sooty Dancer 8-10
bluet sp. 3
forktail sp. 1
Sonoma Co.
David Hofmann
Today after birding Bodega Bay, I stopped by the ponds behind the
Sebastopol Community Center and had the
following:
Eight-spotted Skimmer -1
Variegated Meadowhawk -5
Cardinal Meadowhawk* [last sighting of '02] -1
Blue-eyed Darner type -20+ (one pair in wheel, the male landed on a
willow limb, and held the female
for over 15 minutes, before flying off with the female still being grasped)
Common Green Darner -5
Northern Bluet -12
Sonoma Co.
Kathy Biggs
Here at Bigsnest Pond (my backyard in Sebastopol) we continue to have our
sentinel Cardinal Meadowhawk here whenever it isn't foggy (way too much
fog lately!). A female comes in about every other day and then they tandem
oviposit. The Flame Skimmer hasn't been seen here since the 2nd, but both
Blue-eyed and Shadow Darners are visiting/searching for females or
ovipositing now almost daily. Also an occasional visit by a Green Darner
female to oviposit is made. Had one be so kind as to repeatedly land and
oviposit just about a foot away from a group of church kids who visited one day.
Damselfly #s are way down with just an occasional Forktail being seen.
Placer Co.
Cliff Hawley
I'm new to the whole world of Odonates but I've started IDing the
dragonflies in our pasture behind the house. There is a small pond
and irrigated fields. A few weeks ago there were
Flame Skimmers 2
Western Pondhawks 2
Twelve-spotted Skimmers 2
Widow Skimmer 1 (I think)
Western Meadowhawks
Variegated Meadowhawks a few
Common Green Darners a couple of pairs
Black Saddlebags a few flying over my yard
Damselflies many but I wasn't able to ID them.
Around noon today I checked the area again and found
Common Green Darners many (many mating)
Twelve-spotted Skimmers 6
Western Meadowhawks some
Variegated Meadowhawks a pair mating.
On Saturday at the City of Davis Wetlands I saw my first Blue-eyed Darner type.
Siskiyou Co.
Bruce Deuel
I had to go to an evening meeting in Dunsmuir, which
is on the Sacramento River at the Shasta/Siskiyou co. line. I had a
chance to look at the river in a couple of spots before the meeting and
saw literally 100s of Common Green Darners, from water level to as high
as I could see, all along the river. No other odes were seen. They were all
just cruising, each in its own little box, no lateral movement.
Inyo Co.
Karen DeMello and Jan Hintermeister
At Schulman Grove, home of the ancient Bristlecone Pines in the White
Mountains, there were hundreds of blue Aeshna's flying every which way
in the parking lot. This is at 10,000 feet and very dry -- I'm not sure
where the nearest water is. We hiked the 4-mile Methuselah Trail and
saw no signs of moisture anywhere. The quantity of these Aeshna's was amazing!
We went for a walk through the sage and blooming Rabbitbrush north of
Crowley Lake (approx. 7000' elevation) and saw several types of
dragonflies. One in particular caught our eye: It had 3 dark spots on
each wing, but the colors didn't look like the 12-Spotted Skimmer as
there was no white pruinosity, the abdominal segments contained blue,
and their was yellow on the face and yellow spots on the back of the head.
Another mystery dragonfly awaited us at Baker Creek Meadow, west of Big
Pine: magenta eyes, seafoam green thorax stripes, stunning shimmering
wings. Could it be a Variegated Meadowhawk? [sounds like it - kb]
Mariposa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
On Sunday we accessed a small pond on our way to the eastern
entrance/exit of Yosemite on Tioga Pass. "Dana" pond was abuzz with
literally dozens of darners which we couldn't net to ID but which
appeared the same as Saturday's. We also found several newly emerged
Black Meadowhawks Sympetrum danae (some were JUST emerged), a
Spreadwing, Green Darners and a Bluet.
Mono Co.
From Yosemite we drove out past Mono Lake to the county park (Mono Co.).
We were able to find the Dechambeaux Ponds, which are out by Black Point.
Keith Hansen had reported seeing male Red Saddlebags there in June. We
saw no Red Saddlebags, but found the ponds to be teeming with dragonflies:
Black Fronted Forktails* [last sighting of '02] were common and we
collected a male and 2 females to scan for the website.
Western Forktail - pruinose females were also seen (but no males)
Bluets photographed which I hope we'll be able to ID.
Dancers - only very teneral ones which we didn't dare handle, so we
ignored them!
Aeshna at least 2 species - ones with a bright blue face and
others with a very green face. They appeared to be Blue-eyed and Paddle-tailed
(the only Aeshna recorded in the county other than the Variable).
Green Darners were seen.
Western Pondhawks were abundant and in all color phases.
Bleached Skimmer (Libellula composita)* [last sighting of '02] - one
male seen just as we were leaving and crossing the 'sagebrush' area to return to
the car, this is only our 2nd time to ever see one. Even in flight it's small
dark spots at the nodus were visible.
8-spotted Skimmer- 1 very old appearing male was seen.
Flame Skimmers - ~18 males were in constant motion.
Blue Dasher - 1 male was seen.
Variegated Meadowhawks - 6+
*Saffron-winged Meadowhawks Sympetrum costiferum [first sighting of
'02] were abundant, everywhere, in all positions! MANY in wheel ~ 36. A pair in
copula caught for ID confirmation and website scanning. Many photos taken. I
believe this is the first report for the species this year.
Black Meadowhawks* [last sighting of '02] - 6 were seen, 3 male and 3 female, separately.
Black Saddlebags were numerous, but NO Red Saddlebags were seen.
While still in Mono Co., we stopped along Highway 395 after Bridgeport
at a spot we IDed as Walker Creek last year which we found to actually
be a feeder of Walker Creek: Fales Hot Springs Creek. This is 16 miles
from Bridgeport and ~2-3 miles from where Hiway 108 branches off. We again
found River Bluet (Enallagma anna)* [last sighting of '02] common there.
We photographed many and brought one male home for ID confirmation and scanning
for the website (first sighting for the year - This brings our total # known to
fly this year to 84). One male Vivid Dancer was also seen.
Mono and Alpine Counties
Along Hiway 108, just at the junctions of Mono and Alpine Counties,
Anax junius was plentiful at the 7,000-8,000 ft levels (at or very near
the summits) on the EASTERN side only. Once we crossed the first summit,
they weren't seen again for an hour or more until we came upon small
lakes. We tried our darnest to catch one on the grill to upgrade Dennis
Paulson's sighting only record for Alpine Co. but despite our punning,
they eluded us. We even tried for photos of ovipositing females.
Alpine County
Instead, at the Mosquito Lakes (not as bad a place as the name implied)
we caught first a Paddle-tailed Darner* [last sighting of '02]
(actually we saved it as it was drowning on the water surface - it revived nicely and I HOPE is in our
photos!) and one I had to bring home to ID - glad I did as it turned out
to be the county voucher for
Variable Darner (A. interrupta). The
only other Odonata there was a Northern/Boreal Bluet.
Mariposa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We led the Y.A. workshop class thru the Soda Springs and up to nearby Dog
Lake. We were allowed to do catch and release for this program as I was
substituting for the ranger who usually does these trips. The spreadwings at
Soda Springs were found to be Common and Emerald (Lestes disjunctus &
dryas*) [last sighting of Emerald Spreadwing in '02]. They were in
fairly good #s.
The fields had manyGreen Darners flying over them and a few very red
colored WesternMeadowhawks. Tuolumne River was void of Odonata where we
lunched. At Dog Lake we found many Aeshna patrolling the shoreline and
many exuviae. The Aeshna examined in hand were Paddle-tailed Aeshna
palmata (2 males) and Shadow Darners (a male and a female), many
photos were taken. Also seen were more Common Spreadwings
and a male 4-spotted Skimmer [last sighting of '02].Darners were seen in
wheel and ovipositing.
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
McCumber Lake:
The smoke is bad here today; must be a change in weather bringing it down
from Oregon. Being the first summer of my odonata hobby, it's interesting to
watch the ebb and flow of odonata abundance. Take Lake McCumber in Shasta
County as an example. At the end of June, there were lots of damsels and a few
sympetrum dragonflies and king skimmers. A week or two later, there were swarms
of sympetrum types, tons of damsel flies, quite a few king skimmers, and a
darner or two. By the end of July, the meadowhawks had really thinned out,
damsel numbers were down, and darner numbers were up. Today, not having been to
McCumber for a couple of weeks, I was surprised to see a good number of
White-faced, Western, and Striped, and one Variegated Meadowhawk female
again and damsels too (Common Spreadwing, Boreal Bluet, and Pacific
Forktail). Darners (Common Green and Blue-eyed) were common as were
Twelve-spotted Skimmers (earlier there had been many Common Whitetails as
well). I'm looking forward to what the rest of the season brings.
Lassen Co.
Tim Manolis
*River Bluet Enallagma anna* [first sighting of '02] -
collected along Long Valley Creek
Flame Skimmers - in good numbers along Long Valley Creek (still no
specimen for Lassen County. I tried!)
darners and meadowhawks - some
Tuolumne Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Dave and I were spending a wonderful weekend in the Sierra Nevada where I
gave a dragonfly workshop Saturday in Yosemite, so on Friday as we drove in, we
stopped to check potential field sites:
Along Tioga Pass, we stopped for a few minutes at Siesta
Lake. On it we saw many Darners, none of which appeared to be Blue-eyed
and all of which appeared to be either Shadow &/or Paddle-tailed, also
seen were some Common Green Darners, Spreadwings of the Common variety,
a 4-spotted Skimmer and Bluets of the Northern/Boreal type.
Tuolumne Co. - then we crossed the county line near dusk and
we accessed Soda Springs near the Tuolumne Meadows Campground and just outside
Parson's Lodge. We were delighted to find many spreadwings of both the
Common type and some with metallic emerald green thorax tops. Anax
junius cruised the meadow even as it grew dark.
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
Low flows (about 660 cfs out of dam) have dried much of the floating
vegetation on many river miles. The same vegetation that many damsels
and dragons were ovipositing in/on a few weeks ago. Not many odes on
the wing. Smoke from the Oregon holocaust has blanketed the area for
most of the last month. On clear days the odes seem to be on the wing.
I encountered another mixed swarm of darners
while floating on the river. Mostly green darner, some blue-eyed,
and a lot unidentified. Hundreds made up the swarm, which stretched
for several miles of river just west of Happy Camp.
Also saw a few widow skimmers, couple of flame skimmers, one
rubyspot, one eight-spot skimmer, one western pondhawk, Emma's
Dancers, and unidentified Forktails/bluets?
Smoke has reduced visibility to half mile or less on many days during
the last month, don't see many odes flying in the smoky conditions.
Lassen Co.
Tim Manolis
Susan River in Susanville
* California Spreadwing Archilestes californica*
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
We went to Big Lake near North Fork Battle Creek Reservoir. The lake is
just a meadow now with a wet spot down the middle. Nevertheless there were a
number of darners and damsels with a few meadowhawks thrown in.
Damsels - some
*Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa - a male caught and
photographed for ID [these are now on my website -kb] [first sighting of '02]
Black Meadowhawk Sympetrum danae
- a female caught and photographed for ID
White-faced Meadowhawk - two or three males seen
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I encountered a mixed swarm of darners just
west of Tree of Heaven Campground. I was floating on the river. That
day I recall a Sinuous snaketail*, western river cruiser*, rubyspot,
widow skimmer, flame skimmer, Emma's Dancers, and unidentified
Forktails/bluets? [*=last sighting of '02]The darner swarm contained
green and blue-eyed darners plus many unidentified darners.
Lassen Co.
Tim Manolis
along Long Valley Creek:
Gray Sanddragon*, Progomphus
borealis collected as a first specimen for
Lassen County (I saw one in the area last summer) [last sighting of '02]
*Desert Whitetail Libellula subornata* - 3-4
Olive Clubtails Stylurus olivaceous* (the beautiful pale
(with lemon yellow highlights) race, S. o. nevadensis*) - a male along
the Susan River in Susanville, one collected [*=last sighting of '02]
Riverside Co.
Terri Gallion
I stopped to camp at Corn Springs (about 38 miles west of Blythe and 10
miles east of Desert Center). This palm oasis is a BLM camping area surrounded
by very hot, dry desert wilderness. I looked for odes on the morning of 12
August. There was no water above ground when I was there.
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) Probable - few.
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) - numerous.
White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus) * [*=last
sighting of '02] - one male seen.
There are many petroglyphs on the rocks at Corn Spring. Interestingly, one
looked very much like a dragonfly.
Shasta Co.
Ray & Stephen Bruun
While at Baum Lake yesterday (Baum Lake is in southeastern Shasta
County), my son and I saw the following:
Eight-spotted Skimmer - abundant
Common Green Darner - common
Blue-eyed Darner - 6
Variegated Meadowhawk - 6
Black Saddlebags - 2+
Tule Bluet - abundant
damsel sp. - others were seen but not identified.
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
On a trip to Pine Pond on Mt. Diablo:
I didn't see any CA or Great Spreadwings. There were many,
many, Common and Black Spreadwings* (last time seen in '02). They
outnumbered the Bluets and Dancers this time. I got some shots of a
cooperative V. Meadowhawk. It even posed in the Obelisk position for me.
I took a darnerspecimen back home to id. Collected and photos
taken....... *Walker's Darner Aeshna
walkeri* . [ID K. Biggs, first sighting of '02]
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
in his backyard in the in the city of Oakley
Spot-winged Glider Pantala
hymenaea - a male collected, 2 other
females landed nearby.
San Diego Co.
Dee & Bob Parks
At Santee Lakes
*Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula)*
Red-tailed Pennant
Inyo Co.
Tom and Jo Heindel
at Cartago -
Desert Whitetail - male & female seen, female photographed
Orange Co.
Andy Lazere and Laguna Niguel
San Joaquin Wildlife Area (Irvine)-
Wandering Glider- present in relatively abundant numbers
Spot-winged Glider - "
Black Saddlebags - "
Common Green Darner - "
Upper Newport Bay
Blue Dasher
Lake & Napa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
After 2 gloomy/non-ode weeks here in Sonoma Co., Dave and I vowed to get
to the sunshine and see odes this weekend. So on Sunday, although the
sun finally shone here, we went ahead with our plans to go to Lake Co.
and see if we could find the Red-rock Skimmer I *thought* I might have
seen and catch a Green Darner for a voucher there at the pond and stream
on Butts Canyon Rd. Imagine our disappointment after driving an hour and
over 2 coastal ranges to find it overcast in Lake Co! Not much to report(see below).
Then we went on to Napa Co. (just 1 mile away!) to Pope Creek to an area
Andy Rehn had told us about, ...still overcast, and although warm enuf
(high 70s), very few odes.
Lake Co
Butts Canyon Rd. Pond:
Vivid Dancer - a few
Tule Bluet - a few
Pacific Forktail - a few
Western Forktail - many females off in the sedges
Aeshna sp. - one male patrolling the dam edge, very dark blue
marks but we were unable to net him
Flame Skimmer - a few males on patrol
Black Saddlebags - I scared one from the bushes into erratic flight
(too cold to fly well?) and a Black Phoebe caught it on its 2nd attempt
Napa Co-
Pope Creek:
Vivid Dancer - a few
Tule Bluet - a few
Pacific Forktail - a few
Western Forktail - a few
Flame Skimmer - one male on patrol
San Benito Co.
R.J. Adams
From 11:45 - 13:00 I went to look for dragonflies at San Justo
Reservoir . I mainly worked the east
side of the reservoir along the cattails. The dragonflies were fairly
numerous and the following species were recorded:
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) - 7 (6M,1F)
Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia) - 1 (1M)
Varigated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) - 5 (3M,2F
including 1
female collected)
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) - 1 (1M)
Darner sp. 9 (Anax sp. 3, Aeshna sp. 6)
Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor) - 1 (1M specimen
collected)
In addition, both dancers and bluets were fairly common, and a
single currently unidentified bluet was collected. [Specimen sent to KB in '03
and determined to be a Tule Bluet Enallagma
carunulatum - a county record]
As a side note, at least 20 larger dragonflies (I was never able to
get a clear look at them, but possibly hilltopping darners?) were
swarming a good 30-40 feet above the top of Fremont Peak from 09:45 - 10:45)
Lake Co.
Kathy Biggs & David Hofmann
At Detert Reservoir, and at Guenoc Pond (just outside the northern Napa
County line), both on Butt's
Canyon Road out of Middletown:
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata
- caught specimen for county voucher at Guenoc
Pond. Also seen at Detert Reservoir. It was not realized by David Hofmann and
Doug Ellis in prior years that the Guenoc Pond was within Lake and not Napa
County, therefore the species had been seen prior to this within Lake Co., but
not recorded
Widow Skimmer - many seen
Flame Skimmer - numerous
Blue Dasher - quite a few
Eight-spotted Skimmer - quite a few
Variegated Meadowhawk - just a few
Black Saddlebags - numerous
Aeshna sp. - 1 seen at small pond (Guenoc)
Common Green Darner - a couple seen at the pond (Guenoc)
Vivid Dancer - a few
Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile
- -numerous, caught specimens for county voucher by Detert Reservoir
Northern Bluet - some
Western Forktail - some
Colusa Co.
Kathy Biggs & David Hofmann
Bear Creek where it crosses Hwy 20:
Pale-faced Club Skimmer - one male specimen caught, no others seen
Western Pondhawk - a few seen
Widow Skimmer - many seen [more than I've ever seen there before! - Kathy]
Flame Skimmer - numerous
Blue Dasher - a few seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -just a few
Black Saddlebags - numerous
Western River Cruiser - several at Bear Creek
Common Green Darner - many seen inc. ovipositing pairs
Giant Darner - ~5 males and 1 female seen [not as common as expected
- kb]
White-belted Ringtail - abundant; more males and females were on top
of the barbed wire fence
running along the road (~21) than near the water ~11)
Gray Sanddragon - many; none on barbed wire
American Rubyspot - only a few
California Dancer - one male specimen taken for ID purposes
Sooty Dancer - a few
Northern/Boreal Bluet - abundant
Western Forktail - some
Desert Firetail Telebasis salva
-
caught one specimen for county voucher, only two males seen. This species has
been reported from this location in
prior years by several different sighters at different times, but somehow was
never added to the county list!
Marin Co.
Keith Hansen
At 5-Brookes Pond, north of Pt. Reyes - a nice Pacific Spiketail
Kern Co.
Terri Gallion & Steven Irvine
We went out to see what was flying on the South Fork River
in Onyx. Last year in this location, we found a good diversity of species
and several new records for Kern County.
Because of our continuing drought, the river is low and is more choked with
cattails than ever before. However, there were a number of species flying.
Steven caught a a male and female Paddle-tailed Darner (two seperate
captures) for a new Kern County record.
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) - abundant, about 17 individuals.
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) - 10-12. Holding
territories in floating vegetation.
Common Green Darner (Aeshna junius) - 2.
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) - 5, pair seen in
tandem. One male caught.
Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) - 2 cruising the river.
Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes) - 4, all seen were males. One male caught.
Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna mulitcolor) - probably this
species, 1 seen in flight.
*Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna
palmata)* - New Kern County record. Male
and female caught and kept as voucher specimens.
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) - 1 seen flying over a large area near the river.
White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus) - one
female caught.
Spot-winged Gliderv (Pantala hymenaea) - one seen flying over.
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) - 5, 3 females and 2 males.
CA Dancer (Argia agrioides) - probably this species, a few.
Western Forktail (Ischnura perpava) - few.
We also encountered a very large rattlesnake coming for a drink. We left
it peacefully asleep on a downed limb over the water.
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel & Ray Bruun
Where SH 44 crosses Cow Creek just east of Redding:
Aeshna sp. (not Blue-eyed) - 1
White-belted Ring-tail Erypetogomphus
compositus - 4, many photos, 1 specimen county record voucher
Western River Cruiser Macromia magnifica
- 1 male, sight county record
Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga
mendax - 6, photos, 1 specimen for county voucher [upgrade of previous photo record]
Western Pondhawk - 4-5 males, 1 female
Widow Skimmer - 8-10
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 1 male, 1 female
Flame Skimmer - at least 3
Variegated Meadowhawk - 2-3 males, 1 female
Black Saddlebags - 4-5, and a pair in tandem.
American Rubyspot - 2 females
Emma's Dancer - a pair in copula, and a male netted and released
Sooty Dancer - 4, including a tandem pair.
bluets - at least 10, one caught with Northern-type appendages.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
At his home on Hwy 96 2 miles east of Quigly's Store, Bob sees at least one male Emma's Dancer.
Marin Co.
David Hofmann
Yesterday, I went on a botanizing field trip with a few friends to Point
Reyes Nat'l Seashore. We hiked out the trail to Abbott's Lagoon. On the way
out and back I had several Blue-eyed Darners, Vivid Dancers, and bluets.
Fifty yards before getting back to the parking lot I spotted an interesting
dragon, it wasn't blue. Luckily it lit on a bush, hanging like a darner does.
I could see that it had clear unmarked wings, deep copper colored eyes, and
yellow-orange abdomen. I hadn't seen one like it before, but had a good idea
what it could be. Before I could get my camera out for a photo, it flew off.
When I got back to my car I checked in my Dunkle's for verification of my
identity. Sure enough it was a Wandering Glider
Pantala flavescens
, my first. When I got back home to Santa
Rosa I called Kathy Biggs to tell her that I had a lifer, and she informed me
that it was a new record for Marin county! There's always surprises out there.
Sonoma Co.
Kathy Biggs & Barry Jones
At Bigsnest Pond, Sebastopol:
Pacific Forktail - a few males and females
Western Forktail - a few males and females
Western Pondhawk- a males 'fly-by'
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 3 males
At Lake Ralphine, Santa Rosa:
Tule Bluet - many
Bluet sp. - many
Green Darner - a few males; one pair
Aeshna sp - one, probably a Blue-eyed
Western Pondhawk - a few males
Flame Skimmer - 3-5 males
Widow Skimmer - 5-6 males
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 2-3 males
Common Whitetail - many males
Blue Dasher - 3-6 males; 1 female or imm. male also seen
Glider sp. - 1 mid-lake
Black Saddlebags - ~6 males; females and pairs also seen
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Black Saddlebags
Humboldt Co.
Bruce Deuel
I was in the Humboldt Bay area this weekend, but didn't see a lot. At the
Elk River Wildlife Area, which is at the
south edge of Eureka at the mouth of Elk River I saw at least 2 Pantala sp. , which
never sat, and which I missed when I tried to net one. Then I
notice this morning that neither species has been recorded in Humboldt
Co. [will record as Pantala sp. for the county = kb] The only things I
did identify were Blue-eyed Darners, common in
many locations, several Cardinal Meadowhawks at the Arcata Marsh (3
caught for confirmation), and a pair of Pacific Forktails at AldergrovePond.
Trinity Co.
Bruce Deuel
I stopped at Trinity Center on Trinity Lake in Trinity County and saw
Variegated Meadowhawks plus many bluets, of at least 2 species. I
didn't catch any (I'd left my net in the car while I walked to the
lakeshore to look at shorebirds, and it was too hot to go back and get
it when I found there were odes there!), but the appendages on one
looked like it might have been Familiar, and there were several of the
more black than blue type. ...., I now see that neither of these has
been recorded in Trinity Co.
Then I stopped at Lewiston Lake and saw a Sympetrum , all red
with no thoracic stripes or spots, light colored legs and red costal veins,
but it flew off before I could net it. Sounds like Yellow-legged, but way out
of range and too early. Frustrating weekend.
Sonoma Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Russian River at Alexander Valley Bridge and then at Asti summer crossing:
Am. Rubyspot - many
Emma's Dancer - many
Sooty Dancer - only a few
No./Bo. Bluet- many
Gray Sanddragon - quite a few
Western River Cruiser - several - and oh so powerful!
Pale-faced Clubskimmer - quite a few
Flame Skimmer- two
Wandering Glider- one
Black Saddlebags - one
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
While birding the SE end of the Salton Sea today I kept getting distracted
by dragons. LOTS of them! Being the faithful bird guide I had to pass up many
dragons without a closer look so I probably missed a few good ID's and I just
know that I missed a few new lifers..... Did get to net and release a few
Blue Dashers for the group but could not swoop a Spot-winged for
anything. The weather was weird for the end of July.... there was a breeze and
the humidity is low so you could actually spend some time out without melting!
The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ at Sinclair and
Gentry Roads is a very good spot for dragon hunting and the sky there was full
of them today.
In the past week I have seen no Rambur's Forktails at the New River
Wetlands so it appears there season is split here in the desert. ?
A friend reported one (1) White-belted Ringtail at the NRW
Imperial site on Saturday two weeks ago.
Today I did find a spot in the North end of the valley with about 20
Desert Forktails. Having not seen
any since last year I was beginning to wonder if I could tell them from
Rambur's. The wider stripe on the upper sides
of the thorax and the color connecting the dots on the eyes was quite obvious.
Should have pics of Deserts in wheel on
the website soon....... if any turned out. Spot-winged too!
Common Green Darner - <10
Western Pondhawk - a few in several locations.
Roseate Skimmer - 5
Blue Dasher - most common dragon in all locations
Spot-winged Glider - numerous in many locations
Mexican Amberwing - only one individual seen
Red Saddlebags - numerous at the NWR HQ
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
At Buckhorn L.O. Bob drives up 2 hrs later than usual and sees fewer
Sinuous Snaketails along the road. At the L.O. at 11:20 am he sees more
than a dozen Moasic Darners and what appear to be a Snaketail.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
At Collins Baldy L.O. Bob sees at least one Mosaic Darner. The
Sinuous Snaketails are a little more numerous along the ridge road than
previously but still fairly common below 2400'.
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
This morning I was at Sims Campground on the upper Sacramento River a
few miles below Castella. I was keeping one eye out for dragonflies
while doing other things, and only saw 1, but it was a good one; my
personal first Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis), a nice
male. Ray Bruun told me about a week a go he's seen several of these in the Shingletown area.
Sonoma Co.
Gloria & Harry Conley
Had a Pacific Spiketail in their Sebastopol driveway.
Kathy Biggs
And here at Bigsnest pond in my own (Kathy Biggs) backyard here in
Sebastopol, we are continuing to have many Cardinal Meadowhawks who while
they won't tolerate another male at the pond, will share a perch with a Flame
Skimmer! Also present today were 2 young male Western Pond Hawks who
were still green on the front half. While I was busy photographing them a Black-
throated Gray Warbler came in! Other dragonflies species that were also on the
pond were Pacific & Western Forktails.
Contra Costa Co.
Tim Manolis
I made a brief check of Pinole Creek in Pinole, Contra Costa Co., just a
little west of the Pinole Valley Road exit
off of I-80. I thought it looked good for I. gemina, but all I could
find there were I.
denticollis (one collected), I. perparva, I. cervula, A. vivida,
L. saturata and a swarm of P.
hymenaea. - first sight record.
Nevada Co.
Ishan Hill & David Lukas
Ishan captured three spot-winged gliders and also a blue dasher near San Juan
Ridge! David photographed the dasher so this will be the first photographed
record for the county (previous sighting only record).
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmer
Four Spotted Skimmer
Western Pond Hawk, F
**Beaverpond Baskettail** - [7-16-02- new late season flight data by
2 weeks! -kb]
Grappletail*, [last sighting of '02] F
Black Spreadwing
Siskiyou Co.
Tim & Annette Manolis
At Gumboot Lake:
Spreadwings (Lestes spp?) -- large numbers of tenerals
(no adults seen) were coming up off sedges at the southeast corner of the lake.
I suspect that both Emerald and Common, at least, were present, but it is tough
identifying tenerals, especially when most seem to be females! One male netted
appeared to be Emerald, and one female netted appeared to be Common, but these
are tentative identifications.
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) -- a number seen.
Boreal (and Northern?) Bluets (Enallagma boreale (and cyathigerum?))
-- very abundant. The only males I netted looked like they had Boreal-type appendages.
Common Green Darner(Anax junius) -- a few males
patrolling over the lake.
Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor) -- one male
patrolling over the lake.
*Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta) [first sighting of '02]
-- this was the common darner. I saw them both patrolling over the water and
also perched on brush and trees away from the shore. I did not see anything
that definitely looked like Paddle-tailed or Shadow, but there were plenty of
darners I never got close looks at that could have been those species. There
were lots of darner exuviae on sedges and grasses along the lakeshore.
Ringed Emerald (Somatochlora albicincta) *[last sighting of
'02]-- a number (5-6?) patrolling the shoreline at irregular intervals,
presumably all males [last sighting of '02].
American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii) * [last sighting of
'02] -- two found perched on trees away from shore, and probably others seen along the shoreline.
Crimson-ringed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia glacialis) * [last
sighting of '02] -- fairly common, a number of males netted and released.
Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica) * [last
sighting of '02] -- some seen, a couple of males netted.
Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) -- common.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) -- common.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- 2 males seen.
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- one along the
lakeshore.
This site is well worth a visit at this time of year.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
At Bolivar L.O. at the south end of Scott Valley near Callahan, at 6850' Bob
sees about a dozen Mosaic Darners in the mid to late morning while
working away from the windiest area and below the tops of the conifers.
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
I visited the Schoefer Ponds and Battle Creek on the Battle Creek
Wildlife Area from 0730 to 0830 (it was plenty warm
enough for the odes to be flying!). I was hoping for gomphids, but only
saw 1, too far away to i.d. Things I saw here were:
Common Green Darner - common
Western Pondhawk - common
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 2-3
Widow Skimmer - abundant
Common Whitetail - 2 females
Flame Skimmer - 3-4
Blue Dasher - abundant
Variegated Meadowhawk - at least 1
Red-veined Meadowhawk* [last sighting of '02] - 1
Western Meadowhawk -1
Meadowhawk sp. - several other un-i.d.'d meadowhawks
Black Saddlebags - common
clubtail sp. - saw 1, too far away to i.d.
American Rubyspot - about 10
bluets - about 10, the only 1 I caught was a Familiar Bluet.
Western Forktail - at least 1.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmers, male
Four Spotted Skimmer
Western Pond Hawk, 1 M and 3 F
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
I did a hike up the side of Chaos Crags (above Crags Lake) in Lassen Park.
Believe it or not, at 7:45 am there were dragonflies darting around the skree
slopes of the mountain. I couldn't tell what they were. But they were medium to
large, powerful fliers, overall dark abdomen with light yellow(?) spots on
sides(?), terminal spot appeared larger than others. There was a female American
Kestrel up there too. [K. Biggs identified these as Emeralds from Ray's photos -
in fact, two of them are certainly the rare Ringed Emeralds]
After the mountain, I took a walk around Reflection Lake and Manzanita Lake.
Here's what I saw:
Four-spotted Skimmer - common at both lakes
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - two or three males at Reflection Lake, one
male at Manzanita
Variegated Meadowhawk - one at Reflection, another at Manzanita
Blue-eyed Darner (or something that looks just like it, could have
been one of the other kind) - common; inc. a female Darner whose wings were very
shiny and it couldn't flywell yet. I coaxed it off the forest floor and onto a
stick and took photos (dorsal and profile). [K. Biggs identified this as a
teneral female Blue-eyed Darner from Ray's photos]
Paddle-tailed Darner - possibly, I got good looks at a hovering
dragonfly. It's abdomen was patterned dark and bright bluesimilar to Blue-eyed
Darner, and it had bright green thoratic stripes. I reminded me of a small
Common Green Darner with patterning.
Finally, I saw and photographed (oblique and profile) a female dragonfly
that appeared to be newly emerged. [K. Biggs Ided this as a teneral female
Striped Meadowhawk
Sonoma Co.
Rod Miller
In Cloverdale on Geyserville Rd:
Wandering Glider- in a swarm and seen following the weather front
that was moving thru
Spot-winged Glider - 2 males
Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum
occidentale -only the 2nd time seen in the county
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Buckhorn L.O. fewer Mosaic Darners, but windier.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Collins Baldy L.O. after 10 am at least half a dozen Mosaic Darners.
Several Sinuous Snaketails along ridge rd. in sunny locations at 9:15 and
still quite a few below 2400' on McKinney Creek Rd as described earlier. See at
least one Snaketail at the L.O. in PM: 90 degrees F.
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun and Bruce Deuel
Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga
mendax photographed at
Turtle Bay East Fishing Access by Ray Brunn on the 10th.
On the 11th we tried to capture it but didn't see it.
HOWEVER we were compensated by first seeing, then photographing,
then catching the first Shasta Co. Neon Skimmer
Libellula croceipennis . We had
stopped to try to photograph a Flame Skimmer when I noticed 3 other red
skimmers at the same spot. All 3 of these turned out to be male Neons. Ray has
sent me the pictures, and I hope he can get the one of the 2 species on the same
twig within mm of each other posted somehow. I kept a voucher specimen,
and also captured a voucher of Widow Skimmer
Libellula luctuosa .
Totals of odes at East Turtle Bay, Shasta Co. on the 11th:
Common Green Darner - 10
Western Pondhawk - 4-5, including ovipositing female
Neon Skimmer - 3 males, 1 county voucher specimen kept
Widow Skimmer - 6-8, 1 male county voucher specimen kept
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 3-4
Flame Skimmer - 8-10
Blue Dasher - 2 dozen
Western Meadowhawk - 2 pairs in wheel
Black Saddlebags - 5-6
Dancer sp. , female, probably Vivid - 1
bluets - 10, 1 each of Northern, Familiar, and Tule caught
and released.
Pacific Forktail - 1 female.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Four Spotted Skimmer
Tule Bluets --6 in cluster over creek
Blue Dasher
Lassen Co.
Tim & Annette Manolis
Susan River at west end of Susanville (Hobo Camp Day Use Area) (9:30-11:00 am)
River Jewelwing* (last sighting of '02)-- fairly common (20+ seen)
at a backwater area
dammed by beavers; a male collected.
American Rubyspot -- a few seen.
Vivid Dancer -- fairly common.
Emma's Dancer -- fairly common.
bluets -- common, appeared to be Northern/Boreal types.
Western Forktail -- common.
Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor) -- 1-2 males patrolling river pools.
Great Basin Snaketail* (last sighting of '02) -- easily 10+ seen,
males on territory on rock and gravel bars along the river.
Bison Snaketail (Ophiogomphus bison)*
(last sighting of '02) -- a male collected,
first record for Lassen County; a few others possibly seen.
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- 5-6 seen.
Common Whitetail -- common, 10-15 seen.
Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few seen.
We then spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon at various spots
in the valley north of Honey Lake, including the Dakin Unit of the Honey Lake
Wildlife Area and Leavitt Lake along Hwy 395. Eight-spotted Skimmers and
Variegated Meadowhawks were common and widespread throughout the area, and
bluets were common at stock ponds, along creeks and lakes, etc. Some
Common Green Darners (Anax junius) and Black Saddlebags
(Tramea lacerata) were seen in tandem and ovipositing at small stock
ponds, Leavitt Lake, etc. A male Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura
denticollis) was seen on the sedge margins of a stock pond, and a
spreadwing, probably Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener) was seen at the Dakin Unit.
Our last stop on 9 July, in the mid-afternoon, was at Clear Creek, Lassen County, where we saw:
Spotted Spreadwing -- a female netted.
Common Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) -- fairly common, a
couple of males netted and released.
*Lyre-tipped Spreadwing (Lestes unguiculatus)* (only sighting of '02) -- a male collected.
Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum)* (last sighting of '02) -- fairly common, 30+ seen.
Western Forktail -- common.
bluets -- Northern/Boreal types were common.
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- common, 15-20 seen.
Common Whitetail -- common, 15-20 seen.
Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes) -- a few seen.
Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale) -- about 10 seen.
White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) -- a few seen, a male netted and released.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
At Buckhorn L.O. ~10 am see large dragonfly at L.O. & by 10:30 at least half
dozen Mosaic Darners and by 11:20 several dozen are present; 80 degrees F.
Sacramento Co.
Tim & Annette Manolis
before we left and on 9 July upon our return, there were good
numbers (30+) of Spot-winged Gliders (Pantala hymenaea) in
feeding swarms over our yard and neighborhood here in Sacramento, joined by at
least one darner (Aeshna sp?) , Black Saddlebags, and a possible
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) , plus a few Flame
Skimmers (Libellula saturata) in the yard.
Los Angeles Co.
Rod Higbie
At Bonelli Park/Puddingstone Reservoir:
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 6
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1
Mexican Amberwing - 12
Black Saddlebags - 6, including a pair mating
Red Saddlebags - 1
Western Pondhawk - 15, including a pair mating, also observed a
Black Phoebe catch one
Blue-eyed Darner - pair mating
Common Green Darner -6
Vivid Dancer - 3
I was able to get some nice video of the Mexican Amberwing and Western Pondhawk.
Lassen Co.
Tim and Annette Manolis
Susan River in Susanville (Between Riverside Drive bridge and the Little
League ballpark) (5:30-6:30 pm)
River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis) -- 15-20 seen, a female collected.
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) -- 5-6 seen.
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) -- fairly common.
Emma's Dancer (Argia emma) -- common.
Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum) -- male netted and released.
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum) -- male netted and released; bluets in general were fairly common.
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) -- 5-6 seen, mostly females.
Great Basin Snaketail (Ophiogomphus morrisoni) -- 3-4
seen, 2 netted, one collected.
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) -- 1 female seen.
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis) -- 2 males.
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- 1 male.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- one seen.
Kern Co.
Terri Gallion
I participated yesterday in the 4th Annual North Fork Kern Butterfly Count.
An Official North American Butterfly Association (NABA) event. The group I
was with covered the east side and summit of the Greenhorn Mountains (west
of Lake Isabella reservoir). Combined daily total for all groups was 65
butterfly species.
We only saw only a few odes all day. However, the one of the first stops
yielded a new Kern County record dragon. At a very small spring along Sawmill
Road, We had:
*Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis)
[*=first sighting of '02] - 1 male
captured and specimen retained. The specimen is headless because the twig on
which it was perched snapped back as I attempted to net it, severing its head.
This is a new record for Kern County.
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) - 1 male.
Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis) - 1
While driving along dry, dirt road, we also saw a few probable Blue-eyed
Darners, Common Green Darner and one other Pacific Spiketail.
Sonoma Co.
Alan Wight
along the Russian River near the Geyserville bridge:
Gray Sanddragon - >= 3 males - photo taken
Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum
occidentale - 1 male - new photo record for county
Flame Skimmer - 1-2
California/Aztec Dancer - 4, 2 males and 2 females; photos taken
Emma's Dancer - >= 4
Bluet sp. - 1
American Rubyspot - >= 4 males
Later, on Pine Flat Road, I saw the following:
Black Saddlebags - >= 5
Sooty Dancer - 1 female
Colusa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Bear Creek/Hiway 20 (from 5-6 pm):
Am. Rubyspot - 1 male and 1female
CA Dancer - 2 males, one examined in hand
Sooty Dancer - a few
Northern/Boreal Bluet - a few. Had in hand but don't have a
scope (which is necessary to distinguish the ID between them) even here at
home, so released them.
Tule Bluet - 1 male specimen taken and scanned for website
Western Forktail - 1 female seen being eaten by a spider, one male seen
White-belted Ringtail - 2 males and one female ovipositing
MANY clubtail exuvia collected from the rocks and
on top of the algae scum.
Giant Darner* [*=last sighting of '02] ~ 3-4 males and one female. Some exuvia found.
Common Green Darner - 1 male seen
Western River Cruiser - none seen flying but many exuviae found
Dasher/Pondhawk - one male seen at a distance
Widow Skimmer - 1 male seen
Flame Skimmer - abundant. 2 females seen ovipositing
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1 (very immature - still golden looking)
Black Saddlebags - 2 males
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Black Saddlebags
Flame Skimmer, male
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
...from 1230 to 1500, I chased dragonflies at Lake McCumber. A
"(p)" indicates at least one digital photograph was taken. The Western and
White-faced Meadowhawks were especially common and approachable. According to
the distribution map, White-faced Meadowhawk is has not been confirmed in Shasta County.
blue-eyed darner (p) - 1 maybe two (I'm not totally sure on this
one; it had blue eyes and it was a darner)
common green darner - a few
western pondhawk/blue dasher - 2
eight-spotted skimmer - possibly one
twelve-spotted skimmer (p) - common
four-spotted skimmer - 4
common whitetail (p) - common
red-veined meadowhawk (p) - 1
variegated meadowhawk - 4
* White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum
obtrusum* * - abundant, 1 male photographed - county record
Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale - abundant, 1 male photographed
black saddlebags - a few
Colusa Co.
Rod Miller
Rod went to Bear Creek/Hiway 20 to collect dragonflies for his Entomology
class project at the College of Marin:
Am. Rubyspot - male and female collected
Sooty Dancer - male and female collected
Northern/Boreal Bluet- male and female collected
Tule Bluet - male and female collected
Western Forktail White-belted Ringtail - male and female collected
Gray Sanddragon- male and female collected
Giant Darner - male and female collected
Western River Cruiser - male and female collected
Pale-faced Clubskimmer- only a male collected
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa
- male and female collected to upgrade his
previous photo only record (the picture in my book)
Flame Skimmer - male and female collected;
Wandering Glider - male and female collected; many seen; Rod noted
that the Gliders were only on the water in the morning and that they moved to
the adjacent field for the afternoon.
Spot-winged Glider - male and female collected; many seen
Variegated Meadowhawk - male and female collected
Black Saddlebags - male and female collected
Imperial Co.
Dee & Bob Parks
Salton Sea
*Red-tailed Pennant Brachymesia furcata*
Siskiyou Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Hammond Lake near Mt.Shasta (~30 min. stop in the morning):
Northern/Boreal Bluet - some
Tule/Arroyo Bluet - some
*Common Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus* - several examined in hand
Darner sp. - (probably Blue-eyed) some
Common Green Darner - some
Dot-tailed Whiteface - some
8-spotted Skimmer - abundant
12-spotted Skimmer - many; it was great to see all these spot-winged skimmers together
4-spotted Skimmer - many
Common Whitetail - some
Flame Skimmer - several
Variegated Meadowhawk - all immature
Black Saddlebags - a few
At Orr Lake, near Hwy 97 & Bray in the afternoon:
Northern/Boreal Bluet - some
Tule Bluet - some
Spreadwing sp. - (probably Common Spreadwing) a few
Pacific Forktail - some
Western Forktail - some
Darner sp. - (probably Blue-eyed) some
Common Green Darner - some
Great-basin Snaketail - ~4 seen, none found in net, darn!
Dot-tailed Whiteface - some
8-spotted Skimmer - abundant
4-spotted Skimmer - many, one barely alive found in kayak afterwards
and I scanned it for the website
Common Whitetail - some
Western Pondhawk - one female seen
Variegated Meadowhawk - one seen
*Black Meadowhawk Sympetrum danae* - 2 males seen
*Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale* - 2 males seen, one
was being eaten by a robber fly, who we robbed of its specimen so I could scan
it for the website
Black Saddlebags - a few
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
On the road to Buckhorn L.O. (~5200') Bob sees the first Mosaic
Darner. The Sinuous Snaketails are still common in the morning in
sunny spots and along lower Lumgrey Creek Rd to about 2400" then a few are
higher and at least one is seen around the LO> The Darner were not seen below or
between, ie, first noticed at Look-out.
Siskiyou Co.
Andy Rehn, Kathy & Dave Biggs, and Doug
AT Gumboot Lake west of Lake Siskiyou elevation ~6,600 ft and "Little
Gumboot" which is just above it:
Emma's Dancer - several seen below the dam, inc. one beautiful lavender male
Vivid Dancer - many seen in parking area
Boreal Bluet - abundant
Western Forktail - a few
Black Petaltail* last sighting of '02) - ~ dozen seen, a male
collected by Andy and I've scanned it for the website
CA Darner* (last sighting of '02) - Kathy caught a female at Little
Gumboot and it is scanned for the website
Darner sp. - (possibly Blue-eyed and others such as Paddle-tailed as
their faces and stripes were quite green) - some at Little Gumboot. Many exuviae collected.
Common Green Darner - some
American Emerald - Andy collected a female and I scanned her for the website
*Mt. Emerald Somatochlora semicirularis* (only sighting of
the year) - Andy collected a female
*Ringed Emerald Somatachlora albicincta* (first sighting of '02)- several males collected
Crimson-ringed Whiteface - many, Dave caught a male and I scanned it for the website
Dot-tailed Whiteface - many
Chalk-fronted Corporal* (last sighting of '02)-- - mostly seen at Little Gumboot. Doug collected a male
12-spotted Skimmer - abundant, Doug collected a male
4-spotted Skimmer - abundant, Doug collected a male
Common Whitetail - many
Variegated Meadowhawk - a few seen
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
On the road to Collins Baldy L.O. saw more Sinuous Snaketails low
along Walker Rd which parallels the river than in previous weeks and a fair
number along the dirt rd. below 2400' up McKinney Ck and a few along the ridge
rd (~4000') and at least one, presumed Sinuous Snaketail from the lookout (>5000').
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
Toured the Imperial Valley and did the New River Wetlands counts this am.
Good Stuff. The heat was not extreme, or should I say the humidity was not
extreme, and there was a breeze so it was bearable scoping the flats on the
Salton Sea (birds) at noon.
Rambur's Forktail - Very few but the very few were at each place we went.
Familiar Bluet - ~100 at both NRW sites.
Common Green Darner - several at both NRW sites.
Blue Dasher - Most numerous bug at both NRW sites with several
thousands
at the Imperial site and seen at all locations.
Roseate Skimmer - several at both NRW sites.
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa
- several at both NRW sites and more numerous near
Salton Sea -photograph taken is an update of previous sighting only record.
Red Saddlebags - several at both NRW sites, few elsewhere.
Black Saddlebags - 2 at NRW Imperial site.
Wandering Glider - 1 at NRW Imperial site.
Mexican Amberwing - ~20 at NRW Imperial site.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Beaverpond Baskettail
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
River Jewelwings - only one seen again
Am. Rubyspot - common; but fewer than before
Northern Bluet - abundant
Emma's Dancer - a few
Western Forktail -many females noted
Pacific Clubtail* [*=last sighting of '02] - a few
Common Green Darner - a few
Moasic Darner sp. - several seen
8-spotted Skimmer - some
Widow Skimmer - several
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
I stopped by Cow Creek (a couple of miles south of Hwy 44 in Shasta County
on Deschutes Rd) for 15 minutes and saw Variegated Meadowhawk (1),
Black Saddlebags (2), and Gray Sanddragon
Progomphus borealis --- a county record (3).
Got photos of the meadowhawk and sanddragon.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmer 2 male and female
Four Spotted Skimmer
Western Pondhawk 2 - male & female
Blue Dasher
Nevada Co.
David Lukas
Found
Sooty Dancer Argia lugens to be
common at the South Yuba River. - a County Record.
Captured a nice male and took a series of photographs. Also found quite a
Few Bison Snaketails which were new for me.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
On a walk to sping on tthe norht side of Lake Mtn. L.O. at a shlalow marshy
pond at the spring box Bob sees 1 medium size dragonfly which never lands. It
flies about waist high, mostly ove rht epond (fresth water trickes in from the
spring). It appeasr to be all dark with tail of abd. enlarged and obvious grren
eyes. It must be an Emerald sp.
San Francisco Co.
Darren Fong
"...one of our wetland specialists sent me an email that she's seen
* SF Forktail Ischnura gemina* recently in the Presidio..."
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
Lassen Park:
Summit Lake:
hundreds of bluets, adults mating, many tenerals. Looked at
appendages of 2 males - 1 was a Boreal and 1 was a Northern.
American Emerald - 4.
Crimson-ringed Whiteface - at least 100. Examined appendages of 1
male to make sure it wasn't a Red-waisted.
Chalk-fronted Corporal, Libellula (Ladona)
julia - 2 females - a county record.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 2.
Manzanita Lake:
more bluets.
Four-spotted Skimmer - 7.
Mono Co.
Keith Hansen
Dechambeau ponds were abuzz with ode activity:
Western Pondhawk - many
8-spotted Skimmer - many
Flame Skimmer - many
Black Saddlebags - at least 50
Red Saddlebags - ~15 males, no females seen
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River from Sarah Totten Campground to Rocky
Point River Access. Here is a list of the
dragons and damsels I observed and can remember.
Sinuous snaketail (very common)
common whitetail (2)
eight spot skimmer (3)
Northern bluet (abundant)
Emma's dancer (few pairs)
River Jewelwing (3)
American Rubyspot (2)
Pacific clubtail (6-10)
Green Darner (2)
Western River Cruiser (many)
Flame Skimmer (5)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (2)
Blue-eyed Darner (2)
Western Pondhawk (3)
I had what I think was a female spreadwing on a rock. It flew off and
was promptly preyed upon by a Pacific clubtail! I followed the
clubtail around til I caught it. By that time it had devoured the
head of the spreadwing. I collected the spreadwing, managed to get it
back to the office and have since lost it. The abdomen on the
spreadwing was actually longer than the clubtail's abdomen. Real
interesting watching it fly around with this meal. Spreadwing was
tawny brown with weak markings. The appendages were fuzzy. This drama
took place on the cobble bar on river right as you scout Hamburg
Falls. It was quite windy most of the day. Also saw one mature bald eagle.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmer
Western Pondhawk, male
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Sinuous Snaketails are still common on dirt roads to Buckhorn and
Collins Baldy L.O.s in the mornings below 2400' in sunny locations; a few higher.
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
at Lake McCumber:
*Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes* - photographed
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Western Pondhawk, 3 males & 2 females
Black Saddlebags
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
River Jewelwings - only one seen
Am. Rubyspot - common
Northern Bluet - abundant
Emma's Dancer - fairly common
Western Forktail -many females noted
Pacific Clubtail - a few
Common Green Darner - a few
Moasic Darner sp. - several seen
Western Pondhawk - more common than on previous visits
8-spotted Skimmer - some
Widow Skimmer - 1
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmer - 3
Western Pondhawk - 4 females
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmer - 2
Western Pondhawk, 2 males
Sutter Co.
Bruce Deuel and Tim Manolis
We looked for odes along the Feather River
at Shanghai Bend, on the south side of Yuba City, Sutter County. We found:
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
-- 20+ seen, two males collected for first specimen records for Sutter County.
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) -- some seen.
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) -- fairly common.
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) ) -- 1-2 seen.
*Olive Clubtail (Stylurus olivaceus)
*
-- a teneral female collected coming up
from the river's edge for a first record for Sutter County. Another possible
male seen - a county record
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) -- 20-30 seen.
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) -- 15-20 seen.
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
-- very common (50+), many recently-
emerged individuals seen away from the water in brushy areas, a female seen
ovipositing in a backwater lagoon, a young male collected for a first Sutter
County specimen.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) -- a male seen.
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- a few (4-5) seen.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- fairly
common, 30+ seen.
Black-Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- about 20 seen.
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) -- about 30 seen.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Going to Lake Mtn. L.O. near Seiad (6900') Bob sees hundreds of Sinuous
Snaketails in sunny portions of dirt road, most numerous from area ~2000''
elevation, but seen until ~4600 ' then none above. Note these were not noticed
last week but weather turned to rain before noon last week and this week he came
up the road later in the morning (~10 am rather than 9 am). Almost none noted going down after 6 pm.
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
Seen at the Brawley site today were basically the same as yesterday, but in lower numbers.
Common Green Darner 5
Blue Dasher ~200
Western Pondhawk ~40
Familiar Bluet ~60
Rambur's Forktail >200
Wandering Glider can be found in small numbers over most fields
currently being irrigated.
To reach the Brawley site from the Imperial site, take Wienert back to Forester
and go north. Turn east on Keystone Road,
which only goes to the right. Keystone runs into Hwy 86, where you will turn
left (go north) toward Brawley. Turn left
(west) on Legion Road, which is the first signal light a mile south of Brawley.
Follow Legion Road to the end of the
pavement and continue along the chain link fence on your left. You will pass
through an open gate and will come to an
orange painted standpipe. The road down into the wetlands is immediately on your
right. You can get to an overlook of the
site if you continue to the date grove.
More information about the New River Wetlands can be found at
www.southwestbirders.com/new river 2001.htm
Sierra Co.
David Lukas
I found a Blue Dasher Pachydiplax
longipennis here. Had great close-up
looks at the
white face and green eyes. It was at Malakoff Diggins State Park around the big
marsh, which is a great site for Odes. - a county record
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Western Pondhawk, 2 male and female
Tule Bluet, at creek
Flame Skimmer
Four Spotted Skimmer
Tulare Co.
Susan Steele
I found a *great basin snaketail Ophiogomphus morrisoni*
today. Life dragonfly for me. [image included]
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
The Imperial site of the New River Wetlands project was active, even with
our temps having been very mild for the last few days, of course, mildly warm
here is extremely hot anywhere else!
Common Green Darner ~10
Blue Dasher ~300
Western Pondhawk ~100
Black Saddlebags 6
Red Saddlebags 2
Familiar Bluet ~100
Rambur's Forktail >1,000
The Imperial site is located west of Forester Road and on the south bank of
the New River. Coming from San Diego, go north
on Forester Road from I-8. You will go past Worthington Road and turn west on
Wienert Road, which only goes west. At 1.7
miles a large deep drain canal will join you on the left--this is the Rice Drain
and it supplies the project. The Rice
Drain passes under Wienert and heads northwest and there is a new sign for the
NRW here. Turn right on the first bank and
follow the drain down into the site. From areas north, take Highway 86 to the
city of Westmorland and go south on Forrester Road to Wienert Road.
Siskiyou Co.
David Payne
Had to drive to Yreka today. Highway 96 was littered with Sinuous
Snaketails, mostly live until they challenged the vehicles on the
road. Pulled many off the grill of the truck.
Stopped at Cayuse River Access pond: just a quick scan of the pond.
eight-spot skimmer
western Pondhawk (m&f)
Pacific clubtail
Sinuous Snaketail
Flame skimmer
green darner
Northern Bluet
Stopped at Tree of Heaven Campground, checked river access eddy.
flame skimmers (ovipositing on floating veg)
Pacific clubtail
eight-spot skimmer
Sinuous Snaketail
Northern bluets
Stopped at Sarah Totten Campground.
Sinuous Snaketail
Northern bluets
I spent most of time there watching a yearling bear across the river.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Goint up to Collins Baldy and Buckhorn L.O. note fewer Sinuous
Snaketails along same portions of rd. belwo 2400' adn a few along ridge road
now at ~4,000 '+ and one a Collins (~5400') & Buckhorn (5,200').
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Twelve Spotted Skimmer, female
Western Pondhawk, female
Four Spotted Skimmer
Siskiyou Co.
David Payne
I went to Kelly Lake in northern Siskiyou County to see what we could
find. The lake is in the Siskiyou Wilderness just a few miles south
of the Oregon border. The elevation is approximately 4500 feet. The
forest surrounding the lake is mixed conifer with huge sugar pine,
douglas fir, and incense cedar the primary overstory components. Weather was
clear and cool becoming windy in late afternoon.
We found 3 new species I had never seen before!
*American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii [first sighting of
'02]; they were abundant, hooked in wheels, hanging on vegetation, emerging on
grasses in the lake, they were everywhere!
*Crimson-ringed Whiteface Leucorrhinia glacialis [first
sighting of '02]females were emerging on aquatic grasses, also landing on
vegetation, all were yellow marked, did not see any males.
Chalk-fronted Corporal Libellula julia, about ten of these.
I had to use the Ca key to figure out who they were. They were patrolling and
perching on shore. These guys would hold wings down and forward when resting.
Bluets sp were abundant. I think most were Northern Bluet.
Butte Co.
Bruce Deuel, Heather Hacking and Tim Manolis
We toured a number of good locations for dragonflies in Butte County. We
started by driving up into Upper Bidwell Park to an area of seep springs near
the Bear Hole and Diversion Dam. Here we saw:
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) -- fairly common
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) -- a few
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- a few
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) -- one, with the saddlebags
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- 10-15 seen
Our next stop was along Big Chico Creek near Alligator Hole in the Upper Park. A nice stretch of pools and riffles hosted a great variety of odes, including:
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) -- 10-15 along the creek
California Dancer (Argia agrioides) -- about 5-10 males seen
Emma's Dancer -- (Argia emma) -- fairly common along the
creek
Sooty Dancer -- (Argia lugens) -- common along the creek
Vivid Dancer -- fairly common
bluet (Enallagma sp?) -- a few males seen
*White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus) [first
sighting of '02] -- a number of males on territory along the shore and chasing each other around
Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis) -- a couple of males seen
Bison Snaketail (Ophiogomphus bison) -- 3-4 seen
Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) -- a number of males
along the shore
Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) -- 1-2 males patrolling the creek and a female seen ovipositing along the edge of a pool
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) -- a number of
males out patrolling over the creek
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- 1-2 males seen
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) -- a few seen
Flame Skimmer -- 10-15 seen
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) -- a couple of males patrolling along the creek
Black Saddlebags -- a few seen, including an ovipositing pair in tandem
Our last stop in the Upper Park was at Horseshoe Lake, where we saw:
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) -- fairly common
Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) -- fairly common
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) -- fairly common
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) -- about 8-10 seen,
including an ovipositing female being guarded by a male
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) -- at least one male seen
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) -- fairly common
Common Whitetail -- a number seen, including an ovipositing female guarded by a male
Twelve-spotted Skimmer -- about 10-15 seen
Black Saddlebags -- common, including a number of tandem pairs
Variegated Meadowhawk -- fairly common
We then drove up Hwy 32 and visited some spots in the mountains of Butte
County. A brief stop at the edge of a meadow at Butte Meadows produced a
handful of male Hoary Skimmers (Libellula nodisticta) Then we
spent some time at Cherry Hill Campground above Butte Meadows, where we saw:
Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum) -- a few
males seen on the seep spring bog
Vivid Dancer -- common in the area
Emma's Dancer -- at least one male seen along the creek
Black Petaltail (Tanypteryx hageni) -- fairly common along
the creek and up on the spring bog
Hoary Skimmer* [last sighting of '02] -- about 5-6 over the bog
Common Whitetail -- a male seen
Our final stop was at Butte Creek House, where along the creek and over the
adjacent boggy meadow we saw:
Vivid Dancer -- a few seen
Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum) -- 1-2 males netted
and others, probably this also, seen
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) -- a few seen
Western Forktail -- a few seen
(Blue-eyed?) Darner -- an Aeshna, probably this species
(A. multicolor) seen along the creek
*Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica) * -- a male
netted and a handful of other whitefaces, probably this species, seen
Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) -- uncommon, 6-8 seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few seen
Our species total for the day was 32.
[This is one of the outings we are considering for the DSA
meeting next year - kb]
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
River Jewelwings - fewer than last week
Am. Rubyspot - common
small blue damselflies - abundant
Western Forktail -many females noted
Pacific Clubtail - a few
Sinuous Snaketail - a few
Common Green Darner - tandem pair seen; oviposit into algae mat
Moasic Darner sp. - several seen
8-spotted Skimmer - some
Widow Skimmer - 1st time noted at this site this year
Common Whitetail - more numerous than last visit
Flame Skimmer - more numerous than last visit
Black Saddlebags - one
Meadowhawk sp.- one reddish orange
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton back yard
Flame Skimmer
Western Pondhawk, 3 females together, 1 male
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Flame Skimmer
Four Spotted Skimmer
Sonoma Co.
Kathy Biggs, Reta Lockhart & the Sonoma Land Trust field trip group
13 species seen at Spring Lake in Santa Rosa -
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula - many
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida [examined in hand] - a few
Bluet Enallagma sp. [very few seen; all at a distance]
Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion exclamationis* [last sighting of '02] - one male only
Blue-eyed Darner Aeshna multicolor - one over the fields as
we drove off
Common Green Darner Anax junius - 2-3
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata [only females seen,
inc. ovipositing!]
Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - many
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa - many
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia - was NOT seen and this seems quite odd!
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata - some
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis - many but only males seen
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum - quite a few
Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata - a few inc. in
tandem/ovipositing
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Flame Skimmer
Common Green Darner
Tule Bluets - 7 in a cluster near creek
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
Well I managed to make it up to Pine Pond on Mt. Diablo.
Many more Spreadwings there than a week ago. About 99.9% of
them were male. I think I saw about five females the whole time
I was there. All of them were hiding in the grass (AND THISTLES!).
I did manage to get some shots of both sexes. I also took a single
specimen of each sex. I'll use them to take closeups of their
heads and abdomens. When I get my scanner up today, I'll scan the
male's terminal appendages and email the result to you. [Results are in and the
scan revealed that the male is a
Common Spreadwing, Lestes disjunctus]
There were lots of Cardinal Meadowhawks. They were very cooperative. I
think they liked being photographed.
Sacramento Co.
Tim & Annette Manolis
the Sacramento River at the Live Oak Park
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia
>
Sonoma Co.
Alan Wight
Salt Point State Park
I saw three Swift Forktail* [last sighting of '02] (same pond as
observation last year). I think it is still early for them. There were none on
the lilypads or edges of the water. The three I saw appeared to have just
emerged. They were green and very similar to the female that I photographed
previously but were flying very weakly. Photos taken.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
four spotted Skimmer
Western Pondhawk, M and F, 3-5 at a time
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Western Pondhawk, males, and females all in a group
Flame Skimmer
Four Spotted Skimmer
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
a\At both roads to Collins & Buckhorn L.O.'s the Sinuous Snaketails
are more numerous than last week mostly below 2400'. Some have move higher but
only a small percent, and see one at Buckhorn L.O. at 5,200'. Again they are
only seen in sunny spots in a.m. and far fewer are noted in the p.m. in the same areas.
Marin Co.
Tim Manolis, Kathy Biggs, Rich Stallcup
We spent much of the day looking for odes at Nicasio Reservoir and
vicinity, Olema Marsh, and Five Brooks. Our primary goal was to find San
Francisco and/or Swift Forktails, but despite looking through considerable
numbers of Pacific Forktails (seen at most stops) and a few Western
Forktails, we were unsuccessful in our quest. We did see some nice things,
however, including: Exclamation Damsels and Vivid Dancers in fairly good
numbers along the outflow channel from Nicasio Reservoir (at a pull out along
the Point Reyes-Petaluma Road opposite Laurel Canyon Road, about .5 miles S of
the reservoir); A few Black Spreadwings, modest numbers of Tule and
Familiar Bluets, Blue-eyed Darner, Spot-winged Glider, Eight-spotted Skimmer
and a nice male Red-veined Meadowhawk in the area around where Arroyo
Nicasio enters the easternmost arm of Nicasio, at the western edge of the town
of Nicasio (parking area with trails). California and Blue-eyed Darners
were patrolling at the pond at Five Brooks. We also saw the exuvia of a
Common Green Darner there.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
River Jewelwings - common but less so than on 6-5-02
Am. Rubyspot - common
small blue damselflies - abundant
Western Forktail -many females noted
Pacific Clubtail - a few
Common Green Darner - tandem pair seen; oviposit into algae mat
Moasic Darner sp. - several seen
8-spotted Skimmer - common
Common Whitetail - 1st time noted at this site this year
Flame Skimmer - one
Black Saddlebags - one
Meadowhawk sp.- one reddish orange
Kern Co.
Susan Steele
NAWS
I had my first *paiute dancers Argia alberta* of the year
today. These were the only
dragonflies that I saw. At my pond at home I've seen 1 desert firetail.
Other than that, no little guys.
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
at the Happy Camp Community Park pond. (This pond
nearly dried up completely during last year's drought.)
Common Whitetail (first of season)
eight-spot skimmer
twelve-spot skimmer
blue dasher (m & f)
blue-eyed darner
green darner (ovipositing)
sinuous snaketail
Northern bluet (m & f)
Cardinal meadowhawk (5) these are a new sighting for me!
and several others I could not id. (too fast!)
Sightings along the Klamath River in the Cade Canyon Gorge east of
Happy Camp.
sinuous snaketail
Northern bluet
blue-eyed darner
Humboldt Co.
Bob Claypole
Fish Lake, <2000 ft -
*Chalk-fronted Corporal Libellula julia* - common; easily
approached. Alas, no camera!
8-spotted Skimmer - abundant
Common Green Darner - =/> one
blue colored damselflies - many
McGaines Pond (private) -
Cardinal Meadowhawk - one male
Common Whitetail - many
8-spotted Skimmer - many
Mosaic Darner sp. - one
blue colored damselflies - many
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Driving to Lake Mtn. L.O. near Seiad - on Walker Creek Rd (mostly shady dirt road):
Sinuous Snaketail - only 2-3 and none seen on 65 road after leaving
creek (still below 2000').
Colusa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Bear Creek -
Am. Rubyspot - some; males and females
Emma's Dance r - a few
Sooty Dancer - many, inc. pairs in tandem. I collected a female to
scan for the website.
Northern/Boreal Bluet - very few. Had in hand but don't have a
scope (which is necessary to distinguish the ID between them) even here at
home, so released them.
*Gray Sanddragon Progomphus borealis* - one male... possibly
a first sighting of the year. MANY clubtail exuvia collected from the rocks and
on top of the algae scum.
Giant Darner =/> 6 males and one female. Not as numerous as they
will be later this summer. No exuvia found.
Common Green Darner - 1-2 possibly seen
Western River Cruiser - 1-2 seen, possibly an exuvia under the
Highway 20 bridge.
Flame Skimmer - already abundant. I caught one female while she was
ovipositing while the male hovered nearby. I want to scan her for the website.
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1 (very immature - still golden looking)
Black Saddlebags - 1 male
Kern Co.
Alison Sheehey
on Breckenridge Mountain at a little seep
Vivid Dancer
*Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhaga mendax *
Western Pondhawk (female)
Flame Skimmer
Black Saddlebags (female)
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Eight Spotted Skimmer
Western Pondhawk, Male and Female
Black Saddlebags
Tule Bluets, 5 in cluster over creek trying to avoid the Black Phoebes
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
Went for a hike today to see what odes were at Mt Diablo.
Here's what I found:
LOTS of Bluets, Cardinal Meadowhawks, and Flame Skimmers.
Quite a few Green and Blue Darners.
Some Common Whitetails.
A few Black Saddlebags
And a small population of some kind of Spreadwing.... Have to wait
for the pics to come back from
the lab for a good id. Anyway; I was interested in them
the most as this was the only time I've seen an actual
population of spreadwings in CC county. They only seemed
to be on one side of the pond. The males seemed to be
confined to a 50ft section of the pond. Newly emerged
females were fairly common in another section. All the
females seemed to have just emerged. They were poor flyers,
and had shinny flimsy wings. Shortly after landing they
would fold their wings behind them like a conventional damselfly.
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Driving to Buckhorn L.O. on Lumgrey Creek Rd. (dirt) which is on the
opposite side of the Klamath River from the road to Collin's Baldy L.O. -
Sinuous Snaketail - seen in dozen up the road to ~ 2200 ft. in swarms
at sunny portions of the road and none in the shade or higher elevations.
Kern Co.
Terri Gallion
South Fork River in Onyx, Kern County -
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata), 2 males
Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum), 2 males
Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia), 2 males
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), 1 male
Common Green Darner (Anax junius), male and female
Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami), 1 male
*Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica), * 1 male
California Dancer (Argia agroides), 10-15 individuals, male
and female
Bluet (Enallagma sp.), 12 individuals, mostly males
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva), 5 males, 12 females and many tenerals
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula), 1 male
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana), 2 males, 1 female
Tehama Co.
Bruce Deuel
At Finley Lake, Tehama Wildlife Area
*Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener*
- a county record
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Driving to Collin Baldy L.O. on McKinney Creek Rd. (dirt) -
Sinuous Snaketail - several dozen seen further up the road than
previously noted, ~ 2000-2200 ft. They appear to seek the sunny-bare locations
in the morning. When driving down the same road after 6 pm he notes only a very
few Snaketails in the same areas even if it is still sunny.
Sonoma Co.
Kathy Biggs & Bob Behrstock
Bob was visiting from TX and hoping to photograph Grappletail, so we took
off for the field. I thought Atastadero Creek out of Graton might be a possible
site but all we found there were some Vivid Dancers although the pond we
passed was full of Skimmers (8-spotted, Flame, Whitetail, Dasher and
Pondhawk) and Darners (Greens and Blue-eyed, possibly CA).
When I mentioned that I'd been just a little further up the road the day
before and had seen Beaverpond Baskettails Bob said that would be a
'lifer' for him, so we drove up to Maddock Rd. and one individual was up and
flying, but when it finally perched, it was up too high for Bob to photograph.
I thought that I often saw the Baskettails perching at Lake Ralphine in
Santa Rosa, and also there are many Pacific Clubtails there and Bob hadn't
photographed a male, so after lunch we headed that way. The bugs were too warm
to stay put for portraits, but I'll list of what we saw:
At Lake Ralphine, Santa Rosa - a small urban park that backs up to a oak
woodland state park (Annadel):
Arroyo Bluet* [last sighting of '02] - examined in hand
Forktail sp.
Pacific Clubtail - numerous
Common Green Darner - numerous
Beaverpond Baskettail - just a few
Western Pondhawk - just one
8-spotted Skimmer - many
Widow Skimmer - several
Common Whitetail - abundant and in the way for photography!
Flame Skimmer - few
Blue Dasher - many
Black Saddlebags - one (first one I've seen this year).
also in Sonoma Co.
Alan Wight
Bodega Dunes Campground entrance -
Cardinal Meadowhawk - males and females photographed
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I saw my first River Jewelwing Calopteryx aequabilis of
the season today. It was at the river access at the Sarah Totten Campground on
the Klamath River. We had a major emergence of Sinuous Snaketails
Memorial Day weekend. Have had Northern Bluets, and a Pondhawk or two.
That's about it for the time being.
At River Park in Happy Camp. The pond there was
loaded with Odes. Lots of first sightings for the season there for me
today. Twelve-spot skimmers, Green darners, pond hawk, *western river
cruisers*, flame skimmer, unidentified darner. Others I've already seen
this year included northern bluets, and sinuous snaketails.
elsewher in Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
River Jewelwings - now common at midday, but no 'float dance' seen
Am. Rubyspot - common; in wheel
small blue damselflies - abundant
Pacific Clubtail - a few near the water and some back in the bushes,
along the road etc. in foliage
Sinuous Snaketail - a few, fewer that Pacific Clubtails
Common Green Darner - seen
Moasic Darner sp. - seen
8-spotted Skimmer - only a few
Western Pondhawk - a few males
Tehama Co.
Bruce Deuel and son-in-law
Here is the list of things my son-in-law and I found at Finley Lake, Tehama
Wildlife Area:
Spreadwings, 50+, 1 teneral netted, probably Black, but needs confirmation.
Bluets, 40, 10 netted, Tule, Northern identified,
1 suspected Boreal kept for later i.d. with a dissecting scope.
Familiar Bluet Enallagma
civile upgrade of previous sighting only record
Pacific Forktail, , 2 seen.
Aeshna sp. , 1 female ovipositing.
Common Green Darner, 15-20
Western Pondhawk, 20
Dot-tailed Whiteface, at least 6
Common Whitetail, 4-5
Twelve-spotted Skimmer, 80+
Variegated Meadowhawk, 2
Black Saddlebags, 5-6
At the Sacramento River Discovery Center in the Red Bluff Recreation Area on
the Sacramento River we had:
Sinuous Snaketail, 1
Widow Skimmer, 1
Black Saddlebags, 2
plus 3 unidentified Bluets
At a tiny pond on Paskenta Road just N of the Red Bluff airport were:
Common Whitetails, 3
Widow Skimmer, 1
Flame Skimmer, 1
Black Saddlebags, 1
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
flame Skimmer
Kern Co.
Susan Steele
I saw a couple of *desert forktails Ischnura barberi*
Humboldt Co.
Bob Behrstock
at Aldergrove Marsh, just east of U.S. 101 near Guintoli Lane, north side
of the town of Arcata.
Ischnura erratica M and F, 10+
Ischnura cervula M and F, common
Ischnura perparva M (1 late teneral) and F (4 reddish and
pruinose individuals)
Erythemis collocata (~3)
Aeshna multicolor-presumably ~4
Sympetrum apparently illotum as before, ~8 males
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Four Spotted Skimmer
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel and son-in-law
Battle Creek Wildlife Area, next to Coleman National Fish Hatchery:
Vivid Dancer, 4 netted, 10 others seen.
Tule Bluet, 2 netted, 4-5 others seen.
Western Forktail, 1 male.
Exclamation Damsel, 1 netted, 1 other seen.
Beaverpond Baskettail, 3-4 seen.
Pacific Clubtail, 1 netted, 2 others seen.
Sinuous Snaketail, 2 netted, 20 seen.
Aeshna sp., 1 seen.
Common Green Darner, 15 seen.
Western Pondhawk, 10 seen,
Eight-spotted Skimmer, 3-4 seen
Widow Skimmer, 10--12 seen
Common Whitetail, 1 seen
*HOARY SKIMMER Libellula nodisticta* , 1 netted, 2 others
seen - a "lifer" for me.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer, 4-5 seen.
Flame Skimmer, 2 seen.
Blue Dasher, 1 male seen.
Variegated Meadowhawk, 50-75, mostly tenerals, 2 netted.
Cardinal Meadowhawk, 1 netted, 3 others seen.
Black Saddlebags, 15-20 seen.
Contra Costa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs and the dragonfly workshop class
At the Tilden Park Botanical Gardens (only 62 degrees out!)
Vivid Dancer
Northern Bluet
Pacific Forktail
Common Green Darner (seen well while driving out)
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Sonoma Co.
Rod Miller
Spreadwing sp (Lestes) - probably a Black - Pine Flat Rd., Healdsburg
Common Whitetail - Pine Flat Rd., Healdsburg
Black Saddlebags - Ida Clayton Rd., Calistoga
Lassen Co.
Tim Manolis
Hoary Skimmer -- one was seen at Red Rock Canyon
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Western Pondhawk - female
Sonoma Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs, Michael Ellis & Footloose Forays group
14 species seen at Spring Lake in Santa Rosa -
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula
CA Dancer Argia agroides [examined in hand]
Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum [examined in hand]
Blue-eyed Darner Aeshna multicolor
Common Green Darner Anax junius
Pacific Clubtail Gomphus kurilis - just one
Beaverpond Baskettail Epitheca canis
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata [only one seen]
Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum
Rod Miller
At the upper pond in the Mayacamas Mts. on Pine Flat Rd. out of Healdsburg.
Emerald Spreadwing Lestes dryas
No Hoary Skimmers at seep, dry
Lassen Co.
Tim Manolis
*Alkali Bluet* [only time seen in '02]-- a few seen around the north
end of Eagle Lake
Baskettail (sp?)
-- one seen flying over a pond at the end of Pit Canyon Road near
Pittville was probably a Beaverpond Baskettail (based on habitat and behavior),
which would be first sight record for Lassen County.
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
Along dirt roads leading to Buckhorn and Collins Baldy Look-Outs Bob
identifies Sinuous Snaketails each trip.
He finds more than several dozen in sunny spots along the road from near the
river to about 2 miles up the roads or
nearly 500 feet above the river level. He finds none beyond the 2000 ft level.
These dragonflies are only in the sunny
locations and remain low, perching on ground and debris or low branches and
leaves. Not seen at all in the shade. Many
exuviae along the main Klamath River.
Lassen Co.
Tim Manolis
Papoose Meadows near the south end of Eagle Lake -
*Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata * -- a
handful in Papoose
Meadows near the south end of Eagle Lake, Lassen Co.,
*Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta* -- one
Humboldt Co.
Bob Behrstock
at Aldergrove Marsh, just east of U.S. 101 near Guintoli Lane, north side
of the town of Arcata.
Ischnura erratica 10+
Ischnura cervula common
Erythemis collocata (~3)
Aeshna multicolor -presumably ~4
Sympetrum teneral (2)
Sympetrum --I guess these are illotum, a couple white
spots low on side of thorax, about five anterior most wing veins red to the
nodus but most of wing membrane clear. male (2)
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Four Spotted Skimmer
Kern Co.
Susan Steele
In the desert today I spotted a *Bleached Skimmer Libellula
composita*.
Humboldt Co.
Bob Behrstock and Pete Haggard
at Aldergrove Marsh, just east of U.S. 101 near Guintoli Lane, north side
of the town of Arcata.
*Swift Forktail Ischnura erratica* M and F, 10+ sunning on
grasses and buttercups near pond. No copul. observed but they may have been out
over the pond.
Ischnura cervula M and F, common
Erythemis collocata (~3)
Aeshna multicolor - presumably ~4
Sonoma Co.
David Hofmann
I went to Spring Lake, a Sonoma county park within Santa Rosa's city limits.
I saw the following:
Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - 30+
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia - 20+
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata - 10+
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis - 50+
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum - 5
Darner Blue-eyed/California Aeshna sp - 10
Common Green Darner Anax junius - 4
Pacific Clubtail Gomphus kurilis - 6
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida - 20
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula - 20
Western Forktail Ischnura perparva - 20
I only did the northern end of Spring Lake. I could see a lot of activity
in areas that I didn't cover as well, so the numbers would have been much larger.
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
at Turtle Bay -
Western Pondhawks 10-15 (1 female)
Twelve-spotted Skimmers 10,
Common Whitetails 6-8 (1 teneral male),
Widow Skimmers 4-5,
Blue Dashers 10-12 (1 teneral female),
Red-veined Meadowhawks 4 (2 males, a tandem pair),
Common Green Darners 4-5 (1 tandem pair),
Black Saddlebags 3-4
Bison Snaketail 1
San Mateo Co.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Here are some observations in the area of Alpine Pond, Skyline
Open Space, San Mateo County -
Ischnura cervula - Pacific Forktail - common.
Argia agrioides - California
Dancer - reasonably common. Saw them in tandem and wheel,
voucher specs. collected. These are the first confirmed ones for the county. I
did see agrioides/nahuana here last year but did not have permits to net
them. Interestingly, there were no Argia vivida up
here. In the lowlands Argia vivida is common right now!
Enallagma boreale - Boreal Bluet - one male, voucher collected.
Enallagma carunculatum - Tule Bluet - common.
Enallagma cyathigerum - Northern Bluet - one male, voucher spec.
Enallagma praevarum - Arroyo Bluet - Pair in tandem.
voucher collected.
Aeshna sp a few around - possibly CA and Blue-eyed.
Erythemis collocata - Western Pondhawk - one female seen.
Still known from sight records only in the county.
Libellula forensis - Eight spotted Skimmer - common.
Libellula lydia - Common Whitetail - one male.
Libellula saturata - Flame Skimmer - one female.
Sympetrum illotum - Cardinal Meadowhawk - 10 or so.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Tule Bluet
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
Road along Lumgrey Creek off Klamath River-
Along first mile of dirt road leading to Buckhorn Look-Out at 9 a.m. a few
Sinuous Snaketails seen. Elevation 1700-1800 ft.
Santa Cruz Co.
Leda Beth Gray
at Quail Hollow shortly after noon.
Two Whitetails were mating, and I saw them as they disengaged and she
went around dipping her tail in the pond. There were a bunch of small red
damselflies that I thought looked like Desert
Firetails Telebasis salva as I could
not see any black on the thorax. The thorax was definitely red though.. [further
discussion with her convinced both of us that that was what she saw - kb] - a
county record
The other interesting one looked like it had to be
Black Saddlebags but the bugger wouldn't come over to the edge of the
pond near me. He was flying back and forth over the patch of vegetation that
sticks out into the middle of the pond. I did get him in the telescope a couple
of times when he hovered and it looked like I was seeing the black bits on his
rear wings. He was big compared with his Blue Dasher buddies that were
also flying around in that area of the pond. I can't figure out what else it
could be. .. [further discussion with her about this convinced both of us that
that was what she saw - kb]
Kern Co.
Alison Sheehey & Terri Gallion
Alison and I went to CSUB - FACT and looked at the dragonfly pond. We were
there mostly for me to record the captive raptors in rehab. The pond had
Blue Dashers (13 males and two females seen), Desert Firetail
(males and tandem pairs) and Black-fronted Forktails (mostly males, few females).
also in Kern Co.
Susan Steele
I saw western red damsels up in the Piutes -- a new ode for me :).
At my house [Inyokern] I've had black saddlebags, common green darners, spot
winged gliders.
Napa Co.
Alan Wight
at a small pond southwest of St. Helena, I saw the following:
Pacific Forktail - 1, male
Black-fronted Forktail l- >= 15, mostly males, most common damselfly
at pond, appendages match this species
Western Forktail - >= 3, pruinose females
Common Whitetail - >= 2, males
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Western Pondhawk, M
Contra Costa Co.
R.J. Adams
A quiet day in Lafayette (Contra Costa Co.) left me some time to
look for Odes. In about 30 yards of suburban stream (partially
cemented in with little vegetation), at 11:30 there were:
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2 males in a territorial bout
Exclamation Damsel - 1 male
Forktail sp. - 3
Dancer sp. - 15 to 20 including individuals in wheel position
Between 16:15 - 17:00 I went for a walk at Lafayette Reservoir. The
wind was rather strong, and most dragonflies were staying down. In
the more protected west end near the visitor center and boat docks, there were:
Blue Darner (Aeshna sp.) - 1 buzzed rapidly overhead
Pacific Forktail - very common (75+) spread over 50 yards of shore.
There were both males and females, and several were observed
copulating. These individuals allowed for close approach and in-hand examination.
Blue Dasher - 1 male resting on some cattails
Sonoma Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs, Ron Robertson, Alan Wight
At backyard ponds near The Cedars:
Western Forktail - 1, female
Common Whitetail - ~5
Flame Skimmer - ~3
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 1
Small Darner sp. - 1
Large Darner sp. - 1
Hiking into The Cedars:
Emma's Dancer - ~12, males and females
Sooty Dancer - 4, females
Vivid Dancer - ~12
Red Rock Skimmer - 1 - 3 males
Grappletail - ~12, males and females
Bison Snaketail - ~20, most common dragonfly
*Black Petaltail Tanypteryx hageni* - 2-3, refound this
species at the only location where it has been seen in Sonoma County
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Flame Skimmer
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
Klamath River, 2 mile east of Quigly's store -
May exuviae on rock, grass & low branches. More than 1 exuvia per foot of
shoreline, even found alongside fast current.
Some exuviae seen same area a few days ago.
Pacific Clubtail - 2 found that had not emerged correctly
Sinuous Snaketail - 1 found that had not emerged correctly
Sacramento Co.
Tim Manolis
Made a brief midday visit (~noon to 1:30 p.m.) to the American
River Parkway at the Mayhew Drain, Sacramento County (this is on the south
side of the river just a bit upstream from the Watt Avenue Bridge). The
primary purpose was to look for Sinuous Snaketails (Ophiogomphus occidentis),
seen here in the past, and a female was collected and a few other males seen
-- but the nicest surprise was a first county record for Arroyo Bluet
(Enallagma praevarum), a male collected. Sacramento has been pretty well
explored so getting new species for the county list (now at 51) is not easy,
but this one was overdue. It has been collected just a few miles north of
Sacramento County (Roseville, Placer County) and south of us (Mokelumne
River, San Joaquin County) so was certainly to be expected here.
The complete list for this visit:
*Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum),
* -- male netted. - a county record
Tule Bluet -- male netted; many bluets seen, including possible
Familiar Bluets , based on extensive blue coloration of abdomen.
Exclamation Damsel -- 4-5 seen, including a tandem pair.
Pacific Forktail -- 30-40 seen.
Western Forktail -- 10-12 seen, females ovipositing in emergent
vegetation along shore of river backwater.
Blue-eyed Darner -- male patrolling shoreline.
Sinuous Snaketail -- 3-4 seen, female netted.
Flame Skimmer -- 2 males seen.
Widow Skimmer -- 1.
Common Whitetail -- 10-12 seen.
Spot-winged Glider -- 1.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Western Pondhawk, F, 3
Colusa Co.
David Hofmann & Kathy Biggs
Bear Ck, -
Am. Rubyspot - < dozen seen, inc. 2 females
*Sooty Dancer* - 2 females
Vivid Dancer - < 6
Bluet - Northern/Boreal type
Bluet - Tule/Arroyo type
Western Forktail - 1 pruinose female
Flame Skimmer - many, but not as abundant yet as past years. maybe one every 50 ft.
At a little unnamed 'Hidden Pond' with a rock creek in and out flow, we found
Emma's Dancer - 1 female
Bluet - too teneral to ID at all
Pacific Forktail - 1 mature male
Western Forktail - many very teneral females sunning in the seed
heads of bunch grasses
Western Pondhawk/Blue Dasher - 1 male headed straight out across
the lake away from us and wasn't seen again.
Sutter Co.
Tim Manolis
I saw one Variegated Meadowhawk and a handful each of Blue-eyed
Darner and Green Darner
all morning. One of the Blue-eyed Darners
Aeshna multicolor made its way into a
mist net, and although its head
was lost in the extraction process,
the headless specimen now serves as a first specimen record for the county
[upgrade of his previous sighting only record].
On the way home I had a little better ode luck at Shanghai Bend Park along
the Feather River south of Yuba City. Here, at a marshy backwater lagoon in
the floodplain were:
Pacific Forktail -- common, hundreds seen
Familiar Bluet -- common, hundreds seen, many teneral; Tule Bluets
also probably seen but not netted.
Common Green Darner -- 8-10
Western Pondhawk -- common, 30-40 seen
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax
longipennis
-- a few seen, a female netted for a first county specimen [upgrade of
his previous sighting only record].
Common Whitetail Libellula
lydia
-- common, 75-100 seen; first county sight record, believe it or not!
(I know, I need to go back and collect one. . .)
Widow Skimmer Libellula
luctuosa -- a few seen, including
ovipositing female; first county sight record
Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula
puchella -- a few seen; male collected
for first county specimen [upgrade of his previous sighting only record].
Black Saddlebags -- 8-10 seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few seen
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
I checked Mary Lake in Redding, because it was the first
sunny day in the last several. It was still cool, but I saw 11 odes, as follows:
Common Whitetail, 3-4
Black Saddlebags, 6-8
Green Darners, 4-5
Western Pondhawks, 4-5
Blue Dasher, at least 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk, 1
Aeshna 1
Vivid Dancer, 5-6
Tule Bluet, 2
Pacific Forktail, 1
Western Forktail, 1
Good variety, not big numbers
San Benito Co.
Leda Beth Gray
I was at the Pinnacles National Monument, San Benito County on 5/22 and saw
the following at the reservoir there:
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata
- a county record
Cardinal Meadowhawk sympetrum illotum
- a county record
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia
- a county record
Vivid Dancer
Northern or Boreal Bluet, 3 of them perched on vegetation and acting
like weather vanes
Twelve Spot Libellula pulchella (female only) [will count as
a county record if a male is seen also]
Green Darner Anax junius two hooked together, the female was dipping her
abdomen in the water. They also landed in places where she would end up being
partially submerged.
Sonoma Co.
Rod Miller
*Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis* - Ida Clayton Rd.
San Mateo Co.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Here are some observations in the area of Alpine Pond, Skyline
Open Space, San Mateo County.
Ischnura cervula - Pacific Forktail - common.
Ischnura perparva - one female.
* Zoneagrion exclamationis - Exclamation Damsel * - 2
females, my first ever in the county.
Aeshna californica - 6 or so.
Sympetrum illotum - Cardinal Meadowhawk - 3 males.
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Western Pondhawk, F
Kern Co.
Jeff Cole
I just got back from a little collecting in Kern and Monterey Counties, May
17-19. Western Kern Co. was dry as a bone. The one site that had Odonate
activity was Bitterwater Creek, along Elkhorn Grade Road, 5 miles south of
Maricopa:
Argia nahuana, abundant, many tandem pairs and much
ovipositing going on, many tenerals on the hills above the creek.
Argia vivida, scarce, mostly tenerals.
Sympetrum corruptum, 1 individual, which didn't hang around for long.
Monterey County
Monterey County was beset with high winds on Friday (17). I camped along
San
Lorenzo Creek that day, in King City. The only active Odonate there was
Ischnura denticollis, which kept out of the high winds in the
thick emergent vegetation. Saturday I was in the Ventana Wilderness. At a
small stream 1 mile northwest of Fort Hunter Liggett, along Nacimiento-Ferguson
Road, I found a lone male Enallagma cyathigerum (I'm 99% sure, but
but I haven't finished scrutinizing it yet!). Out in the fields there, a couple
large Aeshnids were active, but I could not get close enough to
identify them to genus.
It was raining along the Monterey coast the 19th. Only one sighting, a
juvenile male Argia vivida at Nacimiento Creek, in Ponderosa
Campground along Nacimiento-Ferguson Road.
Placer Co.
Bruce Webb & Tim Manolis
Bruce Webb showed me a nice stretch of the creek running through Miners
Ravine, just a bit upstream from Sculpture Park, in Roseville, Placer County,
Today. At Sculpture Park, which is right along Interstate Highway 80
at the Eureka Road exit, the creek is rather fast-flowing with pools and
ripples, good for clubtails, but this upper stretch is slower with marshy
pools, and hence has a slightly different ode fauna. In an hour-and-a-half
of walking around the site we saw:
American Rubyspot -- 15-20
Vivid Dancer -- fairly common
Emma's Dancer -- a few seen
California Dancer -- one male netted and released; probable others
seen and fairly common, but hard to distinguish from the next species
*Aztec Dancer, Argia nahuana* [last sighting in '02] -- A
male and
female collected:
probably fairly common (but see under California Dancer, above)
Pacific Forktail -- 20-30 seen
Black-fronted Forktail -- common, 50-100 seen
Western Forktail --10-15 seen
*Desert Firetail, Telebasis salva* [first sighting of '02] --
5-6 seen, one tandem pair
Common Green Darner -- one male seen
Western Pondhawk -- common
Blue Dasher -- some seen, including a number of teneral males
(patterned like females)
12-spotted Skimmer -- 8-10 seen, one female seen gobbling down a
teneral dancer
8-spotted Skimmer -- 5-6 seen
Common Whitetail -- 10-12 seen
Widow Skimmer-- 1 seen
I was surprised by the lack of Flame Skimmers, but we did see one at
Bruce's home not far from this site [Tehama Co.], plus I had one in my backyard
this morning [Sacramento Co].
Also had a teneral female bluet in my backyard, but was surprised by the
lack of bluets at Miners Ravine.
SONOMA CO.
Alan Wight
I spent a short time along the lower part of Pine Flat
Road in northeastern Sonoma County. I saw the following:
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 2 males
Common Whitetail - 1 female
Black Saddlebags - 1 female
Darner sp. - 1, probably Blue-eyed Darner
Bison Snaketail - 1
Beaverpond Baskettail - 1
TEHAMA CO.
Bruce Deuel & Tim Manolis
Live Oak Road, 8 mi. W of Red Bluff, small man-made pond in oak woodland:
Common Green Darner -- 2, male and female, female ovipositing solo
Beaverpond Baskettail -- 2 seen
Upper Thompkins Pond and Orwick Ditch, Battle Creek Wildlife Area:
American Rubyspot -- 3 seen along irrigation ditch
Vivid Dancer -- fairly common along ditch
Northern Bluet Enallagma cyathigerum
-- one male netted, identified in-hand
with hand lens, others possibly seen (bluets were fairly common around the
pond); first "sight" record for TEHAMA
Familiar Bluet -- male identified in-hand, possibly others seen
Tule Bluet -- male identified in-hand, possibly others seen
Pacific Forktail -- fairly common
*Blue-eyed Darner Aeshna multicolor* -- 1-2 males seen in flight
Common Green Darner -- a few (5-10?) seen in flight
Beaverpond Baskettail -- one seen along irrigation ditch
Western Pondhawk -- fairly common around the pond
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- 10-15(?) around the pond
** *Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa* ** -- 5-6 tenerals
coming up from the pond into blackberry thickets [new flight data by just one day]
Common Whitetail -- fairly common around the pond
Blue Dasher -- some around the pond
Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata -- 5-6 patrolling around the pond; male netted for
first specimen record for TEHAMA (upgrade of previous sighting only record)
SHASTA CO.
Battle Creek Access, Battle Creek Wildlife Area (Tehama Co. on other side of creek):
Vivid Dancer -- common
Northern Bluet -- one male netted, identified in-hand; bluets very
common, many tenerals
Familiar Bluet -- males netted and identified in hand
Tule Bluet -- males netted and identified in hand
Pacific Forktail -- common, including many tenerals
Western Forktail -- at least one male seen
Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion
exclamationis -- 15-20 seen; male
collected for first specimen for SHASTA
Common Green Darner -- 10-20(?) seen
Pacific Clubtail -- 4-5 seen, one male collected
*Grappletail* -- one female seen
Bison Snaketail -- male found just emerging along creek
Pacific Clubtail -- one seen in flight
Sinuous Snaketail Ophiogomphus occidentis
-- male netted, first specimen for SHASTA
Battle Creek Wildlife Area near Coleman Fish Hatchery. (Tehama
Co. on other side of creek) - man-made marshy ponds (Schoefer Ponds); creek
(rock cobble bottom); irrigation ditches:
Sinuous Snaketail Ophiogomphus
occidentis -- fairly common, 15-20(?)
seen, female collected; individuals seen flying across the creek established
this as also a specimen representing TEHAMA County.
Western Pondhawk -- fairly common
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- fairly common
Twelve-spotted Skimmer -- about 10 seen, most teneral
Flame Skimmer -- 2-3 males seen
Common Whitetail -- fairly common
Blue Dasher -- some seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- fairly common; 30-40(?) seen, most tenerals
Cardinal Meadowhawk -- about 20 seen, mostly males, one ovipositing pair
Black Saddlebags -- 5-6 seen over ponds
San Joaquin Co.
Kathy Crump
In her Stockton backyard:
Flame Skimmer
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
River Jewelwing - 6 seen between 3 pools.
Pond Damsel sp. - several seen
Pacific Clubtail - several seen
Sinuous Snaketail - several seen
Darner sp. - 1 fly-by
San Mateo County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
This morning on our way home we stopped in San Mateo county at the place
near Coyote Pt. in San Bruno where we'd seen San Francisco Forktails in
other years. Although it was sunny and at last 61 out, we found no
damselflies at all at 11 am. All we saw was one male Cardinal
Meadowhawk.
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
Base of Scott Bar Mtns., Scott River -
Clubtail sp. probably Pacific Clubtail or Sinuous Snaketail. 1st
seen this year in that area.
Santa Cruz County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Quail Hollow Park/Ranch out of Felton/Ben Lomand, at the shallow pond.
Lestes sp. - Spreadwing
species: 1 very teneral male collected with end of abdomen
missing... has a bronzy metallic cast to thorax so it might be the voucher for
the L. dryas, Emerald Spreadwing - seen at this same site yesterday by
Leda Beth Gray
A brief glimpse of a reddish damselfly that might have been a female
Western Red Damsel, and if so, that would be a new species for the
county. I'm hoping someone can go back and check on this. The habitat
was correct.
Pacific Forktail - abundant
Western Forktail - abundant
Aeshna sp., Darner that appeared to be a Blue-eyed Darner.
Western Pondhawk, Erythemis collocata- abundant. Photos taken and a male collected for a new county record.
Common Whitetail, Libellula lydia
- abundant. Photos taken and a male collected for an upgrade of Tim
Manolis' previous 'sighting only' county record.
Flame Skimmer, Libellula
saturata
- 1 male seen and photographed for an upgrade of Tim Manolis' previous 'sighting
only' county record. We were
unable to get a specimen in the short time we were there.
Blue Dasher - a just emerged female held in hand. No others seen.
Seen elsewhere in Santa Cruz County:
Henry Cowell State Park:
Exclamation Damsel - many along the trail next to the San Lorenzo River.
Aeshna sp - several males that appeared to be Blue-eyed Darners.
Cardinal Meadowhawk - one male along the San Lorenzo River.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I checked Turtle Bay here in Redding, Shasta Co., today at noon. Lots
of the same things flying as I saw at Mary Lake on the 6th, plus a
couple of Cardinal Meadowhawks and a new species for me, a pair of
ovipositing * **Red-veined Meadowhawks (Sympetrum madidum)* **.
The complete list : many Common Whitetails, 5-6 Twelve-spotted
Skimmers, 1-2 Flame Skimmers, 2 Cardinal Meadowhawks, 2
Red-veined
Meadowhawks, 3-4 Black Saddlebags, several Common Green
Darners, 12-15 mixed
Western Pondhawks and Blue Dashers 3-4, Pacific Forktails, and
many bluets too far out over the pond to identify.
Santa Cruz County
Leda Beth Gray
At Quail Hollow Park/Ranch out of Felton/Ben Lomand, at the shallow pond.
*Lestes dryas - Emerald
Spreadwing* - [new early flight data] - a
county record
other mating damselflies that moved around too much to be IDed
Common Whitetail [would be a county record except that Kathy Biggs
collected one the next day, several days before getting this report]
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Darner sp. Aeshna
Blue Dasher
Monterey County
RJ Adams
From 13:00-13:45 I went for a walk around the southwest end of the Frog Pond
Nature Preserve between Monterey and Salinas. At least 10 large blue Darners
(Aeshna sp.) were patrolling a dry sunny hillside above the pond
while a pair were seen in coitus flying low over the pond itself. Several
Bluets, a Dancer, and at least one male Forktail were along the
thickly vegetated pondside trail, and a single male Cardinal Meadowhawk
was perched on some low, sunny pondside vegetation. More details expected with
the arrival of a net and handlens.
Kern County
Gordon Black
A few odes are finally starting to move around the lower Kern River. While
kayaking Saturday I observed the following:
Flame Skimmer
Common Green Darner
Black Saddlebags
American Rubyspot
Bluet species
2 unidentified dragonflies
All species were few in number (1-5)
I would also like to pass along an observation a birding friend of
mine had at Butterbredt Springs on May 6, 2002, about 8:00 am. This is a
desert oasis located on the East side of the Sierras considered an excellent
"migrant trap" for migrating birds. It is located southwest of Ridgecrest, Ca.
She stated while birding below the springs "I've never seen so many dragonflies,
they were everywhere flying up canyon." When I quizzed her about color and
numbers she stated she birded the canyon for 45 minutes and at all times
could see at least three or more dragonflies around her the entire time she
was there. All moving up canyon (northwest). Colors, she could not remember
and only mentioned it to me because she knew I had an interested in
dragonflies. I am also a birder and have been to this location about four time
this spring and many times in previous years, but I have never witnessed
anything like what she described.
Imperial County
Bob Miller
At the New River Wetlands Project Imperial site this past weekend the
damsels outnumbered the dragons in number but not variety. Rambur's Forktail
in the thousands, tried hard for something different and might have had a
few Desert Forktail in the mix. Familiar Bluet were
in the 100's. A few each of Common Green Darner and *Mexican
Amberwing Perithemis intensa*. It appears that there were a lot of
newly emerged Blue Dasher and Western Pondhawk. There were about 25
Red Saddlebags but I could find no Black Saddlebags when several weeks
ago the were about evenly numbered at 20 or so.
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. -
He was on the lookout for the 1st day the River Jewelwings appeared as they
are common in his area (Klamath River near Yreka). He reports none on 4-17, 22
or 29, but on 5-8 finds a 'just emerged *River Jewelwing Calopteryx
aequabilis* with still crumpled wings...'. Also seen was a Pacific
Clubtail emerging that day too and a few in flight. Until then he'd only
seen a few bluets and a Green Darner as they had such a cold spring.
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
Had Flame Skimmer and a darner (Blue-eyed?) in the backyard today. A
California Dancer Argia agriodies male netted at Sacramento Bar
along the American River.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
This is the first day I've been able to check Mary Lake since the
weather warmed up, and the odes were pretty active. My estimates:
About a dozen Western Pondhawks, some in wheel and ovipositing.
30-40 Common Whitetails, very few females.
5-6 Twelve-spotted Skimmers .
1 Flame Skimmer (new locally).
r dozen Blue Dashers, one pair in wheel (new locally).
3-4 Black Saddlebags (new locally).
2-3 Beaverpond Baskettails
4-5 Aeshna, a couple small enough to be A. californica, but
none identified.
A dozen Common Green Darners
Many bluets, both Tule-type and Familiar-type.
2 Pacific Forktail.
2 Western Forktail.
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At our backyard pond in Sebastopol
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 4 males and at least one female
Western Pondhawk - one young male, alive on the 6th and dead and
floating on the surface the 7th (half eaten). This was a young male, not even
fully 'colored up' yet.
Pacific Forktails - many
Western Forktails - a few
Los Angeles County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Piru Creek at Frenchman's Flat
California Dancer - many
Northern Bluet - some, mostly away from the water
Forktail sp. - a few seen at little shallow inlets
Red Rock Skimmer - several. At least 4 males seen patrolling.
Cardinal Meadowhawk - several. At least 2 males seen at little
shallow inlets.
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
On Pine Flat Road
Vivid Dancer - a few
Northern Bluet - many at upper pond
Western Forktail - many at upper pond
Common Whitetail - 1 male at upper pond
Flame Skimmer - 1 at Rebizzo Ranch pond
Cardinal Meadowhawk - >= 2 at upper pond
Darner sp. - 1 at upper pond, probably California based on small size
Pacific Clubtail - >= 2 at Rebizzo Ranch pond
*Bison Snaketail Octogomphus bison* - 1, injured at side of road
Beaverpond Baskettail - 1
Later, below the Alexander Valley Road bridge over the Russian River:
*American Rubyspot Hetaerina americana * - several
Los Angeles County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Legg Lake, Whittier Narrows
Tule Bluet - a few
Pacific Forktail - a few
Glider sp. - 1
Red Saddlebags - 1 male
San Bernardino County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Joshua Tree
Common Green Darner -1, flying at same time as a Hoary Bat!!
Spot-winged Glider - several individuals flying solo out over the open desert
**Wandering Glider**> (first sighting of year; new early flight
season data) - 1 flying solo out over the open desert
San Bernardino County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
at Big Morango Canyon, Yucca Valley
Spot-winged Glider - 2
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
The sun has come back out and so have the odes, including my first
Western Pondhawk of the year, a nice male at Turtle Bay West in Redding.
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
At Sacramento Bar
*California Dancer Argia agriodies *
Kern County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Red Rock Canyon
Spot-winged Glider - a few individuals flying solo out over the open desert
Kern County
Terri Gallion, Kathy & Dave Biggs
We explored the Mojave desert and east side Sierra canyons.
Sand Canyon -
Flame Skimmer - 2 males.
Aeshna sp. - 2 males: One was very dark and
quite likely was A. palmata which would be a county record; the second
was very small and grayish blue, probably a CA Darner (Aeshna
californica), which also would be a county record. Neither of which were
approachable.
Spot-winged Gliders - many were seen individually flying over the dry
desert alluvial fan at the mouth of the east side canyons (all of these canyons
contain narrow streams of water and some riparian vegetation).
Little Lake - (four small, ancient, natural lakes formed by exposure of the
Rose Valley aquifer) -
Pacific Forktails (Ischnura cervula) - a few
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) - 2 males
Kern County
Terri Gallion, Trudy Pascoe, Kathy & Dave Biggs & others
On the Sunday Bioregions field trip:
Mill Pond - one teneral Aeshna sp., possible CA Darner (A.
californica - would be a county record).
Prince Pond - a few Pacific Forktails (Ischnura cervula),
including a male-colored female.
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
Got out a bit in the afternoon to the American River Parkway
(Jacob Lane Access just a short distance upstream from here. New for me for the
year were Common Whitetails and Common Green Darners, a number of males on territory. Most interesting
among the other 8-9 species seen were modest numbers of Exclamation Damsels (most
were quite a bit away from water feeding in dense weedy patches of vetch) and a
Pacific Clubtail, the first I have seen along the Parkway.
Kern County
Terri Gallion
I went to Mill Pond (Kern River Preserve, Kern County) yesterday afternoon
to check out what was flying. It was a very warm, sunny day after several
days of wind and cold. Odes seem to be late emerging in the Kern River
Valley, I assume because of our elevation, 2,500+ ft (bottom of the
valley). I saw a Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) and two Common
Green Darners (Anax junius). I also had twoBlack Saddlebags (Tramea
lacerata). They interacted briefly, one disappeared, and the other seemed to go back to
paroling a small area of the pond.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I visited the Battle Creek Wildlife Area ponds (Shasta Co. side) today
and found 12 species of odes. Of course, I didn't get positive i.d.'s
on all of them, but here is what I saw: 8-10 Eight-spotted Skimmers, 2
Twelve-spotted Skimmers, 20 Variegated Meadowhawks, 3 Cardinal
Meadowhawks, 1 Beaverpond Baskettail, 5-6 Aeshna (all small, not
very bright blue eyed, so probably California Darners), 8-10 Common Green
Darners, and 50 or more damsels. Of these, at least 1 was a Vivid
Dancer, there were 2 kinds of bluets (Tule and Familiar most likely,
but can't rule out Northern), and I saw 3-4 each of Pacific and Western
Forktails.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
Today was my first chance to look at my ode spot at Turtle Bay in
Redding since the weather turned warm again, and there was considerable
activity. I saw 4 Common Green Darners (first at this spot), including
an ovipositing pair, no fewer than 6 male Common Whitetails, and a
teneral female *Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella* (I got
a very good look at the
solid yellow side stripe to the abdomen, as well as many other
features), my first of the season. There were several damsels, also,
which I'm still not good at identifying without catching them, but I
believe there were 2 species of bluets.
Yuba County
Tim & Annette Manolis
Annette and I were out birding in Yuba County, around Marysville, yesterday.
Did manage to see a few odes. Most widespread and numerous (at a
few spots) were the usual suspects, I. cervula and S. corruptum.
Did see my
first Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Star Bend along the
Feather River), *Eight-spotted
Skimmer Libellula forensis* (Hallwood Access along the Yuba River),
and Spot-winged Glider
(roadside ditch, Erle Road south of Marysville) of the year, though. First
Flame Skimmer of the year in the backyard today, and another Spot-winged
Glider crossing the road while I was out running errands this morning
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
On a mostly wildflower outing, we checked the Russian River quickly twice,
hoping for at least Ruby Spots or our first Snaketails of the season, but all we
saw were a few Forktails, Bluets and Vivid Dancers. Western
Forktails finally have come to our backyard pond this season now and we
might have our very first sighting there of a Beaverpond Baskettail>
Siskiyou Co.
Bob Claypole
Shasta River/Hudson Rd. Temps =~70 -
Common Green Darner - 1
Pond Damsel sp. - probably N. Bluet - 1-2 males
Pond Damsel sp. - probably Western Forktails - 2-4
Santa Clara County
Alvaro Jaramillo
Its been sunny recently here in coastal San Mateo county, but cold due
to pretty good winds coming off the ocean. Needless to say, coastally there
has been next to now odonate action yet. However today while jogging past a
small stream in a sheltered sector at the base of Montara Mountain I found
two male Vivid Dancers, and a male Variegated Meadowhawk. The
meadowhawk is
probably an immigrant from further inland. My guess is that at least the
earlier spring individuals that seemingly arrive out of nowhere here on the
coast are migrants. Both were season firsts for me here. I hope to get to
the Bay side of the county in the next few days, where there should be a
lot more activity and diversity.
Tehama County
Bruce Deuel
The cool weather and high winds have kept things down recently, but
today I checked the Upper Thompkins Pond on the Tehama Co. portion of
Battle Creek Wildlife Area and found several Common Green Darners, plus
4 damsels; a single forktail which escaped closer scrutiny, single males
of 2 kinds of bluets perched right next to each other (probably Tule
Bluet and Familiar Bluet) and my first dancers of the season, about 20
Vivid Dancers.
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We spent a delightful hour walking around at Lake Ralphine ,a local city
park in Santa Rosa ,where I got to see aPacific Clubtail finish its
emergence and take its maiden flight. Also saw a Green-backed Heron find one and eat it before it
took it'sfirst flight. Such is fate!
Lots of Beaverpond Baskettail about there too! And a some
San Mateo County
Alvaro Jaramillo
Its been sunny recently here in coastal San Mateo county, but cold due
to pretty good winds coming off the ocean. Needless to say, coastally there
has been next to now odonate action yet. However today while jogging past a
small stream in a sheltered sector at the base of Montara Mountain I found
two male Vivid Dancers, and a male Variegated Meadowhawk. The
meadowhawk is probably an immigrant from further inland. My guess is that at
least the earlier spring individuals that seemingly arrive out of nowhere here
on the coast are migrants. Both were season firsts for me here. I hope to get to
the Bay side of the county in the next few days, where there should be a
lot more activity and diversity.
Placer County
Tim Manolis
Such a nice warm day today I took the opportunity to visit Sculpture Park in
Roseville, Placer County (intersection of Eureka Road and I-80). A number of
things were, for the most part, just emerging:
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) -- quite common, 100s seen.
* Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum) * -- a few males
netted and released. Presumably all of about 10-15 bluets seen were these, but
other species are known from this location.
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) -- 15-20 seen.
Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) -- a male seen.
Exclamation Damsel (Zoniagrion exclamationis) -- about 20
seen, a fair number of tenerals (which are dark, purplish-tan and black), but
also one tandem pair.
*Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis) * -- about 10 tenerals
flying up from the creek's edge; two exuviae collected in grass within a foot
from the shoreline.
*Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentis) * -- 4-5 seen,
some just emerged, but also a couple of "older" ones away from the creek. 3
exuviae taken from similar situations as described above for Pacific Clubtail.
Finally, a baskettail, undoubtedly Beaverpond Baskettail, was seen
patrolling over the trail.
Sonoma County
Becky Olson and Ken Wilson
At Fairfield Osborn Preserve we saw only Vivid Dancers, Pacific
Forktails, Cardinal Meadowhawks, and California Darner on the lower part of
the Preserve. Also saw a larger darner but couldn't get a good look at it.
Los Angeles County
Jeff Cole
At the Arcadia Insect Fair at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, in their
artificial stream, he saw some odes -- including Red Rock Skimmer
Paltothemis lineatipes
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
My first successful foray with my net today; I caught males of Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis
(specimen retained) - a
county record, Western Forktail, and Familiar Bluet (the latter two keyed out and
appendages examined), all at the Shasta Co. portion of Battle Creek Wildlife Area.
Tehama County
Bruce Deuel
Then I managed to catch one of the 3 Beaverpond Baskettails I found
on the Tehama Co. portion of the Battle Creek Wildlife Area, and retained it as
a voucher specimen, also. I had tried earlier in the day to catch damsels at
Turtle Bay and had failed miserably. Interestingly, none of the baskettails I
saw on the 10th were there, but there were 4 male Common Whitetail
Libellula lydia and 1 probable female (look too brief to rule out 12-
spotted Skimmer)
Sonoma County
Ken Wilson, Dave and Kathy Biggs
We went to the Sonoma Horticultural Gardens here in Sebastopol. This is
where I've previously seen hundreds of * Exclamation Damsels, Zoniagion
exclamationis* and where I'd seen them as early as April 1st last year
(and where Bob Behrstock took the photos in my book in July of 1999). Not
hundreds out yet, but several score, and interestingly, not a single other
species was to be seen even though we spent over an hour looking. Almost all
seen were mature and several were seen in wheel and tandem ovipositing. A few
tenerals emerged during our visit so I expect greater #s next visit. These
tenerals were black with brown where they would become blue.
The morning, the 14th, we had a rare sighting, not a rare 'bug' but a rare
opportunity: a Cardinal Meadowhawk emerged from our backyard pond here in
Sebastopol, and we were able to catch the whole process on slide film. So those
of you who are planning to attend the Kern River Preserve's Bio-Regions festival
should get to see that sequence. The Cardinal emerged at 9 a.m., taking off in
maiden flight at 11:30. It emerged in the midst of a patch of Mare's Tail.
Rod Miller
Rod was out in the Fountain Grove area of Santa Rosa and reported dozens of
Beaverpond Baskettails flying.
Solano County
Tim Manolis and Kathy Biggs
We checked some spots near Fairfield, Solano County, in hopes of possibly
finding San Francisco Forktail (Ischnura gemina). One spot yielded a
number of "likely suspects," but all that were netted and examined proved to be
"gemina's twin" --Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis).
Peytonia Slough Ecological Reserve, Suisun City, Solano Co.
Black-fronted Forktail (I. denticollis) -- fairly common
40-50(?) seen, some collected, including tandem and ovipositing pairs
Pacific Forktail (I. cervula) -- a few seen
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- a few seen
At Lagoon Valley Regional Park/Pena Adobe Park, Solano Co., we had
Pacific Forktail -- 10-15 seen
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) -- 5-10 seen
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum) -- 20 or so seen,
including tandem pairs
California Darner (Aeshna californica) -- 8-10 seen, most
patrolling males along channel
Cardinal Meadowhawk ( Sympetrum illotum ) -- 1 male
Sonoma County
Becky Olson
I was at Fairfield Osborn Preserve leading a nature hike for school
children, but was able to at least get to notice some ** *Western
Red Damsels ( Amphiagrion abbreviatum)** * flying around the lower marsh.
Kern County
Susan Steele
Speaking of giant darners, ... I saw a** * Giant Darner (Anax
walsinghami)* ** yesterday at the
Kern River Preserve, along with variegated meadowhawks, and a common green
darner. [this adds several weeks to the Giant Darner's flight season!]
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
Today I went a little farther afield, checking out some ponds on the
Battle Creek Wildlife Area, adjacent to Coleman National Fish Hatchery.
I found 3 species of dragons and 4 damsels there. Common Green Darners
and Variegated Meadowhawks were plentiful and I found my first Cardinal
Meadowhawks for the year, a couple of pairs in wheel and ovipositing. There
were many Pacific Forktails
and (presumed) Tule Bluets
(Arroyo Bluets have a similar pattern but haven't yet been seen that far
north in the Sacramento Valley), and several Black-fronted Forktails
Ischnura denticollis
Finally, I saw a single pale pruinose female forktail that I believe was
a Western Forktail.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
My first day in the field here in Redding since I got back from
vacation and there are many odes about. I went to Turtle Bay West again
today and caught a *Beaverpond Baskettail
Epitheca canis*, which the range map
doesn't show for Shasta County. (There were at least 2 present). Many tenerals
about (I think - very shiny wings, dull colors) of female Variegated
Meadowhawks, lots of Pacific Forktails, and lots of adult male
bluets, I believe Tule Bluets.
Then I went back at 4:00 this afternoon. I saw only 2 damsels where
I had seen up to 10 at noon, a pair of Pacific Forktails in wheel, but
There were at least 7(!) additional Beaverpond Baskettails there, as well
as my first *Common Whitetail Libellula (aka Plathemis) lydia* of the
season! [and first sighting this year - kb]
Tehama County
Bruce Deuel
Figuring "why not?" I stopped at the little pond near my
house west of Red Bluff in Tehama County on the way home and, sure enough, there
was one Beaverpond Baskettail Epitheca
canis, cruising there! It was too far from
shore to capture, so that will have to wait for later, but apparently there
aren't any prior records from Tehama County.
Imperial County
Bob Miller
At the New River Wetlands Projects:
Rambur's Forktail Ischnura ramburii.
*Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile* -mature male. First
sighting of the year.
A very teneral female bluet species - possibly a Tule.
Common Green Darner
*Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata* - some teneral and
other males already colored up.
First sighting of the season.
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis - some teneral,
but others already pruinose.
Variegated Meadowhawk - male, mostly 'colored up.'
*Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata* - the first of the
season and if it was the 6th and not the
8th, it will be two days earlier than last year although our earliest date for
this species is 04/13/98.
* **Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta** * - first sighting of
the year and new early flight data - by one day!
Sonoma County - 6th
Kathy and Dave Biggs
In our garden pond here in Sebastopol:
Vivid Dancer - a male and a female at separate times
Pacific Forktail - several, inc. tandem pairs and ovipositing
females
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 3 males & 1 female, one pair tandem ovipositing
Lake County - 6th
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Napa at Skyline Park:
Pacific Forktail - several
Variegated Meadowhawk - one 'flyby'
Tehama County- 9th
Bruce Deuel
Pacific Forktail - several
6 Apr 2002
? County - Mojave Desert
Jeff Cole
Reports seeing out in the Mojave Desert and seeing A. multicolor, S.
corruptum and P. hymenaea.
Imperial County
Bob Miller
At the New River Wetlands Projects:
* **Rambur's Forktail Ischnura ramburii** *. This is new
flight data. Last year's 5/13 was the previous early record. But remember, until
2 yrs ago they weren't on the state roster, so we have a lot to learn about
them here yet.
* **Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis** * - some teneral,
but others already pruinose. This is our first sighting of the species this year
and confirmation of April as a flight month, although we had March 7, 1968 and
May 29, 2001.
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Today Dave and I had a nice Easter hike at Helen Putnam Regional Park in
Petaluma, Sonoma Co. We only saw two species of odes, but the wildflowers were wonderful. We did get to see our
first Tule Bluets of the season there and we watched a tandem pair where the female backed down the plant stalk
down under the water line and clear out of sight (2+ ft). We gave up watching for her to rise again after 10 mins,
but the male stillstood guard nearby, ready, I assume, to help her out if needed. Only other
dragons seen there were Pacific Forktails.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
Today in Redding it was very warm (75+), though windy, so I tried Mary
Lake. Besides 4-5 Variegated Meadowhawks (including a pair in wheel)
and a male Pacific Forktail, I saw at least 10 teneral damsels that
seemed bigger than the forktail. I managed to catch a couple by hand
(learning in the process why it's not a good idea to catch tenerals -
very easily damaged) and determined they were bluets, one of which was a
male. I brought it back to my office and examined the appendages under
our dissecting microscope. It was definitely a Tule Bluet (Enallagma
carunculatum).
Siskiyou County
David Payne
Klamath River: No dragonflies up here yet (that I have
seen). Ospreys are back!
Kern County
Terri Gallion
We have had a few warm days so I checked Mill Pond again today. Finally, it
is coming alive! There were about 10 Common Green Darners and at least
one pair in tandem/wheel/ovipositing. Also a few Variegated Meadowhawks
including a tandem pair. No damsels yet.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I didn't see any of the meadowhawks today, but found 2 femalePacific
Forktails ovipositing. Interesting to see how different that process is
from that of the meadowhawks.
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs, David Hofmann, Nancy Bauer
It was foggy and gloomy here in Sonoma Co yesterday with rain originally
planned for today, but, oh joy, we awoke to beautiful sunshine. So the
3 of us were able to go hiking in the foothills above Cotati into the Fairfield Osborn
Preserve [open to the general public on Saturdays only for naturalist led hikes
- http://www.sonoma.edu/org/preserve/preserveED.html]. All we saw the first
half of the day was a Variegated
Meadowhawk, but
later we were richly rewarded. First we found one lone male Pacific
Forktail. But when we found a 2nd forktail and examined it up close, it
was a male *Western Forktail Ischnura perparva*, as far as we
know, the first of the season.
This was around Kelly Pond near the ridgeline. Then we went down to the lower
ponds. First a Darner made
a few passes over us, but we weren't able to get an ID. Then we found a VERY
teneral **Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum**. It was a pale
orangish color with white stripes on the sides, capable of flight but still very
weak in flight. Another first for the year as far as we know and this
would be new early flight data if it weren't for the one seen 1/20/1900! - or
was that LATE flight data??
Then, as we walked around the lower pond, **Vivid Dancers Argia
vivida** began to appear.
We saw dozens. All but one were still gray colored. That put us at a
half dozen species. Not bad for March! We had one more species, however all we
can say on the ID is that it was none of the above. It was one of those quick 3 sec. sightings; it was
meadowhawk sized but showed a fair amount of dark at the bases of the
wings. We'd like to think it was a Beaverpond Baskettail, but won't everknow.
San Joaquin County
Tim Manolis
Was able to get out and make a brief visit to the park along the Mokelumne
River just below Comanche Dam, San Joaquin County, at midday. Had 4-5 species.
Also had a male Western Forktail to tie for "first of the year."
[amazing how this happens, when one of us finds a species out flying, it is
usually found all over the state within just a week!] Lots of Pacific
Forktails. One very teneral (hence not worth trying to catch or handle)
male bluet was seen, possibly Tule Bluet, but as Arroyo Bluet is very
common at this site, the latter can't be ruled out. Also one Variegated
Meadowhawk and, like you, a "mystery dragonfly" seen too briefly at too
great a distance, but it didn't strike me as being S. corruptum.
Kern County
Terri Gallion
I found a Pacific Forktail and a Common Green Darner at Ming
Lake in Bakersfield.
At Kern National Wildlife Refuge I saw only two Variegated Meadowhawks.
This surprised me as on 8 March, in unfavorable cool, windy weather, we had
Common Green Darners and 8-10 Variegated Meadowhawks (some ovipositing).
Today, the weather was in the 70s and calm, yet only two odes and no pairs
at all.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I went out yesterday, nice and sunny, light winds,
but all I found at Turtle Bay in Redding were up to 10 Variegated
Meadowhawks and 2 Pacific Forktails. Nothing new. [ interesting that
the Variegateds seem to be heading north!?! - kb]
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
At Spring Lake in Santa Rosa, Dave and I observed MANY Pacific
Forktails, but nothing else.
Rod Miller
On Lone Pine Rd. in southern Sebastopol, Rod saw a lone CA Darner.
Marin County
Rod Miller
Although he is working outdoors in Marin Co. right now, Rod reports not even
seeing so much as a Pacific Forktail there yet this season.
San Luis Obispo County
Alvaro Jaramillo
Last Sunday I saw a Pantala hymenaea at Morro Bay, SLO County, on
my way back from a trip to Santa Cruz Island (no Odes).
Kern County
Susan Steele
It must be spring. Last Friday I saw a Spot-winged glider
Pantala hymenaea** * and today at
my pond [Inyokern] there was a common green darner cruising around.
San Diego County
Lynn Monroe
in Culp Valley...
*Ischnura denticollis, Black-fronted forktail *
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
While cleaning the pond yesterday I pulled out a Cardinal Meadowhawk
nymph. I have scanned it and put it up on my website at
http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/dragons/symnymph.jpg
Also I feel quite satisfied because I FINALLY saw an Anisopteran today,
a fast flying large dark one at the Laguna Wetlands Park in Sebastopol,
Sonoma Co. Only 3 seconds of viewing, so couldn't make an ID.
David Hofmann
Amazingly, David arrived at the Laguna
Wetlands Park right after I left, and saw the same bug (at least at the
very same spot I saw it) and it was much more cooperative and stuck
around long enuf for him to see green flashes and then yellow spots on
the sides, we're both betting it was a Beaverpond Baskettail. If so, it
would be new early flight data, so I'll go back tomorrow and try again.
We both saw a few Pacific Forktails at various spots in the county.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
Today at noon (mid-60s, light winds) I found 2 pairs of Variegated
Meadowhawks flying in tandem and ovipositing in a backwater pond off the
Sacramento River at Turtle Bay West in Redding. Those and Pacific
Forktails are still the only odes flying locally.
San Diego County
Lynn Monroe
In Hellhole Canyon we saw the *Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis
lineatipes *, both male and female, a new sighting in CA for us though
we did photograph one last August in SE Arizona.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I've seen more Variegated Meadowhawks today -
3 in close proximity (1 male, 2 females) sunning themselves on grave
markers in the Redding cemetery, a long way from water, by the way. The
male was pretty well colored up, but both females were tenerals, I think. Very gray, the white spots on the sides of the abdomen barely discernable.
Sonoma County
David Hofmann
I went looking for butterflies and dragons this afternoon, even though it
was cold (approx. 55) with a constant wind blowing. At times I was in the
sunshine getting rained on. I did see three species of butterflies, and one
individual dragon. This was on Salmon Creek Rd out of the town of Bodega (not
Bodega Bay). I found an area protected from the cold wind, and saw an
Aeshna californica patrolling the road. The Cal Darner may have
been drawn by the warmth given off of the pavement, or the small flying insects
attracted to the warmth. It's still pretty slow going, and we've more cold
weather coming. I'm happy to see anything out.
Kathy Biggs
One cold Ishnura cervula spend a few minutes at my pond here
in Sebastopol today. It was gleaning gnats, etc. from the water surface.
-----
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I managed to catch by hand a female Pacific Forktail at Turtle Bay in
Redding. It was only 50 degrees out and she obviously wasn't very active. This
is my 1st positive i.d. of a damselfly
since I started "ode-ing".
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
I had nice looks at a perched immature male California Darner at
my workplace in Rohnert Park. As I was walking from one building to another
in the morning, the dragonfly flew in front of me and landed in a shrub. It
remained perched in the same spot for the rest of the day, apparently
grounded by the cool weather. I got to study it very well - ~ 61mm long (front
of head to tips of appendages), simple appendages without forks or spines, thin
black line across face, abdomen patterned brownish with pale pinkish white
spots, two thin white stripes on each side of the thorax.
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
I was very pleased today to find a couple of flying Sympetrum
and an Ischnura here in Redding, but extremely frustrated
that both got away before I could clinch an i.d. Oh well, my new net just
arrived, I guess it's time to start using it, although neither critter came
close enough to have netted.
Kern County
Alison M. Sheehey
Photographed at Kern National Wildlife Refuge, California, the first
*Bluet (Enallaman)* of the year: a teneral female, probably a
Tule or Familiar. See photo at this link:
http://natureali.com/dragonflies_of_Kern_County.htm
Kern County
Terri Gallion, Gordon Black, Trudy Pascoe
Kern National Wildlife Refuge
Trudy Pascoe and I, met Gordon Black at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge
today. We were hoping to confirm Gordon Black's sighting of Cardinal
Meadowhawk as an early emergent record. Although it was a sunny day, the
temperature was about 55F and a 3-5mph breeze was blowing; this following a
vigorous, windy, rain storm of the night before. At first, we could find no
odes until Gordon found a Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum
corruptum) on
the ground. We continued to scare up odes from the ground but they would
fly very little before dropping down again and were very difficult to see.
Finally, two Common Green Darners (Anax junius) were startled into
flight
and later two more. They appeared overall dull in color with their green
being more of a khaki green and their abdomen appearing somewhat gray. All
together, we saw 4 Common Green Darners (Anax junius) and about 10
Variegated Meadowhawks(the last 6 seen were in tandem pairs and one pair
was ovipositing while in tandem).
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
Today while up in the Crestline area, east of El Cajon, I had a male
**Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata)** do a flyby, and at
Lindo Lake in
Lakeside, I had a Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum).
Yuba County
Tim Manolis
Was out birding and saw Variegated
Meadowhawks at quite a few places. They appear to be widespread in good
numbers in the Central Valley. At a shallow duck club pond off of Loma Rica
Road northeast of Marysville there were lots of patrolling
males and at least 3-4 ovipositing pairs. Along a roadside ditch nearby were
my first Pacific Forktails of the year (3-4), but I suspect this species
has been out for some time in the CV, I just haven't been getting out much!
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
Today, while butterflying on top of Otay, I
had several Dragonflies flying (without landing-damn it!)
They were Skimmer size, the wings appeared to be clear, the body & abdomen
except for segments 8,9,10 were a yellowish-orangish color. The last
segments were dark brown or black. Now this is a very dry mountain with
Chaparral. No water source that I know of, maybe a few seeps here and
there. They were hawking and chasing one another, but never allowing close
approach for a photo. [these have been tentatively identified as
Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens which if verified would be new
flight data and the first sighting of the year - kb].
I did see a Flame Skimmer in the same area. Then it was down to the
Tijuana River Valley, where there were Varigated Meadowhawks flying. Then
back to Greenwood Cemetery to attempt better photos of the Pacific Forktails.
Kern County
Gordon Black
While looking for Sandhill Cranes just inside the northern border of Kern
County, I dropped by the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. Much to my pleasure
there were quite a few dragonflies in the air. Some in tandem, but mostly
singles. What I thought to be Flame Skimmers appeared to be too small and a
little thin in the abdomen. I never saw one land so I didn't have any real good
looks. Could these have been ** *Cardinal Meadowhawks? * **One pair in
tandem was laying eggs by the female momentarily touching the end of her abdomen
to the water. The other species was Variegated Meadowhawks. These landed
frequently on the sparse vegetation near the waters edge and along the road
allowing good observation. Not as many of them and just a few in tandem. They
also appeared less active.
I'll check Lake Ming and the river next week. Glad to see things up and flying.
[Yes, what he describes as the ovipositing behavior sounds exactly like
Cardinal Meadowhawks Sympetrum illotum.... and nothing like Flame
Skimmers. Cardies are one of the earliest dragonflies of spring. They usually
aren't seen until much later in March and his sighting would be new early flight
data except for a 1-20-1900 specimen! It still is really an early record and
really makes me excited, because often things show up here just 5 or
so days later than in so. CA! -kb]
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
At my own pond here in Sebastopol I'm continuing to see a few Pacific
Forktails. So far one day I had two males, the next a male and a female,
the next day the female started ovipositing. The females are still in
their immature 'plumage' (!!), read that as coloring, with the orangish
color behind the eyes.
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
Well I hate to keep reporting from the same site, but I have been
roaming all over San Diego Countydue to the Butterflies are out and
about already, and I have not seen any odes except for the ones at
Greenwood Cemetery near downtown San Diego.
Anyway, I stopped by this morning and the Pacific Forktails are still
flying in abundance. The one Common Green Darner was also flying, but
I never saw the Flame Skimmer that was here last week or so.
Sonoma County
Becky Olson
I was at Fairfield Osborn Preserve and saw several Darners flying
overhead. Of course they wouldn't land so I'm not sure which they were, but
they were small. Possibly ** *California Darner, Aeshna californica**
*? All I was able to make out was a blue mosaic pattern. [CA Darner would
be the only one flying at this time, and this is the same place where Becky got
the first sighting last year. Interestingly, it is in the foothills. This is new
early flight data too! -kb]
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
Today I saw my first odes of the year in Redding, Shasta Co., 2
Variegated Meadowhawks at Mary Lake, which is in the west part of town
just south of SH 299.
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
I had a mature male I. cervula at my backyard pond here in
Sebastopol today. He was hawking
gnats by flying off from the stem of the dragonfly metal 'sculptures' I have.
It was so cool to watch him. I wonder
where he came from, as he was 'hardened' up already!
Humboldt County
Pete Haggard
Saw my first dfly of the year I. cervula.
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
I went out and ate lunch next to our backyard pond (Biggs' Wildlife
Pond) and as I sat there a VERY teneral (newly emerged) Forktail female
flew up and landed next to me. I coaxed her onto my finger. Poor thing,
she only had 3 legs and the end of her abdomen was bent - apparently a
difficult emergence, but, she was my first dragonfly of 2002! She's
probably a Pacific Forktail, but she was so 'fresh' as to not have any
color or markings showing on top of her thorax yet. I watched her fly
off to 'harden/color up.'
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
I saw a nice male Pacific Forktail at the pond at Helen
Putnam Regional Park west of Petaluma.
Sonoma County
David Hoffman
It was nice day in Sebastopol. I walked around the three ponds behind the
Sebastopol Community Center
(Laguna Wetlands Park). I did find one Variegated Meadowhawk. It looked
to me to be female, but Kathy
Biggs has told me that males can look like females. [Interesting that he said it
came to the water and landed on a white
rock- probably sunning itself for warmth and possibly looking for a mate]
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
Such a nice sunny day today, I couldn't resist getting out.
At Sacramento Bar along the American River Parkway near Fair Oaks, Sacramento
Co., the series of ponds in the gravel mine tailings are already beginning to
dry up (not a lot of rain since the first of the year around here). Got good
looks at two, rather old and dull male Variegated Meadowhawks, and saw
two other dragonflies on the wing that were no doubt this species as well.
These did not appear to be recent emergers. That leaves overwinter survival or
migrants from the south as possibilities. No sign of any damselflies, though
Pacific Forktail, at least, might reasonably be expected to start coming out
locally at any time.
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
I was out chasing Sonoran Blue butterflies today, and I had 2 Variegated
Meadowhawks in Sentenac Canyon. I guess this is the area where Giant Green
Darner has been collected in the past. There is alot of water flowing down
San Felipe Creek into the desert this year.
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
I am checking many different places for Odes and
except for the Greenwood Cemetery Pond near downtown San Diego, there has
been nothing flying. Today I still had the Common Green Darner, many-many
Pacific Forktails, but today, the * **Flame Skimmer, Libellula
saturata* ** made it's first appearance of the year. Go figure!
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
I saw a single medium-sized dragonfly fly by while I
was at the preserve on Ramal Road in Sonoma County. Based on size and
location, I would guess that it was a Variegated Meadowhawk.
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
At the large freshwater pond at Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego. I still had
the Co. Green Darner
flying around, and up to (25) Pacific Forktails flying around and
mating. Most were in fresh plumage
Imperial County
Bob Miller
The 2 Roseate Skimmers seen this weekend seem to have fresh new
wings. It is still getting pretty cold here at night and we have had a few
light frosts, but it warms up nicely during the day. The dragon seen on Jan. 26
was at the Rock Hill trial at the Salton Sea NWR and was very fun for my
birding group. We were walking along and it suddenly caught my eye as I was
speaking to the group. I got all excited and was calling it out and pointing its
path as It flew in very fast, wide circles in a small clearing we were next to.
I could see the color and was calling it by name and some thought I had some new
bird in sight! As it was going in circles it kept getting slower, like the
batteries running down in a toy. I was telling them that it would land any
second and to keep an eye on it so they could put their binocs on it when it
landed. Right on cue, it landed in a perfect pose and stayed put the whole
time! There were 40 people in the group and everyone got to look at it full
frame in the scope! The one on Jan. 27 was at the Wister Waterfowl Area in the
North end of the Imperial Valley.
Imperial County
Bob Miller
While birding at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR today, I had one individual
Roseate Skimmer, Orthemis ferruginea in the parking lot area. No
other dragons elsewhere.
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
5 * **Pacific Forktails, Ischnura cervula** * at Greenwood and
GUESS WHAT????? a fresh
* **Common Green Darner, Anax junius** *!!!!!!!!!!!! [both new
flight data!!!!!!!!!! -kb]
Imperial County
Bob Miller
I finally caught up with the dragon that has been giving me fleeting
glimpses at the Imperial site of the New
River Wetlands Project. A very dark and worn male * **Roseate Skimmer,
Orthemis ferruginea** *
perched for about twenty seconds and then was gone again. Was not able to get
the camera on it. :-( [new flight data]
Kern County
Terri Gallion
While birding on the South Fork Valley Christmas Bird Count, I saw a female
Variegated Meadowhawks, Sympetrum corruptum along the South Fork
Kern River in Onyx (approx. 2500'). Susan Steele, also on the SF Valley CBC,
reported seeing three Variegated Meadowhawks, Sympetrum corruptum
in Cholla Canyon (a dry desert canyon) east of Weldon.
There are some dragons for the New Year! I was so surprised to see them as
I did not know they could survive this long nor survive our cold (our
nights can be in the 20's).
Los Angeles County
Joseph Ramirez
Joseph Ramirez is a beetle collector, and he was out looking for rain
beetles at Big Tujunga Canyon in the San
Gabriel Mountains. These beetles don't mind that kind of weather at all. He
said it was so cold, that most of the recent
rain puddles on the ground were frozen! There's a creek there, and in the
summer, that locality is good for
Octogomphus and Cordulegaster. Amazingly he saw Sympetrum
Corruptum there that were
active despite the near freezing temperatures.
San Diego County
Alan Wight
I saw a single *Variegated Meadowhawks, Sympetrum corruptum*
on at Anza Borrego State Park in Southern California. The sighting was in
Borrego Palm Canyon.
Contributions of sightings have been made by these people, please contact Kathy Biggs
if you have questions:
R.J. Adams
Doug Aguillard
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Bob Behrstock
Ray Bruun
Bob Claypole; Patti Claypole
Jeff Cole
Gloria & Harry Conley
Kathy Crump
Greg de Nevers
Bruce Deuel
Wendy Dreskin
Darren Fong
Terri Gallion
Leda Beth Gray
Pete Haggard
Keith Hansen
Chris Heaivilin
David Hofmann
Steven Dean Irvine
Alvaro Jaramillo
Steve Linsley
David Lukas
Ron Lyons
Tim & Annette Manolis
Rod Miller
Lynn Monroe
Becky Olsen
Sue Padgett
Dee & Bob Parks
Dave Payne
Steve & Connie Potter
Joseph Ramirez
Andy Rehn
Paul Saraceni
Susan Steele
Carolyn Straub
Alan Wight
Ken Wilson
Gary Zamzow
Thank-you for your interest!