California's Year 2004 Dragonfly Sightings
in order from MOST recently to LEAST recently seen!
Please send your sightings, with date, county and location as displayed below to
Species will be posted using either the Common Name or the Scientific Name,
whichever the sender uses (inc. using both), but all first sightings of the year,
county records, and new flight data will be posted using both names. To contact
the person making the sighting, see the key at bottom of this site.
County
records are underlined and in
red text
*= first/last sighting of species of year in CA
**= possibly new flight data for species in CA
#= possibly a migratory event
As of the most recent date below
95 species
(out of 109 known species) have been reported to this site as flying in CA in 2004.
ONE STATE RECORD and at least 66 county records &/or upgrades to
county records have been made so far this year (this # includes upgrades of
previous 'sighting only' records, and newly accessed museum collections).
`Sighting only' records will 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 to Kathy
Biggs <bigsnest@sonic.net>
County records should be substantiated with specimen (preferable) or photo
and notes.
Contributor's emails listed at end of document
DECEMBER
December 18, 2004
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
I was out in the Otay Lakes region of Chula Vista today looking for very early Quino Checkerspots today, and went to a small pond near the east end of the Lower Lake.
There were up to 20 *Variegated Meadowhawks doing there mating thing all over the pond, and then I had the following: 2 **Black-fronted Forktails, and up to 8 **Desert Firetails which there was 2 pairs breeding. There was also a **Familiar Bluet.
Pictures were taken of all.
December 15, 2004
Sonoma County
David Hofmann
I did a bird survey on Pine Flat Road today. While there I checked out the spring/seep just above the Rebizzo Ranch. This is the same spot that Doug Ellis and I found **Vivid Dancers the day after New Years a couple of years ago. There were several pairs joined up, and several singles. I have no explanation as to why this spot is so good for Vivid Dancers being active this time of year.
December 10-14, 2004
San Diego and Imperial Counties
Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith
We just spent 5 days (10-14 Dec) between San Diego and the Colorado River in southern California, and the only ode we saw was Sympetrum corruptum. We found it quite common at Cibola NWR, just over the border in La Paz Co., Arizona, where pairs oviposited in a flooded field where we were looking at four species of geese. We also saw a few at Cottonwood Springs, in Joshua Tree National Monument, and one way out in open creosote bush desert in the monument. The area had had heavy rains about a week earlier, but it was sunny and in the low 70s when we saw the Sympetrum. We looked and looked and saw no other odonate species anywhere. There was no water flowing at Cottonwood Springs. Mostly we watched for odonates away from water, but we also checked a lot of little ditches and canals and ponds with no luck. I was quite surprised not to see anything else. All the hill streams we drove by were early or late in the day, and we didn't even bother to check them.
December 7, 2004
Santa Clara County
Rod Miller
Highway 9, Saratoga
A *Green Darner landed on a telephone wire momentarily, it was female colored but could have been a young male.
December 5, 2004
Glenn County
Bruce Deuel
At least 1 Variegated Meadowhawk has survived the recent cold weather. I saw it at Sacramento NWR headquarters yesterday, 5 December.
December 2, 2004
Alameda County
John Hall & David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
David and I went to Sunol again yesterday to see what might still be
around after the recent cold weather. We managed three species.
*Great Spreadwing 1 (male)
Vivid Dancer 7 (including 1 tandem pair) - new late flight data for CA and entire SW!
Variegated Meadowhawk 1 (female)
NOVEMBER
November 28, 2004
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
Went to a new location today, which is a large pond along Interstate 5, just north of Imperial Beach.
I had a Variegated Meadowhawk and a [possible] Blue-eyed Darner.
…….
Sonoma County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
We went for a drive to the coast. Just as we were driving into Salmon Creek Beach just north of Bodega Bay, a darner flew over the car. It was just a quick glimpse but my 'educated guess' would be a Shadow Darner as it is known to fly late in the season.
November 20, 2004
Alameda County
John Hall & David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
**California Spreadwing 4 new late date for CA and the whole Southwest
Great Spreadwing Archilestes grandis 1 female- new county (photo) record
Vivid Dancer 35 10 mated pairs
**Arroyo Bluet 4 new late date for CA and the whole Southwest
*Pacific Forktail 1
Mosaic Darner, sp 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
**Cardinal Meadowhawk 1 new late date for CA and the whole Southwest
…….
Imperial County
Doug Aguillard
it was in the 60's with little sun today.
At West Pond, next to the Imperial Dam, I did have large numbers of *Rambur's Forktails, in both green, blue and the immature red forms.
At Holtville, I had 2 Familiar Bluets, and 2 Rambur's Forktails.
I also had a Dragonfly do a flyby at the Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, but couldn't tell what it was.
November 19, 2004
Santa Clara County
John Hall & David Edwards
Monte Bello OSP
**Spotted Spreadwing 3 (photographed with winds mostly folded) new late date for CA and the whole Southwest
Arroyo Bluet 2 or 3 ( one in hand)
November 17, 2004
Sonoma County
David A. Hofmann
I did a bird survey in Audubon's Mayacamas Sanctuary on Pine Flat Road in Sonoma county. This area was badly burned over this last summer. Odonata wise, I saw several Variegated Meadowhawks, and a "blue" darner (possibly a Shadow Darner). The spring alongside the road at the Rebizzo Ranch had over a dozen pairs of Vivid Dancers in wheel, laying eggs. I noticed that they preferred the upper end of the spring where the water comes out of the ground, and the Water Cress isn't as thick.
November 14, 2004
Sacramento County
Steve Abbott
While wandering around the Lost Slough section of Cosumnes River Preserve in
southern Sacramento County, I found 4-6 VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWKS (all males-1 photographed) and a single bluet sp. Nice to see some odes on a warm
November morning.
……..
Monterrey County
Steve Rovell
Marina
..while searching today for a Harris's Sparrow that showed up in my yard on Friday, I noticed a Variegated Meadowhawk land on one of my yard chairs.
November 13, 2004
Alameda County
John Hall & David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
We concentrated on a section of Alameda Creek that has proved rewarding in the past. It proved to be so once again. We were surprised to find a lone Desert Firetail in the same general area we found them earlier. The Rubyspot was also a nice discovery.
**American Rubyspot * 1 (photo)
California Spreadwing 9
Vivid Dancer 25 (one mated pair)
Arroyo Bluet 5 (one id in hand)
Desert Firetail 1 (photo)
Mosaic Darner, sp 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk* 2
November 12, 2004
Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
John Hall & David Edwards
David and I went to Monte Bello pond and Alpine pond. It is getting to be very quiet there in regards to dragonfly activity.
**Spotted Spreadwing 1
Familiar Bluet 1
Arroyo Bluet 3
Variegated Meadowhawk 1 (Alpine Pond, Skyline Ridge OSP)
*Striped Meadowhawk 1
November 8, 2004
Imperial County
Dee & Bob Parks
Holtville, California
Highline Canal and nearby Hot spring
American Rubyspot
*Blue-ringed Dancer
Familiar Bluet
Rambur's Forktail
Variegated Meadowhawk
**Mexican Amberwing*
*Roseate Skimmer
November 6, 2004
San Mateo/Santa Clara County
Eric Preston and Paul Saraceni
Open Space Preserve (OSP) ponds near Skyline Boulevard (Hwy 35) at the San
Mateo Co./Santa Clara Co. border
Monte Bello OSP, pond in from Gate MB05 along Page Mill Rd., Santa Clara Co.:
California Spreadwing 1 m.
Spotted Spreadwing 3 (Eric photographed)
Arroyo Bluet 1 m. (in-hand ID; Eric photographed)
Striped Meadowhawk 4 (including pair in wheel position)
Alpine Pond, Russian Ridge OSP, San Mateo Co.:
Variegated Meadowhawk 1 m.
Horseshoe Lake, Russian Ridge OSP, San Mateo Co.:
* **Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata 1 m. (perched in shrub; Eric photographed)
…….
Kern County
Alison Sheehey
I posted a photo in the Calodes section of a damselfly taken at the McKittrick Tar Pits in western Kern County. There was also a smallish Dragon that I didn't get a look at to key, but it looked Variegated Meadowhawk size and color. This damselfly kept me distracted trying to get a photograph. [Damselfly appeared to be a female Tule or Familiar Bluet - kb]
November 5, 2004
Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
John Hall & David Edwards
California Spreadwing 1 Alpine Pond Skyline Ridge OSP
California Spreadwing 1 Sausal Pond Windy Hill OSP
Spotted Spreadwing 2 Monte Bello Pond Monte Bello OSP
Pond Spreadwing, sp 4 Monte Bello Pond
Familiar Bluet 2 Monte Bello Pond
Arroyo Bluet 8 Monte Bello Pond
Striped Meadowhawk 4 Monte Bello Pond
November 2, 2004
Santa Clara County
Rod Miller
In a phone conversation Rod mentioned seeing a Darner flying about this morning.
November 1, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
After all the storms and the cold weather, I was surprised to see a half
dozen Striped Meadowhawks near the mouth of Sulphur Creek just north of
the Sundial Bridge in Redding. The stripeds were in an area about 30 or
40 feet across. They were chasing each other around like it was high
summer. There were also a number of Pipevine Swallows and a Cabbage White
or two in some nearby flowerbeds.
…….
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Imperial site of the New River Wetlands
I had one Blue-ringed Dancer There were also a few Common Green Darner.
…
San Diego County
Had a *Wandering Glider in early that mornin'
OCTOBER
October 30, 2004
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Brawley site of the New River Wetlands
Familiar Bluet - few
Rambur's forktail - one
*Blue-eyed Darner - few
Common Green Darner - few
Roseate Skimmer - few
Variegated Meadowhawk - one
……..
Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
John Hall & David Edwards
We went to Monte Bello OSP and Skyline Ridge OSP.
Following are our sightings. The Familiar Bluet appears to be a new
county record. I will post a photo later today.
Monte Bello Pond, M B OSP, Santa Clara County
Alpine Pond and Horseshoe Lake, Skyline Ridge OSP, San Mateo County
California Spreadwing 5 Monte Bello Pond
California Spreadwing 3 Alpine Pond
Spotted Spreadwing 3 Monte Bello Pond
**Common Spreadwing 1 Monte Bello Pond
Pond Spreadwing, sp 4 Monte Bello Pond
Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile 10 - photographed Monte Bello Pond , Santa Clara County
Arroyo Bluet 5 Monte Bello Pond
Bluet, sp 10 Monte Bello Pond
Blue-eyed Darner 1 Horseshoe Lake
Mosaic Darner, sp 2 Horseshoe Lake
Striped Meadowhawk 6 Monte Bello Pond
October 25, 2004
San Diego County
Bob & Dee Parks
Santee Lakes
Familiar bluet 1-pair in tandem
Pacific Forktail 2 male
*Red-tailed Pennant 1 male
Aeshna flying, 1 male, could not ID
October 24, 2004
Napa County
Greg Kareofelas
Knoxville Road
I went to see the extent of the fire. . The riparian corridor was somewhat spared. Very little flying though. This is all for the Napa County section of the road: Archilestes californica, Archilestes grandis - a male, Sympetrum pallipes, Lestes congener - a female, *Aeshna walkeri, Paltothemis lineatipes.
…….
Imperial County
Dee and Bob Parks
Holtville, Imperial County CA - East Highline Canal and nearby hot spring
Blue-ringed Dancer
Familiar bluet
Common Green Darner
**White-belted Ringtail - new late flight data for CA by 12 days & for whole SW by 3 days
Variegated Meadowhawk
Roseate Skimmer
Western Pondhawk
October 21, 2004
San Diego County
Dee and Bob Parks
Santee Lakes, San Diego County, CA
Watched a Least Bittern stalk and capture a Darner - Aeshna species
October 17, 2004
Imperial County
Tim Manolis
West Pond near Imperial Dam on a very windy late afternoon, and I didn't see much else flying.
* **Citrine Forktail - a few
*Spot-winged Glider
Anax junius
October 16, 2004
Imperial County
Douglas Aguillard and Peter Ginsburg
We decided to go out into the desert to have a look around.
West of Calexico at the West Main Canal:
American Rubyspots
Wandering Gliders
Holtville Hot Springs:
Common Green Darners
Roseate Skimmers
Variegated Meadowhawks
Western Pondhawks
American Rubyspot
Familiar Bluets
Rambur's Forktails
*Powdered Dancers
Blue-ringed Dancers
Bob's Place (Sinclair Rd & East Main Canal):
White-belted Ringtails
Common Green Darner
Variegated Meadowhawks
Roseate Skimmers
Powdered Dancers
Blue-ringed Dancers
American Rubyspot
Familiar Bluets
Sonny Bono/ Salton Sea NWR:
Mexican Amberwing [this ties latest date ever seen in CA]
Variegated Meadowhawks
Roseate Skimmers
Common Green Darner
…
Bob Miller, Henry Detwiler, Mary Muchowski
Picacho State Recreation Area on the California side of the Colorado River
*Black Saddlebags - a male and a female
**Red Saddlebags - one female [new late flight date]
Common Green Darner - common
Blue-eyed Darner - one probable but did not get it in hand for a bug butt close-up.
At the shrimp farm in the Gila River Valley near Dateland Arizona, about an hour east of the California border, we had numerous Black Saddlebags. The wind got extreme on us that afternoon so not much was flying but there is still a lot of activity at those ponds.
…
Nick and Mary Freeman
leading a Los Angeles Audubon Society birding field trip to the Salton Sea
Mexican Amberwing - one along Davis Road, which is on the east shore of the Salton Sea. [this ties latest date ever seen in CA]
October 13/14, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I just finished an overnight float on the Klamath River from Indian Creek to Coon Creek (18 miles). The weather was beautiful, sunny, mid to high 80's, no wind. I did see a few odes.
Common Spreadwing - 1 adult perched on Oregon Ash
Aeshna sp - ~10 male Aeshna patrolling river's edge
Variegated meadowhawk - 3 adults patrolling over river
*Widow Skimmer - 2 males patrolling river's edge
Also of interest: 1 black bear, 3 mink, 1 green heron, 3 osprey, numerous great blue herons, and lots of waterfowl.
October 13, 2004
Glenn County
Greg Kareofelas
Archilestes californius California Spreadwing found on both Grindstone Creek and Stony Creek. Only males.
Try as could, I could not find A. grandis in Glenn County. I caught the A. californium, so I have a voucher. Not much else was flying today: A junius, S pallipes, S corruptum, Hetaerina americana,- a few small Argia & Enallagma but I could never catch them. The North Wind was very strong and when something flushed, it was gone in a flash.
……..
San Mateo County
Alvaro Jaramillo
Half Moon Bay, California
Today the NE winds were bringing . a pretty big move of a dragonfly called the
Variegated Meadowhawk along with a massive movement of Tortoiseshell Butterflies and many hawks. .The dragonflies I see every year and kind of expect them now when I get weather like this here.
October 11, 2004
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Borrego Springs
The desert was pleasant today with temps in the 80's, and a cooling breeze coming from the west.
I stopped at some Golf Courses, Sewage Treatment Ponds, and the Borrego Palm Canyon area.
( A Head's Up) Coyote Canyon is closed indefinably and the Borrego Plam Canyon campground will not reopen until November. 1st, due to HUGE flash flood this last Sept. Half the Borrego Palm Canyon Grove has been destroyed. These were reported to have been at least 2-3 times worst than last years flash floods which was measured at 10ft coming down the canyons.
Country Club Lane Golf Course pond near Hole #1
Rambur's Forktail - The second found location/ population for San Diego County. These bugs today make up only the 3rd time that they've been found in the County. There was approx. 12
Familiar Bluets
Common Green Darners
Variegated Meadowhawks (finally found them in good numbers)
The Roadrunner Club Golf Course Pond
Roseate Skimmer
Variegated Meadowhawks
*Flame Skimmer
Common Green Darners
Borrego Spring Sewage Ponds
Variegated Meadowhawks
Anza Borrego State Park Visitor's Center
Red Saddlebags (1 female)
Variegated Meadowhawks
……..
Siskiyou County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Dave and I had a few minutes to spare before returning home from
Siskiyou Co. and spent them at Hammond Pond, on Old Stage Coach Rd. N.,
out of Mt. Shasta City. We had visited this pond twice previously, but
always earlier in the season, therefore we were surprised to find that
it was almost completely dry, with just a small area at one end still
wet, and this dominated by a flock of Canada Geese. A hiker told us that
this pond almost always dries this much each year.
Common Spreadwing - at least one male of this species seen well
Spotted Spreadwing - one male collected (scan at http://southwe stdragonflies.net/damsels/cadamselphotos/congener_04.jpg) and some others seen that appeared to be this species. No females seen.
Striped Meadowhawks - more than a dozen , many pair s seen in cop.
October 9, 2004
Sonoma County
John Hall/ David Edwards
Following directions provided by Kathy and Dave Biggs, David and I went to Lichau Road in Sonoma County to look for Great Spreadwing. We saw at least 8. Two were females. The spreadwings were in the blackberries for the most part. I have posted a photo of a teneral Great Spreadwing in my folder-John Hall
Great Spreadwing 8
Walker's Darner 1
Common Green Darner 1
……..
Imperial Co.
Bob Miller
Wister Waterfowl Area on the east shore of the Salton Sea
Black Saddlebags - 1
Wandering Glider
Common Green Darner
October 7, 2004
Imperial County
Dee & Bob Parks
East Highline Canal approximately 5 miles southeast of Holtville
Time spent in the field from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Distance traveled along canal 1/2 mile.
Temperature a little over 100 degrees, slight pleasant breeze.
American Ruby spot 30
Powdered Dancer 40
Blue-ringed Dancer 60
Familiar Bluet 6
No Forktails were noticed
Rambur's seen on the 3rd Oct.
Common Green Darners 3
Aeshna species seen flying (1 only) could not ID
Gray sanddragon 1
White-belted Ringtail 20 (all males) 1 female photographed on the 3rd Oct.
Variegated Meadowhawk 10 - 6 of these were adult females mainly keeping to the shade, but still actively foraging
Mexican Amberwing 1 male
Roseate Skimmer 35
*Blue Dasher 15
Western Pondhawk 20
Black Saddlebags 0, 1 male seen 3rd Oct.
October 6, 2004
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Santee Lakes. The weather was sunny and warm, with a slight breeze.
Common Green Darners 20 +
Blue-eyed Darners 12 +
Flame Skimmer 1
Neon Skimmers 2
Blue Dasher 1
Red-tailed Pennants 6+
Black Saddlebags 12+
Wandering Gliders 4+
Familiar Bluets 20+
.a side note. While I haven't been out as much this season as in previous years, I have not seen many Variegated Meadowhawks, and they really should be the most common of the SoCal Odes.
…….
Sacramento County
David Edwards and John Hall
Sherman Island and Brannan Island
*Tule Bluet 3
Familiar Bluet 1
Familiar Bluet 1 seen on Brannan Island
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Mosaic Darner, sp 1
Common Green Darner 4
Blue Dasher 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 5
Black Saddlebags 1
October 5, 2004
San Benito County
Paul Johnson
Bear Gulch Reservoir
I went in search of more red saddlebags. Struck out on them, but ended up with another record for Pinnacles National Monument, and apparently San Benito County (pending vericationof my ID). [ID verified, TM] I do most of my dragonflying here, so as with the red saddlebags, striped meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes is a lifer for me. Photos are in the Paul Johnson folder. I saw three and collected two. All were males..
……..
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Greenwood Cemetery
Snuck away from work this afternoon and saw the following:
7 Common Green Darners
1 Flame Skimmer
12 Black Saddlebags
1 Wandering Glider
1 Pacific Forktail
……..
Alameda County
David Edwards and John Hall
Alameda Creek, Sunol Regional Wilderness
American Rubyspot 5
California Spreadwing 7
California/Aztec Dancer 7
*Sooty Dancer 1 (last date seen 2005)
Vivid Dancer 21
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet 2
Arroyo Bluet 7
*Western Forktail 4
Desert Firetail 11
Mosaic Darner sp 10
Common Green Darner 10
Variegated Meadowhawk 6
Cardinal Meadowhawk 9
October 3, 2004
San Benito County
Paul Johnson
Pinnacles National Monument, North Wilderness Trail
**Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta! This observation was actually far from water. I was on my way back from a day of butterflying. On a small bluff a dragonfly flew up in front of me, stayed near for a few seconds, then began hunting about 15-20 feet above the ground. As the sun sank behind the hill and the shade moved higher, it hunted up in the 25-35 foot range. It was joined by a second one for a short time. I watched it from 5:00-5:35 p.m., after which I lost sight of it.
I stood below it with net ready, but it never came down within my reach. I took a couple photos. Needless to say, from 25 feet away there's not much detail in them. Photos are in Calodes photos in my folder.
……..
Sonoma County
Acquaintance of Kathy Biggs
Lower part of Russian River
#She mentioned canoeing the Russian River (Sonoma Co.) from Mirabel downstream ~ 20 miles yesterday and encountering more dragonflies than she has ever seen there before (she takes this trip each October). She said they appeared in 'clumps' and seemed to be feeding, but also moving downstream.
Maybe migration??
………
Santa Clara County
J Hall, D Edwards
Monte Bello OSP- Santa Clara County
pond accessed from gate MB03
seep accessed from gate MB05
All sightings at pond unless noted.
California Spreadwing 7
Common Spreadwing 4
Vivid Dancer 5 at seep
Tule Bluet 15
Tule/Arroyo Bluet 40
Arroyo Bluet 2
Western Forktail 3
Desert Firetail 8
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Mosaic Darner, sp 5 at seep
Common Green Darner 4 at seep
Common Green Darner 15
Variegated Meadowhawk 20
Cardinal Meadowhawk 3
Striped Meadowhawk 8
Black Saddlebags 2
…
San Mateo County
Alpine Pond. Skyline Ridge OSP San Mateo County
California Spreadwing 5
California/Aztec Dancer 11
Tule Bluet 1
Arroyo Bluet 5
Pacific Forktail 4
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Striped Meadowhawk 8
Horseshoe Lake. Skyline Ridge OSP San Mateo County
California/Aztec Dancer 3
Tule/Arroyo Bluet 2
Familiar Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 1
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Mosaic Darner, sp 1
Common Green Darner 4
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk 15
October 1, 2004
Stanislaus County
John Hall & David
Del Puerto Canyon
We wanted to see what changes there were in the dragonfly population since our last visit. Numbers are definitely down. We went as far as the 18 mile marker from Interstate 5.
American Rubyspot 7
California/Aztec Dancer 10
Vivid Dancer 35
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet 8
Blue-eyed Darner 4
Mosaic Darner, sp 4
Common Green Darner 9
Flame Skimmer 5
Wandering Glider 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 11
SEPTEMBER
September 30, 2004
Sacramento County
Ed Whisler
Centerline Canal, (North Natomas)
While conducting biological surveys along Centerline Canal in North Natomas
in Sacramento .I noted dragonflies along the way. A portion of the canal was being drained and will be rerouted by large pipes. The water was turned off about a week before my survey. Only a few small pools remained. Large numbers of freshwater snails and clams were stranded.
The dragonfly fauna was pretty slow despite a calm, warm day.
Wandering glider (about 10)
Blue-eyed darner: one male foraging over a pool (2 feet by 3 feet). It
stayed in the immediate area for about 8 hours.
…
Tehama County
John Sterling and Bruce Deuel
We were working on private land in the seep spring country along South Fork Battle Creek near Manton . We saw many Striped Meadowhawks, some Variegated Meadowhawks, 2 *12-spotted Skimmers, 1 **Hoary Skimmer, and many bluets, forktails, and dancers. We identified Familiar and Tule bluets, and I kept 1 Northern/Boreal to i.d. later (which I haven't done yet). All the forktails we saw well were Black-fronted and I kept a specimen. The dancers were mostly Vivid, but we saw 1 each of **Emma's and California/Aztec. Finally, we saw at least 3 Desert Firetails and I caught and kept a specimen.
……..
Lake County
Ron LeValley
Buck Island along Cache Creek (10S,554461,4308897, WGS 83)
I saw numerous American Rubyspots,
5-6 Emmas's Dancers, one probable Sooty Dancer and a dozen or so bluets, which I did not catch.
I also had saw Variegated Meadowhawk up on Walker Ridge near (10S,544237,4327386,3468,WGS 83).
…….
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Goat Mtn., along Little Stony Creek & Sullivan Creek.
Hetaerina americana
Archilestes californium - Both males and females
Archilestes grandis - Both males and females
Lestes disjunctus
Argia lugens
Argia vivida
Enallagma carunculatum
Anax junius
Paltothemis lineatipes
Sympetrum pallipes
Sympetrum corruptum
September 28, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I was out and sighted some odes today. Weather was clear, warm, high 80's-90, no wind.
Browns Creek - 13.5 miles west of Happy Camp
*Pacific Spiketail - 1 male - netted for id the creek and hanging in the sun. Great photo opp, sorry no camera. Aqua eyes!
Independence River Access - 14 miles west of Happy Camp
Common Spreadwing - 1 male fluttering about and perched in oak tree
Aeshna sp. - 1 male - netted for id
Coon Creek River Access - 18 miles west of Happy Camp
Northern/Boreal Bluet - 1 male perched on hood of truck.
[possible] Wandering Glider - 4 males on the wing over the river. I put binocs on these guys. They behaved like gliders, looked like gliders, and had an overall yellow look to them. These seem to be the same type bugs I reported as Sympetrum sp. a few days ago. I have never been able to catch one for positive id. These guys never land. I think this is the correct id for these odes but could be wrong. This would be a lifer for me if the id holds. [this would also be a county record if it can be confirmed - kb]
September 26, 2004
Sonoma County
Dave & Kathy Biggs
Lichau Rd. (off Roberts Road which is off Petaluma Hill Rd), in the foothills just southeast of Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park.
*Archilestes grandis (Great Spreadwing) - 2 males and 6 females.
Common Green Darner - at least one flying over the grassy areas
Aeshna sp. - at least one flying low in the creek, possibly A. walkeri or perhaps A. umbrosa.
Darner sp. - unknown
NO meadowhawks there! - Usually there are some Variegateds or Striped.
All the Spreadwings appeared to be fairly 'fresh' and this is the earliest date we have ever found them at this site. Other dates for this site are Oct. 5, 2003, Oct. 20, 2002 & Oct. 22, 2001.
September 25, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River from Wingate Bar to Ferry Point today.
The weather was fine, sunny, warm, but quite breezy in the afternoon.
There were more odes flying today than yesterday, here is who I saw:
American Rubyspot - 3 males and 1 female
Tule Bluet - 3 males
Aeshna sp. - 2 males - netted for id, did not get good look at these guys
Sympetrum sp. - ~25 playing in the strong breezes over the river
Widow Skimmer - 6 males - netted for id, all in the Ferry Point area
Flame Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id near Ferry Point
September 24, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River from China Point River Access to Indian
Creek River Access (12 miles or so). The weather was sunny with highs
in upper 80's and no wind, a gorgeous day.
Not many odes flying. Here is who I saw:
*Paddle-tailed Darner - 1 male - netted for id river's edge
Aeshna sp - 1 unidentified male - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id river's edge
I saw one other ode, an unidentified critter I could not even begin
to id. (maybe a meadowhawk? or a glider?) Those were my impressions,
I did not get much of a look at it.
Pretty quiet out there, looking like ode season up here is coming to
a close.
……..
# Sonoma County
David Hofmann, Kathy Biggs, Roger Marlow, Marilyn Drewien
Bay Hill Rd. summit, Bodega Bay (a hawk migration viewing spot)
After hearing David Hofmann talk of seeing many dragonflies at the Bay Hill Rd. hawk watch spot above Bodega Bay, and esp. after he mentioned possibly seeing a Red Rock Skimmer among them, I decided to join him there today. So, of course, today was a 'perfect' 90-degree day with no wind and very few hawks migrating thru the area, nor many dragonflies seen.
Of those I saw ~90% were heading in a SW direction. I couldn't for certain say it seemed to be 'migration', but on other days David says that their flights have been much more directional.
The dragonflies seemed to pass by mostly in 'waves.' Those seen between 10-11:30 were:
Common Green Darners - ~12 (5 originally seen foraging in a ravine, just where the sun and shadows met)
Aeshna sp. - 1 (probably Shadow Darner)
Wandering Gliders 1- 2
*Red Rock Skimmers 1- 2 (I definitely saw one and birder Roger Marlow saw a different one with red in the wings when I wasn't nearby)
Black Saddlebags 1- 2
…….
San Mateo Co.
JOHN HALL
Horseshoe Lake, Skyline Ridge OSP,
California Spreadwing (1)
California/Aztec Dancer (5)
Tule Bluet (3)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (25)
Blue-eyed Darner (1)
Paddle-tailed Darner (1) probable
Walker's Darner (1)
Common Green Darner (8)
Variegated Meadowhawk (1)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (1)
Striped Meadowhawk (4)
Black Saddlebags (1)
Alpine Pond Skyline Ridge OSP
California Spreadwing (8)
California/Aztec Dancer (22)
Tule Bluet (2)
Arroyo Bluet (10)
Pacific Forktail (1)
Mosaic Darner, sp (1)
Common Green Darner (4)
Blue Dasher (2)
Striped Meadowhawk (15)
Black Saddlebags (1)
Santa Clara Co., CA
Monte Bello OSP, pond
California Spreadwing (7)
Common Spreadwing (3)
Tule Bluet (15)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (80)
Arroyo Bluet (10)
Western Forktail (2)
Desert Firetail (8)
Blue-eyed Darner (2)
Common Green Darner (10)
Variegated Meadowhawk (25)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (3)
Striped Meadowhawk (11)
Black Saddlebags
September 20, 2004
Marin County
Michael J. Ellis
Tomales Bay
Flame skimmer, female - one photographed
September 19, 2004
San Diego County
Dee & Bob Parks
TJ Estuary
Red Saddlebags
…….
Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
Gaviota State Beach
Red Saddlebags - It was a female
…….
Ventura County
Herbert Clarke
I photographed (slides not digital) a Red Saddlebags at the Ventura Game Farm,. The photos are still in the camera.
……..
Imperial County
Matt Heindel, et. all
A few of us had a Red Saddlebags at Salton Sea, specifically at the HQ off Sinclair. It was a male. Lots of gliders and Roseate Skimmers, but a tad windy cutting down on the fun.
September 16, 2004
Sacramento County
John Hall & David Edwards
We investigated the Cosumnes River Preserve last Thursday for the first time.
Tule Bluet (7)
Familiar Bluet (120)
Pacific Forktail (6)
Western Forktail (2)
Blue-eyed Darner (3)
Mosaic Darner, sp (3)
Common Green Darner (45)
Western Pondhawk (1)
Blue Dasher (1)
Wandering Glider (15)
Variegated Meadowhawk (75)
Black Saddlebags (28)
September 13, 2004
Contra Costa County
Doug Vaughan
I visited two sites on the East Bay watershed on Tuesday and found odes still numerous at one of them -- and the other, smaller pond almost dry!
Here's the list for the larger pond:
California Spreadwing (Archilestes californica ) -- 1 or 2
Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener ) -- only 1 seen
bluets (Enallagma spp) -- 100s, none examined closely
Com. Green Darner (Anax junius) -- dozen s, some lone females apparently ovipositing in deep cattle hoof prints!
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) -- 10-20
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- a few
Cardinal Meadowhawk (S. illotum) -- 1 or 2 probably this sp, but not examined closely
Striped Meadowhawk (S. pallipes) -- 1 examined in hand, probably others
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) -- at least 2
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- 5-10
At the smaller pond:
Spotted Spreadwing -- 1 examined, perhaps a few others
Com. Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) -- 1 examined, perhaps a few others
Striped Meadowhawk -- 2
………
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Bear Creek near Highway 20
|
Hetaerina americana |
|
Argia agrioides* (last date seen 2004) |
|
Argia lugens |
|
Enallagma carunculatum |
|
Ischnura perparva |
|
Telebasis salva |
|
Aeshna multicolor |
|
Anax junius |
|
Brechmorhoga mendax |
|
Libellula saturata |
|
Pantala flavescens |
|
Sympetrum corruptum |
|
Tramea lacerata |
….
San Mateo County
John Hall
Windy Hill OSP, Sausal Pond
Common Spreadwing (7)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (2)
Arroyo Bluet (10)
Blue-eyed Darner (2)
Mosaic Darner, sp (4)
Common Green Darner (5)
Flame Skimmer (3)
Blue Dasher (1)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (4)
…
Santa Clara County
John Hall
Picchetti Ranch OSP
We walked to what is supposed to be a pond. At this time of year there
is no water. Perhaps in the spring it will have some.
Vivid Dancer (5)
Blue-eyed Darner (2)
Mosaic Darner, sp (2)
Common Green Darner (2)
Wandering Glider (2)
Striped Meadowhawk (1)
Black Saddlebags (1)
September 12, 2004
Sonoma Co., CA
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Pine Flat Rd/Mayacamas Audubon Preserve east of Healdsburg
Dave and I drove up yesterday to access the damage, esp. at the spring where the Hoary Skimmers breed. I've posted about it at
At the Springs, we were gladdened to find the small oasis of green just as had been described to us. We hadn't walked more than a few feet in before we began to see Vivid Dancer damselflies! Vivid Dancers, like the Hoary Skimmer are seep specialists. We didn't expect to see any of the Libellula Skimmers there, esp. not the Hoary Skimmer, as they aren't usually flying this late in the season. But we counted ~12 male Vivid Dancers on territory and one female at the springs. Also seen were 2 Meadowhawks, both males on territory. One was a Variegated Meadowhawk, while the other was not, and was probably a Striped Meadowhawk. Also present were some butterflies .
September 11, 2004
Yolo County
Ed Whistler
While visiting with my Mom at the Courtyard Health Care Center (about 10:00 am) in Davis (near E. 8th St and Pole Line Rd), about
40 Wandering Gliders invaded the front patio area. I think there were many more in the general area. Most were flying about 3 feet to 20 feet from the ground. This invasion lasted about 30 minutes, then most left. About 5 or 6 gliders stayed and perched in the juniper hedge enjoying the warm sun. They also hunted around the hedge and lawn area. I've seen gliders pretty frequently this summer at Courtyard, but this was the first big wave.
Also seen during the morning were:
common green darner (3)
familiar bluet (?) (1)
black saddlebags (1) pretty regular at Courtyard this summer
September 10, 2004
San Mateo County
John Hall
Horseshoe Lake, Skyline Ridge OSP
California/Aztec Dancer (4)
Tule Bluet (5)
Arroyo Bluet (1)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (10)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (1)
Blue-eyed Darner (2)
Mosaic Darner, sp (2)
Common Green Darner (4)
Variegated Meadowhawk (1)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (1)
Striped Meadowhawk (2)
Black Saddlebags (2)
San Mateo County
John Hall
Alpine Pond, Skyline Ridge OSP
California Spreadwing (12)
California/Aztec Dancer (12)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (2)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (1)
Pacific Forktail (3)
Blue-eyed Darner (1)
Mosaic Darner, sp (2)
Common Green Darner (1)
Pacific Spiketail (1)
Blue Dasher (1)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (1)
Striped Meadowhawk (12)
Black Saddlebags (1)
…
Santa Clara County
John Hall
Monte Bello OSP -Canyon Trail from gate MB03 to Bella Vista Trail
California Spreadwing (1)
Common Spreadwing (5)
Vivid Dancer (7)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (1)
Pacific Forktail (1)
Blue-eyed Darner (1)
Walker's Darner (1)
Mosaic Darner, sp (5)
Pacific Spiketail (2)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (2)
Monte Bello OSP -pond accessible from gate MB05
California Spreadwing (4)
Common Spreadwing (1)
Tule Bluet (15)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (1)
Arroyo Bluet (10)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (60)
Western Forktail (1)
Desert Firetail (6)
Blue-eyed Darner (1)
Mosaic Darner, sp (4)
Common Green Darner (15)
Flame Skimmer (2)
Variegated Meadowhawk (10)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (4)
Striped Meadowhawk (6)
Black Saddlebags (15)
September 9, 2004
Alameda Co., CA
J Hall, D Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness, Alameda Creek
We started at the bridge that spans Alameda Creek. This is reached by driving to the end of the road. There is a parking area here with rest rooms. We accessed the creek at various points between the bridge up to an area below Little Yosemite. The creek is wadable in many places this time of year. Among our observations were two possible new records for Alameda County. These are Desert Firetail and Red Rock Skimmer. I was able to get photos of the Firetail and will post them in the folder 'John Hall".
American Rubyspot (6)
California Spreadwing (2)
California/Aztec Dancer (15)
Emma's Dancer (2)
Sooty Dancer (15)
Vivid Dancer (10)
Tule Bluet (3)
Familiar Bluet (2)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (15) - mostly Northern or Boreal
Western Forktail (20)
Desert Firetail Telebasis salva (25) - photo record
Blue-eyed Darner (1)
Walker's Darner (2)
Mosaic Darner, sp (10)
Common Green Darner (3)
Pacific Spiketail (1)
>Flame Skimmer (8)
Blue Dasher (1)
Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis lineatipes (1 - sighting only record)
Variegated Meadowhawk (10)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (28)
Black Saddlebags (2)
……..
Los Angeles County
Joyce Abney
Photographed at our apartment swimming pool in the Hollywood area.
Flame Skimmer - one male
September 6, 2004
Monterey County
Steve Rovell
While working in my (Marina, Monterey County) yard this morning, I was surprised to see a large ode hunting in the area near my pond, but high enough not to capture. Immediately I thought "saddlebags", but it just didn't look right for Black. I ran inside, got my bins (and net, just in case) and it was gone. But then it returned. I was able to see it from approximately 15 feet away with my Zeiss 10x40s. It was a female RED SADDLEBAGS Tramea onusta. It landed on the tree in the yard behind mine in plain view. Unfortunately, there is a large lupine next to the fence adjacent to the tree, so I couldn't attempt to collect it, and our camera was in need of a new set of batteries. [last report 2004] After the saddlebags left a COMMON GREEN DARNER passed through my yard. All this is surprising to me because I rarely see odes in my yard. [2nd sighting only record of Red Saddlebags in Monterey Co. this year - kb]
…….
Tehama County
Bruce Deuel
Tyler Road
I just noticed that the Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens I got an excellent look at was a first Tehama sight. This critter was hovering at eye level within netting distance, but I didn't HAVE my net, as I was birding. The bright yellow face, reddish eyes, olive-green thorax with no prominent stripes, and bright yellow abdomen with little or no markings (from the side) led me to the i.d. It was larger than the Variegated Meadowhawks also present.
September 5, 2004
Solano/Yolo County
Paul Saraceni
I took a break from a weekend trip to Napa to do a little ode-searching in the ~100F heat of the late afternoon. I drove over to Putah Creek below the dam at the SE corner of L. Berryessa and checked a couple of fishing access areas on the creek along Hwy 128 in northern Solano County, just E of the Napa County line.
Species list:
Familiar Bluet 30+ (some hand-ID'd)
Black-fronted Forktail 1 m.
Common Green Darner 15+
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Aeshna darner sp. 5+
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
*Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale 1 m. - first sighting record for Yolo Co. seen at Putah Creek Fishing Access No. 1.
At that point, Putah Creek is the boundary between Yolo and Solano Counties and Hwy 128 and the fishing access areas on the south side of 128 are actually in Yolo Co.
Flame Skimmer 1
Black Saddlebags 4
Wandering Glider 1
…….
Fresno County
Tim Manolis
I found *Stylurus olivaceus Olive Clubtail, flying in good numbers along the Kings River at Cricket Hollow Park, Reedley, Fresno County on 5 September. I collected a male. This is a first record for Fresno County, for the Kings River drainage, and the farthest south record in the Central Valley (nearest records to the north in Stanislaus County). Just a few miles south of Reedley, the Kings River flows into Tulare County, and just a few miles further, into Kings County, so I think it would be a safe prediction to expect records for the species for those counties in the future, as well.
September 4, 2004
Yolo County
Ed Whisler
Pacific Forktail Goes Shopping in Davis
Saturday evening (8:30pm) I walked into a Convenience store in Davis to grab a bag of Frietos and a coke. As I walked in, a Pacific Forktail flew over my shoulder, made a right turn and flew slowly down the aisle. We both arrived at the Frieto display about the same time. He landed on the metal display rack about 6 inches from me. After checking out the Frietos, he took off and went down another aisle. He didn't seem concerned about people in the store or anything else. I don't know if he scored any chips or not.
What was interesting to me was 1) It was dark outside (1 hour after sunset), when most Odes aren't out hunting much, but it was hunting in an area with bright artificial lights with lots of nocturnal bugs around. 2) It was hunting inside a store. Was this accidental? or Just part of its territory.
…….
Imperial County
Bob Miller
At the east end of Sinclair Road near the East Highline Canal, I had one
male Gray Sanddragon. :-) There were also numerous White-belted Ringtail,
Roseate Skimmer, Wandering Glider, Powdered Dancer and then time ran out.
…….
San Bernardino County
Rosser Garrison, Natalia Von Ellenrieder and Tim Manolis
Piute Creek, a DFG ecological preserve in the Mohave Desert north of Needles and near the Nevada border.
Although this site is only about 10 miles from a paved road, the last few miles in are no picnic. Four-wheel drive and (especially) high clearance are needed. Otherwise it is a long hot walk in the desert. It is a nice little riparian corridor in the middle of a desert mountain canyon once you get there, though, and my truck got in just fine carrying the three of us. We were a bit disappointed in what we found in the way of odonates though. Only one species of damselfly (A. vivida, of course) was the biggest surprise. We were hoping for A. immunda or even Hetaerina vulnerata perhaps. The few dragonflies were all common stuff, mostly migrants (A. junius, R. multicolor,
L. saturata, S. corruptum, T. lacerata, T. onusta, P. hymenaea) with the only somewhat interesting thing being good numbers of Erpetogomphus compositus (no doubt the most common and widespread gomphid in the Mohave Desert, so no surprise).
September 3, 2004
Shasta County
George Sappington
Boulder Creek & Sp Railroad
Neon Skimmer Erpetogomphus compositus (1 male) Photographed 12:27
…….
San Joaquin County
Mary and Mike Canniff
I live in San Joaquin, California, (Tracy,) and my husband has caught a Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata. female skimmer dragonfly in our back yard. There is no confirmed specimen record (only a sighting record,) for either Saddlebag species for San Joaquin County, California.
September 2, 2004
Stanislaus County
John Hall
Location; Del Puerto Canyon Road from I-5 to bridge crossing just beyond PM 18. David and I went back to Del Puerto Canyon in Stanislaus County. Del Puerto Canyon Road is accessed from the Patterson exit from Interstate 5. We looked for dragonflies up to the bridge crossing just beyond PM 18. We have gone to this area during the week to avoid the possible unpleasantness of off road vehicles on the weekend. Following is a list of what was seen.
American Rubyspot (5)
California Spreadwing (4)
California/Aztec Dancer (35)
Sooty Dancer (1)
Vivid Dancer (15)
Familiar Bluet (3)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (20)
Desert Firetail (4)
Mosaic Darner, sp (1)
Common Green Darner (25)
Flame Skimmer (12)
Red Rock Skimmer (1)
Wandering Glider (1)
Variegated Meadowhawk (6)
Black Saddlebags (8)
AUGUST
August 29, 2004
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
I visited the Santa Margarita River today and had the following:
Common Green Darner
Blue-eyed Darner
Flame Skimmer
Red Rock Skimmers
Ringtail (sp?)
American Rubyspots
Vivid Dancer
Pacific Forktail
I then went to Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Base, and at Lake O'Neill
Mexican Amberwings - 2
August 28, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
I checked out the odes at Lake McCumber today. The numbers were moderate and nothing too exciting showed up. I did get some Striped Meadowhawk photographs, a couple of which might interest some of you. I photographed a pair in wheel the normal way (trying to get both in the picture) and then I took another picture more close up. The cropped and "zoomed in" version of this photo shows some of what goes one when these guys are in wheel.
There was a female Pacific Forktail that had an unusual color scheme. Is this a normal part of the female transition to mature "plumage"?
…….
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Doane Pond, Mt. Palomar State Park
Common Green Darners
Blue-eyed Darners
*California Darners
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Variegated Meadowhawk
Blue Dasher
Flame Skimmers
**Northern Bluet
Oak Hill Cemetery Pond, Escondido
Common Green Darners
*Giant Darner
Western Pondhawk
Flame Skimmers
Red-tailed Pennants
Black Saddlebags
Black-fronted Forktails
Familiar Bluets
*Desert Firetail
Total species= 15
……..
San Francisco County
Paul Saraceni
Kevin and I captured and hand-ID'd another male Boreal Bluet in SF today -- this one had just flown into a spider web at Mallard L. (Golden Gate Park). [this is the last report that is known to be this species for 2004]
August 27, 2004
Santa Clara County
John Hall and David Edwards
[We] visited the pond in Monte Bello OSP in Santa Clara County and Alpine Pond and Horseshoe Lake in Skyline Ridge OSP in San Mateo County. The Monte Bello pond is reached by a trail accessed at gate MB5 at Page Mill and the closed portion of Alpine Road. In addition, we walked a short distance down the Canyon Trail in MBOSP to where it meets Bella Vista Trail. Seen here were
*Black Spreadwing (2)
Vivid Dancer (12)
Pacific Spiketail (2)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (2)
Monte Bello pond list:
*California Spreadwing (4)
Common Spreadwing (1)
Black Spreadwing (10)
Tule Bluet (4)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (20)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (10)
Arroyo Bluet (6)
Pacific Forktail (2)
Western Forktail (10)
Desert Firetail (3)
Blue-eyed Darner (3)
Common Green Darner (5)
Flame Skimmer (10)
Blue Dasher (1)
Variegated Meadowhawk (10)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (3)
Striped Meadowhawk (15)
Black Saddlebags (5)
…
San Mateo County
John Hall and David Edwards
Alpine Pond list:
California Spreadwing (3)
Black Spreadwing (2)
California/Aztec Dancer (30)
Boreal/Northern/Familiar Bluet (5)
Arroyo Bluet (4)
Pacific Forktail (2)
Western Forktail (3)
Blue-eyed Darner (1)
Common Green Darner (3)
Pacific Spiketail (1)
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa (2) - photo taken, upgrade from sighting only record
Flame Skimmer (2)
Blue Dasher (10)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (1)
Striped Meadowhawk (6)
Horseshoe Lake list:
California Spreadwing (1)
California/Aztec Dancer (30)
Tule Bluet (7)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet (15)
Blue-eyed Darner (2)
Common Green Darner (4)
Pacific Spiketail (1)
Eight-spotted Skimmer (1)
Flame Skimmer (5)
Blue Dasher (3)
Striped Meadowhawk (3)
Black Saddlebags (2)
August 21, 2004
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
I decided to go out and look for Odes in some of my butterfly stomping grounds. The weather was perfect and there was a
breeze to keep the temps down.
Pine Creek near Pine Valley
Walker's Darner
Cardinal Meadowhawk
*Lavender Dancer Argia hinei * only sighting of the year
Vivid Dancers
California Dancer.
Stephanson's Peak:
Common Green Darner
Wandering Glider
Red Rock Skimmers - 2
Kwayaii Overlook:
Common Green Darner
Red Rock Skimmers flying along the road. I found a dead female.
Sweetwater River in the Rancho Cuyamaca State Park
Vivid Dancers
Western Forktail
August 19, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I did some more exploring of local lakes yesterday. I went to Lake Oogaromtok which is located about 29 miles southwest of Happy Camp and 5 miles east of Del Norte County line. Lake Oogaromtok is about 2 acres in size, has a ring of lily pads and emergent vegetation, and some deep, open water. It is located at about 1500' elevation and is surrounded by large "old growth" trees.
Lake Oogaromtok -1145-1400 hrs high 90's
Common Spreadwing - 1 male
Boreal Bluet - netted for id
Tule Bluet - some males about
Western Forktail - some males about, some females also
Pacific Forktail - 2 males netted for id
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1 male
Blue Dasher - ~ 35 two 1 female, most some ode today
Flame Skimmer - ~ 15 males - netted for id
Next, I stopped to cool off and explore a segment of Rock Creek, a medium sized tributary to the Klamath River. Rock Creek has some vegetative cover and lots of rocks, riffles, and the occasional pool. Rock Creek - August 19, 2004 1430-1600 hrs high 90's, low 100's
Common Green Darner - 1 female perched in alder tree
Aeshna sp. - 3-4 unidentified males - netted for id sunny spots along the creek. They were too quick for my net.
August 16, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Traveled about today watering seedlings and visited some small tributaries along the Klamath River for water sources. Here is what I found.
Brown's Creek - 13.5 miles west of Happy Camp 1130 hrs
Northern Bluet - couple males
Vivid Dancer - some males
Emma's Dancer - some pair s in tandem
Pacific Spiketail - 1 male - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 2 males - netted for id
Independence Rest Area - 14 miles west of Happy Camp 1145 hrs
#Common Green Darner - swarm of about 50 or more dragons seemed to emerge from the willows on the river bar. They stayed in the area for twenty minutes before somewhat dispersing. I may have left before they did.
Portuguese Creek - 4 miles west of Seiad Valley. 1530 hrs
Vivid Dancer - some two one brown female
Emma's Dancer - some males and females about
Blue-eyed Darner - one male - netted for id about
Fort Goff Creek - 6 miles west of Seiad Valley 1600 hrs
Aeshna sp - 2 unidentified males - netted for id and skirmishing along creek
Both Portuguese and Fort Goff Creek drain the high country to the south of the Red Buttes Wilderness. I surveyed both creeks at the hiway 96 crossing of these creeks. Both places are local swimming holes and contain nice shaded pools.
Oak Hollow Creek - 7 miles east of Happy Camp 1700 hrs
Pacific Spiketail - 1 male - netted for id the general area, the pullout and down the highway.
Oak Hollow Creek has actually dried up this summer. It has a small watershed. I was surprised to see a Pacific Spiketail cruising about here.
…….
Shasta County
George Sappington
Boulder Creek near Sp Railroad, Redding
Red Rock Skimmer - one male photographed, 10:54 AM
August 15, 2004
Sonoma County
Paul Saraceni and Eric Preston
NE Sonoma County locations near Healdsburg
Our list by location:
"RR" = Russian River access @ Alexander Valley Rd. (note that access from SW side of bridge has been completely fenced off; we purchased a day-use pass -- $5 -- from the nearby Campground on the NW side of the bridge, for access to the beach and river -- check in at the Campground store to purchase)
"MM4" = roadside seep nr. cattle trough ~0.2 mi. above MM4.5 on Pine Flat Rd. (there is a gravel parking lot around the bend and just above the obvious seep)
"RP" = Rebizzo Ranch Pond (viewed from roadside)
"MM10" = seep and seasonal pond (now dried up) accessed from small lot/dirt track nr. Pine Flat Rd. MM 10.0
"MM1" = rocky creek below Pine Flat Rd. MM 1.0 (climb down boulder pile to access creek)
American Rubyspot -- RR 10+, MM1 10+
Black Spreadwing -- MM10 (vegetation bordering dried pond) 5 m. (incl. 1 in-hand ID; some photographed)
California Dancer -- RR 1 m. (in-hand ID)
California/Aztec-type Dancer -- MM1 2
Emma's Dancer -- MM1 3
Sooty Dancer -- MM1 20+ (incl. tandem pair s), RR 1
Vivid Dancer -- MM4 1, RP 2, UP10 4, MM1 1
Familiar Bluet -- RR 20+ (incl. tandem pair s), MM10 1 m. (in-hand ID), MM1 2
Tule/Arroyo-type bluet -- RP 2, MM10 4
Boreal Bluet -- MM1 1 m. (in-hand ID)
Northern/Boreal-type Bluet -- RR 10+, RP 5+, UP 10+ (pond in from 10.2), MM1 4
Pacific Forktail -- RR 4, MM1 1
Western Forktail -- RR 5+, MM10 10+
Desert Firetail -- MM10 (vegetation bordering dried pond) 1
Common Green Darner -- RR 2, MM4 1, MM10 2
Blue-eyed Darner -- RR 1, RP 2, MM4 2, MM10 5+
Walker's Darner -- MM1 1 m. (- netted for id rocky creek)
Aeshna darner sp. -- MM10 20+ (swarm over dried pond)
Gray sanddragon -- RR 2, MM1 1-2
Pacific Spiketail -- MM1 1
Western River Cruiser -- RR 1-2 [last date reported 2004]
Striped Meadowhawk -- RR 1 m., MM10 1-2 m. (vegetation bordering dried pond)
Cardinal Meadowhawk -- MM4 1 m., MM1 1 m.
Blue Dasher -- RP 2 m.
*Common Whitetail -- RP 1 m.
Widow Skimmer -- RR 1 m.
Flame Skimmer -- RR 4+, RP 2+
Pale-faced Clubskimmer -- RR 1, MM1 1
Black Saddlebags -- RR 2, MM4 1, RP 2
Wandering Glider -- MM4 1, MM10 1
Spot-winged Glider -- RR 1, MM4 3+, MM10 2
…….
San Francisco County
Joseph Morlan and Robbie Fischer
We saw a Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta at the northwest end of North Lake in Golden Gate Park. - new sight record.
August 14, 2004
Trinity
County
Karen Pope
Ward Lake
Leucorrhinia intacta Dot-tailed
Whiteface – specimen collected CA Chart #90
August 12, 2004
Sutter County
Tim Manolis, Bruce Webb, Pete Sands
First some background: Sutter County has one of the smallest odonate species lists (21) of any California county, primarily because of its small size and limited habitat diversity. Most of the county is flat agricultural land. The Sutter Buttes provide the only significant habitat relieve. I had harbored hopes that there might be some foothill stream species with isolated populations in the Buttes until a few years ago when Pete Sands informed me there were few springs and no permanent creeks in this tiny "mountain range." But there appears to be still yet some unmined potential for adding species to the county's list.
Pete owns a ranch in the Buttes. We added one new species to the Sutter County list, and got voucher specimens for two others.
We first met up with Pete on Thursday morning at the gate to his property, and found plenty of Variegated Meadowhawks, Familiar Bluets, Pacific Forktails, and Common Green Darners at a small marshy swale beside the gate. Our next stop was the largest body of water we visited in the Buttes on this trip, a small, drying stock pond with muddy shores nearly completely devoid of vegetation (there are lots of sheep and cattle in the Buttes). Despite the lack of shoreline vegetation there were hordes of Variegated Meadowhawks around this pond, plus more Familiar Bluets, Common Green Darners, Wandering Gliders, Spot-winged Gliders and Black Saddlebags. One Flame Skimmer flew by. A drowning Green Darner (Anax junius) fished out of the pond provided a first voucher specimen for the county. We saw Green Darners on three occasions flying with captured meadowhawks, taking them up into a nearby oak tree for breakfast. A new county record was found in bizarre fashion at this site. I spotted a darner fluttering around on the bare dirt, incapacitated for some reason. Upon picking it up, I was surprised to find it was a male Walker's Darner (Aeshna walkeri). My initial hopes of finding this species in the county had been dampened by Pete's information about the lack of permanent streams. Perhaps it had wandered out to the Buttes from the foothills of the Central Valley, or perhaps there may yet be some appropriate habitat for this species somewhere in the Buttes. Anyway, it was a nice find.
Our search for odonates went downhill from there. Over a pasture at the ranch house, Bruce Webb netted a Wandering Glider (Pantala fasvescens) from a glider swarm for a first Sutter County voucher specimen. I think we only added Blue Dasher after that.
So only 10 species for the county on the day, but still about half of the entire county list, and three "firsts" (first voucher specimens for Common Green Darner and Wandering Glider, first record and specimen for Walker's Darner)!
August 11, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I decided to beat the heat once again and explore another high lake on the fringe of the Red Buttes Wilderness. I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail west from Cook and Green Pass for about three miles to the spur trail leading to Echo Lake. It was sunny with temps in the mid 90's.
Echo Lake is a small (2 acre), shallow lake with a muddy bottom. The south end of the lake is the deepest. The lake drains into the Butte Fork of the Applegate River. Thus this lake is actually part of the Rouge River watershed. The lake is located about five miles south of the Oregon state line in Siskiyou County. Elevation is 5,420 feet. I waded the entire edge of the lake and here is what I found.
Echo Lake - August 11, 2004 1230-1500 hrs.
Northern Bluet - common
*Variable Darner - 1 female netted, 2 males netted for id
American Emerald - 1 male netted at south end of lake [last date reported 2004]
Ringed Emerald - 2 two great look as they hovered within a few feet of me on north end of lake.
Variegated meadowhawk - 1 female netted for id.
Next, I continued along the Pacific Crest Trail two miles to Lily Pad Lake. Lily Pad Lake is also small (2 acres) and shallow, but it is completely covered with lily pads. Lily Pad drains into the West Fork of Seiad Creek and is part of the Klamath River drainage. It lies about six miles south of the Oregon border. Elevation is 5860. Once again I waded the edge of the lake. Here is what I found.
Lily Pad Lake - August 11, 2004 1545-1800 hrs.
Common Spreadwing - some, tenerals, pair s ovipositing, dead specimens collected for id
Spotted Spreadwing - dead female collected for id, few noted on the wing
Northern Bluet - common, pair s ovipositing
Variable Darner - very common ~50, netted 7 females and 5 males for id. One dead specimen found and collected for id.
Ringed Emerald - 1 dead female collected for id, 1 female ovipositing, 3 males - netted for id
This hike gives one great views of Mt. Shasta some 100 miles off to the south east.
August 8, 2004
Humboldt County
Ron LeValley
Williams Grove picnic area along the Eel River near Myers Flat
Pale- faced Club Skimmer Brechmorhoga mendax - I saw at least 6 - netted for id the area and chasing other dragons (either River Cruiser or Spiketail I didn't ID.). They never stopped flying so my only shots are in-air one s, so necessarily not spectacular, and I was in a State Park so didn't take my net out of the car. I'm going to have to get my State collecting permit. Photo voucher.
August 7, 2004
San Francisco County
Kevin McKereghan
I found an Arroyo Bluet (E. praevarum) at Yosemite Marsh in McLaren Park, San Francisco County. This is apparently a new species for the county. I returned this morning an collected a voucher specimen at Yosemite Marsh and also found the species at Lake McNab. In the afternoon Paul Saraceni and I returned to the area and re-found the species at Lake McNab and also collected a voucher specimen of Boreal Bluet (E. boreale), also a first for the county. Is anyone keeping a collection for SF county?
This weekend's McLaren Park list follows:
Blue-eyed Darner
Common Green Darner
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Variegated Meadowhawk
Vivid Dancer
Familiar Bluet
Tule Bluet
Arroyo Bluet
Boreal Bluet
Western Forktail
Pacific Forktail
Spot-winged Glider
Black Saddlebags
August 6, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River today.
#It was unseasonably cool, high 60's and overcast most of day. It started clearing in late afternoon. Not many odes flying at all. At end of trip we encountered a darner swarm of perhaps 50-75 green darners. It was about 1830 hrs when we encountered the swarm. They were massed over the river and willows on the gravel bar at Coon Creek River Access. I had noticed 3-4 green darners earlier in day along the river.
August 5, 2004
Contra Costa County
Doug Vaughan
.at one pond on the East Bay watershed, I found the following:
Bluets (Enallagma spp.) -- none examined in hand
W. Forktail (Ischnura perparva) -- mostly females
Com. Green Darner (Anax junius) -- 5-10, including tandem pair s and an ovipositing female
Calif. Darner (Ischnura perparva) -- it's getting late for these guys, but there looked to be at least 2-3
Blue-eyed Darner (R. multicolor) -- 10-15
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- 1 or 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk (S. illotum) -- a few
W. Pondhawk (E. collocata) -- 1 male, collected; this is an upgrade of a photo record for the county [Baby Bottle Pond, near Wildcat Canyon Rd and El Toyonal -collected with a permit]
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) -- about 10
Com. Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- 3 or 4 males
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis) -- 1 male
Flame Skimmer (L. saturata) -- about 5
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- 5-10
Gliders (Pantala sp) -- I think! I admire people who can confidently ID these guys on the wing, because I remain unsure. But I don't know what else they could have been, though I was about 0-for-25 with my net. (Wandering Glider is undocumented for Contra Costa!)
August 4, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Sooty Dancer - some
Emma's Dancer - 1 male
unk dancer (Vivid?) 1 or 2
Pale-faced Clubskimmer - 1
-------
Solano County
John Hall
Just west of Interstate 505 along Putah Creek Road
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens - sight record
August 3, 2004
Lake County
Kathy Biggs and David Hofmann
David Hofmann and I decided to escape the doom and gloom fog that is still plaguing us here in Sonoma Co. We figured that if we drove east, we'd hit sunshine by the time we reached Lake Co. And we did. We esp. wanted to survey a little unnamed pond that is located just off
Butts Canyon Rd. Butts Canyon Rd. comes off Highway 20 just beyond Middletown. This pond has historically been full of dragonflies and many of Lake County's species were first found there. Last year the DSA group stopped there and made about 3 new county records - but two were just photo records and we hoped to be able to catch at least one of them.
Alas, we didn't even see a White-belted Ringtail or CA Spreadwing, but we did find three other new species for Lake County, and I was especially happy that we saw a Red Rock Skimmer at the little ephemeral stream next to the pond. I had thought I'd seen one there 2 yrs ago, but needed corroboration. See below:
Our first stop was along Putah Creek @ highway 20, ~3 miles east of Middletown. The Ode diversity wasn't as good there as hoped for. In the past we've found Gray Sanddragons and Pale-faced Clubskimmers there. Not this time. The bridge has recently been rebuilt and the creek there may have been affected by this activity (3 yrs of construction with the creek being 'reconstructed' during that period).
Putah Creek @ Highway 20:
Sooty Dancer Argia lugens - some
Common Green Darner Anax junius - some
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata - some
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa - at least one
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - some, inc. pair s ovipositing and one tantalizing glimpse at what looked to be a Wandering Glider, which hadn't been recorded in Lake Co. yet.
Our 2nd stop was alongside Butts Canyon Rd., next to Detert Reservoir.There is a pull out there where I'd found Familiar Bluets (the Lake Co. record) and we again found them there, plus there were 3 gliders in the grassy field between the road and the reservoir. We got our nets out, but a barbed wire fence and 'no trespassing' signs foiled our attempts to net one. They did fly directly over us however, and we were able to see that one of the 3 was a Spot-winged Glider, and another one was a Wandering Glider.
Grassy field next to Detert Res:
Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile - many
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa - at least one
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens - at least one (county sight record)
Spot-winged Glider Pantala hymenaea - at least one
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - some
Our next stop was 'Guenoc pond':
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida - a few
Boreal/Northern Bluet Enallagma sp.- many
Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum - many
Western Forktail Ischnura perparva - some
Common Green Darner Anax junius - many, inc. tandem pair s ovipositing
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis - many
Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa - some
Twelve- spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella - 3 (county sight record)
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata - some
Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis lineatipes -1 (county sight record) seen at ephemeral rocky stream that runs adjacent to the pond
Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata - some, incl. ovipositing pair s
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - many
Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale - some
On the way out we stopped alongside the fence around Detert Res. and added one more species to our day list:
Western Pondhawk E. collocata - a few
-------
John Hall & David Edwards
San Mateo County
Horseshoe Lake, Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Mateo County
Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta - photo record
August 1, 2004
Mendocino County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Russian River @ Cominsky Station Rd, between Cloverdale and Hopland,
American Rubyspot - 2 males
CA. Dancer - some, one male brought home for ID purposes
Emma's Dancer - some
Sooty Dancer - many
Boreal Bluet - some, of those netted, about 60% of Bluets were Boreals
Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile - some, one caught as Mendocino County voucher; ~40% of Bluets at this site seemed to be this species
Common Green Darner - many
Flame Skimmer - 1- 3
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2
Wandering Glider - MANY
Spot-winged Glider - MANY
Black Saddlebags - 1
---
SONOMA COUNTY
Russian River @ Asti,.
American Rubyspot - 2 males
CA. Dancer - some
Emma's Dancer - some
Sooty Dancer - many
Boreal Bluet - some, of those netted, about 30% of Bluets were Boreals
Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum - some, of those seen/netted, about 70% of Bluets were Tule
Common Green Darner - a few
Western Pondhawk - 1
Flame Skimmer - 1- 3
Wandering Glider - some
Spot-winged Glider - some
Black Saddlebags - 1
Gray sanddragon - Perhaps one seen, this is also the species we'd hoped to find in Mendocino Co. and didn't.
-------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
A small pond near Lake McCumber.
The water level had dropped since I was there last and the ode numbers as well. However, diversity was good.
common spreadwing - common
spotted spreadwing - 2
northern/boreal bluet - common
vivid dancer - common (these were not seen at the pond, but at the outlet from Lake McCumber)
tule bluet - a few
western forktail - common
common green darner - common
blue-eyed darner - 1 male
dot-tailed whiteface - 1 [last report 2004]
white-faced meadowhawk - common
western meadowhawk - common
striped meadowhawk - some
common whitetail - some
twelve-spotted skimmer - common
western pondhawk - ~5, including 1 female
-------
Monterey County
Rob Fowler
Soberanes Creek (Canyon)
Pacific Spiketail - female ovipositing, - Soberanes creek is part of Garrapata State Park, in Monterey county, just south of Carmel (~10 miles?).
JULY
July 31, 2004
Imperial County
Douglas Aguillard
West Main Canal at Hwy 98 west of Calexico, New River Wetlands, Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, Bob's Place (East Main Canal at the east end of Sinclair), Wister Unit near Hwy 111 (State Fish & Game Lands).
Roseate Skimmers
Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa
Red Saddlebags
*Marl Pennant Macrodiplax balteata* (Female- 3rd Imperial County record at the Sonny Bono NWR, where first record was last August).
Widow Skimmers
Blue Dashers
Western Pondhawks
Common Green Darners
White-belted Ringtails
Familiar Bluets
Powered Dancers Argia moesta
Blue-ringed Dancers
Rambur's Forktails
American Rubyspots
-------
Santa Cruz County
Eric Preston and Kim Kreitinger
Castle Rock State Park in yesterday
We were able to watch a female Pacific Spiketail oviposit in a small creek, deep in the forest, exactly as described in Tim's book. She plunged the end of her abdomen into the sand just below the surface of the water repeatedly for at least three minutes. She looked like she was on a pogo stick or at the end of a yoyo string. It was a riot to watch, and we got great looks at her stunning markings since she was in one place for so long. There was another Pac. Spiketail cruising the same creek.
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Brown's Creek. Brown's Creek
- a small mountain creek barely flowing this time of year. It is located about 13 miles west of Happy Camp. It flows under highway 96 through two big culverts. Here are the odes I encountered.
Brown's Creek:
Northern Bluet - less than ten
Vivid Dancer - less than ten
Aeshna sp - unidentified dark darner - netted for id about
Pacific Spiketail - 1 male - netted for id
At the Coon Creek River Access I found a few odes flying.
Northern Bluet - ovipositing on floating veg
Vivid Dancer - some males about
Blue Dasher - 3 males - netted for id
Eight-spot skimmer - 5 males - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 8 males - netted for id
Flame Skimmer - 2 males - netted for id
---
Ray Bruun & family
Castle Lake, east of Mount Shasta (city)
The day was sunny and breezy and the lake was loaded with people. Here's a list of the odes we saw:
Vivid Dancer - common where trail crosses outlet stream
Northern/Boreal Bluet - common along lake shore
Variable Darner - 1 identified as it landed on a bush in front of me Aeshna darners a number of other seen
Grappletail - common where trail crosses outlet -The Grappletail were very tame. Steven netted one, picked another up by the wing, and coaxed a third to crawl onto his finger.
American Emerald - Common. The 4 or 5 emeralds we identified were American.
-------
Mono County
Verina Bird
Old Marina at Mono Lake
Vivid dancer Argia vivida - multiple two few females
Northern Bluet Enallagma cyathigerum - 3+ two 1 female (tan)
Western forktail E. collocata- few pair s
Pacific forktail Ischnura cervula - one female
Western red damsel Amphiagrion abbreviatum - 100's of ovipositing pair s -[ last date reported in 2004]
Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum - one male, one female
*Desert Whitetail Plathemis subornata - two males, one female [only report in 2004]
Great Basin Snaketail Ophiogomphus morrisoni - one female, one male, female perched while male was - netted for id [last date reported in 2004]
July 30-31
Lake County, CA
Chris Heaivilin and Rod Miller
Lake Pillsbury
L. saturata / Flame Skimmer (>50) Their bodies were more red and less orange than their lower elevation cousins. Also the basal black markings were more pronounced.
P. longipennis / Blue Dasher (1)
S. occidentale / Western Meadowhawk (>10) The males preferred to perch in the dappled sunlight of the shrubs surrounding the lake.
L. forensis / Eight-spotted skimmer (<10)
T. lacerata / Black saddlebags (~5)
M. magnifica / Western River Cruiser (~4)
July 29, 2004
Alpine County
Steve Rovell
Grover Hot Springs
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata - upgrade to specimen record
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Hudson Road along Shasta River:
American Rubyspot - fairly common, both males and females
NO Sooty Dancers - I collected a few specimens-they are dark Emmas Dancers
Vivid Dancers - some, lots of teneral two and brown females lots ovipositing.
Emma's Dancers - almost as some, lots of brown females and blue females lots ovipositing.
Northern Bluet - common, some ovipositing
Western Forktail - 1 female ovipositing
Blue-eyed Darner - 1 netted for id. 1 dead specimen found in river.
Western Pondhawk - some males - netted for id river edge
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 10's, many males - netted for id, 1 female ovipositing
Widow Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id
Flame Skimmer - 10's, many males - netted for id, 1 netted
Next, I drove west on hiway 96 to Cayuse River Access.
The pond there is loaded with odes. It was clear, hot, with temps in the low 90's. I was there for twenty minutes or so:
Western Pondhawk - some males - netted for id pond
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 5's, few males - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 20's, most some ode on pond
Flame Skimmer - 5's, few males - netted for id, some perched in shade
Black Saddlebags - 1 male - netted for id
Finally, I decided to drive to Cook-n-Green pass and hike to Lily Pad Lake on the Pacific Crest Trail. Lily Pad Lake is located on the fringe of the Red Buttes Wilderness about six miles south of the Oregon border. The lake is about 1 acre in size completely covered with lily pads. The PCT skirts around it. The area is quite scenic. With four-wheel drive you can access to within about two miles of the lake at Bee Camp. I hiked in from Cook-n-Green Pass, about four miles. The hike took one and half hours. Along the way, a swarm (12 or so) of Aeshna sp. was - netted for id the dirt road. I failed to net anyone . I had better luck at the lake.
Lily Pad Lake:
Common Spreadwing - mass emergence of teneral males on east side of lake, some netted for id.
Northern Bluet - a few ,
Variable Darner - Lifer for me! Common, lots of males - netted for id, some netted for id, 1 female netted for id.
*Ringed Emerald Somatochlora albicincta - Lifer for me! While wading lake edge I found 1 dead male. Later I found a second male floating. He was comatose, for he came back to partial life later on. I collected both. I also saw 1 male flying. [This brings the total # of places this species has been found in CA to ~5 - kb]
-------
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel, George Sappington, and Ray Bruun
Churn Creek in Redding
Among what we saw were some dancers, which appear to be
California Dancer, but Aztec is possible, if you want to share an opinion (I named them California, but am not entirely sure). The two bottom pictures show the appendage from above.
---
Ray Bruun
Redding
I stepped outside to take my morning walk and noticed two dragonflies hovering over a silver Honda Civic. One of them was trying to oviposit on the hood of the car. They were Spot-winged Gliders.
-------
Glenn County
Chris Heaivilin and Rod Miller
Plaskett Lakes
L. saturata / Flame Skimmer (1) Viewed at close range by Rod and I.
A. multicolor / Blue-eyed Darner (>100) Females swarming over a very small muddy pond. None were on the ground. All were in the air.
A. junius / Green Darner (>10) Some adult, but many tenerals in the grass. Some dead or exhausted adults.
C. dorsalis / Pacific Spiketail (>8) All spotted on dirt roads in dappled light.
A. abbreviatum / Western Red Forktail (>20)
I. cervula / Pacific Forktail (>50)
C. shurtleffii / American Emerald (2) Very active, - netted for id the water's edge and rarely landing. Disappeared around noon.
L. intacta / Dot-tailed Whiteface (4) Difficult to track in flight due to small size and speed.
L. lydia / Common Whitetail (5)
*L. quadrimaculata / Four-spotted skimmer (<10)
P. flavescens / Wandering Glider (>20)
S. corruptum / Variegated Meadowhawk (>50)
July 28, 2004
Alpine County
Steve Rovell
Grover Hot Springs State Park just west of Markleeville.
I noted a Common Green Darner and more LBGs while swimming in the creek.
Indian Creek Reservoir. Later that day, I encountered about 8-10 Variegated Meadowhawks. All males close to the water. All females were away from
the water. Is this normal? Again, there were lots of LBGs. There were 2-3 Eight-spotted Skimmers, 10-15 Common Green Darners, 1 male Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor [sight record #79} and a female meadowhawk that I was able to net and collect that I tentatively ID'd as a *Saffron-winged Meadowhawk Sympetrum costiferum* [specimen confirmed- kb].
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Castle Lake Outlet:
northern/boreal bluets - numerous
pacific clubtail - 1 male - netted for id [last date reported in 2004]
Gumboot Lake: July 28
Common Spreadwing - (lifer for me) netted some for id
Boreal Bluet - some
Western Forktail - 1 female
Common Green Darner - some flying
Variable Darner - some males - netted for id (id from Kathy's post)
American Emerald - some flying
Four-spotted Skimmer - 1 male feasting on a bluet
Crimson-ringed Whiteface - some males
July 27, 2004
El Dorado County
Greg Kareofelas
Grass Lake at Luther pass
*Somatochlora semicircularis- many two but no females yet
Sympetrum obtrusum but no S. danae.
July 26, 2004
Placer County
Steve Rovell
I spent about 30 minutes at Lake Forest (north shore). I know this spot mostly from birding. Here, due to the lake's lower water level over the past some years, a bit of land has been exposed. Lots of vegetation growing here surrounded by water. A very small trickle of a creek flows into this area. Some Common Green Darners and a single female Variegated Meadowhawk were present, along with the little blue guys (LBG).
July 25, 2004
San Mateo County
Eric Preston and Paul Saraceni
First stop was Alpine Pond in the Russian Ridge OSP, San Mateo Co., just SW of the intersection of Alpine Rd. and Skyline
Blvd. (Hwy 35), where we observed:
Black Spreadwing -- 5+ (incl. 2 tandem pair s)
California/Aztec-type Dancer -- 20+
Tule/Arroyo-type bluet -- 10+
Pacific Forktail -- 4
Western Forktail -- 10+
Common Green Darner -- 3
Blue-eyed Darner -- 5+
Pacific Spiketail -- 1
Red-veined Meadowhawk -- 1 m.
Western Pondhawk -- 1 f.
Blue Dasher -- 10+
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- 5+
Widow Skimmer -- 2
Flame Skimmer -- 10+
---
Santa Clara Co.
Next, we crossed Skyline Blvd. and drove east on Page Mill Rd. for <1 mile to the trailhead at Gate MB05 in Monte Bello
OSP, Santa Clara Co. Thanks to the directions provided by John Hall and David Edwards in a prior CalOdes post, we hiked the short distance out (south) to the pond where they reported a Red Saddlebags on July 2 & 15. Within a few minutes, we observed our first of at least 2 RED SADDLEBAGS flying a circuit along the south shore of the pond. Some times the 2 (males) were in view at the same time and we later observed one of these -- or perhaps another -- over the grassy hillside beyond the north shore of the pond. The other highlight was "lifer" DESERT FIRETAILS (at least 6) for both of us on the weed/algae covered pond surface along the south and north shores.
Our list for this productive (unnamed?) pond:
Tule/Arroyo-type bluet -- 50+ (many tandem pair s)
Western Forktail -- 50+ (many tandem pair s)
Desert Firetail -- 6+
Common Green Darner -- 5+ (incl. tandem pair )
Blue-eyed Darner -- 2
Variegated Meadowhawk -- 1
Western Pondhawk -- 2 f.
Blue Dasher -- 20+
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- 3
Widow Skimmer -- 1 m.
Flame Skimmer -- 10+
Black Saddlebags -- 5+ (incl. tandem pair )
Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta -- 2-3, photo taken, upgrade from sighting only record
-------
Placer County
Steve Rovell
Blackwood Creek (middle fork) ..can be reached from Tahoe City by driving south on Hwy 89 about 6 miles and then east on Blackwood Canyon Road approximately 3 miles until you reach a fork in the road. I turned left and parked at the river crossing and walked upstream. The other fork also follows the stream. Along the edge of a beaver pond upstream from the road crossing was a single
Western Red Damsel
Bluets/Dancers sp.
Common Green Darners (5-10)
Darner (not Anax) (I )
Four-spotted Skimmer (1)
Eight-spotted Skimmers (3)
July 24, 2004
Siskiyou County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Gumboot Lake, and Upper Gumboot Lake, west of I-5. Approx. 9 miles east of Lake Siskiyou on Forest Rd. #26 - 6462' elev, 41o 12.740' N, 122o 30.561' W (GPS device).
Common Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) - many, possibly 100. All males seen appeared to be this species and all caught were this species, ~ half dozen netted
Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale) - hundreds and possibly a thousand. One netted was definitely this species. All netted here over the years have been this species.
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) - very few , <6
Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta) - 2 males netted, many others seen that appeared to be this species (large and dark)
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) - one male seen
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) - a many males - netted for id over the lake
Ringed Emerald (Somatochlora albicincta) - possibly seen
American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii) - one male netted, many others seen that appeared to be this species
Crimson-ringed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia glacialis) - a few males seen
Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica) - some males and females seen/netted
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) - ~half dozen
Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) - many, common
Larry Wehmeyer Environmental Educational Area, cattail-lined pond and small creek, North Shore Rd, edge of town of Mount Shasta. We were very disappointed to find a locked gate, piles of boulders across the rd, and no trespassing signs at this wonderful place!
Bluets - a few seen
Aeshna sp. - a few seen
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Alpine County
Paul Johnson
During the Sonora Pass butterfly count on 24 July 2004, I netted, photographed, and released a Pantala hymenaea [Spot-winged Glider]. It was at the Dardanelles Cone trailhead in Alpine County.
July 23, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Kelly Lake (Siskiyou Wilderness). Weather was sizzling, high 90's at the lake (4,500' elevation). A slight breeze kicked up in the late afternoon. I arrived at the lake at 1030 and left at 1730. Here are the odes I saw at the lake.
Northern Bluet - some, 100's ovipositing
Tule Bluet - fairly common
Western Forktail - 4 females
Common Green Darner - 2 males - netted for id
Paddle-tailed Darner - numerous, 4 males netted for id
Pacific Clubtail - 1 male on west (shady) side of lake
American Emerald - 50+ , many in brush and forest around the lake
Four-Spotted Skimmer - 1 male netted for id (lifer for me!)
Chalk-fronted Corporal - 100's perched nearly every where [last report 2004]
Crimson-ringed Whiteface - some, many in wheel, netted for id
Variegated Meadowhawk - 4 two 1 netted for id
July 22, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Hudson Road along the Shasta River.
It was clear, and hot, temps in the mid 90's. I waded about checking odes and finally opted to pick a bag of delicious blackberries that were growing along the river. Here are the odes that were about today.
American Rubyspot - 10's, some females noted
Vivid Dancer - 100's, ovipositing pair s
Emma's Dancer - 10's
Northern Bluet - 100's, ovipositing pair s
Tule Bluet - a few
Western Forktail - 3, couple females
Common Green Darner - 1 male - netted for id
Pacific Clubtail - 2 in blackberries
Western River Cruiser - 1 male - netted for id
Western Pondhawk - 10's, some ovipositing
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 10's, some females ovipositing
Widow Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id
Common Whitetail - 1 male - netted for id
Flame Skimmer - 10's, some females ovipositing
Black Saddlebags - 1 male - netted for id
I stopped at the river access at Tree Of Heaven Campground along the Klamath River. It was hot, high 90's. A quick survey of the access
area produced the following odes.
Rubyspot - 1 male
Vivid Dancer - some ovipositing pair s
Northern Bluet - some ovipositing pair s
Sinuous Snaketail - 3 males [last date reported 2004]
Western Pondhawk - 1 male
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 3 males - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id
Common Whitetail - 3, one pair ovipositing
Flame Skimmer - 4 males - netted for id
Last stop was at the Cayuse River Access pond along hiway 96. It was
hot, high 90's. A quick survey of the pond produced the follow odes.
Northern Bluets - 10's, lots of ovipositing
Pacific Clubtail - 2 in shaded black berries
Blue Dasher - 1 female in shaded black berries, lots of males on pond
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 10's, lots of males - netted for id, 1 female in berries
Flame Skimmer - 2 males - netted for id
Black Saddlebags - 1 male perched in shade
---
Bruce Deuel
Orr Lake
I found a Western Meadowhawk, some 8-spotted Skimmers, some darners (Blue-eyed or California) and forktails. There were literally100s of the latter, almost all Pacifics and Westerns but including a few Black-fronted.
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Lassen County
Tim Manolis
Bruce had to return home Wednesday evening, but I headed north to the Pit River Country in northwestern Lassen County. On Thursday, I spend much of the day hiking along the Pit River Canyon at Bob Creek Ranch south of Pittville, courtesy of Ken and Mary Able. After adding 3 species of odonates to the Lassen County list in my first visit to this site in early July of this year, I felt it had the potential for more additions, and sure enough, I had Lassen's first sighting of Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) along the river. Unfortunately, after one futile swing missed it, it flew off and never returned. The habitat along this stretch of the river (pools and riffles with large rocks) looks ideal for the species and I was surprised and frustrated to see only one in 3+ hours of searching. In any event, the Lassen County list now stands at 73 species, the highest county total in the state. Previously, I had not thought a county list of 80 or more species possible for any California county, but with what I now see as the potential for new additions both at the low elevation of the Pit River Country and the high elevations of the Silver Lake region, I think Lassen County might well record 80+ species eventually.
July 21, 2004
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Bear Creek
Hetaerina americana
Argia agrioides
Argia lugens
Argia vivida
Enallagma civile
Enallagma cyathigerum
* Ischnura barberi (last date seen 2004)
Ischnura cervula
Ischnura perparva
Erpetogomphus compositus
Progomphus borealis
Anax junius
Anax walsinghami
Rhionaeschna multicolor
Macromia magnifica
Brechmorhoga mendax
Ischnura perparva
Libellula luctuosa
Pachydiplax longipennis
Pantala flavescens
Pantala hymenaea
Sympetrum corruptum
Tramea lacerata
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Lassen County
Tim Manolis & Bruce Deuel
Silver Lake area, Cooper Swamp
Aeshna sp. 2- 3
Common Green Darner 3
emerald sp. 2
Hudsonian Whiteface 8- 10
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 3- 4
Four-spotted Skimmer 8- 10
White-faced Meadowhawk 20
Striped Meadowhawk 1
Western Meadowhawk 1
Common Spreadwing 2- 3
*Emerald Spreadwing 100s
*Lyre-tipped Spreadwing Lestes unguiculatus 1[only date reported in 2004]
Boreal Bluets 2, plus 5-6 unidentified
Western Forktail 1- 2
Silver Lake
Aeshna some
Paddle-tailed Darner 1 female caught, specimen
Emeralds 3-4,
Mountain Emerald (somatochlora semicircularis) 1 caught, specimen kept.
Dot-tailed Whiteface 2
small unnamed pond adjacent to Silver Lake
*Variable Darner Aeshna interrupta 1 male caught and released
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 1 male
bluets some unk.
Susan River in Susanville
Clubtail 1 unk.
Blue-eyed Darner 1 female (sitting)
Eight-spotted Skimmer 4- 5
Spot-winged Glider 15
Emma's Dance 5-- 6
Vivid Dancer 1+
Johnstonville Bridge over Susan River
Western Pondhawk 2
Common Whitetail 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 2
River Jewelwing 3 - last date reported in 2004
American Rubyspot 1
Bluets 3-4, Tule- type
Hobo Camp (western edge of Susanville on the river)
Western Meadowhawk 1
July 19, 2004
Monterey County
Rob Fowler and Steve Rovell
Arroyo Seco River canyon
We first stopped and checked the riverbed near the cafe to the west of the Carmel Valley turnoff. Here is what we saw:
Vivid Dancers-10+-
Sooty Dancers- 5
Flame Skimmers-10+-
Then on into the fee area. There are two ponds. As you drive in past the campground, the pond on the right side of the road had water, the one on the left was dry. We visited the wet pond and saw:
Bluet spp.-25+-
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis -1-2 (1st Monterey Co. record; photo)
Western Pondhawk-2+ copulating and ovipositing
Widow Skimmer-25+ copulating and ovipositing
Flame Skimmer-35+ ovipositing
Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata- 30+ (1st Monterey Co. record, sight)
On our way out, we were very glad to have made the next stop. We stopped by the Arroyo Seco bridge (the green one ) where you can take either the road into Greenfield or into Soledad. We spent all our time within 150 meters of the bridge to its west. Here is what we saw:
Flame skimmers 10+-
Bluet spp. 12+-
GIANT DARNER Anax walsinghami - 1 male seen flying by us on the river straight downstream. Seen at eye level, from about 6-10 feet away, for a brief time (10 seconds) but its distinctive long abdomen held in a noticeable arc was unmistakable (1st Monterey Co. record, sight).
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Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby (#71)
Lake Los Carneros
Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta - upgrade to photo voucher, (common there!)
July 18, 2004
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bigsnest Wildlife Pond, Sebastopol.
*Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa*, a young male visited us behind the pond today.
IN the pond were
Cardinal Meadowhawks, incl. some who were just emerging
Flame Skimmers, 2- 3
Blue Dashers - 2
Western Pondhawks - 3
Pacific Forktail - some
Western Forktail - a few
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Mendocino County
Ron LeValley
Little River Headlands
Wandering Glider: A number of gliders were hunting over the newly weed-whacked lawn, including at least one Wandering Glider.
Spot-winged Glider: Most (4-5 at a time) of the gliders in the yard were this species. This is the same site where the first Mendo record came from last year. I believe that both these odes came in with the low pressure front that passed through last night.
July 17, 2004
Tulare County
Alan Wight
At the Kaweah Oaks Preserve near Visalia
Spot-winged Gliders- a few
Wandering Gliders Pantala flavescens - a few [sight record]
Green Darners - a pair -ovipositing --
July 16-17, 2004
Plumas County
Greg Kareofelas
Willow Lake
*Nehalennia irene M&F [only report of this species in 2004]
Leucorrhinia hudsonica M&F (both red and yellow forms)
Leucorrhinia intacta (real dark form)
Ladona julia female
Lestes dryas M,F & M prune
I did not see:
L proxima or A canadensis (and I looked very hard, pretty sure they were not there (out yet??)
July 15, 2004
Santa Clara County
John Hall
Monte Bello OSP
Here is a list of the dragonflies seen at the pond and elsewhere in the preserve.
Arroyo Bluet (25)
Pacific Forktail (1)
Western Forktail (4)
Common Green Darner (2)
Western Pondhawk (4)
Eight-spotted Skimmer (3)
Common Whitetail (1)
Flame Skimmer (15)
Blue Dasher (15)
Black Saddlebags (3)
Red Saddlebags (1) [one also reported as seen there on July 2nd -kb]
Other species seen elsewhere in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve:
Vivid Dancer (5)
Pacific Spiketail (3)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (4)
July 14, 2004
Monterey Co
Rob Fowler
Andrew Molera
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens - upgrade of his prior sighting only record to photo record.
July 13, 2004
Sonoma County
Dave Hofmann and Linda Petrulias
We checked out the pond in the Austin Creek State Recreation Area (you enter by way of Armstrong Redwoods State Preserve).
California Dancer-a few
Familiar Bluet-one
Northern Bluet-a few
California Darner-a few
Variegated Meadowhawk-a few
Cardinal Meadowhawk-a few
Blue Dasher-a few
Common Whitetail-one
Eight-spotted Skimmer-a few
Widow Skimmer-one
Twelve-spotted Skimmer-one
Flame Skimmer-a few
Black Saddlebags-a few
Wandering Glider-a few
This is a small pond, and I was surprised to find a good mix of odes. There was a Black Phoebe that was taking quite a few odes as I was watching too.
July 12, 2004
Del Norte County
Rob Fowler
I saw and photographed some Western River Cruisers Macromia magnifica on the Klamath River, off of Klamath Beach road, about 1.5 miles east of highway 101where some Yellow-green Vireo types were reported. [photo record]
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Marin County
Bob 'Buckeye'
Cataract Creek (Mt. Tam)
Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis)
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Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
*Serpent Ringtail Erpetogomphus lampropeltis* - Paradise Road crossing over the Santa Ynez River, upgrade to photo voucher
Gray Sanddragon Progomphus borealis - Paradise Road crossing over the Santa Ynez River, upgrade to photo voucher
July 11, 2004
Sonoma Co.
Paul Saraceni
On July 11, I returned to the NE Sonoma County locations near Healdsburg for 4 hours.
My list by location:
"RR" = Russian River access @ Alexander Valley Rd. (accessed from SW side of bridge) (11:15-12:15)
"MM4" = roadside seep nr. cattle trough ~0.2 mi. above MM4.5 on Pine Flat Rd. (there is a gravel parking lot around the
bend and just above the obvious seep) (12:30-12:50, 2:20-2:35)
"RP" = Rebizzo Ranch Pond (viewed from roadside) (1:00-1:10)
"UP" = upper Pine Flat Rd. above MM 6.0 (incl. various seeps/ponds/overlooks nr. MM 6.5, 7.0, 9.0, 10.0) (1:10-2:10)
"MM1" = rocky creek below Pine Flat Rd. MM 1.0 (climb down boulder pile to access creek) (2:45-3:15)
American Rubyspot -- RR 10+, MM1 10+
Black Spreadwing -- UP 20+ (pond in from 10.2)
California/Aztec-type Dancer -- MM1 10+ (incl. tandem pair s)
Emma's Dancer -- MM1 3 (incl. tandem pair )
Sooty Dancer -- MM1 20+ (incl. tandem pair s)
Vivid Dancer -- UP 10+, MM1 2 (incl. tandem, pair s)
Familiar Bluet -- RR 3
Tule/Arroyo-type bluet -- RP 1
Northern/Boreal-type Bluet -- RR 5+, RP 10+, UP 10+ (pond in from 10.2), MM1 2
Pacific Forktail -- RR 3
Western Forktail -- UP 20+ (pond in from 10.2)
Blue-eyed Darner -- MM4 1, UP 1
*Walker's Darner -- MM1 1 m. (- netted for id rocky creek)
*Bison Snaketail -- RR 2
Gray sanddragon -- RR 1, MM1 1
Pacific Spiketail -- MM4 1
Western River Cruiser -- RR 1
Variegated Meadowhawk -- MM4 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk -- RP 2 m.
Red-veined Meadowhawk -- UP 2 m. (pond in from 10.2)
Western Pondhawk -- RR 2, MM4 1, RP 5+
Blue Dasher -- RP 4+
Common Whitetail -- RP 4+, UP 2 (pond in from 10.2)
Twelve-spotted Skimmer -- RP 1, UP 2 (pond in from 10.2)
Hoary Skimmer -- MM4 3- 4 m. [last report 2004]
Flame Skimmer -- RR 3, RP 10+, MM1 3
Pale-faced Clubskimmer -- RR 2-3
Black Saddlebags -- RR 1 (ovipositing), MM4 1, RP 2, UP 4
Wandering Glider -- UP 1
Spot-winged Glider -- RR 2, UP 6+
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Del Norte County
John Sterling
I was looking for birds in ne Del Norte County right at the Oregon state line off the Takilma Road, and found and photographed
Grappletail, Pacific Spiketail and Sooty Dancer.
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Colusa Co.
John and Marsha Anderson
Bear & Sulphur Creeks, 1-3 pm at the Wilbur Springs Bridge area
American Rubyspot
Sooty Dancer
Bluet sp.
*Desert Forktail
Desert Firetail
Common Green Darner
Giant Darner
White-belted Ringtail
Gray Sanddragon
Variegated Meadowhawk
Red-veined Meadowhawk
Western Pondhawk
Widow Skimmer
Flame Skimmer
Pale-faced Clubskimmer
Black Saddlebags
Wandering Glider
July 10, 2004
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
After reading reports of Red Rock Skimmers at Mitchel Canyon on Mt. Diablo, I went for a day hike hoping to get some photos of them..I proceeded to lug all my gear up and down a 3mi stretch of trail along the dry stream bed. I DID find lots of odes though. ABOUT 50ft UP! A mixture of Aeshna, Anax, Pantala, and Tramea.
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Ventura County
Tracy Stark
I live in Southern California (Ventura County) and today I witnessed a large (hundreds!) of dragonflies in and around a neighbor's large front yard tree. There are no large bodies of water nearby, maybe a few swimming pools, and nothing else I could see that would draw them.
July 7, 2004
Colusa Co.
Kathy Biggs, Craig Thomsen, David Hofmann, John Anderson, and Jack Alderman
Here is the report of the 7-7-04 Bear & Sulphur Creeks outing. It was a wonderful day and we recorded a whooping 28 species. I've made scans of all the damsels we collected, but haven't put them up on the Web site yet. Hope to do that asap and will let you know when I do. I will also forward on an image David Hofmann took of a Desert Forktail. This is the species whose existence there is hundreds of miles from any other known occurrence. Please see the range map at http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/3 0iscbar.gif
Bear Creek is such a unique place - and certainly so is Sulphur Creek/Wilbur Hot Springs!
Here's the info on the species we saw.
SULPHUR CREEK (source is Wilbur Hot Springs) - 14 species observed
Desert Forktail - many, observed from confluence of Bear & Sulphur Creek up the Sulphur Creek drainage beyond the main springs. One male seen perching on the cement ring surrounding the hot springs source! Also seen at Hot Springs source at 8 pm flying in the shade the night before (950+).
Tule Bluet - 1-3 males seen above main Hot Springs. The ONLY damselfly seen at the Hot Springs other than the Desert Forktails.
Common Green Darner-some, see below
Giant Darner-a few males seen coursing above the Hot Springs source even though the waterway at this point is very narrow and shallow.
Gray Sanddragon-one male observed ~100 yards above the Hot Springs source.
Eight-spotted Skimmer-one , seen poorly but believed to be this species, seen at the swamp area quite a ways above the main hot springs source.
Common Whitetail-some seen at Hot Springs source, inc. at 8 pm the night before
Flame Skimmer-many seen at Hot Springs source, inc. at 8 pm the night before
Pale-faced Clubskimmer-possibly one male seen the night before, but lighting was poor and it could have been a Black Saddlebags with a yellow-spot on end of abdomen top.
Black Saddlebags-some seen at Hot Springs source, inc. at 8 pm the night before
Red Rock Skimmer - 4-5 -Seen in the morning, but not in the afternoon, in the area just below the gate into Wilbur Hot Springs. This species has been recorded in Bear Creek as well, in the area near the Hiway 20 bridge although we didn't see any there on Wednesday.
Wandering Glider - some. In the morning about 8:00-9:00 at least some hundred, and possibly as many as 1000 were seen flying above the general area of the main spring at Wilbur Hot Springs. This is a species known to migrate and this may have been a feeding swarm. Mixed in this multi-species swarm were Spot-winged Gliders, Variegated Meadowhawks and Common Green Darners with about 70% seeming to be Wandering Gliders, 15% Spot-winged Gliders, 10% Variegated Meadowhawks and 5% Common Green Darners.
Spot-winged Glider-some, see above
Variegated Meadowhawk-some, see above
BEAR CREEK - 26 species seen
American Rubyspot- some
California Dancer-many (M collected)
Sooty Dancer- many
Vivid Dancer- some
Boreal/Northern Bluet-many (none collected)
Tule Bluet-many, (M collected)
Familiar Bluet-many, (M collected)
Desert Forktail-many, (M&F collected); some found at ~1/2 mile below confluence with Sulphur Creek. Possibly one seen near Hiway 20 bridge. I hope to go back and collect Forktails near the bridge later this summer (seen also on the 6th on our way into Wilbur Springs).
Western Forktail-some, seen near Hiway 20 bridge (none collected)
Desert Firetail-one male seen near Hiway 20 bridge by KB
Common Green Darner- some
Giant Darner- many
Blue-eyed Darner-a few
White-belted Ringtail- some
Gray Sanddragon- many
Western River Cruiser- some
Variegated Meadowhawk- some
Red-veined Meadowhawk-one
Western Pondhawk-one male seen near Hiway 20 bridge
Common Whitetail- two
Widow Skimmer- some
Flame Skimmer- many
Pale-faced Clubskimmer- some
Black Saddlebags- many
Wandering Glider- some
Spot-winged Glider- some
I'm wondering if the Wilbur Brine Flies that were so very some at the hot springs are a source of food for the dragonflies found on the hot springs site.
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Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I spent the day at Kelly Lake in the Siskiyou Wilderness. It was hot (upper 80's) and clear. The winds kicked in about mid afternoon. Here
is what I found.
Northern/Boreal Bluet - some, lots of tenerals, some emergents, and some falling prey to the ants.
Tule Bluet- a few
Common Green Darner - 2 pair ovipositing
Paddle-tailed Darner - female netted for id, dozen males - netted for id
American Emerald- some - netted for id, some in the forest around lake.
*Chalk-Fronted Corporal - some
Crimson-ringed Whiteface - some, many pairs in wheel
Hudsonian Whiteface - 2 males (netted for id) These were on the shady side of the lake.
July 6, 2004
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River from Indian Creek River Access to Wingate Bar access, about 7 miles. River levels have dropped to 1120 cfs. It
was hot, over 100 degrees. Fair amount of odes flying about.
River Jewelwing - 1 male
American Rubyspot - 1 male
Northern Bluet -
Emma's Dancer - many pair s ovipositing
Western Forktail - 1 female ovipositing
Common Green Darner - couple males
Sinuous Snaketail - most common ode for the day, some hitchhiking
on the raft and my elbow
Western River Cruiser - around a dozen - netted for id
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 1 male guarding a drying pool
Western Pondhawk - 1 male
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 2 males - netted for id a slough
Widow Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id a slough
Common Whitetail - 2 males - netted for id slough, 1 female ovipositing
Flame Skimmer - 3 males - netted for id river edge
and for today's mystery...
Wandering Glider - 2 females pulled from the grill of a vehicle in the campground. I have no idea where they drove in from as I never talked to owner of the vehicle. [ tm & kb think radiator kills from central valley]
July 5, 2004
Marin Co.
Paul Saraceni
I visited the Tennessee Valley portion of the Marin Headlands (Golden Gate Nat'l Rec. Area) in southern Marin County for a few hours yesterday afternoon (accessed from trailhead at end of Tennessee Valley Road, just NW of Mill Valley/Stinson Beach exit of Hwy 101). The Tennessee Valley Trail to the ocean has some good potential for odonates with stream, seeps, pond, marsh, and meadows, though the persistent fog cover yesterday probably kept the activity down. Highlight of the visit was scattered individuals of both species of gliders.
Species list:
Spreadwing sp. 1
Vivid Dancer 2
Familiar Bluet 1
Northern/Boreal-type Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 10+
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
Wandering Glider 6+
Spot-winged Glider 3
---
Marin County
Eric Preston
Alpine Lake
Spotted Spreadwing - at least one male, photographed
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Siskiyou County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We checked the dragonflies at Friday's Fly Fishing resort on Squaw Valley Rd out of McCloud.. They have some ponds on the property and are next to Squaw Creek. Due to the heat, we only checked the ponds:
Flame Skimmer - one male seen
8-spotted Skimmer - some
4-spotted Skimmer - some
12-spotted Skimmer - some
Common Whitetail - many
Black Saddlebags - some
Blue Dasher - a few
Western Pondhawk - a few
Blue-eyed Darner - a few
Common Green Darner - a few
Bluet sp.
Western Forktail - some
Pacific Forktail - some
Spreadwing - one Lestes seen
July 4, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
I checked out the ode activity at Summit Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Boreal Bluet (probable) - common along the shoreline
Pacific Forktail - some males
American Emerald - common in sunny forest clearings near the lake.
I saw 5 to 10 pair s in wheel but none ovipositing. The American Emeralds had hatched out seven to ten days prior. I caught the tail end of that action a week ago Saturday (26 June).
*Crimson-ringed Whiteface - common to some and all teneral, with the exception of three or four individuals. Quite a few tenerals had not yet taken flight and were hanging on emergent vegetation along the shoreline. This appeared to be the beginning of the L. glacialis emergence at Summit Lake.
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Siskiyou County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We needed to be in Yreka, so decided to check out Collier's rest stop where Dennis and then Greg Kareofelas and Andy Rehn reported
an 'outbreak/mass emergence' of Clubtails, and particularly Snaketails. We did find the 'suspects', but in moderate #s. Our report:
Flame Skimmer - some
8-spotted Skimmer - some
Common Whitetail - some
Blue-eyed Darner - a few
Common Green Darner - a few
Pacific Clubtail - many, along the chain link fence
Sinuous Snaketail - many, along the chain link fence
Great Basin Snaketail - a few , along the chain link fence
Vivid Dancer - some
Emma's Dancer - some
Western Forktail - some
Pacific Forktail - some
American Rubyspot - some
River Jewelwing - one female seen
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Del Norte County
Ron LeValley
Sanger Lake and vicinity,
We did our second annual 4th of July trip to Sanger Lake, seeing many of the same odes that we found last year, including:
Emerald Spreadwing - hundreds at vernal pools near Sanger Lake
Mountain Emerald - tens at vernal pools near Sanger Lake, and a few at Sanger Lake.
Boreal Bluet - tens at Sanger Lake
Black Petaltail Tanypteryx hageni -- On the way up to the lake, we stopped at a small seep with Darlingtonia plants blooming and I netted one of two Black Petaltails that were hunting along the road. I've saved the voucher specimen for the first Del Norte record. (I'll send along a photo to you Kathy). The UTM of this seep is UTM NAD27,10T, 444136E, 4639453N
July 3, 2004
Siskiyou County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
We checked Widow Springs pond out of McCloud. In the past it has had many species, but is almost silted in now. We did find a few
Western Red Damsels, but nothing else.
July 2, 2004
Lassen & Modoc Counties
Tim & Annette Manolis
We spent most of the day exploring Bob Creek Ranch. For many years I have longed to be able to survey the fascinating countryside along the Pit River Canyon in this part of Lassen County. The problem has been that most of the area is in private hands, trespassing is strongly discouraged in this neck of the woods, and I have been pretty much resigned to looking for birds, dragonflies, etc., from the sides of the few public roads in the region. So it was a dream come true to have the Ables graciously allow us to explore the 400-acre ranch they have just recently purchased. Right off the back deck of the house they just built is a large, old stock pond (an impoundment of Bob Creek) loaded with odonates, they have a number of other marshy ponds on the property, and they border a scenic stretch of the Pit River Canyon, including the confluence of Bob Creek and the river. It is darn near to dragonfly paradise. Highlights of our day afield were three new species for Lassen County -- California Dancer (Argia agrioides), Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens), and Widow Skimmer (Libellula
luctuosa), all vouchered by specimens and bringing the county list to 70 species. Despite being new for the county, these three species were all common and widespread on the property, underscoring how little-known is the odonate fauna of this area. I also had brief looks at what may have been Western River Cruisers, which would also be a country record, but want to wait for better looks (or a specimen) to claim it for sure. I can't wait to get back to the area, as I suspect there are other new county records to be found there.
The rest of our trip produced no surprises. Total species list for the[ multi-day] trip at end of report.
July 1, 2004
Lassen & Modoc Counties
Tim & Annette Manolis
We left Susanville in the morning and drove up to the Hwy 139 towards the Pit River country. At the Ash Creek Campground along USFS Road 22 southeast of Adin, we found many of the same species we had found here last year in July.
Once again, there were large numbers of Great Basin Snaketails (Ophiogomphus morrisoni) and Grappletails (Octogomphus specularis), with lesser numbers of Pacific Clubtails (Gomphus kurilis) flying along this beautiful stream (Ash Creek). Last year, some of the Great Basin Snaketail males netted here showed small occipital horns, a rarity in males of this genus. This time, I was pleased, but not surprised, to find that the female of a tandem pair I netted had conspicuous occipital horns. The presence of such horns in populations in some parts of this species' range, but not in others, presents a mystery in search of a solution.
Our next stop was the Canby Bridge (where Highway 299 crosses the Pit River in Modoc County). Our best finds along the river here were Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens -- a male collected for a first county specimen record) and a Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) -- sight record only, but a first for Modoc County). A little later on in the day we saw more Sooty Dancers in Modoc
County, along Stone Coal Road at its crossing of the Pit River. We ended the day at Bob Creek Ranch, the "homestread" of Ken and Mary Able, along the Little Valley Road south of Pittville, Lassen County.:
River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis )-- Susan River in Susanville)
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas)
Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum)
California Dancer (Argia agrioides - first specimen record for LASSEN)
Emma's Dancer (Argia emma)
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens - first specimen records for LASSEN and MODOC)
*Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana)
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)
Taiga Bluet (Coenagrion resolutum -- Cooper Swamp, LASSEN) - last date reported in 2004
*River Bluet (Enallagma anna)*
Northern and/or Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale and/or cyathigerum)
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)
California Darner (Ischnura perparva)
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor)
Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
(Pacific Spiketail [Cordulegaster dorsalis] one possibly seen at Bob Creek Ranch)
Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis)
Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis)
Great Basin Snaketail (Ophiogomphus morrisoni)
Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica - first sight record for MODOC)
Emerald sp? (a few seem at Silver Lake, in flight only)
Western Pondhawk (Ischnura perparva)
Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica)
Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa - first specimen for LASSEN)
Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta)
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)
Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)
White-face Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)
JUNE
Last week of June, 2004
Contra Costa Co.
Chris Heaivilin
I don't know if we're seeing the same thing, but I've noticed a huge surge in the population of S. corruptum in Contra Costa. Sightings of them have been very sparse in Oakley, until the past week when they just appeared by magic. Also the Pachys are as thick as damsels here now, but the Aeshna have been making themselves scarce.
June 28-30, 2004
Los Angeles Co.
'Mscrigg'
I've been observing hundreds of medium sized , red colored dragonflies migrating through my backyard during the last two days .I would estimate that one enters my yard every five seconds or so.......this must mean that millions are passing through the San Fernando Valley.......thought some one would be interested.....found you on the net...... [probably Variegated Meadowhawks, but possibly Red Rock Skimmers - kb]
June 27, 2004
Sonoma Co.
Paul Saraceni, Eric Preston, Kim Kreitinger
We headed north to check out some NE Sonoma County locations near Healdsburg. We had our best results wading in the Russian River (accessed from SW side of Alexander Valley Rd. bridge) and in the creek that runs parallel to Pine Flat Rd. (accessed near a turnout at MM 1.0 -- climb down the boulders to the creek). Pine Flat Rd. can be reached by heading east (straight) where Alexander Valley Rd. makes a right-hand bend (east of Russian River crossing). In addition to a ranch pond adjacent to Pine Flat Rd. around MM 6.0, there were some seeps and creeks visible from the road on the way to the dead end at the summit (approx. 12 miles from start). As far as we can tell, we never did locate the pond along the upper reaches of the road that has produced good sightings by other observers.
Our list for the day is below:
"RR" = Russian River access @ Alexander Valley Rd. (9:30-10:45)
"MM1" = creek access @ Pine Flat Rd. MM 1.0 (11:00-12:15)
"RP" = Rebizo Ranch Pond (viewed from roadside) (12:30-1:00)
"UP" = upper Pine Flat Rd. (incl. various seeps/creeks above MM 6.0) (1:00-2:45)
American Rubyspot -- RR 20+, MM1 10+
Emma's Dancer -- MM1 10+
Sooty Dancer -- MM1 6+
Vivid Dancer -- MM1 1 m.
Northern/Boreal-type Bluet -- RR 1, MM1 1, RP 2, UP 1
Tule/Arroyo-type bluet -- RR 2, MM1 2, UP 2
Pacific Forktail -- MM1 1 m.
*Swift Forktail -- RR 2 m. (has anyone previously observed this species at this location?)[no, these are NEW! - kb] [last date reported in 2004]
Western Forktail -- UP 1
Blue-eyed Darner -- RR 2
Bison Snaketail -- RR 2- 3, MM1 2
Pacific Spiketail -- MM1 1, RP 1, UP 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk -- RP 3
Red-veined Meadowhawk -- RP 1-2 m.
Western Pondhawk -- RP 10+
Blue Dasher -- RP 2
Common Whitetail -- RP 6+
Twelve-spotted Skimmer -- RP 8+
Flame Skimmer -- RR 2, MM1 1, RP 4+
Red Rock Skimmer -- MM1 3
Pale-faced Clubskimmer -- RR 1
Black Saddlebags -- RR 1, MM1 1, RP 4+, UP 8+
Spot-winged Glider -- UP 1
June 25-27, 2004
Mendocino County
Ron LeValley
Kate Wolf Music Festival, which is along Ten Mile Creek, 10 miles north of Laytonville.
During breaks from the music, we'd wander down to the creek to look at odes and butterflies (and cool off). During one lunch break an American Rubyspot male and female alighted on the barely exposed portion of an aquatic plant (I'm not sure what kind) and the female proceeded to climb underwater until she was almost 4 inches below the surface and we lost sight of her! I've posted a few pictures of the event in the Photos section of Cal-Odes under my photo album.
I've also posted a poor picture of three species of dancers in tandem together. I saw two species land together in poor light, and shot off a quick shot before they dispersed, and when I downloaded the photo, I could identify Emma's, Vivid, and Sooty Dancer pairs in one shot. The light was too harsh for a great picture, but the juxtaposition of three species made the photo worth sharing. Talk about the lack of ecological segregation...
American Rubyspot - 10's
Emma's Dancer - 100+
Sooty Dancer - 10's
Vivid Dancer - a few
Bluet Sp. - a few
Pacific Forktail - a few
Aeshna sp. - 2
Bison Snaketail - a few
Western River Cruiser - a few
Flame Skimmer - 10's
June 30, 2004
Lassen & Modoc Counties
Tim & Annette Manolis
For a few days ., Annette and I explored some of my favorite areas in northeastern California. I had two general goals in mind, to look for new county records in (1) the high country lakes and bogs in Lassen County east of the Lassen Peak region, as well as in (2) the Pit River country in northwestern Lassen County and southwestern Modoc County. In reference to the former, my efforts were hampered by daily thunderstorm activity -- it is hard to find odonates when it is cloudy most of the time, raining much of the time, and even occasionally hailing! Fortunately, the Pit River country had many nice surprises. Rather than supply laundry lists of species for various sites, I will just discuss some of the more interesting observations in roughly chronological order:
On the drive up to Highway 99 from Sacramento to Chico, swarms of what appeared to be primarily gliders (Pantala spp.) were constantly crossing in front of the truck. One smacked into the windshield wipers and stuck. Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) were also present in these swarms (and probably Variegated Meadowhawks [Sympetrum corruptum] and Common Green Darners [Anax junius], too). When we finally stopped for lunch in Chester, I found the remnant bits on the windshield to be of a Spot-winged Glider (P. hymenaea), and found 3 more of the same stuck to the radiator.
In the afternoon, we visited a few mountain lakes and creeks near Clear Creek and Westwood, Lassen County, but thunderstorm buildup made for slow going, and we only saw modest numbers of the common species in the area. The most interesting observation of the day was made near the south end of Clover Valley north of Westwood just off County Road A21. The area had obviously been hit by a severe thunderstorm just prior to our arrival. Hail still littered the ground and water puddled in the muddy trails. As I walked through the open woods,
I came across a Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) lying stunned in the trail. I picked it up and it trembled feebly on my hand. Its wings were battered and frayed, the outer half of one wing entirely missing. The dragonfly was spattered all over with mud. The force of the hailstorm must have hit so suddenly as to catch it in midflight and drive it to the ground.
week of June 20th
Sierra & Plumas Co.
Doug Vaughan
My wife and I returned Sunday from the Sierra, where we took a week-long course on butterflies at the SFSU field campus near Yuba Pass. Spending too much effort looking at odes would have been frowned on (quite properly), but we did glimpse a few, and on Saturday, June 26, we were able to check a couple of spots on our own.
It's a short list, but it includes two lifers:
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)
Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale) -- one netted
Northern Bluet (E. cyathigerum) -- three netted, many more Boreal/Northerns
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) -- one
Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum) -- fairly common at two sites
Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii) -- six or eight along the Round Lake trail, Plumas Co.; scattered sightings elsewhere
*Mountain Emerald (Somatochlora semicircularis) - fairly numerous at Lincoln Meadow, Sierra Co [upgrade of sighting only record]; we collected a male and a female on 6/26, since there appeared to be no specimen record. More remarkably, there are no Plumas Co. records at all!
Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica) -- some at Lincoln Meadow (6/22 and 6/26 -- more on this below)
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis) -- common in Sierra Valley
Four-spotted Skimmer (L. quadrimaculata) -- only two
(We saw one or two immature whitefaces on 6/22 and then again only immatures on 6/26 -- indeed, only immature females. In both cases, we saw them along a road bordering the boggy meadow, none over the meadow itself. It was as if the females emerged, moved to the border of the meadow, and then dispersed when mature. Do they mate and oviposit only later in the season? Where were the males?
Furthermore, the identification itself is an inference based on the rarity of the Red-waisted Whiteface (L. proxima). I have tried (with a microscope from my high school years!) to examine the vulvar lamina, but with no luck. I can't even find the damn thing! I have no trouble with male and female appendages, even male hamules, but this feature eludes me on the dark underside of this critter.
June 24, 2004
Santa Barbara Co.
Nick Lethaby
Santa Ynez River
Went to check this briefly today. Low water level and seeming lower numbers of odes than last year but not too bad in the end:
Giant Darner - 1
Common Green Darner - 2+
Gray sanddragon - 1- 2
Flame Skimmer - 4+
Blue Dasher - 3
Black Saddlebags - 1- 2
Sooty Dancer - 6+
Vivid Dancer - some
Damsels - I don't have a clue on bluets and some dancers
June 23, 2004
Butte County
Tim Manolis
Visited a few spots .
At the Hone y Run Unit of the Butte Creek Ecological Reserve, in Butte Creek Canyon:
American Rubyspot -- a few seen
Emma's Dancer -- fairly common, about 20-30 seen
California Dancer -- 2 males netted, probably a few others seen
Sooty Dancer -- 2-3 seen, one female netted
Familiar Bluet -- a male netted
Northern Bluet -- a couple of males netted
Tule Bluet -- a male netted
Pacific Forktail -- 5 seen
Green Darner -- 1 seen
Western Pondhawk -- 2- 3 seen
Blue Dasher -- 3-4 seen
Flame Skimmer -- 4 seen
12-spotted Skimmer -- 2 seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- common, about 50 seen
Wandering Glider -- fairly common, 15-20 seen
Spot-winged Glider -- common, 20-30 seen
Black Saddlebags -- 8-10 seen
Further up the canyon at a seep spring marsh along the Centerville Road near Castle Rock were:
Vivid Dancer -- 15-20 seen
Northern Bluet -- a few seen
Tule Bluet -- a male netted
Desert Firetail -- tandem pair seen
Common Whitetail -- a male
*Neon Skimmer -- a nice male
Flame Skimmer -- 2- 3
12-spotted Skimmer -- 1 male
Variegated Meadowhawk -- 10- 15
Spot-winged Glider -- a few
Last spot visited was Dry Creek at Hwy 149, between Chico and Oroville:
American Rubyspot -- a few seen
California Dancer -- a few seen
Pacific Forktail -- a few
Black-fronted Forktail -- a male seen
Gray sanddragon -- 2-3 seen
Western Pondhawk -- 8-10 seen
Blue Dasher -- 6-8 seen
Common Whitetail -- 2-3 seen
* *Comanche Skimmer -- a male netted {only time found this year}
Flame Skimmer -- 3-4 seen
Widow Skimmer -- 10+ seen
12-spotted Skimmer -- 2- 3 seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- 30- 40
Black Saddlebags -- 8 seen
Wandering and Spot-winged Gliders -- 5-6 of each
The Pantala gliders, Black Saddlebags and, especially, Variegated Meadowhawks are quite common, as is usual at this time of year, in the rice growing regions of Butte, Sutter, and Sacramento counties (and no doubt other rice-growing counties such as Colusa, Yuba, etc.). I suspect there is a considerable emergence in the rice fields resulting from breeding activity by these species in the spring.
The Comanche and Neon skimmers were the first of these species I have seen so far this year.
June 22, 2004
Siskiiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River again today. We put in at China Point River Access, six miles east of Happy Camp. We floated into Happy Camp taking out at the Indian Creek River Access. We floated twelve river miles. The weather was superb; sunny, low 90's. Ode action was non-stop. We were looking for signs of a juvenile fish kill, so we hugged the shoreline and searched eddies. That's where all the ode action seemed to be. Here is what we saw:
American Rubyspot - some
River Jewelwing - super abundant. Saw over a thousand bugs easily. One tule had a dozen males perched on it's horizontal stem. They were every where; probably the most common ode on the river today. I have never seen so many. Collected some dead specimens from the eddies.
Vivid Dancer - fairly common, some ovipositing
Emma's Dancer - many pair s ovipositing
Northern Bluet - common, some ovipositing
Common Green Darner - some pair s ovipositing, few males - netted for id
Blue-eyed Darner - 1 male - netted for id
Pacific Clubtail - very common, lots perched on willows & grasses
Sinuous Snaketail - very common, lots at put-in in dryer areas
Western River Cruiser - 15-20 cruising
Beaverpond Baskettail - few - netted for id [last date reported 2004]
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 10 males - netted for id and skirmishing
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 3 males - netted for id
Widow Skimmer - 12 males - netted for id
Common Whitetail - 3 males - netted for id
Flame Skimmer - 2 males - netted for id
Also of note: found a dead western pond turtle Bird of day: mature bald eagle successfully fishing.
June 21, 2004
Shasta Co.
Bruce Deuel
I was up on the road to Timbered Crater, just N of Fall River Valley in Shasta Co., yesterday and also noticed many Variegated Meadowhawks far from any water. The only other odes I saw here were some Eight- spotted Skimmers and 1 Black Saddlebags.
June 20, 2004
Colusa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bear Creek at 9 pm with just barely enough light to see,
Giant Darner - one was still cruising the creek!!
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Marin Co.
Tony Harrow & Al Brewster
Lake Alpine and Lagunitas Lake
Surprising to us are the low species numbers compared to last year, despite very nice warm windless days. Odes numbers are significantly down, usually just 1 or 2 of a species compared to last year at the same time. The birding has been better, the leps have been almost non-existent. Is this happening elsewhere? Particularly absent are damsels. Alpine Lake seems very low for some reason and although we could see some damsels out over the water we only found 2 individual damsels in 3 plus hours over the shore at both Lakes. Last year we were seeing them almost every step we took.
1 Pacific Forktail
1 Bluet sp
2 Common Green Darners
1 Blue Eyed Darner
1 Pacific Clubtail
2 Beaverpond Basketails (tandem)
2 Variegated Meadowhawks
1 Western Pondhawk
2 Cardinal Meadowhawks
1 Blue Dasher
Common Whitetails - Some - 1 or 2 females but predominantly males
some 8 Spotted Skimmers
Many (20 plus) Widow Skimmers
Some Flame Skimmers
1 Black Saddlebags
The Bl. Saddlebags and the Widow Skimmers were the first of the year for us.
My small home pond (about 750 gallons) has some male and female Pacific Forktails and we've watched a Flame Skimmer ovipositing.
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Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River from Coon Creek River Access to Blue Nose River Access today. Fair amount of ode action noted. Weather was
superb, sunny and low 90's. This trip started 18 miles west of Happy Camp. We floated about eight miles of river. Here is who I saw:
American Rubyspot - very common
River Jewelwing - many males and some females
Emma's Dancer - some pair s ovipositing
Northern Bluet/Boreal bluet - lots of them ovipositing
Western Forktail - 1 male
Common Green Darner - 1 male - netted for id
Blue-eyed Darner - some males - netted for id
Pacific Clubtail - few males
Sinuous Snaketail - relatively some
Great Basin Snaketail - 2 two aqua blue eyes and green thorax. (I have only recently distinguished these guys from the sinuous snaketail.)
Western River Cruiser - 5 males - netted for id, the first I have seen this season.
Beaverpond baskettail - few males - netted for id
Twelve-spotted skimmer - 2 males skirmishing
Widow skimmer - 2 males - netted for id
Flame Skimmer - some males - netted for id
Birds of the day: bald eagle - 3 year old, flying upriver & bald eagle - 2 year old, flying upriver
I would be happy to take any odesters on a float to assist me in my normal duties along the river. Great opportunity to see lots of ode action and every thing thing else that comes along.
June 19/20, 2004
Siskiyou Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Interesting to us was to find more Variegated Meadowhawks up on Mt. Shasta! We found a 'cluster' of about 12-24, all but one female/immature in coloration at approx. the 4,500 ft level on Saturday, and one on our own nearby property the next day. This is all far from water.
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Mendocino Co.
Michael J. Ellis
Lake Leonard -
Flame skimmer
Cardinal meadowhawk
Western pondhawk
Blue dasher
8-spotted skimmer
Common green darner
Beaverpond baskettail
Grappletail
Pacific Clubtail
Blue-eyed darner
Pacific Spiketail - hanging upside down
Northern Bluet
Pacific forktail
June 19, 2004
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun
I checked out three locations in Shasta County this morning: Logan Lakeand Big Springs (both near Old Station) and the Lily Pond Trail in Lassen Park.
Logan Lake:
Unknown teneral Spreadwing (probably Emerald) - common
Pacific Forktail - some
Western Forktail - common
Common Green Darner - 1 dead on water
Unknown Darner (California?) - some
Dot-tailed Whiteface - some
Big Springs:
Western Forktail - 20+
Western Red Damsel - 1 male
Lily Pond Trail:
Taiga Bluet - some
Boreal Bluet (assumed to be from results of trip 3 weeks prior) - some
Western Red Damsel - some
*Hudsonian Whiteface (white face, which from slender abdomen appeared to be a male, had red spots on top of abdomen) - 1
Four-spotted Skimmer
June 18, 2004
Colusa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bear Creek, at ~2 pm, in a 7 min. viewing thru binoculars from the road:
Variegated Meadowhawks - 100s of them, all immature/female coloration; most were up on road edges
Flame Skimmers - many, but not as many as last month when they were the only show in town
Black Saddlebags - some
Widow Skimmer - one
Western River Cruiser- some, and VERY active!
Gray sanddragon - a few seen
Giant Darners - MANY :- )
Am. Rubyspot - a few
Dancers - a few
Bluets - a few
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Tehama Co.
John Sterling
I just returned from bird survey work near Manton in the blue oak belt in eastern Tehama County. Lots of odes at one spot on private property including
Vivid Dancer-- 20
Western Forktail Ischnura perparva--2 bad photos - upgrade from sighting only record
Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis --1 photo - new photo record
Desert Firetail Telebasis salva --1- new sighting only record
Common Green Darner-- 4
Pacific Spiketail--4 photo (lifer for me)
Western Pondhawk-- 4
Hoary Skimmer-- 20
Flame Skimmer-- 10
Common Whitetail-- 6
Widow Skimmer-- 2
Eight-spotted Skimmer Liblleula forensis--3 photo photos - upgrade from sighting only record
Twelve-spotted Skimmer-- 6
Cardinal Meadowhawk-- 8
Variegated Meadowhawk-- 10
Black Saddlebags- 5
June 17, 2004
Tehama Co.
Ray Bruun
Being in the area on business, I had a few minutes this morning to check out the ode life near the town of Mineral in Tehama County. Mineral is six miles south-southwest of the southern entrance to Lassen Park (on Hwy 99). I was trying to get to McGowan Lake, but it turned out to be private and the road there was plastered with "no trespassing" signs. While walking along the road (before it turned private) at a location that is about 2100 feet from the lake, I flushed at least a half dozen dragonflies from some bushes. They turned out to be young American Emeralds. I probably saw 20 or 30 of them in a relatively small area, most of them resting. Checking a topo map later, the American Emerald location was at least 2100 feet from any lake (there were some lakes in the vicinity). I was surprised to see such a high concentration of dragonflies away from water. Must have been quite an emergence. I initially tried photographing the emeralds while wearing my light-green work shirt, without much luck. After I put on a camo shirt (I usually wear a camouflage shirt while stalking odes to break up my outline), approaching the dragonflies became noticeably easier. Do any of you other folks use camo gear when photographing odes and have you found it helpful?
June 15, 2004
Sonoma Co.
David A. Hofmann & Kathy Biggs
Pine Flat Road in the northern portion of Sonoma County. It dead ends overlooking the steam fields that Calpine is using to generate electricity. In approx. nine miles and five hours we saw twenty-five species.
Common Whitetail---------many, many
Hoary Skimmer------------three (males)
Twelve-spotted Skimmer-- three
Flame Skimmer------------ twelve
Wandering Glider----------one , over roadbed
Cardinal Meadowhawk----- six
Red-veined Meadowhawk--one
Striped Meadowhawk------ four
Black Saddlebags---------one
Pacific Spiketail-----------four, over roadbed
Blue-eyed Darner---------one , over roadbed
Common Green Darner----one
Pacific Clubtail------------one , over roadbed
Bison Snaketail-----------one , over roadbed
American Rubyspot-------one , on creek, seen from roadbed
Black Spreadwing--------many, many
California Dancer---------one
Emma's Dancer-----------one
Sooty Dancer------------one , on creek, seen from roadbed
Vivid Dancer------------- many
Northern/Boreal Bluet-----some; the one collected is a Boreal
Tule Bluet--------------- some
Arroyo Bluet------------- some
Pacific Forktail----------- some
Western Forktail--------- some
At the top of the road in the chaparral, we had hill-topping dragons. A little lower we had a beautiful little pond that was alive with many dragons and damsels. Also got to see damsel nymphs (spreadwing & non-spreadwing), California Newt nymphs, Western Pond Turtles, Western Aquatic Garter Snake, and more at the pond. There were also some seeps that we checked out on the way coming down the road, all were productive.
June 11-15, 2004
Kern County
Redwood Region Ornithological Society, reported by Alan Wight
Kern River Preserve and Surrounding Area
Vivid Dancer
Western Red Damsel
Darner sp.
Flame Skimmer
June 14, 2004
Sonoma Co.
Dave and Kathy Biggs and Michael Ellis of Footloose Forays and
m.o.
Lake Raphine, Santa Rosa
Tule/Arroyo Bluet - low #s, one examined in hand was an Arroyo
Pacific Forktail - one male seen by Dave Biggs
Blue-eyed Darner - suspected this species
Common Green Darner - some seen
Western Pondhawk - males and ovipositing females seen
Eight-spotted Skimmer - not as common as at Spring Lake
Widow Skimmer - some
Common Whitetail - many, inc. ovipositing female with male hover
guarding
Flame Skimmer - many
Blue Dasher - many
Variegated Meadowhawk - one teneral seen
Cardinal Meadowhawk - one male seen
Black Saddlebags - many seen, including tandem pair s
ovipositing in 'Tramea dance'
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Riverside Co.
Bernard Hicks family
Indian Wells
They have a Blue Dasher that rides around on their fingertips for
extended periods, in and outside of their swimming pool!
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Santa Clara County.
Claudia Mae Lawrence
Indian Wells Los Gatos, about 3/4 of mile west of Los Gatos Creek & about 1
mile west of Vasona Lake.
We have a year-old backyard pond that is 4x8 feet by 30 inches deep and we have our first dragonfly this afternoon, a male Western Pondhawk (E. collocata). He has spent the last 2 hours with us & I have taken his picture.
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Lassen County
Tim Manolis
Was up running Breeding Bird Surveys last week and did a little looking for odonates on the side. Saw nothing out of the ordinary but was finally able to nab some Epithica canis, one at Clear Creek (between Westwood and Lake Almanor) and near Madeline (both localities in Lassen County). This upgrades Epitheca canis Beaverpond Baskettail from sight record to specimen record.
June 13, 2004
Sonoma Co.
Dave and Kathy Biggs and Michael Ellis of Footloose Forays and m.o.
Spring Lake, Santa Rosa
Tule/Arroyo Bluet - low #s
Pacific Forktail - some seen
Western Forktail - a few seen
California/Blue-eyed Darner - a few suspected of each species
Common Green Darner - some seen
Eight-spotted Skimmer - very common
Widow Skimmer - a few
Common Whitetail - many
Flame Skimmer - some
Blue Dasher - many; one female seen
Black Saddlebags - some
Also seen: King Snake
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Marin Co.
Eric Preston
I had a single San Francisco or Black-fronted Forktail at the bridge
at the end of the trail to Abbott's Lagoon at PRNS in Marin Co. It was perched
on a piece of driftwood in the water just below the bridge. I had no net and
couldn't get close enough to get it to species. There are other localities in
PRNS for S.F. Forktails, but I thought I'd let people know about this
possibility. The more the merrier.
June 12, 2004
San Mateo Co.
Paul Saraceni
Today I briefly visited the Calero Creek wetland restoration site, located
west of the intersection of Hwy. 1/Reina del Mar in Pacifica, San Mateo County.
At the ocean end of the creek, just before the creek is routed into a culvert
beneath the beach, the creek widens and forms a weedy pool. In that area, I
observed at least 8 m. & 2 f. (including tandem pair ) San
Francisco/Black-fronted -type Forktails. Of the three males for which I was
able to study the appendages, all were *San Francisco Forktails. The
only other ode I observed along the creek was a Blue-eyed Darner.
Also of interest in the area of the pool were 2 Coast Garter Snakes.
June 11, 2004
Siskiyou Co.
Greg Kareofelas and Andy Rehn
Andy Rehn and I left Sacramento area 6:00, drove to the Collier's Rest stop
on I-5 above Yreka, arriving at 10:30. We collected and left up north at 3:30,
arriving home last night at 8:00. It was a long trip, but successful.
Our first stop was the "rest stop" where we collected O.
morrisoni & occidentis, G. kurilis & C. aequabilis. When
we got tired of answering peoples' questioning "why are you chasing
dragonflies??" we crossed the bridge, went a mile or so south and spent
the rest of the time (with no tourists questioning us), collecting and enjoying
the "outbreak" - also along the Klamath. We had quite never
experienced a true "Mass emergence" of Gomphids of that magnitude, so
it was somewhat breathtaking just to be there! I am getting ready to do the
scans today and undoubtedly tonight also.
-------
Shasta Co.
Ray Bruun and family
...the family and I went to Lake McCumber (4,000 ft and 35 miles east of
Redding). In addition to odes, we saw a few butterflies, a flock of about 30 Common
Nighthawks, an osprey, a bald eagle, and a day flying bat. Here's a list of the
Odonata:
Spotted Spreadwing - 1 young/teneral female
Pacific Forktail - common
Western Forktail - a few
Boreal Bluet - common
Common Green Darner - 2 or 3
California/Blue-eyed Darner - some
Emerald sp. - 1
Dot-tailed Whiteface - 1
Common Whitetail - 5 to 10
*White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum - common, all young or
teneral
*Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale - 2 young/teneral
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - common
Four-spotted Skimmer - common
June 10, 2004
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I went to Kelly Lake today to see if any odes were flying yet. The weather
was partly cloudy and cool. Temps were in the 60's at best. Kelly Lake lies
just south of the Oregon border in the Siskiyou Wilderness. Here is what I saw
at the lake.
Bluets were emerging from the lake in sparse numbers. I saw my first damselfly
larvae in the water. I found less than ten teneral adults and most of them were
prey for the ants. I did see three make first flights. I did not id any of
them.
I saw one female Aeshna sp. ovipositing into wet wood floating in
the lake. I did not disturb or try to net for id.
*American Emeralds Cordulia shurtleffii were emerging from the
lake in large numbers. I watched the entire process as larvae waded ashore;
climbed about looking for the right spot; emerged from the exuvia; pumped up
new wings; and a lucky few were able to take first flight. Predators were again
waiting along shore for the easy pickings. One larvae was walking a log, when a
golden-mantled squirrel hopped up and took two quick bites. The squirrel spit
out the larvae and hopped away. The ants finished the disabled larvae. Birds
also took a heavy toll, I saw Stellar's Jay, Yellow-rumped warbler, Oregon
Junco, and Robin all come to the feast. I even watched a Ribbon Snake work the
shoreline for emerald larvae. Ants also feasted on the larvae and many
unfortunate tenerals. The wind fouled many sets of wings on the teneral
emeralds. The log tables were set for a feast once I left. I did see a fair
number of emeralds make the first flight. The wind would sweep them high into
the surrounding forest canopy. It was quite a spectacle to watch.
Critters of the day: Mature black bear crossing road. Doe with newborn twin
fawns.
June 9, 2004
Siskiyou Co.
Dave Payne
I went to the pond at the Happy Camp River Park and spent the afternoon
netting numerous odes. Weather was partly cloudy w/temps in the 60's. Here is
who I saw or captured for id only.
Emma's Dancer - a few males about
Tule Bluet - netted for id
Western Forktail - male netted
Common Green Darner - some - netted for id
Pacific Clubtail - some netted
Sinuous Snaketail - some netted
Beaverpond Baskettail - netted for id
Cardinal Meadowhawk - some males about
Western Pondhawk - netted one female; some males -
netted for id
Eight-spotted Skimmer - some males - netted for id
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - netted some females and one
male
Widow Skimmer - netted both male and female
Common Whitetail- netted male; female ovipositing on
floating veg
Black Saddlebags - some - netted for id
Also found a western pond turtle in high grass, probably a female searching
for a nesting place. I steered clear and gave her plenty of space.
June 8, 2004
Monterrey Co.
Rob Fowler
I was at my buddy Steve Rovell's house last night and we were looking at the species of odonates recorded in Monterey
county. After looking at the list I realized that I have about 3 odes that may be new county records. All of these records
are from Andrew Molera State Park along the Big Sur coast. Here's the potential new species:
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens -1st identified on 8 June; seen here most days [ sight record].
Spot-winged Glider Pantala hymenaea-1st identified on 8 June; seen here most days [ sight record].
Red Saddlebags- Tramea onusta - 1st identified on 8 June; seen here most days. [this species is accepted - kb]
All three of these species are common at Molera along with American Rubyspots (in riparian on the Big Sur River),Vivid Dancers, Blue-eyed Darners, and the occasional Variegated and Cardinal Meadowhawks.
June 7, 2004
Mendocino County
Ron LeValley
Big River Unit, Mendocino Headlands State Park
American Rubyspot - one along the logging road near the Woodlands
Sooty Dancer - many along the "haul" road paralleling the river and along the river gravel bars
Vivid Dancer - a few along the "haul" road
Exclamation Damsel - a few along the river
Pacific Clubtail - 10's along the "haul" road and on the river gravel bars
Bison Snaketail - 10's along the "haul" road and on the river gravel bars
June 6, 2004
El Dorado Co.
Steve Abbott
Today at Gold Bug Park on Bedford Ave in Placerville I found a - netted for
id PACIFIC SPIKETAIL. What a impressive bug! There were also 5-6
CARDINAL MEADOWHAWKS. Never did make it out to the local Grappletail spot
to attempt d-scoping...perhaps tomorrow.
At Luther's Pass there were many Bluets including TAIGA BLUET. This
was the only one I felt comfortable identifying (it is quite different from the
Enallagma bluets).
There were more bluets and a probable Aeshna sp. at
Indian Creek Reservoir.
-------
Siskiyou Co.
Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith
16:00-17:30; We got to the Shasta River [at Hudson Rd., above Yreka] at 4
pm, and it was alive with odonates. Well, at least alive with Pacific
Clubtails. There were hundreds and hundreds of them, coming off the road in
veritable swarms as we walked or drove along. Only in the East have I seen a
few species of gomphids as common as G. at the Shasta and Klamath rivers. We
concentrated on finding snaketails, and we only saw two; both were female
Sinuous snaketails. No trace of Bison (sob). We got tons of photos of Pacifics
(until neither of us could bear to look at another one in our viewfinder) and a
few of other things such as jewelwings and dancers
We stopped also at the Randolph Collier Rest Area again, after 6 pm. Amazingly,
I saw not a trace of a baskettail, yet they were common there 3 evenings earlier
(interestingly, we didn't see any at the Shasta River either)! I suspect it has
something to do with wind direction, but it was mind-boggling. We searched the
hordes of kurilis again for snaketails and found some male Great Basin
and some female Sinuous, got more photos of same. I kept a Great Basin alive
and just scanned it this morning.
The report:
Calopteryx aequabilis - male
Hetaerina americana - both sexes com
Argia emma - com
Ischnura perparva - few feeding and hanging up, also over river
Gomphus kurilis - 1f; both sexes abund, few prs
Ophiogomphus occidentis - 1f; two females; perched on shrub and ground
Randolph Collier Rest Area
18:20-18:40; warm, sunny, sun leaving river during our visit; less wind than previous visit, from different direction
Hetaerina americana - going to roost in trees at shore
Argia emma - com away from water
Gomphus kurilis - com away from water
Ophiogomphus morrisoni - 2m; only one s seen
O. occidentis - 2f; only one s seen
Epitheca - no sign of them!
---
Butte Co.
Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith, Tim Manolis
10:00-10:30; warm, sunny
marshy pond in Oroville Wildlife Area, 2 mi S Thermalito
extensive marshy pond in open grassland, almost solid emergent vegetation but some open water areas
Lestes stultus - single female; Tim said they were common here earlier
Ischnura cervula - few in one small area; otherwise no zygopterans!
Ischnura perparva - females com, few green two not a single mature male!
Libellula pulchella - few males
Pachydiplax longipennis - mature males com, few females and immatures
Sympetrum corruptum - few tenerals
June 5, 2004
Placer Co.
Steve Abbott & Bruce Webb
Today, Bruce Webb and I set out to find some odonates in and around the
Roseville-Auburn area.
At Miner's Ravine behind the United Artist Theater, Sunrise and Eureka:
White-belted Ringtail Erpetogomphus compositus - freshly emerged
(a photo is now in my folder in the photos section of the CalOdes Group site)
Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga mendax - 3
Sooty Dancer A. lugens
Emma's Dancers - 2
American Rubyspots - lots (one consumed by a Black Phoebe)
Vivid Dancers - lots
Twelve-spotted Skimmers - 3 (m)
Widow Skimmers - 1-2 (1 possible m, 1 f)
At the confluence of the North and South Forks of the American River:
Red Rock Skimmer- 1
Common Whitetail - 1
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 1 (f)
At the ponds between Safew ay and Douglas Blvd at Sierra College Blvd:
Western Pondhawks- some
Blue Dashers- some
Western Forktail-
Pacific Forktail-
Black-fronted Forktail-
Common Whitetail-
Black Saddlebags-
Common Green Darner-
Bluet sp. -
In Granite Bay:
Flame Skimmer-
Common Whitetail-
Western Pondhawk-
-------
San Francisco Co.
Dennis Paulson, Netta Smith, Kathy & Dave Biggs
Dennis and Netta came down from Seattle to take pix of CA endemics for
Dennis's forthcoming Western USA Dragonflies. We followed Paul Saranceni's
excellent directions to the SF Forktail site at Fort Point, SF;11:00-11:30;
warm, clear narrow band of sedges at bottom of cliff just up from road along
salt water; water seeps down from above and forms this shallow ditch; photos
330-338. There we saw and photographed:
*SF Forktail Ischnura gemina *- many; 2m 2f; males & females
com, all together in low sedges; two prs copulated; all females looked about
the same, either brighter or duller pinkish-brown on thorax; didn't see
anything particularly different from denticollis about them
Vivid Dancer - some; few males & prs; what must have been larvae of
this were on the underside of a 40 cm wide rock we turned over
Cardinal Meadowhawk - one female ovipositing; ovipos female;
stayed in one tiny opening for a minute or more, tapping many many times; not
too much open water present
Blue-eyed/CA Darner - one exuvia found
Marin Co.
Then we 'messed up' and missed Alpine/Lagunitas Lakes, but ended up going
to 5 Brooks at Point Reyes where Dave and I were delighted to find a
Swift Forktail
---
Sonoma Co.
Then we stopped at the Sonoma Horticultural Gardens here in Sebastopol in
hopes of photographing Exclamation Damsels. During their main flight season,
there are thousands of them here. But it was towards the end of their flight
season, plus, they'd sprayed the nursery with insecticide :-( We did find some,
and some good photos were taken.
Exclamation Damsels - 1f; few females few er males in shrubs above narrow, muddy, deep-bed slow-flowing stream
June 4, 2004
Glenn Co.
Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith
Pond at hwy 162 at E border of Mendocino National Forest; 10:00-10:40; hot,
sunny; small pond with much cattail and sedge, also open water; no fish; photos
238-276
Lestes stultus Black Spreadwing - two males - photo record
Lestes sp. - tenerals com
Ischnura cervula - few
Telebasis salva Desert Firetail - male
Anax junius - male
Rhionaeschna multicolor - male
Ischnura perparva - males com at water, much chasing
Libellula luctuosa - few males
L. pulchella - few males
L. saturata Flame Skimmer - few males; female away from water - upgrade to photo from sighting only record
Pachydiplax longipennis - males f com
Plathemis lydia - few males
Sympetrum illotum Cardinal Meadowhawk - few males
S. madidum Red-veined Meadowhawk - few tenerals & imms - photo record
Tramea lacerata - few two at least two ovipos prs
---
Colusa Co.
Bear Creek on 16 S of 20; 13:30-14:00; very hot, sunny; photos 277-302
Hetaerina americana - few males
Argia agrioides - few males
A. lugens - few males
A. vivida - male
Enallagma cyathigerum (presumably) - male
Erpetogomphus compositus - few
Progomphus borealis - few two more com than compositus
Macromia magnifica - few males
*Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga mendax - few males
Libellula luctuosa - few males
L. saturata - males abund, one pr copulated for <20 sec, then female ovipos right at bank, splashing eggs on land
---
Mendocino Co.
Russian River S of Hopland; 15:00-15:20; photos 303-329
Hetaerina americana - few males
Argia emma - males com at water, one pr, few females away
Enallagma cyathigerum - two two one of them with much black on middle segments (thought it was carunculatum, but photo shows otherwise); presumably not boreale at river
June 3, 2004
Sonoma Co.
Kathy Biggs
A fairly quick walk around Lake Ralphine in Santa Rosa at 4 pm, temp ~77.
All species seen were in low #s, ~ 6- 12 unless otherwise indicated
Vivid Dancer - 2
no bluets seen at all!
Pacific Forktail - 1m
Darner sp. - 1 barely seen
Pacific Clubtail - 1
no Basketails seen this time
Common Whitetail
Widow Skimmer
Flame Skimmer
Western Pondhawk - 1f
Blue Dasher - 1m
That's all! This lake was partially drained last year. Wonder if that is
still affecting it?
-------
Siskiyou CO.
Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith
Randolph Collier Rest area, Klamath R at I-5; 17:30-18:30; hot, sunny; photos 175-237
Calopteryx aequabilis - both sexes com; many males fluttering over beds of vegetation at shore, very different environment from faster-flowing river farther out
Hetaerina americana - few males
Argia emma - few
A. vivida - f com
Anax junius - few males over river; most dragons flying over river moved upstream low over fairly rapidly flowing water; saw very little downstream movement
Gomphus kurilis - both sexes abund in Rubus discolor, fewer in trees, males com on river; many tenerals; few prs flew away from river and hung up in trees head height and above
Ophiogomphus morrisoni - few of both sexes in grass or on chain-link fence away from water; definitely more likely to land on top of fence than was kurilis
Epithica canis - 2m; males com over river, also many flying over green lawn in what was either territorial cruising or just feeding territories; very low, usually 1m or less
Libellula saturata - one male
June 1, 2004
Tehama Co.
Greg Kareofelas
Wilson Lake
Amphiagrion abbreviatum Western Red Damsel - specimen caught
MAY
May 31, 2004
Colusa Co.
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bear Creek @ Hwy 20
A quick stop at 5 pm, for ~ 7 mins, 80 degree temp. The only odes seen were many
many Flame Skimmers and a few Vivid Dancers
-------
Marin County
Paul Saraceni & Kevin McKereghan
Alpine Lake:
Black Spreadwing 10+ (incl. some in-hand ID)
Northern/Boreal Bluet sp. 5+
Tule Bluet 2 m. (in-hand ID)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet sp. 10+
Western Forktail 2
Common Green Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 2
California Darner 1
Striped Meadowhawk 6
Meadowhawk sp. 10+ tenerals
Eight-spotted Skimmer 10+
Lagunitas Lake (including spillway stream to Bon Tempe Lake):
Vivid Dancer 10+ (stream)
Boreal Bluet 3 m. (in-hand ID)
Northern/Boreal Bluet sp. 10+
Arroyo Bluet 1 m. (in-hand ID)
Tule/Arroyo Bluet sp. 20+
Exclamation Damsel 8 (stream)
Western Forktail 3
Pacific Forktail 5+
Common Green Darner 2
Blue-eyed Darner 5+
Pacific Clubtail 8+
Grappletail 2 (stream)
Cardinal Meadowhawk 10+
Blue Dasher 2
Eight-spotted Skimmer 40+
Widow Skimmer 2
Common Whitetail 40+
Flame Skimmer 20+
Rodeo Lagoon (pond at east end), Marin Headlands, GGNRA:
Northern Bluet 3 m. (in-hand ID)
Northern/Boreal Bluet sp. 20+
Western Forktail 3
Pacific Forktail 40+
Swift Forktail 5 m., 3 f. (incl. 2 in-hand ID; along paths in from picnic
tables on south side of pond)
Common Green Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk 4
Predations observed:
- Acorn Woodpecker catching teneral dragonfly sp. in mid-air
- Yellowjacket carrying and then completely devouring a bluet sp.
- Eight-spotted Skimmer eating a Ladybug (there was a big hatch of those
bugs at Lagunitas Lake)
-------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Lassen National Park, Reflection Lake and Lily Pond Trail:
*Taiga Bluet Coenagrion resolutum - 5 to 10
Boreal Bluet - common
Black-fronted Forktail - 1 male
Western Forktail - 1 female
Common Whitetail - 1
Four-spotted Skimmer - some
May 30, 2004
San Francisco Co.
Paul Saraceni
Cole Valley
Red Rock Skimmer - 1 adult male made repeated passes near our house in a
residential neighborhood (no nearby water).... yet another out-of-habitat
sighting of a Red Rock Skimmer
-------
Siskiyou Co.
Dave & Kathy Biggs
Shasta River @ Hudson Rd, 8 miles north of Yreka
River Jewelwing - ~50 [see behavior report below]
American Rubyspot - twice as many as Jewelwings, so ~100
Emma's Dancer - twice as many as Rubyspots, so ~200. A pair captured to
scan
Northern &/or Boreal Bluet - some dozen , none captured
Pacific Forktail - only 2 males seen
Western Forktail - a couple dozen
CA &/or Blue-eyed Darner - ~12 (none caught or landed - but we suspect
both by size)
Pacific Clubtail - ~50; a few examined in hand
Bison Snaketail - ~6
[NO Sinuous Snaketails!]
Beaverpond Baskettail - 5-6, one caught and examined in hand
[NO skimmers!]
By just wading across the river (easily done , not much more than knee deep
although swift and with slippery rocks) and going upstream 20 ft. we were
standing alongside a tule patch that extended into the water and just in front
of it was a patch of underwater plants: elodia, I believe, and another
plant I don't know the name of, with string algae hanging in long trails from
it, as 'Spanish moss' does from oak trees. The male & female Jewelwings
were perched on the tules (and on Dave's cap some times!), mostly within
2 ft of the water surface. The males were holding amazingly small territories,
some barely a foot square, and there were many skirmishes with them flying
around in circles and displaying their beautiful wings. (mind you, all this is
within inches to a few feet of us, ~ 10 per site at this point)
The female and male jewelwings were mixed together on the tules and sometimes a
male would go and do a display over his territory, but we never witnessed the
moment the female thought, 'Aha, this is the site for me!', but we did
get to witness some times when the male would come and 'tow' a female, dragging
her along and into the surface of the water. Then, when her legs would take
hold of the algae/leaves, he would let go and land nearby, presumably to defend
her, while she completely submerged and crawled about underwater, ~ 1/2-2"
under the surface, ovipositing into the plant matter. One such female spent the
entire 20 mins we were there underwater. Sometimes her wing tips would surface,
but never her body. It was amazing to watch. Apparently the females trap
oxygen with their wings and bring it down to their bodies where the tiny hairs
there have enveloped her in oxygen - hence her silvery appearance in the
photos.
The sun was at the perfect angle to view all this, and Dave took the photos
which you can see at http://southwestdragonflies.net/damsels/shastajewels.html
The Rubyspots were competing with the Jewelwings at this same site, but the males
had a slightly different strategy: they would take a female in tandem and tow
her along the water surface until they came to a partially submerged tule stem.
He'd grab hold of the stem and then she would, he'd then release his grip and
she'd back on down the tule until she reached the submerged algae/underwater
plants, and then she'd start ovipositing while he stood guard. There were about
~50 River Jewelwings in this 100 yd stretch of the river.
Many Emma's Dancers were present also. They weren't in the 'competition' for
sites for ovipositing, but every bit of floating dead tule leaf would support a
half dozen or so ovipositing pair s, with the males in sentinel position, often
having little 'fisticuffs/boxing matches' with each other due to their
proximity! It was ALL lots of fun to watch.
Interesting to us too was finding some sites where we could watch Broadwing
nymphs (OK, larvae) crawling about on the underwater plants and algae. All
those observed appeared to be either final, or next to final instars.
At about 5 pm the Baskettails started flying beats up and down the river. We
hadn't seen them before that. The Darners cruised the tules at water level
the whole time. The sun shone warmly (~80 degrees) the water was clear but not
cold, and all this was experienced with a Canyon Wren singing his heart out on
the East side while a Chat competed with him from the West side! We think we
heard the Chat try to imitate the Canyon Wren at one point. And a Song Sparrow
joined in the chorus. It was a truly magical afternoon.
-------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Meadow Park, Shingletown:
Vivid Dancer - some
Beaverpond Baskettail - some
May 29, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Pit River at 299 Bridge:
American Rubyspot - 2 males
Vivid Dancer - common
Baum Lake:
*Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta
Common Whitetail
Eight-spotted Skimmer
Four-spotted Skimmer
Bluet spec.
Western Forktail
Pacific Forktail
May 26, 2004
Mendocino County
Ron LeValley
Big River Unit, Mendocino Headlands State Park
Sooty Dancer - many brown recently emerged dancers were along the "haul" road above the river. I struggled with the identity, but later convinced myself that they were of this species as adult males were common in the same area the next trip. These were apparently quite early.
Exclamation Damsel - a few along the river
California Darner - 2 along the road
Pacific Clubtail - 10's along the river banks and along the "haul" road that paralleled the river
Eight-spotted Skimmer - one in a clearing along the "haul" road
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2-3 in clearings along the "haul" road.
May 25, 2004
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
*Amphiagrion abbreviatum Western Red Damsel - specimen caught, scanned
later, upgrade from a sighting only record.
-------
Contra Costa County
Douglas Vaughan
I spent a couple of hours on the East Bay watershed this afternoon and
found ode diversity low, probably because of brisk winds and mild temperatures.
But I was struck by the relative abundance (some dozen s over an extended area)
of teneral Striped Meadowhawks (Sympetrum pallipes). I saw no mature
adults of this species and few of anything else. Is this kind of apparent mass
emergence a normal phenomenon?
May 22, 2004
Siskiyou Co.
Ray Bruun, Bob Grace and Dave Payne
Shasta River @ Hudson Rd, 8 miles north of Yreka
Bob Grace and I drove to the Shasta River north of Yreka, to check out the
River Jewelwing spot. Dave Payne met us not long after we arrived at 9:15 or
so. We checked out the Odes and the birds until about 3:30 p.m. We got to see
lots of River Jewelwing (lifer!) and I managed to grab a few
photographs, even though they were a bit hard to approach.
While walking along Hudson Road later in the afternoon, Dave saw a Pacific
Clubtail land on some shrubbery after taking a damselfly. I photographed it
eating and was amazed to discover, after "developing" the photo, that
it had captured not one, but two damselflies! Both were Emma's Dancer (male and
female). I also got a nice shot of Emma's Dancer ovipositing
May 17 & 19, 2004
Contra Costa County
Doug Vaughan
On Monday and Wednesday, May 17 and 19, I was on the EBMUD watershed in
Contra Costa county, where I've been given permission to survey odes. Monday
was "cool" (about 67 degrees), breezy, and unproductive. Wednesday
was better. At two sites, I found the following:
Black Spreadwing (Lestes stultus) -- some, but not some
* Common Spreadwing (L. disjunctus) -- 20-30; 3 examined in hand;
notably early (first recorded flight date 5/10)
Bluets (Enallagma spp.) -- hundreds, including 4 Boreal
(E. boreale),
Arroyo (E. praevarum) 1
Tule (E. carunculatum) 1 examined in hand
Western and Pacific Forktails (Ischnura perparva/cervula) -- dozen
s of each; female Westerns seemed especially conspicuous
California Darner (Ischnura perparva) -- only 1
Blue-eyed Darner (R. multicolor) -- some
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- 3, including tandem
pair
Cardinal Meadowhawk (S. illotum) -- about a half dozen
Red-veined Meadowhawk (S. madidum) -- 2, examined in hand
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) -- 3 two 1 female
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- about 15, perhaps 1 or 2
females among them
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis) -- 3 two perhaps a
female
My enduring hope, so far disappointed, is to find one of those species that
seem so regular north of the Bay and delta, especially Beaverpond Baskettail
(which I have *never* seen well). There must be a few of them in Alameda or
Contra Costa!
May 15, 2004
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
At 1030 this morning along the river trail near the park pond I saw the
following. This sparked my interest in checking the park pond for ode activity.
Widow skimmer - male
I stopped by the Happy Camp River Park pond and was excited to notice
substantial ode activity. I came back at 1645 and stayed til 1830. The temp was
in the low 80's and it was sunny. Here is what I saw:
bluet sp.
western forktail - mature female and some males
Common Green Darner- males - netted for id and skirmishing
Blue-eyed Darner - males - netted for id
California Darner - males - netted for id
Red-veined Meadowhawk - I netted a male for id. (lifer) I rigged an
extension for my net and this was my first catch with the longer handle.
Blue Dasher- males - netted for id
Eight-spotted Skimmer- 1 male - netted for id
Common Whitetail- males - netted for id and skirmishing
Black saddlebags- 1 male - netted for id
-------
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
I started at the northern end of the County's Mountains and worked my way
south.
Doane Pond, Mt. Palomar State Park
Giant Darner
Common Green Darners
Blue-eyed Darners
California Darners
Cardinal Meadowhawks
Common Whitetail
Flame Skimmers
Northern Bluets
Western Forktails
Pacific Forktails
Red Damselfly species (disappeared before I could get a good look)
Green Valley Falls, Cuyamaca State Park
Flame Skimmers
Red Rock Skimmers
*Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis
Vivid Dancers
Pine Valley Creek, south of Pine Valley
Flame Skimmers
Cardinal Meadowhawks
Familiar Bluets
Western Forktails
One thing I've noticed ever since my observation of the Red Rock Mass
movement back in late March is that there are above average numbers of Red
Rocks this year in their known habitats.
Peter Ginsburg went looking for the Filigree on Tuesday and I was looking on
Saturday with nothing to report.
-------
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
I spent a few hours on Pine Flat Road in northeastern Sonoma County. The
highlight was a pair of *Black Petaltails Tanypteryx hageni near
the pond along the upper part of the road. This is the same location where
Kathy Biggs found this species on 6/4/03. I first noticed a female making a lot
of noise while ovipositing into some shallow standing water while perched on a
branch. A male appeared and the two went into wheel position and
perched.
They remained in this position for at least some minutes, occasionally flying
to a new perch (and at one point landing on my leg). I took some photos which
can be seen here: http://www.sonic.net/~shwa
nd/odonata/black_petaltail.htm
When I passed back by this spot about a half an hour later, I saw the male fly
by Black Spreadwing - many
Vivid Dancer - a few
Bluet sp. - some
Western Forktail - 3 males
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 2
Common Whitetail - 6+
Flame Skimmer - 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2+
Black Saddlebags - 1
Pacific Clubtail - 1
Bison Snaketail (?) - 1, poor view but very likely this species
May 14, 2004
Tehama County
Ray Bruun
Friday, at Finley Lake, on Hogsback Road about nine miles from Paynes Creek
pacific forktail - many
unk bluet - some
twelve-spotted skimmer - some
Thomes Creek between Flournoy and Paskenta, Tehama County
american rubyspot - some
emma's dancer - about a dozen
gray sanddragon - 4
bison snaketail (at least I think they were bison) - some teneral
small pond above Salt Creek Saddle near Paskenta, Tehama County
northern/boreal bluet (in hand) - some
darner (not common green) - 1
cardinal meadowhawk - 2 adult males
blue dasher - many
flame skimmer - 1
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I stopped by the Happy Camp River Park pond and was excited to notice
substantial ode activity. I came back at 1645 and stayed til 1830. The temp was
in the low 80's and it was sunny. Here is what I saw:
bluet sp.
western forktail - mature female and some males
Common Green Darner - males - netted for id and skirmishing
Blue-eyed Darner - males - netted for id
California Darner - males - netted for id
Red-veined Meadowhawk - I netted a male for id. (lifer) I rigged an
extension for my net and this was my first catch with the longer handle.
Blue Dasher- males - netted for id
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 1 male - netted for id
Common Whitetail - males - netted for id and skirmishing
Black saddlebags - 1 male - netted for id
At 1030 this morning along the river trail near the park pond I saw the
following. This sparked my interest in checking the park pond for ode activity.
Widow skimmer - male
May 13, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Thursday, on Lower Clear Creek, south of Redding, Shasta County Rob Santry
was showing me some good habitat he knew about. There were some small ponds,
two of them beaver ponds, and the creek itself. The location is on BLM property,
one mile from Hwy 273, and is marked with a sign.
vivid dancer - some
familiar/northern/boreal bluet - some
pacific forktail - many
western forktail - some
common green darner - some
grappletail - 1
bison snaketail - 1
flame skimmer - some
beaverpond baskettail - 1
western pondhawk - many
blue dasher - some
common whitetail - some
eight-spotted skimmer - 1+
twelve-spotted skimmer - some
black-saddlebags - some
-------
San Francisco County
Ron LeValley
I saw Red Rock Skimmers at SBC Park. I did not see them on adjacent
dates in the evening.
May 1-12, 2004
Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
Probably should be 'no odes', but I haven't had much luck in the very
little checking I've done so far.
I had Pacific Forktails (a lifer) at Lake Los Carneros, along with Cardinal
Meadowhawks, Blue Dashers, Blue-eyed Darners, and a
Flame Skimmer.
Along the upper Santa Ynez river, which was so sensational last year, I saw
hardly any odes a couple of days ago. Just Common Green Darners, what
appeared to be a female *Sooty Dancer, and an unidentifiable
forktail - looked like a male (i.e. had the blue tip to the abdomen) with
green sides to the thorax, and black on top of the thorax with a yellow
line in the middle of the thorax. The yellow-orange line got a little bit
broader in the middle.
Along Rattlesnake Canyon creek I saw Vivid Dancers and a Red
Rock Skimmer.
May 11, 2004
Sonoma County
David Hofmann
at Shiloh Ranch Regional Park.
Beaverpond Baskettail - male photographed
There were many dragons flying there today.
May 9, 2004
NEW CA STATE RECORD
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
I was out with my sons taking pics of Odes and Leps. I again went to
Kitchen Creek (east of Pine Valley) in search of Grappletail. Didn't find any,
but on my way home I stopped at the Pine Valley Creek trailhead and worked the
creek. After photographing Cardinal Meadowhawks, Flame
Skimmers, and seeing a Giant Darner, Western
Forktails, and Vivid Dancers. I spotted a Dragonfly I was
unfamiliar with. It reminded me of a young Common Whitetail, but there was
something wrong with it. Instead of shooting digital, as I have been for the
last two year. I was shooting film, so I could ID this thing last night.
I sent my photos off to some people, and Kathy Biggs IDed it immediately. It's
a female * **Filigree Skimmer Pseudoleon superbus, the first State record for California. I have the pics up on my web site:
http://sdbirds.basiclink.com/d ragonflies_of_san_diego.htm
-------
Contra Costa County
Joe Morlan
...I took my ornithology class to Mitchell Canyon at Mount Diablo. I
digiscoped what I believe are a Red Rock Skimmer and a
Blue-eyed Darner
-------
Marin County
David Silon
Mill Valley
Grappletail Octogomphus specularis - 2 mature males at 4PM
Yes - see my folder on CalOdes
The two males were actually fighting over a prey item, which appeared to be a
small flying wasp. The male pictured in the photo retained the prey, and I got
a close-up view of watching him eat it, which he seemed to do as quickly as
possible. It also looks like this male has been around the block a few times.
;-)
-------
John Sterling
Calaveras County
at a private pond along Hwy 4 about 5 miles southwest of Arnold in the
mountains
I saw a male Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Libellula pulchella in a pond near Arnold, and noticed
that it was not on the county list that I downloaded last year. [indeed a new
sighting only distribution record! - kb]
Beaverpond Baskettail
Blue-eyed Darner
-------
Ray & Steven Bruun
Butte County
Sunday, Big Chico Creek (5-mile Recreation Area in Bidwell Park), Chico,
Butte County
american rubyspot
pacific forktail
familiar/northern/boreal bluet - some
red rock skimmer (lifer for Steven and I) - 1 male + possible female
flame skimmer - some
common whitetail - some
May 8, 2004
Marin County
Tony Harrow and Al Brewster
We went to Alpine and Lagunitas
Lakes, from about 9 - noon. Cooler than last week, probably in the mid 60's
with a 6-10 knot breeze.
Lots of spreadwings at the boat launch at Alpine, with some
forktails and bluets; also many apparent teneral meadowhawks,
which we couldn't ID. Lots of Pacific Clubtails on the water and nearby
(within 3 feet) on the ground. Grappletails are still at the spillway
below Lagunitas and we also confirmed last weeks probable Beaverpond
Basketails when an obliging critter sat on a coyote bush within 3 feet.
Also Exclamation damsels in the same area.
At Lagunitas we found a 12 Spotted Skimmer - a lifer
for me.
List: (A - Alpine, B - Lagunitas, including spillway into Bon Tempe)
Black spreadwings (A)many, with apparent pale tenerals and bronzy
colored females.
Vivid Dancers - some males (A)
Tule Bluet (A) male and females
Exclamation Damsel (B) 2 males
Pacific forktails - some at (B)
Western Forktails - 2 at (B)
Common Green Darner (possible sighting by Al at Alpine but we could never
refind to confirm)
Blue Eyed Darner (A) & (B)- some
Grappletail (L) 10 - 15 inc a couple in trees but most on exposed
rocks in streambed.
Pacific Clubtails - many, most at Alpine but some over the
water at Lagunitas Beaverpond Baskettail - some, mainly at B. Not so
frequent as last week and very few over the trails.
Cardinal Meadowhawk - some (A)
Common Whitetail - many at B but some at A
8 Spotted Skimmer - the most common dragon again this week,
as they were last week, mainly at B but a few at A
12 Spotted Skimmer female well observed on ground within a few
feet. (not a female Whitetail which we had also seen in same area)
Flame Skimmer - 3 or 4 at B
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I stopped by Hudson Road along the Shasta River in Siskiyou County. It was
1630 hrs....It was sunny, breezy, with temps in the low 70's or so. I knew it
was going to be good when the dirt road was loaded with hundred's of damsels
and many dragons. The birding was excellent, including my first sighting of an
active bushtit nest. Here are the odes that I found.
*River Jewelwing Caloptera aequabilis - I flushed one adult male and
later one adult female. Can't miss that white pseudostigma!
Emma's Dancer - Hundreds of them, brown females adult two and blue females.
They were every where, each step flushed many.
Western Forktail - I noticed one female along the road. (netted for id)
Common Green Darner - I noticed some paroling males and located one pair
connected end to end that were perched on emergent vegetation. It was windy at
this point and they just perched the entire time I watched them.
Blue-eyed Darner - I saw two males - netted for id edge of river.
Pacific Clubtail - These guys were numerous. They would flush with about
every step also. I got lots of net practice, being rusty from the winter
layoff. (many netted and released)
-------
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
I went up to the Santa Margarita River near Fallbrook and had the
following:
American Rubyspots
Vivid Dancer
Giant Darner
Mosiac-type Darners
Flame Skimmers
Gray Sanddragons
Red Rock Skimmers
At Los Juergueros Reserve in Fallbrook
Pacific Forktails
Familiar Bluets (LOTS!!!)
Blue-eyed Darners
Common Green Darner
Flame Skimmers
Common Whitetail
Cardinal Meadowhawk
* **Red-tailed Pennant Brachymesia furcata
Western Pondhawks
Blue Dashers
Black Saddlebags
Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego:
Common Green Darner
Flame Skimmers (Lots!)
Blue Dasher
The thing I still do not understand about Odes is how the population can
vary so much. Over the last few years at greenwood, there has never been more than
2 Flame Skimmers at any time. Right now there must be about 20 - netted for id
the pond. Blue Dashers were in the hundreds last year, and I only had one
today. Still no Saddlebags, even though I saw large numbers today north
of this location.
-------
San Luis Obispo County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Blue-eyed Darners - ~3 dozen at Hearst State Beach. All were - netted for
id low over the creek near the beach. Some that I examined in hand were all
males. A few also seen at San Simeon Creek
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula - one male caught to be the
SLO voucher specimen (upgrade of sighting record). Some mature females netted
and released - all at San Simeon Creek
Western Forktail - some immature females seen/caught
and released at San Simeon Creek
Cardinal Meadowhawk - one male at San Simeon Creek
May 7, 2004
San Luis Obispo County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Blue-eyed Darner - one male seen well over the tide pools at Moonstone
Beach just north of Cambria! He was definitely feeding there and stayed quite a
long time, hovering in place for up to 30 seconds, then zooming off a few feet,
hovering again, and then repeating the circle. Didn't expect our best tide pool
species to be a dragonfly!
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens - one seen well flying over the lawn area
- a new sight record for SLO.
Spot-winged Glider - I 'thought' I saw one of this species too during
the wedding rehearsal, but it never came close enuf for a good look and, since
it would also be a county record, I'm not saying it was seen, just 'probably
this species'.
Unbelievably, the Pacific Forktail record for SLO was just a sighting, so I
took my net up to the garden pond after the rehearsal. Saw one Forktail, netted
it and examined it in hand just in case it was SF Forktail, but it was a Black-fronted
Forktail.
May 6, 2004
Butte County
Tim Manolis
Odonates observed at the Hone y Run Unit of the Butte Creek Ecological Reserve,
Butte County, today (5/6) included:
*Emma's Dancer (Argia emma) -- 15-20
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) -- 10
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) -- 8
California Darner (Ischnura perparva) -- 1-2
Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis) -- 1
Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis) -- 14
*Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentis) -- 3-4
Bison Snaketail (Ophiogomphus bison) -- 2
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) -- 4
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) -- 3
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- 10
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) -- 2
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- 1
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) --1
Red-veined Meadowhawk (Sympetrum madidum) -- 2
-------
Riverside County
John Sterling
at Eagle Mountain Pump Station near Desert Center, Riverside County
*Giant Darner Anax walsinghami --must be good here...unmistakable
profile and size
American Rubyspot
*Powdered Dancer Argia moesta
Blue-ringed Dancer
unid. Bluets (couldn't capture them)
Vivid Dancer
Red and Black Saddlebags
Common Green Darner
Variegated Meadowhawk
*White-belted Ringtail Erpetogomphus compositus (lifer--hunting in open creosote desert).
May 5, 2004
Placer County
Tim Manolis
...had a number of Striped Meadowhawks coming off a small
sedge-choked pool (tenerals on their maiden flights) in Miner's Ravine in
Roseville, Placer County. Also coming off this pool were many teneral
spreadwings. A mature male netted there (about the only non-teneral seen) was Black
Spreadwing (Lestes stultus) , but exuviae taken from the sedges
keyed out to *Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener ) , and
I assume the tenerals I was seeing were probably most if not all the latter
species. I have seen this pattern elsewhere at similar pools around the Central
Valley -- the Black Spreadwings emerge earlier and are mature and breeding when
the Spotted Spreadwings and Striped Meadowhawks emerge, the three species
frequently found together in good numbers at these sites. Also netted and
released a male * **Red-veined Meadowhawk (Sympetrum madidum)
along the ravine.
-------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
I checked out Mary Lake in Redding yesterday. This is what I found:
Pacific Forktail - common
Western Forktail - 1 male, 1 or 2 females
Desert Firetail - 1 male
Common Green Darner - some
Western Pondhawk - 1 teneral
Blue Dasher - some, most teneral
Common Whitetail - some
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 1 male
* **Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa - 1 male
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 1 teneral
Flame Skimmer - 1 male
Black Saddlebags - some
May 2-6, 2004
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
Our Sebastopol backyard pond, Bigsnest Wildlife Pond
Vivid Dancer - only 1-2
Pacific Forktail - ~a dozen
Western Forktail - ~a dozen
CA Darner - circling males and ovipositing females
Blue-eyed Darner - first male of season circling yesterday
Western Pondhawk - a few males and females
Flame Skimmer - one male came in on Tuesday
Cardinal Meadowhawk - many inc. ovipositing pair s, approx.
3-6 emerging each day also - they always start their emergence just after the
sun hits their side of the pond
*Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes - one female the
5th.
May 2-3, 2004
Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
Goleta
I had a Red Saddlebags
flying close by while walking to work. Wandering Gliders have also shown
up the last few days.
I haven't much chance to look around this spring. I checked San Ysidro creek
yesterday for a few minutes hoping for a Grappletail but only saw the usual
Red Rock Skimmers.
May 2, 2004
Colusa County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Dave and I were able to stop at Bear Creek today on our way home from Mt. Shasta
area (no odes seen there). It was about 5 pm, 93 degrees and we spent about 20
mins. looking down on the creek thru binoculars.
Dragons are starting their appearances there and it was really neat 'cuz the
Western River Cruisers were in command of the creek since there were no
Giants flying to give them any competition yet! They were strongly cruising up
and down the creek, 'bullying' the few Sanddragons and Flame Skimmers that were
also out and about.
Our report:
Bluets - some dozen , none seen close at hand
American Rubyspot - one male
*Gray sanddragon Progomphus borealis - 2-3
Pacific Clubtail - 1 male
*Western River Cruiser Macromia magnifica - at least 2, probably 4,
and perhaps 6
Flame Skimmer - 4 males
-------
Contra Costa County
Chris Heaivilin
Went to my usual Ode hunting grounds on the delta in Oakley. Here's what I
saw:
A. junius (5 two 1 caught female)
L. saturata (2 females)
A. multicolor (2)
E. collocata (~10. All at the water's edge)
E. civile (scads)
I. cervula (gobs)
L. lydia (3 two 1 female)
No sign of S. corruptum or bigfoot.
-------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
I visited a marshy area near Nora Lake here in Shingletown. This is the
same marsh I found Swift Forktail last year, albeit a bit later than this.
Swift Forktail - many females some males - the only
damsel species seen in the marsh
I saw a mature bluet of some kind by the car at Nora Lake
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 1 young male
Common Whitetail - 2 or 3 males
*HOARY SKIMMER Libellula nodisticta - 3 males (first California
sighting this year?)[yes, first reported - kb]
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 1 male
-------
Santa Cruz County
Anne Spence
Just a quick note to let every one know I found an EXCLAMATION DAMSELFLY
at my Watsonville, Santa Cruz Co., CA backyard. First one I've seen around
here. It was resting at the end of our "breezeway" which is enclosed.
It perched on my hand for some minutes until a breeze finally encouraged
it to leave. I was impressed with how small these guys are. Of course, I was to
struck with its' beauty to remember to get the digital camera.
-------
Marin County
Al Brewster and Tony Harrow
[We] went to the two lakes on a brilliantly clear day, no wind and temps in
the high 70's. Details on finding the lakes, admittance fees etc were posted by
Bob Behrstock about this time last year.
At the Alpine boat ramp we saw our first 8 Spotted Skimmers of the year.
Also Blue Eyed Darner, Cardinal Meadowhawks and probable
California Darner. There were some Pacific Clubtails perched on
rocks and bushes. The only damsels we could ID were Vivid Dancers, but
not in great numbers.
Below the dam at Lagunitas we found the Grappletails reported by Bob
Behrstock last year (lifers for us). There were many perched on rocks above the
still fast moving wooded stream that feeds into Bon Tempe lake.
Around Lake Lagunitas we found many 8 Spotted Skimmers (by far the most
common dragon on Sunday). A probable Green Eyed Darner, many
Common Whitetails, Cardinal Meadowhawks and great numbers of
damsels over the water. We only positively id'd Pacific Forktails but
there also seemed to be many Vivid Dancers and various
bluets.
On each trail we found mid sized dragons, - netted for id at a fairly
constant heights of 3 - 5 feet, dark with apparent green or blue eyes. We
watched very many without positive identification but we came away thinking
they were very likely Beaverpond Basketails. We saw occasional
individuals over the edge of the water but the great majority were over the
earthen trails. Back at home in Larkspur, I had 1 male and 1 female Flame
Skimmers by my garden pond, and some Pacific Forktails.
Few leps: 1 Lorquins Admiral, some California Sisters, 1 Propertius
Duskeywing, 1 Monarch, 1 Common Buckeye and many Common Ringlets
-------
San Francisco County
Paul Saraceni
Grattan Park, Cole Valley
Red Rock Skimmer - 1 adult male flew past (heading N) at close range in
a small neighborhood park that contains no water. (The only other Odes I've
previously observed in this park have been California Darners.)
May 1, 2004
San Francisco County
Rod Miller
I brought my family to see the San Francisco Giants and the Florida Marlins
play baseball. We rode the fairy boat over to SBC Park from Larkspur. As we got
closer to SBC Park, I noticed some dragonflies passing over the boat. The dragonflies
were female Red-Rock Skimmers. When we arrived at our seats,
there were between 3-5 male Red-Rock Skimmers flying through the crowd. The
dragonflies were such a problem that people were swatting them away with their
hand. Also, some females were flying in circles above the crowd. I also saw
some dragonflies in wheel. What is going on? No stream just the bay.
-------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
The ode season has finally arrived in Shingletown, Shasta County. The last
couple of days, I've been seeing increasing numbers of Vivid Dancers at
and near my property. Today, Steven and I checked out Nora Lake (3400
ft), which is about 4 miles from the house, and found seven species. The
timing is two to three weeks ahead of last year.
Pacific Forktail - numerous males and a couple
of young females
*Swift Forktail Ischnura erratica - numerous females a few
males (got good photos of both)
California Darner (poss.) female ovipositing
Blue-eyed Darner prob., male - netted for id
Red-veined Meadowhawk prob., male
Common Whitetail male
*Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata male or female
APRIL
April 30, 2004
Santa Clara County
John Sterling
Gilroy Sewage Ponds
Red Saddlebags --first one I have seen in northern CA
April 29, 2004
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
Mayhew Drain
*Aztec Dancer Argia nahuana, Exclamation Damsel, Arroyo
Bluet, and Wandering Glider at the Mayhew Drain, American River
Parkway, Sacramento Co., on 29 April (quite a few Sinuous Snaketails along
the Parkway, too, plus a Pacific Clubtail, among other things).
-------
San Francisco County
Ron LeValley
SBC Park
I saw Red Rock Skimmers. I did not see them on adjacent dates in the
evening. ... there was also a Darner sp.
April 28, 2004
Placer County
Tim Manolis
Have picked up quite a few recent emergers/arrivals during the hot spell of
the past week locally at Sculpture Park in Roseville.
American Rubyspot, *Emma's Dancer Argia emma, Northern
Bluet and *Sinuous Snaketail Ophiogomphus occidentis
April 25, 2004
Contra Costa County
Kathy & Dave Biggs & m.o. at Earth Day fair
the pond at the Wagner Ranch Environmental area north of Orinda
Pacific Forktail - some
Western Forktail - some, inc. ovipositing females and
we saw one get eaten by a Pacific Chorus Frog (formerly called Pacific Tree
Frogs)
Common Green Darner - one large nymph found
Cardinal Meadowhawk - at least 3 males and one female;
ovipositing pair seen & some nymph found [yesterday was the
first day that adult Cardinals were seen on this pond this year!]
Libellula sp. - nymph found that was probably an 8-spotted or Flame Skimmer
[week ending] April 25, 2004
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
At the Laguna Wetlands Park in Sebastopol, Friday the 24th:
Pacific Forktail - ~6
Exclamation Damsel - possibly 2, seen at too great a distance to ID.
Tule/Arroyo Bluet - ~12, seen at too great a distance to ID.
* 8-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - one young male
Cardinal Meadowhawk - one male
At our Sebastopol backyard pond this week:
Pacific Forktail - ~a dozen
Western Forktail - ~a dozen
Exclamation Damsel - some males and females. All
the females are dark (pruinose?) this year, which I've never seen before
here but Tim does mention it in his book and we've talked about it.
Rhionaeschna sp. - two and ovipositing females all
of which appear to be californica
Western Pondhawk - one green adult flew over the pond on the 25th,
Cardinal Meadowhawk - high count is 13 at a time (5 tandem pair s and 3
'loose ends'); on sunny days, we're having about 2-3 emerge each day.
April 24, 2004
Marin County
Tony Harrow and Al Brewster
Ring Mtn, Tiburon
Argia vivida (Vivid Dancer) - Many male and females
including apparent tenerals on trails not very close to water. The Pacific
Forktails on the same hill were much closer to drying small streams.
April 23, 2004
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
These were made walking the trails and around the dredge tailing ponds on
Sacramento Bar along the American River Parkway near Fair Oaks, between 1200
and 1430 today (4/23). it was sunny with a few scattered clouds warm (low 80s
C?) with a slight to moderate breeze.
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) -- good numbers (20+) along the small
creek in the area.
California Dancer (Argia agrioides) -- 40-50, most around a
large, open pond near the river, a number in tandem and ovipositing.
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) -- common, some in
tandem.
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum) -- fairly common, some
in tandem.
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) -- common, some ovipositing
and in tandem.
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) -- about 10 seen.
*Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) -- 2-3 males seen,
my first of the year.
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) -- 10-12 seen, most - netted for
id over ponds, one ovipositing pair seen.
California Darner (Ischnura perparva) -- 5-6 seen, some - netted for
id pond shorelines, but some foraging over grassy areas. None of these
were netted, so some may have been R. multicolor, but they all
seemed small.
Beaverpond Baskettail (Tetragoneuria canis) -- only one seen, a
presumed male - netted for id a wooded pond. Kathy can attest that they are
usually quite common at this site in spring.
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) -- one teneral on its
maiden flight.
Western Pondhawk (Ischnura perparva) -- quite common, 30-40 seen,
the most common anisopteran. Many males - netted for id around ponds, females
frequently flushed up from grassy areas, at least two females seen
ovipositing.
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) -- 4-6 males seen at ponds,
4-6 females seen both at ponds and away from water.
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) -- 2 seen, one a
mature male at a pond.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- 3-4 seen, all
males near water.
April 22, 2004
Marin County
Tony Harrow and Al Brewster
Mt. Burdell County Open Space, Novato
* **Lestes dryas (Emerald Spreadwing) - Elevation about 850 feet
on fringe of Hidden Lake (appears dry). About 72 degrees, 2pm. We saw some
males and some presumed females. Great numbers of Spreadwings (some on each
plant)but most appeared to be Black Spreadwings Lestes stultus with
very coppery females.
April 21 and April 22
Contra Costa County
Douglas Vaughan
East Bay Municipal Utility District watershed
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida
*Northern Bluet Enallagma cyathigerum Among 25+ bluets; two examined
in hand
Arroyo Bluet E. praevarum Four examined in hand
Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion exclamationis At least two
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula
Western Forktail I. perparva
California Darner R. californica
*Blue-eyed Darner R. multicolor
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum Only one , a teneral
Cardinal Meadowhawk S. illotum About a dozen
Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia Four or five, including two two
both showing very little pruinescence on the abdomen
April 21, 2004
San Diego County
John Stirling
Anza Borrego Springs
Roseate Skimmer, *Mexican Amberwing, Blue Dasher
April 17, 2004
Sonoma County
Alan Wight & Ned Wynn
Pine Flat Road in northeastern Sonoma County
Pacific Clubtail - 1
*Grappletail Octogpmphus specularis - 1 male
* **Bison Snaketail Ophiogomphus bison - 2. Photo taken
Beaverpond Baskettail - 2. Photo taken
Darner sp. - 1
April 16, 2004
Butte County
Tim Manolis
While spending much of the day Friday, April 16, doing Tricolored Blackbird
surveys in Butte, Yuba and Sutter counties, I snuck in a few side trips to look
for dragonflies in the area. The result of getting a rare full day in the field
was my first double-digit day (10 species seen) of the year.
Half of the species seen established their earliest flight dates I have ever
recorded (including specimen data from other collections) for Butte County
* (Black Spreadwing [Lestes stultus], Pacific Clubtail [Gomphus
kurilis], Western Forktail [Ischnura perparva],
*12-spotted Skimmer [Libellula pulchella] and Red Rock Skimmer [Paltothemis
lineatipes]). Large numbers of teneral and otherwise very
immature-looking Black Spreadwings were at their "usual" site, a pond
along Cherokee Road on Table Mountain above Oroville, where a teneral 12-spotted
Skimmer and mature female Western Forktail were also seen. The
Pacific Clubtail was at the nearby Thermalito Diversion Pool (the Feather River
below Oroville Dam).
The Red Rock Skimmers were particularly interesting, as I saw 3-4 at two
different spots (Thermalito Diversion Pool and South Honcut Creek near Bangor,
Butte County) and they all appeared to be mature (netted a female, got good
looks at 2-3 males). In light of the observations reported from San Diego
County a couple of weeks ago, I am wondering if these are migrants from down south?
In the past 6 years the earliest I have seen this species in northern
California is 29 May, and I usually don't see it until mid-June. The previous
early record for Butte County is 30 April. It will be interesting to see if
more, early northern California observations of this species pop up this year.
April 10, 2004
San Francisco County
Paul Saraceni
Crissy Lagoon, Presidio
Red Rock Skimmer - 1 adult male flew past (heading E) at close range
just south of the saltwater lagoon.
April 9, 2004
Contra Costa County
John Hall, David Edwards
We saw a Red Rock Skimmer in Mitchell Canyon (Mt Diablo State
Park) on April 9. I wonder if this might be the same one seen on the 19th. I am
unsure of their life span.
April 6 and April 8
Contra Costa County
Douglas Vaughan
East Bay Municipal Utility District watershed
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida
** *Boreal Bluet Enallagma boreal Among 100-200 bluets; one specimen
collected, a second examined in hand
*Tule Bluet E. carunculatum
Familiar Bluet E. civile
* **Arroyo Bluet E. praevarum
Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion exclamationis Perched pair in tandem
well seen
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula
Black-fronted Forktail I. denticollis One male
Western Forktail I. perparva
Common Green Darner Anax junius One male
California Darner R. californica
*Blue-eyed Darner R. multicolor Probable; none actually examined in
hand
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum
Cardinal Meadowhawk S. illotum
*Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia One female
April 2, 2004
County: Santa Clara
David Silon
Sunnyvale, front yard near Calabazas Creek
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida - Male, recently emerged.
Coloration: Light blue-gray w/ black markings. Other info: Landed briefly then
darted off. Saw him at about 1PM - sunny & warm.
-------
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Goat Mtn
I got a female Paltothemis lineatipes..... I also got a Sym. corruptum. Otherwise, R. (Aeshna) californica was all that I saw.
April 1, 2004
Colusa County
Ray Bruun
While taking my son's class on a birding trip to the Battle Creek Wildlife
Area (headquarters complex) and the Coleman Fish Hatchery, I saw some odes, including
my first Vivid Dancer of the year. The other odes were Variegated
Meadowhawk (one probable) and possibly something else. None of the dragonflies
landed.
MARCH
March 31, 2004
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Walking the dunes in extreme desert for the past week. Dancing with
Sidewinders!! Yesterday I saw two Variegated Meadowhawks and today there
were two Common Green Darners. These bugs are almost surely
en routed to someplace. Today, back in the agricultural area, I had my first
*Western Pondhawk E. collocata of the season, a lone male in a canal.
Blue-ringed Dancer and Familiar Bluet were numerous in the same
canal
March 29 2004
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
Our Sebastopol backyard pond
Pacific forktail
western forktail
vivid dancer (our 1st of the year at the pond)
exclamation damsel
CA darner a male circled for literally hours, on and off
cardinal meadowhawk (mature males and our first 'emerger')
--------
Placer County
Steve Abbott
Today at Miner's Ravine behind the UA Theater complex in there were some
VIVID DANCERS including a teneral male.
--------
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
On my morning walk to the Sacramento River today, I saw a couple of Beaverpond
Baskettails frolicking in the sun. First Beaverponds of the season up here,
a week or two earlier than last year. I also had a very bright Lorquin's
Admiral butterfly.
--------
Colusa County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
A short stop at Bear Creek at the DSA field trip site on our way home from
up north yesterday. Time, 5:45, temp. 72 No odes! High water. Signs that the
creek had flooded over the dirt road.
# # March 28 & 29 2004
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
On March 28th in the afternoon, I was washing my car in my [San Diego]
driveway when I noticed at least 2 dragonflies flying overhead. One eventually
landed on my neighbors apple tree, and I was able to see that it was a
female Variegated Meadowhawk (which has shown up here before), so I
though nothing of it, as I continued to see dragonflies overhead. My thinking
at the time was that it was a pair of Variegated's and they were just - netted
for id the area.
## On the 29th, at approx. 1:00 p.m. I had just arrived home from being out in
the field taking pictures of Loki's Hairstreaks (a Lep), when I saw, what I
thought was the same two Odes flying around. I got a good look at one and
realized that it had a lot of red on the body, and even some on the wings. It
wasn't until one landed on my windowscreen that I realized that it was a
Red Rock Skimmer [Paltothemis lineatipes]. I also didn't realize
that it was a different one from the one I had just seen earlier.
I was totally excited due to never having seen this species in my yard, and the
closest location I had seen them was over 15 miles away from my home. Then I
saw a darker Ode, and I was thinking it was the Variegated again. I still at
this point did not realize that I was seeing different bugs, until I saw 3
together, and then I also came to the conclusion that none of these Odes were
circling. They were coming for the Southeast and heading Northwest.
Then I started to see more and more. As some would land on my house I started
to take photos, because I knew that this species was not known to be migratory,
or seen in such large numbers. I was absolutely shocked when a female landed on
my pant leg, and I was able to get a decent picture of that.
I was seeing about 5 RRS's a minute, and then up to about 20 per minute is my
best guess ..., the number was about 10-15 per minute. This event lasted until
approx. 4:30 p.m., when I was still seeing about 3-4 per minute
On the 30th from 9:00 a.m. and throughout various times during the day, I went
out to look and did not see any Odes flying. Link to pictures: http://sdbirds.basic
link.com/red_rock_skimmers_in_migration_0.htm
---
Doug Aguillard
[earlier in day than that above... kb]
I am trying to go to new places in San Diego County in the hopes of finding new
species and/or locales. This morning, I went looking for Grappletail at Kitchen
Creek, in the Laguna Mountains, and the winds were so strong, I soon headed for
the coast.
I went to Descanso Creek, which runs into Lower Otay Lake and finally had more
than a 2 species day. I had the following:
Flames Skimmers, A Wandering Glider, Variegated Meadowhawks,
Pacific Forktails, Black- fronted Forktails, and Familiar
Bluets.
Back at home in National City, I had 2 Variegated Meadowhawks,
buzzing the backyard, and while out in the desert yesterday, I had 2 Common
Green Darners in Culp Valley, Anza Borrego State Park.
March 28, 2004
Sacramento County
Steve Abbott
Yesterday on Michigan Bar Rd in southeastern Sacto County I found some
WESTERN FORKTAILS including a teneral male.
--------
# # San Mateo County
Alvaro Jaramillo
We had great, sunny, warm weather today on the San Mateo coast. The winds
were light and offshore, bringing warmer air from the interior out to the
coast, and along with it migrant insects trying to make their way north which
accumulated today along the coast. The main move was by Vanessa butterflies.
While I painted the decks at our place today painted lady sp? went over heading
north at about 1 a minute. The movement started at 10 am, and was fading by 5
pm. Many thousand individuals were likely taking part in this movement. They
all went by quickly, not stopping to let me see which species they were, or how
many species of Vanessa were involved. Two Monarchs went over. Also I saw three
sulphurs, presumably Orange Sulphurs although these looked much more yellow
than the one s I usually see around here. These appeared to be migrants as
well.
The first odonates of the season for me came in with this migratory movement. A
couple of Wandering Glider*Pantala flavescens were about in
town, and a dull reddish odonate with reddish inner wings shaped somewhat
like a Pantala/Tramea. The markings on the wing were too pale for
it to be Tramea onusta, and I am leaning towards *Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis
lineatipes although I have never seen this species in the county.
[MIGHT have been, see DA's San Diego event the next day - kb] As such it should
go down as an unidentified but intriguing sighting. This ode was too slim for
Libellula, and too large for Sympetrum. A distant dull colored Sympetrum went
by that I thought was Sympetrum corruptum.
Other insects moved in with this weather as well. They included a migratory
ladybug as well as a Hemipteran with a blackish body a red border. I think it
was a Mirid or Lygaeid; that narrows it down to some hundred species I am sure.
It reminded me of a Milkweed Bug, but less colourful. Perhaps Boxelder Bug?
Again these offshore winds have predictably forced migrating insects to the
coast. Usually this situation is more common in the fall, I have had few times
in the spring when this has happened so I was glad to see today's movement.
March 25, 2004
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Spot-winged Gliders are out in force. The area on the southeast side of
Finney Lake was just loaded with them. I am pretty sure that the gliders I saw
last week were Spot-winged rather that the Wandering that I reported. On 3-24 there
were a few brand new Blue Dashers on Finney Lake. Today, 2-25, there
were two *American Rubyspots Hetaerina americana near the
East Highline Canal on the east side of the Imperial Valley, next road north of
Rutherford Road. Some Blue-ringed Dancer there as well but not
much of anything else but the Spot-winged Gliders. I gave a good go at
finding the Clubtails and or Ringtail but no luck. While doing point
counts for birds in the Algodone s Dunes near Glamis, (six mile walk in
the sand today!) there was one Variegated Meadowhawk and about
a dozen Spot-winged Gliders.
-------
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Knoxville Road (Eticuerva Creek)
pretty day, but not much happening
yet. I only saw one Odononate & again I think it was A.
californica, but I did not get too close a look. That
name call is based on flight more than anything else :-) Still haven't
seen any damselflies yet.
-------
Kings County
Jim Munoz
While leaving work today in Kings Co. I saw a lone Flame Skimmer come
cruising by.
March 24, 2004
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
Lake Ralphine, Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., CA 12-1pm
The day was in low 60s with strong wind gusts & partially cloudy.
Pacific Forktail - scattered about, ~25
Bluet sp. - scattered about, ~35 the 'tule/arroyo type' - I didn't have a
net and have found both there before
California Darner - 5-8
Common Green Darner - 2-3
*Pacific Clubtail Gomphus kurilis - 3 tenerals seen flying away from
lake, 12 exuviae found (one emerged in my hand!)
Beaverpond Baskettail - ~3, mature teal eyes already on at least one
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 1-3 males
March 23, 2004
San Diego County
Bob Miller
Anza Borrego Desert State Park visitors center
A lone *Flame Skimmer Libellula
saturata at the Pupfish pond.
-------
Sonoma County
Kathy Biggs
our Sebastopol backyard pond
I had my first *Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion exclamationis at
the pond today; a nice mature male:-)
March 22, 2004
Yolo County
Greg Kareofelas
I had my first Aeshna californica patrol over my yard here in
Davis!
March 21, 2004
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
I saw two ** *Beaverpond Baskettail Epithica canis -
netted for id over road asphalt on the lower part of Pine Flat Road,
northeast of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. Kathy Biggs emailed me that this is
new early flight data for this species and that the previous early date was
3/26/03.
I also had a female California Darner visit our Petaluma yard in the
morning
-------
Imperial County
Bob Miller
I have been seeing a few Variegated Meadowhawks scattered
around the valley for most of the year and many more now. [Today] we had a
concentration of about 40 *Desert Forktails Ischnura barberi at
one of the mud pots at the intersection of Davis and Schrimpf Roads. This one
"pot" is more like a miniature sink hole, about five feet in
diameter, bubbling with CO2, not heat, and has Salt or Iodine Bush growing
around the edge of and into it. Really interesting spot in the middle of a
serious salt flat!!! Starting to see dragons over all of the likely spots
but not able to stop and check them all.
March 20, 2004
Imperial County
Bob Miller
we had some *Blue Dashers Pachydiplax longipennis at
the first camping area at Finney Lake and * **Blue-ringed Dancers Argia
sedula in a concrete lined canal at the intersection of Sperry and
Eddins where the Ruddy Ground-Doves are located.
-------
San Diego County
Matt Heindel
My pond yielded its first Black-fronted Forktail this weekend. This
is our first spring here, so have no clue how we will do, but frankly it was
one of the things I loved about the house!
-------
Tehama County
Ray Bruun
I checked out odes at the Battle Creek Wildlife Area today, specifically a
pond on the Tehama County side (location: UTM Zone 10 570080mE 4471027mN; NAD
27). The following odes were seen:
Black-fronted Forktail - common
Western Forktail - 1 female
Pacific Forktail - common
Bluet species (Tule?) - about 15 adult and teneral, a few in tandem and
ovipositing
Common Green Darner - 1
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1
** *Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata - 1
-------
Napa County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
We ate lunch along the Napa River outside of Yountville. It was warm and in
the 80s, but no odes. I had so hoped for a Rubyspot!
-------
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
At Shollenberger Park in Petaluma:
>= 2 Pacific Forktails, some bluets, and
probably a California Darner (a small blue
darner).
March 19, 2004
Imperial County
Bob Miller
there were many more Familiar Bluet, Rambur's
Forktail and Common Green Darner plus numerous Red Saddlebags.
-------
Sonoma Co
Becky Olson
Saw my first two Cardinal meadowhawks today at the new ponds
at SSU. The ponds are in the new parking lot of the soon to be (?) Green Music
Center. If you haven't already checked them out, could be a good site. Lots of
cattails, etc.
---
Alan Wight
I saw at least three Vivid Dancers today at the Agilent site on Fountaingrove Parkway. These are the first I have seen this year.
March 18, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
At lunch today, I looked for Odes across the Sacramento River from Turtle
Bay.
Pacific Forktail - 4
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1
-------
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Mission Gorge-Old Padre Dam
I had one Variegated Meadowhawk in the parking lot, a male
Pacific Forktail and a female Black-fronted Forktail were
attempting to procreate. Don't know how successful it was and I wasn't able to
photograph them together.
March 17 - 20, 2004
Sonoma County
Harry & Gloria Conley
Report on Conley's Sebastopol backyard pond's Cardinal Meadowhawk
'bloom' - First day (March 17): 20, Second day: 9 (not sure what
time...Harry did this count), Third day: 8 (we were at the ocean from 10-1, so
we may have missed some...also noted some drowned cardinals and one that was
unable to emerge). We have scads of exuvia, and have seen 37, at least, fly
off.
---
Report from Biggs' Sebastopol Pond only 1 mile away: NO emergers! But lots
of ovipositing! 3 pair of Cardinals on the pond with one
'loose end' male on Friday, both female Pacific and Western
Forktails ovipositing in small #s, and a female
CA Darner spent at least 30 mins ovipositing into the creeping water
primrose (the favorite pond plant for all the darners and damsels!). I
hopefully got good pix of this as she was most cooperative!
-------
Kern County
Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith
Kern National Wildlife Refuge, two hours at midday; hot, clear extensive
shallow water impounded by levees
Enallagma - two two not sure which species
Anax junius - few mature males flying along shores and over levees
Sympetrum corruptum - mature males f com along shores, few
ovipositing prs; also two tenerals; how does this gibe with the migratory
picture?
--
*Argia vivida - 1m; at tiny stream above creek
Ischnura denticollis - 1m; at puddle above creek, end of tiny
stream; another seen
Ischnura perparva - one over road
March 16, 2004
Kern County
Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith
Pantala hymenaea- one over desert west of Freeman
Sympetrum corruptum - few in Kern River Preserve, Weldon; also very
few in open desert far from water, including mature males
March 15, 2004
Ventura County
Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith
Sespe Creek on hwy 33, nice rocky creek with pools and riffles; warm, sunny
Ischnura perparva - imm over road; no other odonate activity
March 14, 2004
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs, Rod Miller
Our backyard pond, Sebastopol, CA (Bigsnest Wildlife Pond)
*Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) 1 male -
the first of the season, on territory after 10 mins. of scouting
California Darner (Ischnura perparva) 1, fly by
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) ~6, m&f
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva) 2 males
--------------
Marin County
Tony Harrow & Al Brewster
Lake Lagunitas
Pacific Forktail
Western Forktail
Ca. Darner - 1
We have visited this lake for the past four Sundays. We saw the first odes
today after a week of 70 plus degrees.
--------------
San Diego County
Bob & Dee Parks
Santee Lakes
Pacific Forktail
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)
Common Green Darner
--------------
Imperial County
Bob & Dee Parks
New River Wetlands Project, El Centro area
Rambur's Forktail - 1 neon orange teneral female
Familiar Bluet
Common Green Darner
*Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)
Glider sp. (Pantala sp) also at Rayburn and Finney Lake
March 13, 2004
Contra Costa County
Doug Vaughan
I spent a few hours yesterday at two sites on East Bay Municipal Utilities
District land in Contra Costa County, where I've been granted access this year
to look for odes. Nothing remarkable, but it's good to see that the season has
begun!
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) About a dozen , most
apparently two but one immature female examined in hand
*Western Forktail I. perparva -- 4 or 5 males
unidentified bluet (Enallagma sp.) One uncooperative individual.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) -- 8 or 10, some at a
distance and presumed to be this species. Most appeared to be rather
dull males. (Do all two if they live long enough, progress to a similar
dullness? Or is there a lot of variation, even among individuals of the
same age, at the same temperature?)
Weather was mild and clear, c. 75 degrees, light winds.
March 12, 2004
Imperial County
Bob Miller
at the Imperial site were *Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile,
*Rambur's Forktail Ischnura ramburii, Common Green Darner and
what I think were two *Spot-winged Gliders Pantala hymenaea but
not sure. [later confirmed- kb]
March 10, 2004
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Mouth of Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area
* **Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula
There were may 100+? in a large shallow pond (I only looked over 1/5 of the
pond). A few were teneral but 90% or more were adult. Among them were two
andromorphic female Pacific Forktails. There was one red
meadowhawk, almost certainly an adult Variegated.
FEBRUARY
February 29, 2004
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
Borrego Palm Canyon, near the pupfish pond
*Darner sp. Aeshna/Rhionaeschna an uncooperative one ! [surely
R. californica - kb]
February 28, 2004
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
the Bird & Butterfly Garden in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park
off of Hollister Rd.,
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula - up to 7, all fresh
to Greenwood Cemetery off of Imperial Ave in San Diego
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula -2 fresh Pacific Forktails
February 23, 2004
Yolo County
Greg Kareofelas
my front yard here in Davis :-)
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - 1 - The weather has been
so dicey lately, I was surprised to see anything!
February 20, 2004
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
his backyard
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - 1, not showing red
color, so probably a different one. . Not too surprising, as the storm track
that blew through northern California during the first part of that week was
from the south, and no doubt brought odes with it.
February 18, 2004
Sacramento County
Tim Manolis
his backyard
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - a mature male, showing
red color
February 11, 2004
Sonoma County
David Hofmann
north end of Spring Lake, Santa Rosa
*Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula - 1 - We've had a couple of above
normal warm days here in the high 60's. So I decided to visit the north end of
Spring Lake around noon today. I specifically wanted to find Ischnura
cervula out and about. I walked some hundred yards of lake edge looking
at every cattail old and new. I realized that it was worse than trying to find
a needle in a hay field! I did, only by luck, find (1) Ischnura
cervula, newly emerged. I can see where this is not a popular past time
this time of year. I also saw a Mourning Cloak during my search.
February 9, 2004
Siskiyou County
Bob Claypole
up Cayuse Gulch off Hwy 96 & Klamath River
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - Claypole found 2
about 1/4 mile apart
JANUARY
January 22, 2004
Shasta County
Bruce Deuel
Redding
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum - 1 - Redding Cemetery,
after 3 days of sunshine.
January 21, 2004
Sonoma County
David Hofmann
on King Ridge Road (along Austin Creek north of the town of Cazadero)
*Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum 1 - It was seen
in a dry ditch filled with bay leaves, soaking up the morning sun. It flew
feebly at first, like it couldn't get all muscles working together. Then it
took off like a fully operating dragon. It may have been over-wintering in the
area
January 16, 2004
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
This afternoon at the Greenwood Cemetery
*Common Green Darners Anax junius two. Both faded
January 1, 2004
Bob Miller
Brawley
*Roseate Skimmers Orthemis ferruginea
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
Gloria & Harry Conley
Bruce Deuel
Wendy Dreskin
Michael Ellis
Anthony Fisher
Darren Fong
Terri Gallion
Leda Beth Gray
Pete Haggard
John Hall &/or David Edwards
Chris Heaivilin
David Hofmann
Alvaro Jaramillo
Greg Kareofelas
Ron LeValley
Steve Linsley
David Lukas
Ron Lyons
Tim & Annette Manolis
Rod Miller
Lynn Monroe
Joseph Morlan
Becky Olsen Dee & Bob Parks
Dennis Paulson & Netta Smith
Dave Payne
Steve & Connie Potter
Andy Rehn
Paul Saraceni
Alison Sheehey
Susan Steele
Douglas Vaughan
Edward Whisler
Alan Wight
Ken Wilson
Return to California Dragonflies Thank-you for your interest!
