California's Year 2005 Dragonfly Sightings
in order
from MOST recently to LEAST recently seen!
Please
send your sightings, with date, county and location as displayed
below to
date
County
your name
place, etc.
species common name &/or scientific name - #s & other
data, comments
species common name &/or scientific name - #s & other
data, comments
etc.
THANKS!
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
105 species (out of 109 known species) were reported to this site as
flying in CA in 2005.
This is the MOST
species ever reported from any one year in CA since I started tracking the data
in 1998 – kb.
~68
new county
records &/or upgrades to county records were made this
year (this # includes upgrades of previous 'sighting only' records, newly
accessed museum collections and new reports of prior year’s data).
`Sighting only' records need further documentation, but please report them so
we can try to get substantiation. There may be some upgrades of previous
`sighting only' records and new specimen records from recently examined
museum/private collections listed. 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
2005
December 29, 2005
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Salton Sea
I photographed a male Variegated Meadowhawk* near the Salton Sea.
December 28, 2005
Sacramento County
Art Shapiro
West Sac.
….
saw a Sympetrum
December 9, 2005
Santa Clara County
John Hall, David Edwards
Monte Bello OSPpond
Spotted Spreadwing** 3 [new late flight data – kb] - 2m,1f in ovipositing
position
Female was alone but arching abdomen in an ovipositing position
although we never actually saw
any eggs being placed. She was doing
this on dead brown leaves of
reeds about 1 meter above ground. She
flew from leaf to leaf and repeated this posture. She and one male
appeared fairly fresh. The other
male was worn with somewhat tattered
wings.
December 5, 2005
Alameda County
John Hall, David Edwards
Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
Familiar Bluet* 2
Pacific Forktail* 5
December 2, 2005
Alameda County
John Hall, David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
American Rubyspot** 5 [new late flight data – kb]
Variegated Meadowhawk
3
-----
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Common Green Darners*
November
2005
November 29, 2005
Doug Aguillard
San Diego County
I saw at least 3 Blue-eyed
Darners Rhionaeschna multicolor** (newest latest date;-) in the
Tijuana River valley, 2 at previously described area, and one at Dairy Mart
Pond, also in the valley.
Common Greens were abundant.
November 26, 2005
Santa Clara County
John Hall, David Edwards
Monte Bello OSP - Pond
Spotted Spreadwing** 2 [new late flight data – kb]
Familiar Bluet 1
Striped Meadowhawk** 1 [new late flight data – kb]
We also walked around Horseshoe
Lake in Skyline Ridge but no dragonfly activity was noted.
November 25, 2005
Tim Manolis
Orange County
We found the following
around the marshy ponds in the drainage basin below a new housing development,
Ladera Ranch:
Common Green Darner -- 4, 2-3 of these males patrolling territorially
along marshy drainage channels.
Blue-eyed
Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor** -- 1 male at these same ponds (newest latest date;-). We
also saw a female mosaic darner in foraging flight over the trail on our walk,
probably also a Blue-eyed (?)
Wandering
Glider* --
3 males (orange abdomens, no visible wing spots) seen, also another Pantala
sp?, duller, might have been spot-winged, but not seen well enough to be sure).
Variegated
Meadowhawk --
5, all appeared to be males, some behaving territorially, e.g., chasing each
other, around the marshy ponds.
November 20, 2005
Doug Aguillard
San Diego County
I went back to the small pond in the Tijuana River Valley to see the 3 Blue-eyed
Darners** that I had yesterday, and I saw as many as 5 today, [new late
date for CA –kb] along with 3 common Green Darners. I then went up to
Escondido to Oak Hill Cemetery and saw 2 Red-tailed Pennants** ( new
Late Date), 2 Flame Skimmers* (fresh), and 2 Familiar Bluets.
November 19, 2005
Doug Aguillard
San Diego County
Today, at a small pond in the Tijuana River Valley near Sunset Rd. &
Hollister, I had up to 4 Blue-eyed Darners [tied for latest date ever
reported in CA] and 5 Common Green Darners.
-----
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Various places….
Blue-ringed Dancer Argia sedula** [new late flight data by 2 days]
Desert Forktail, Ischnura barberi** only one male! [new late
flight data by 2 days]
Familiar Bluet –
several
Roseatte Skimmer Orthemis ferruginea * – last date reported in 2005
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens
November 7, 2005
Paul Johnson
San Benito County
Temperatures around 70 are keeping the Odes going here at Pinnacles
National Monument. I just saw my first immature gynomorphic female Pacific
forktail. What a color combination!
I should have captured more of these to confirm IDs, but here's my list
of recent observations. Photos of all the reservoir species can be viewed at:
http://www.photoworks.com/share/shareLanding.jsp?shareCode=AA251C1BF0E&cb=PW
November 6. 2005
San Benito County
Paul Johnson
North Wilderness Trail
variegated meadowhawk - 1
CA spreadwing* - 1
vivid dancer* – 1
November 5, 2005
San Benito County
Paul Johnson
South Wilderness Trail
mosaic darner - 1
CA spreadwing - 1
vivid dancer - 1
American rubyspot – 1
November 3, 2005
Yolo County
Greg Kareofelas
Nothing of interest Odon wise lately other than I saw a Wandering
Glider Pantala flavescens last week (3rd of Nov which is later than
I normally see them) [last date reported in 2005] here in Yolo County, The only
other Ode is Sym corruptum now and then.
November 1, 2005
Alameda County
J Hall, D Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
American Rubyspot 12
California Spreadwing 35
California Dancer* 2
Vivid Dancer 25
Familiar Bluet 6
**Northern Bluet 3 [new late flight data by two weeks! - kb]
Arroyo Bluet* 2
Pacific Forktail 1
Western Forktail* 3
Walker's Darner* 2 [last date reported 2005]
Mosaic Darner,sp 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 10
Striped Meadowhawk
October
2005
October 31, 2005
Paul Johnson
San Benito County
Bear Gulch Reservoir
blue-eyed darner - 3
cardinal meadowhawk* - 1 [last date reported in 2005]
variegated meadowhawk - 1
CA spreadwing - 2
spotted spreadwing - 1
familiar bluet
tule bluet*
(bluets abundant)
vivid dancer - 1
Pacific forktail - 3
Western forktail - 1
black-fronted forktail* – 1
October 29, 2005
Santa Clara County
J Hall, D Edwards
Monte Bello OSP pond
Northern Spreadwing* 1
Familiar Bluet 4
Mosaic Darner,sp 1
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Striped Meadowhawk 3
October 13, 2005
Alameda County
John Hall, David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
American Rubyspot 30
California Spreadwing 20
California Dancer 7
Vivid Dancer 25
Familiar Bluet 8
Bluet,sp 20
Northern Bluet 5
Arroyo Bluet 10
Pacific Forktail 2
Western Forktail 2
Desert Firetail* 2
Walker's Darner 5
Mosaic Darner,sp 7
Common Green Darner 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 8
October 10, 2005
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
I went looking for Autumn Meadowhawk in Shasta County. I checked several
places and finally found them at Crystal Lake near the town of Cassel. I got
pix and netted a female for county voucher. Crystal Lake has lots of really
nice ode habitat.
Seen at Crystal Lake were:
black-fronted forktail - several (pix)
western forktail - several
spotted spreadwing - abundant
california spreadwing - at least one
western meadowhawk* - several males [last date reported in 2005]
white faced meadowhawk* - one male [with unusual red wing venation!- kb]
autumn meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum* – common NEW COUNTY RECORD with voucher specimen [last
date reported in 2005]
aeshna sp. (at least one--that landed--looked like variable
darner) - several
blue-eyed darner (probable) - several
A small pond along Hwy 89 had:
female spreadwing - spotted?
variegated meadowhawk - one male
aeshna sp. - one flying
October 6, 2005
San Benito County
John Hall, David Edwards
Coalinga Road and Laguna Creek
American Rubyspot 2
California Spreadwing 3
California/Aztec Dancer 1
Vivid Dancer 5
Tule Bluet 3
Northern Bluet 2
Arroyo Bluet 1
Western Forktail 5
Walker's Darner 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 2 (one newly emerged on rock)
Common Green Darner 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
San Benito River at Clear Creek Road Crossing and a spot about 12 miles
upstream
American Rubyspot 15
California Spreadwing 52
California Dancer 1
California/Aztec Dancer 14
Sooty Dancer* 4
Vivid Dancer 10
Bluet,sp 10
Northern Bluet 5
Arroyo Bluet 8
Walker's Darner 2
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Common Green Darner 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 7
October 5, 2005
Lassen County
Bruce Deuel
Lassen Volcanic National Park, ….I saw four mosaic darners at
Summit Lake, including a pair in wheel. They didn't stick around for me to
identify them, though.
Tehama County
Then we visited Wilson Lake, seeing a few more mosaic darners and
4 male Saffron-winged Meadowhawk*. I'm sure there were a lot more, as I
only checked about 100 feet of shoreline. [last date reported in 2005]
October 2, 2005
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
…. while watching the Navy
Fleetweek Sea & Air Parade on San Diego Bay (ocean saltwater), I watched a
male Red Rock Skimmer * [last date reported in 2005] flying out over the
bay and then landing on the jetty-type rocks. There is no fresh water creek
with rocks near this location.
September
2005
September 30, 2005
Siskiyou County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Dave and I took one last Ode outing. We especially wanted to look for
the Lance-tipped Darner, as it was found in Oregon, less than 20 miles from the
border. We were netting all that we found for Albert Burchsted in New York who
is doing DNA studies. Since it was the end of the flight season, we weren’t
taking any out of the breeding population for long; in fact, it went below
freezing the next two nights. Mt. Shasta was glorious and white with snow!
Here’s what we did find:
Meiss National Wildlife Area:
Lestes congener Spotted Spreadwing – several netted 3 kept, others released
Enallagma carunculatum Tule Bluet – 2 males collected
Ischnura perparva Western Forktail - a few females & males
Aeshna palmata Paddle-tailed Darner* – several netted, 2 males
kept [last date reported 2005]
A. umbrosa Shadow Darner – several netted, 3 males kept
Sympetrum pallipes Striped Meadowhawk – several netted, 3 females
& 1 male kept
Juanita Lake:
Lestes congener Spotted Spreadwing – several netted and released
A. umbrosa Shadow Darner* – several flying, one netted and released [last date
reported 2005]
Sympetrum pallipes Striped Meadowhawk – several flying, one male
netted
Orr Lake:
Lestes congener Spotted Spreadwing – several netted and released
A. umbrosa Shadow Darner – 1 male found floating dead on the water, another caught and
released
Aeshna sp – several seen flying; presumed to be Shadow Darners by
appearances
Sympetrum pallipes Striped Meadowhawk - one female collected
Sympetrum danae Black Meadowhawk* – one male seen [last date reported in 2005]
September 29, 2005
Marin County
J Hall, D Edwards
Rodeo Lagoon
Tule Bluet 1
Familiar Bluet 15
Bluet,sp 2
Northern Bluet 17
Arroyo Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 6
Mosaic Darner,sp 1
Common Green Darner 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 10
Cardinal Meadowhawk 3
---
Sonoma County
Lichau Road and Copeland Creek
Great Spreadwing* 2 (m&f) [this makes 104 species seen by
John & David – a new CA ‘record’!
– kb] [last date reported 2005]
Vivid Dancer 7
Mosaic Darner,sp 2
Common Green Darner 1
Flame Skimmer
Striped Meadowhawk 2
September 28, 2005
Butte County
Tim Manolis
Lake De Sabla
I arrived at the lake earlier than we did last week, at about 10:30. I
walked around the east side of the lake near the road, where we were last time,
as well as across the dam at the south end. As I had suspected last time, the
opposite (west) shore is private and marked no trespassing, so I didn't check
it out. Anyway, between about 10:30 and 11:30 I walked around as much of the
lake as I could, as well as into some weedy clearings in the surrounding woods,
and saw no vicinum (did see S. corruptum, A. junius, damsels,
etc.). At 11:30 I saw my first Sympetrum vicinum, a female over
shallow water on a weedy/sedge covered bench along the lakeside of the earthen
dam. It tapped around the water with its abdomen a few times and then took off.
A few minutes later I spotted a probable male perched in the top of a small
willow near the SW corner of the dam, and then about 15 minutes after that,
another apparent male perched in the top of a small oak near the SE corner. I
didn't see any in the weedy open areas along the road where we saw them last
week. At about noon I walked back over to the shallow bench at the top of the
dam where I had seen the female, and found a number of males apparently on
territory in the veg there, sedge beds with considerable patches of bidens
(sticktight) intermixed and some small willows. The males typically were
perched about a 1-2 up atop bidens stems. All I saw there were mature males
(about half a dozen or so, I collected 4 of them), in about an hour of
watching. I left the site at 1 p.m. with males still there, but never saw any
other females. Anyway, I think I am finally getting a better feel for these
guys.
September 27, 2005
Santa Clara County
J Hall, D Edwards
Monte Bello OSP
seep area
Vivid Dancer 15
Mosaic Darner,sp 1
pond
California Spreadwing 1
Spotted Spreadwing 2
Northern Spreadwing 2
Tule Bluet 2
Familiar Bluet 2
Bluet,sp 20
Arroyo Bluet 13
Pacific Forktail 3
Paddle-tailed Darner 3
Mosaic Darner,sp 4
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk 14
---
San Mateo County
J Hall, D Edwards
Skyline Ridge OSP
Alpine Pond
California Spreadwing 4
Northern Spreadwing 1
California Dancer 10;presumed
Arroyo Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 11
Mosaic Darner,sp 1
Striped Meadowhawk 9
Horseshoe Lake
California Dancer
Arroyo Bluet 2
Pacific Forktail 1
Western Forktail 3
Mosaic Darner,sp 3
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk 3
Striped Meadowhawk 55
September 25, 2005
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Today, after some morning birding, I went looking for bugs. I had the
following usual suspects:
Mission Gorge/Mission Trails Regional Park
Blue-eyed Darners
Blue Dasher* [last date reported in 2005]
Flame Skimmers
Variegated Meadowhawks
Cardinal Meadowhawks
Black Saddlebags* [last date reported for 2005]
Wandering Glider
Vivid Dancer
Pacific Forktails
Tule Bluets
Lindo Lake, Lakeside
Common Green Darners
Blue-eyed Darners
Blue Dashers
Variegated Meadowhawks
Cardinal Meadowhawks
Mexican Amberwings* [last date reported in 2005]
Blue Dashers
Tule Bluets
Black-fronted Forktails
Western Forktails
_______
San Benito
County
Paul Johnson
Pinnacles National
Monument, South Wilderness
-American
Rubyspot
-desert
firetail
-vivid dancer
-CA spreadwing
-co. green
darner
-mosaic darner
(Walker's?)
-variegated
meadowhawk
-flame skimmer
September 23, 2005
Sonoma County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Species seen, Lichau Rd, 4 pm - out of Rohnert Park
Great Spreadwing - 1 f
Vivid Dancer - a few of each sex
Bluet sp. - 1 f, probably no/bo type
Co. Green Darner - 1-2 'fresh' females/young males
Variegated Meadowhawk - ~12
We also hiked into Crane Creek Regional Park, just a little further up
Roberts Rd from the Lichau Rd turnoff. We saw a few more Variegateds, a Com.
Green Darner, and what was perhaps a Blue Dasher male.
-------
Alameda County
John Hall, David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness
American Rubyspot 20
California Spreadwing 5
California Dancer 2
Emma's Dancer* 2 * [last reported 2005]
Sooty Dancer 4
Vivid Dancer 60
Bluet,sp 5
Boreal/Northern Bluet 7
Arroyo Bluet 15
Pacific Forktail 4
Western Forktail 6
Walker's Darner 3
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Common Green Darner 15
Flame Skimmer 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 5
September 21, 2005
Butte County
Bruce Webb and Tim Manolis
We headed for the mountains of Butte County for a half day or so in the
field. I had some hopes of finding a species or two that should be there, but
have yet to be detected, such as Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata)
or Black Meadowhawk (Sympetrum danae). Instead I found something that
was only barely on my radar screen.
Much of the high country was disappointing, with very low or no water in
a couple of the larger reservoirs, but one spot, the rather small reservoir at
De Sabla, along the Skyway above Paradise, was productive. One of the first
odes we saw when we got out of the truck was a small, non-descript meadowhawk
in a weedy patch between the road and the water. my first impress was a
possible Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes) but then it dawned on
me that I could see the ovipositor quite nicely. But I shouldn't be able to see
the ovipositor of a Striped Meadowhawk that well! Unfortunately, my attempt to
net the critter failed. Fortunately, we saw few more in brush and weeds
bordering the reservoir and I eventually caught one, a male Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum). This
is a first record for Butte County.
________
Kern County
Steven Summers
Kern N.W.R.
Desert Forktail* – males
and females seen [last date reported 2005]
-------
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Goat - found both Archilestes calif & grandis flying - both
males and females. There were a number of "tandem pairs". The
surprising one was a female A grandis that I caught quite a ways from
their normal habitat (it was in a Juniper/scrub habitat quite a ways from any
water).
Others out:
Hetaerina americana
Archilestes californium
Archilestes grandis
Argia vivida
A lugens
A junius (lots & lots - at any time there were at least
5-10 in view!)
S corruptum
S pallipes
September 19, 2005
San Benito County
San Benito River 0.5 mile upstream
of confluence with Sawmill Creek (area closed to public)
lat/long: N 36.34° W120.65° Elevation: 1220 m
Argia hinei (Lavender
Dancer) – specimen record to upgrade
his prior photo record (August 22nd)
Paul collected a single male and a pair in
tandem. Stream is sunny with small bank vegetation and a rocky/gravelly
substrate (serpentine). Lat/long and elevation estimated from map. Papered
specimens will eventually be housed at Essig Museum of Entomology, UC Berkeley.
Note that these specimens resemble some I saw a few weeks earlier in Laguna
Creek a few miles away. Also seen:
-pacific
forktail
-CA spreadwing
-mosaic darner
(Walker's?)
-co. green darner
September 16, 2005
Contra Costa County
Chris Heaivilin
Contra costa country seems to be winding down pretty fast. Easily, the
dominant ode these days is E. carunculatum. They're still emerging and
doing there thing. I saw...
E. carunculatum
S. corruptum 1
A. junius >10
A. multicolor 1
T. lacerata 4
L. saturata
…….
Kings County
Paul Saraceni
Eric Preston, Luke Cole and I ventured from SF to Kings County for some
birding and ode-ing. Luke, who has birded that area many times, arranged access
for us to some private property that proved to be excellent for odes. In the
course of 9 or so hours, we found 5 new species for the county (4 documented)
and, thanks to Eric's efforts with his camera, upgraded another 10 species from
sight records. [ one of these turned out to already have been photo vouchered –
kb]
Location Key:
"TC" = Tar Canyon (various seeps & stock ponds) [PRIVATE
PROPERTY]
"AC" = Avenal Creek @ Avenal Canyon [PRIVATE PROPERTY]
"NAC" = Nevada Ave. Canal near Corcoran
"CO" = various ponds near Corcoran
Species List:
American Rubyspot Hetaerina americana 10+ AC
California Spreadwing Archilestes californicus 3 AC [new species --
photographed]
California Dancer Argia agrioides 1 m. AC [new species --
specimen collected]
California/Aztec-type Dancer 20+ TC, AC [1 m. specimen
we collected @ TC may be an Aztec; need to further study]
Vivid Dancer 10+ TC, AC
Tule/Arroyo-type Bluet 10+ TC
Familiar Bluet 50+ TC, AC, NAC
Black-fronted Forktail 10+ TC, NAC
Desert Firetail Telebasis salva 20+ TC, AC [new species --
specimen collected]
Common Green Darner Anax junius 20+ TC, AC, CO [photo
upgrade (dead individual floating on pond)]
Giant Darner Anax walsinghami **1-2 AC [new species --
photographed in flight] [new late flight data too!]
Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor 20+ TC, AC, CO [photo
upgrade]
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum
corruptum 50+ TC, AC, NAC, CO [photo upgrade]
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata* 7 AC, NAC [photo upgrade]
[last date reported in 2005]
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis 2 NAC [photo upgrade]
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia* 8 TC, AC [photo upgrade]
[last date reported for 2005]
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata 20+ TC, AC [photo upgrade]
Pale-face Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga mendax* 1 AC [new species -- sight
record] [last date reported in 2005]
Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata 10+ TC, NAC, CO [photo
upgrade]
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens 20+ TC, NAC, CO [photo
upgrade (dead individual floating on pond)]
Spot-winged Glider* 10+ TC, CO [last date reported in 2005]
-------
San Benito
County
Paul Johnson
Pinnacles National
Monument, Bear Gulch Reservoir
-tule/CA bluet
-desert
firetail
-western
forktail
-black-fronted
forktail
-co. green
darner
-mosaic darner
(blue-eyed?)
-black
saddlebags
-STRIPED
MEADOWHAWK (2nd obs. in county)
-cardinal
meadowhawk
-variegated meadowhawk
September 12, 2005
Yuba County
Douglas Aguillard and Pat
# After leaving the Modoc County Ode Blitz, my girl and I drove down to
Susanville, where we ended up staying in the same Motel that CalOdes members
Hall and Edwards stayed at recently. What a small world this is. Anyway
yesterday, we drove westbound Hwy 49 through the Sierra's to Sacramento. All
along the South Yuba River were THOUSANDS & THOUSANDS of Common Green
Darners!!!!! They were following both the river downstream (westbound), and
the Highway (also westbound). We stopped at one point and counted at least
100/minute for about 30 minutes flying by. There were no other species
involved.
Plumas County Also in the Gold Lake/Lakes Basin area above
Bassetts Station, Blue-eyed Darners were common.
September 11, 2005
Monterrey County
Steve Rovell
…along the lower Carmel
River:
Flame Skimmer, 1
Common Green Darner, 3-4
Blue-eyed Darner, 5-6
Variegated Meadowhawk, 7-10
Cardinal Meadowhawk, 3
All of these species were seen between the Highway 1 bridge and the
ocean. I specifically looked for damsels, but didn't see any.
_______
Modoc County
CA’s 1st Annual Dragonfly Blitz (see also http://bruunphotography.com/blitz/OdeBlitz2005.html)
Ray Bruun, Kathy & Dave Biggs, Doug Aguillard & Pat
Aeshna sp. 1
flew up from lake into trees while it was snowing!!
---
1200
Goose Lake State Park east of New Pine Creek
black meadowhawk many
striped meadowhawk several
**western red damsel* several, m * [last reported
2005, new late flight data]
alkali bluet* many,
m/1,f [last date reported 2005]
western forktail several,
m/f
--
Ray Bruun, Kathy & Dave Biggs
1300 North Fork Pit River, Hwy
395, ~8 miles north of Alturas lat/long:
N 41.355° W 120.1°
Hetaerina americana (American
Rubyspot) - 5; male specimen caught by Ray Bruun - an upgrade from a previous
Modoc Co., CA sighting only record.
spotted spreadwing 2
bluet sp 1, m
western forktail 1, f
Aeshna sp 1, m
Common Green Darner - many
Striped Meadowhawk – many
--
1400 North Fork Pit River, several miles
north of Alturas but south of previous spot; only Kathy & Dave Biggs
present at this point
American Rubyspot - 2
Familiar Bluet – one male in hand
Sooty Dancer – several
Common Green Darner - many
Striped Meadowhawk -- many
September 10, 2005
Modoc County
CA’s 1st Annual Dragonfly Blitz
Ray Bruun, Kathy & Dave Biggs, Doug Aguillard & Pat,
Joseph H. Smith, Tim Manolis
0900
Lily Pad Lake
western meadowhawk 1 dead
striped meadowhawk 1 dead
Lestes disjunctus (Northern Spreadwing) 3 - male specimen caught by Ray Bruun; new record
pacific forktail 1, m
---
1100
Very small pond approx. 2 mi. west of Lily Pad Lake on south side of County
Road 2
striped meadowhawk several
spotted spreadwing 1, f
no/bo bluet 1
western forktail 1, f
---
1140 unnamed pond, west side of County Road
2, ~2 miles before Lily Pond Lake, New Pine Creek N 42° 00.268' W 120° 13.886'
striped meadowhawk several
variable darner* many, m/f kept specimens of dying
individuals [last date reported 2005]
paddle-tailed darner several, m/f came out later
than variable, kept specimen of a dying female (photos
taken)
**lyre-tipped spreadwing* 1, m (photos taken) – new late flight
data, previous late date 8/16/99!
tule bluet 1 dead
bluet sp 1
---
1330 Goose Lake, eastern
shoreline @ Stateline Rd., New Pine Creek lat/long: N 42° W 119°
spreadwing sp 2
Western Red Damsel several (photos taken)
Alkali Bluet - many,
m/1,f (photos
taken) [Pat, our ‘novice’ was catching them in her bare fingers!]
Western Forktail several,
m/f [Pat, our
‘novice’ was catching them in her bare fingers!]
Sympetrum danae (Black
Meadowhawk) – pair caught in cop by
Kathy Biggs, many flying there; new record; (photos taken)
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk
many
---
1600
Small cattle pond between Hwy 299 and Fort Bidwell
striped meadowhawk several
spreadwing sp 2 probably lyre-tipped
---
1630
Pond east of Fandango Pass
striped meadowhawk several
variable darner 1, m
western forktail 2
September 9, 2005
Modoc County
CA’s 1st Annual Dragonfly Blitz
Ray Bruun, Kathy & Dave Biggs, Doug Aguillard & Pat,
Joseph H. Smith
1130
Adin @ Ash Creek & 299
western meadowhawk several
striped meadowhawk several
black saddlebags 1, m
common green darner 2
blue-eyed darner 1, m
spotted spreadwing several kept specimen
pacific forktail 1, m
also saw Purplish
Copper and other butterflies
---
1200 Rush Creek @ Highway 299
bridge, Gaging Station, ~.5 miles north of Adin, lat/long: N 41.315° W 120.5°
blue-eyed darner 2
Aeshna sp 1
Anax
junius
(Common Green Darner) – 2 female specimens caught by
Joe, upgrade from a previous Modoc Co., CA sighting only record.
american rubyspot 2 attempt to grab specimen
unsuccessful
spotted spreadwing 4
vivid dancer many
dancer/not vivid 1
tule bluet 1
western forktail 1
Libellula nodisticta Hoary Skimmer* – one old and ragged female caught by Ray Bruun (photos
taken). Specimen kept for scanning. [last date reported for 2005]
flame skimmer 1
variegated
meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk – abundant (photos taken)
*Western Meadowhawk several, (photos taken) – new late flight
data, previous late date 9/6
Tramea lacerata (Black
Saddlebags) - male specimen caught by Joe, upgrade from a previous Modoc
Co. CA photo only record
---
1340
Rush Creek
Lower
campground
striped
meadowhawk many
flame skimmer 1, f
paddle-tailed darner 1, m
spotted
spreadwing many
---
1730 unnamed pond, west side of
County Road 2, ~.5 miles before Lily Pond Lake & 3 m west of Cave Lake
Campground, New Pine Creek N 42° 00.268'
W 120° 13.886'
Variable Darner several (photos taken)
Shasta County
McArthur
Striped Meadowhawk – one
in town, photos taken
_______
Plumas County
John Hall, David Edwards
Willow Lake
Spotted Spreadwing 5
Northern Spreadwing 7
Vivid Dancer 2
Tule Bluet 3
*Canada Darner* 25 [only date reported 2005]
Variable Darner 1
Paddle-tailed Darner 15
Shadow Darner 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 25
Common Green Darner 80
Black Meadowhawk 5
White-faced Meadowhawk* 120 [last date reported in 2005]
Striped Meadowhawk 3
*Autumn Meadowhawk 4
A Variegated Meadowhawk was also seen at the beginning of the
road to Willow Lake.
Lassen County
John Hall, David Edwards
Willow Creek Wildlife Area
Spotted Spreadwing 15
Northern Spreadwing 2
River Bluet 1 (female, presumed to be this species) [last date
reported 2005]
Tule Bluet 3
Bluet,sp 3
Pacific Forktail 7
Western Forktail 4
Paddle-tailed Darner 2
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Black Meadowhawk 1
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk* 1 [last date reported in 2005]
White-faced Meadowhawk 1
___
Plumas County
Rock Creek, HWY 36
Northern Spreadwing 1
Bluet,sp 1
Western Forktail 3
Paddle-tailed Darner 1
Shadow Darner 7
Mosaic Darner,sp 8
Common Green Darner 10
White-faced Meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk 6
Western Meadowhawk 2
___
Tehama County
John Hall, David Edwards
Wilson Lake
Northern Spreadwing 1
Canada Darner 3
Variable Darner 1
Paddle-tailed Darner 1
Shadow Darner 2
Mosaic Darner,sp 10
Common Green Darner 20
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
White-faced Meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk 12
September 3, 2005
Contra Costa County
Chris Heaivilin
Los Vaqueros Res.
T. Salvas have always been rather hard to find in this county, but I
found the motherload at this reservoir. There were hundreds of them. Easily the
most I've ever seen at a single site.
T. lacerata
L. saturata
S. corruptum (very common)
A. junius
A. multicolor
I. civile
September 2, 2005
San Mateo County
John Hall, David Edwards
Skyline Ridge OSP
Alpine Pond
California Spreadwing 2
Northern Spreadwing 1
California Dancer 15
Arroyo Bluet 2
Pacific Forktail 3
Common Green Darner 4
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Flame Skimmer 2
Blue Dasher 3
Striped Meadowhawk 19
Horseshoe Lake
California Dancer 7
Tule Bluet 2
Arroyo Bluet 3
Pacific Forktail 1
Desert Firetail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 2
Common Green Darner 5
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Western Pondhawk 2
Flame Skimmer 20
Blue Dasher 5
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
Striped Meadowhawk 27
Black Saddlebags 1
Santa Clara County
Monte Bello OSP
Monte Bello Seep
Northern Spreadwing 6
Vivid Dancer 20
Paddle-tailed Darner 3
Mosaic Darner,sp 80
Common Green Darner 10
Pacific Spiketail* 2 [last date reported in 2005]
Wandering Glider 2
Spot-winged Glider 1
Glider,sp 5
Monte Bello Pond
California Spreadwing 4
Tule Bluet 3
Familiar Bluet 1
Bluet,sp 30
Boreal/Northern Bluet 1
Arroyo Bluet 15
Pacific Forktail 10
Western Forktail 1
Desert Firetail 15
Paddle-tailed Darner 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Common Green Darner 30
Blue-eyed Darner 3
Flame Skimmer 6
Blue Dasher 30
Cardinal Meadowhawk 8
Striped Meadowhawk 40
Black Saddlebags 1
September 1, 2005
Alameda County
John Hall, David Edwards
Sunol Regional Wilderness, Alameda Creek
American Rubyspot 14
California Spreadwing 10
California Dancer 1
California/Aztec Dancer 70
Emma's Dancer 7
Sooty Dancer 70
Vivid Dancer 40
Tule Bluet 1
Bluet,sp 20
Northern Bluet* 2 [last date reported 2005]
Boreal/Northern Bluet 15
Arroyo Bluet* 10 [last date reported 2005]
Pacific Forktail 3
Western Forktail 5
Desert Firetail 5
Walker's Darner 4
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Common Green Darner 2
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Flame Skimmer 2
Blue Dasher 1
Red Rock Skimmer 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
Cardinal Meadowhawk 11
Black Saddlebags 3
August
2005
August 30, 2005
San Francisco County
Paul Saraceni
I observed a new species for odes-poor San Francisco County. At midday a
male EIGHT-SPOTTED SKIMMER Libellula forensis*
[last date reported for 2005] was perching in and
flying about the shoreline vegetation at the NE corner of North Lake in Golden
Gate Park (near 43rd Ave./Fulton St.). [1st sight record]
North Lake has undergone a restoration during the past several years and
the emerging vegetation is producing a good location for odes (as well as birds
and leps). Other species present today included: Familiar Bluets, Pacific
Forktails, Blue-eyed Darners (including an ovipositing female), Cardinal
Meadowhawks (incl. tandem pairs), and an ovipositing female Flame
Skimmer (uncommon in SF).
Elsewhere in SF, the recent hot weather has brought in some of the
wandering species, especially along the eastern bayshore (e.g., Heron's Head
Park, India Basin Open Space Preserve), including Common Green Darners, many
Variegated Meadowhawks, Wandering & Spot-winged Gliders, and Black
Saddlebags.
August 28, 2005
Alameda/Santa Clara/Stanislaus Counties
Paul Saraceni, Eric Preston, Kevin McKereghan,
We headed east from SF out of the fog and into the heat in search of
odes. When we arrived at the entrance of Sunol Regional park (Alameda Co.) we
learned, unfortunately, that the park was closed due to fire danger. So we
drove further east to Mines Rd. & Del Puerto Canyon Rd. in Alameda/Santa
Clara/Stanislaus Cos., where we found some pretty good diversity wherever the
streams were still flowing or there was other accessible surface water.
Species list keyed by location:
"M" = Mines Rd. (stops in Alameda & Santa Clara Cos.)
"SA" = San Antonio Valley Rd. (Santa Clara Co.)
"DP" = Del Puerto Canyon Rd. (stops in Santa Clara &
Stanislaus Cos.)
American Rubyspot -- M (ALA) 3, DP (STA) 5+
California Spreadwing -- M (ALA/SC) 5+, DP (SC) 4 (incl. tandem pair)
Spotted Spreadwing -- DP (SC -- just a few miles w. of STA Co. line) 3
(incl. tandem pair)
California Dancer -- M (ALA) 1 m., DP (STA) 1 m. (in-hand ID)
California/Aztec-type Dancer -- M (ALA/SC) 40+, DP (STA)
20+ (incl. many tandem pairs)
Sooty Dancer -- DP (STA) 5+
Vivid Dancer -- M (SC) 10+, DP (STA) 5+ (incl. tandem pairs)
Familiar Bluet -- M (ALA/SC) 10+ (incl. tandem pairs)
Tule/Arroyo-type Bluet -- M (SC) 5+
Black-fronted Forktail -- SA 1 m.
Western Forktail -- M (ALA/SC) 20+, SA 1 f., DP (STA) 1 m.
Desert Firetail -- M (SC) 4 (incl. tandem pair)
Common Green Darner -- M (SC) 3, DP (STA) 10+
Walker's Darner -- M (ALA/SC) 3 m.
Aeshna darner sp. -- DP (STA) 3 m.
Variegated Meadowhawk -- DP (STA) 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk -- M (ALA) 1 m.
Striped Meadowhawk -- M (ALA) 2, DP (SC) 2
Western Pondhawk -- SA 1 f.
Blue Dasher -- DP (STA) 20+
Flame Skimmer -- M (SC) 5+, DP (STA) 40+ (incl. tandem pairs)
Red Rock Skimmer -- M (ALA) 1 m.
Black Saddlebags -- M (SC) 4, DP (STA) 3
Other observations of interest: 1 Golden Eagle, 2 Black-chinned
Hummingbirds, 1 Lewis's Woodpecker, 2 Western Fence Lizards, 2 Western
Whiptails, 2 Aquatic Garter Snakes, numerous Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs, 1
Pacific Treefrog, 3 Western Toads.
August 27, 2005
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
Today was a BDB day (Birds, Dragonflies, Butterflies) I started off at
the Bird and Butterfly Garden in the Tijuana River Valley and I had large
numbers of Blue eyed Darners. I stopped at the Dairy Mart Ponds and had
Common Green Darners, and
Black Saddlebags.
After looking at other locations, I stopped at Greenwood Cemetery was
saw the following:
Common Green Darners,
Western Pondhawks (new for this location),
Blue Dashers,
Black & Red* Saddlebags [last date reported for
2005], and a
Wandering Glider (only the second one I've seen here). There were a
few
Pacific Forktails and
Vivid Dancers (new for this location)
# It seems that Dragonflies are everywhere in the Southern area of San Diego
County since the migration of 1 1/2 weeks ago. I'm seeing Saddlebags and
Gliders where I haven't seen them before.
-------
Calaveras Counties
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Carson Creek where it enters New Melones Lake, Glory Hole Campground
(south of Angel’s Camp)
Flame Skimmer – 3
Striped Meadowhawk – 3
Common Green Darner – a few
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula – one female collected as county voucher [this leaves only
Trinity County without a voucher – or even a sighting! –kb]
Tule Bluet–
several, one male collected
Unnamed creek @ swimming beach for New Melones Lake, Glory Hole
Campground, Angels Creek Day Use Area (south of Angel’s Camp)
# Variegated Meadowhawk - ~ 20, possibly a migrating group
Flame Skimmer –
several
Pacific Spiketail – 2
males seen
Tule Bluet–
several, 2 males collected
August 26, 2005
Tuolumne County
Kathy and Dave Biggs, Leanne Bryan
We were doing an informal survey for the Bureau of Reclamation, New
Melones Lake:
New Melones Visitor’s Center, off Hwy. 49, just south of the Stanislaus
River Bridge
Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens – 1 over parking lot, it evaded the net, only flying low when
the net was in the car! Photo taken too distant/blurry - first sight record.
Black Saddlebags – 1 over parking lot
Common Green Darner - 1 over parking lot
Calaveras County
Kathy and Dave Biggs, Leanne Bryan
Natural Bridges, East of Angels Camp, off Parrot’s Ferry Rd.
This is a gorgeous spot where Coyote Creek passes thru 2 limestone caves
that you can swim thru!
Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens – 1 over dirt parking lot, ¼ mile above the creek, it also
evaded the net! First sight record.
At the creek itself:
Pacific Spiketail – at
least a dozen seen, occurring on both sides of the cave, one seen entering a
few feet into cave and then turning around and coming out. One male specimen
collected, see him and the limestone cave etc. at http://southwestdragonflies.net/caphotos/spiketail_calaveras05.html
Flame Skimmer – 1-2
females seen; photographed
Darner sp. – possibly a Blue-eyed seen
by Dave. Also one exuvia found, and lost!
California Dancer – some,
1 male collected
Emma’s Dancer – 1
male collected
Sooty Dancer – somewhat less plentiful
than Vivids
Vivid Dancer – plentiful
Northern Bluet Enallagma cyathigerum – 1 male collected
Western Forktail – 1
female seen
Desert Firetail – one
male collected
--
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Camp Nine Rd, East of Angels Camp, off Hwy 49, near Valecito
First Farm Pond on the left (“No Trespassing” so seen from roadside
only)
Common Green Darner –
several
Western Pondhawk – males
and females seen
Widow Skimmer* – many
[last date reported for 2005]
Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella* – one male seen well. There is only a sight record for this
species, but we were not able to catch it in a [last date reported in 2005]
Blue Dasher – males and females seen
Black Saddlebags –
several seen
--
Camp Nine Rd, un-named creek to the left just before road/bridge over
the river/lake arm
Sooty Dancer- several
Vivid Dancer - several
Flame Skimmer – at
least 3 males
Aeshna sp. – 1
--
Calaveras/Tuolumne Counties
Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River, end of Camp Nine Rd: You go across
the outlet for the hydro plant, along a ¼ mile path to the River. It is the
boundary line between the two counties, and thus any species encountered there
is counted for both counties. None of the dragonflies we saw there seemed to
migrating, all were seen as singles and in non-directional flight:
Pacific Spiketail – 1
female seen along trail
Black Saddlebags – many
Common Green Darner – many
Vivid Dancer – some
Sooty Dancer – some
Emma’s Dancer Argia Emma – at least 5. Two males collected as Tuolumne County
vouchers.
Arroyo Bluet Enallagma praevarum – one male collected as Tuolumne County voucher
August 25, 2005
Tulare County
Steve Summers
Stoil ponds …. a name I've made up…..[it is] along Hwy. 43 about 5 miles
north of Allensworth, it's an old Santa Fe railroad station. There are three
large ponds (reservoirs) here that I've found good for birds and odes for
Tulare Co.
Familiar Bluet (8),
Desert Forktail, Ischnura barberi – photo of male taken, 1st county record
Western Forktail (1m),
Blue-eyed Darner (5),
Common Green Darner (4),
Western Pondhawk (10),
Blue Dasher (20),
# Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens (50), Photo upgrade of
prior sighting only record [~20 1st seen at this location on Aug.
16]
Spot-winged Glider (6),
Variegated Meadowhawk (75)
Black Saddlebags (100)
-------
Calaveras County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Carson Creek @ New Melones Reservoir
Pacific Spiketail – 1
female seen ovipositing by Ranger Leanne Bryan just prior to our arrival (darn
– missed again!)
Vivid Dancer - several
Darner – 1 exuvia
collected
Irongate Campground
Black Saddlebags –
several seen flying around the hills of the campground
August 25, 2005
Stanislaus County
John Hall, David Edwards
We looked for dragonflies along Del Puerto Canyon Road mainly between PM
3 and 4 and near PM 18 along Del Puerto Canyon Road.. This last area is now
marked with an Adobe Springs sign and an address of 19000.
American Rubyspot 12
California Dancer 3
California/Aztec Dancer 40
Sooty Dancer 10
Vivid Dancer 50
Tule Bluet 2
Familiar Bluet 4
Northern Bluet 2
Boreal/Northern Bluet 10
Arroyo Bluet 1
Western Forktail 1
Walker's Darner 2
Common Green Darner 8
Giant Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Western Pondhawk 5
Flame Skimmer 70
Blue Dasher 8
Red Rock Skimmer 20
Spot-winged Glider 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 7
Black Saddlebags 3
-----
Tulare County
Steve Summers
Ischnura barberi (Desert
Forktail) -
Photo record
Stoil ponds lat/long: N 35.909729° W -119.439172° Elevation: 63 m
August 22, 2005
San Benito County
Paul Johnson CA Chart #76
*Lavendar Dancer Argia hinei - Photo record
August 19, 2005
John Hall, David Edwards
San Mateo County
Skyline Ridge OSP
Horseshoe Lake
Time: 10:35AM to 12:30PM
California Dancer 25
Tule Bluet 6
Arroyo Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 4
Western Forktail 2
Mosaic Darner,sp 10
Common Green Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 12
Western Pondhawk 5
Eight-spotted Skimmer 10
Flame Skimmer 30
Blue Dasher 7
Cardinal Meadowhawk 4
Striped Meadowhawk 1
Black Saddlebags 3
Alpine Pond
Time: 12:35PM to 1:47PM
Northern Spreadwing 1
California Dancer 20
Arroyo Bluet 3
Pacific Forktail 6
Western Forktail 1
Desert Firetail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 3
Common Green Darner 3
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Western Pondhawk 2
Widow Skimmer 1
Flame Skimmer 5
Blue Dasher 7
Striped Meadowhawk 2
Santa Clara County
Monte Bello OSP
Monte Bello Pond
Time: 1:52PM to 2:58PM
California Spreadwing 1
Northern Spreadwing 1
Tule Bluet 2
Arroyo Bluet 8
Pacific Forktail 6
Western Forktail 5
Desert Firetail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 3
Common Green Darner 8
Blue-eyed Darner 3
Western Pondhawk 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer 3
Widow Skimmer 2
Flame Skimmer 25
Blue Dasher 30
Cardinal Meadowhawk 2
Striped Meadowhawk 29
Black Saddlebags 1
Monte Bello Seep
Time: 3:02PM to 3:35PM
Northern Spreadwing
Vivid Dancer
Pacific Spiketail
August 18, 2005
Santa Cruz County
John Hall, David Edwards
Quail Hollow Ranch Time: 11:10AM to 2:30PM, no sunshine until 12:30PM
Vivid Dancer 8
Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile 1 (in hand, photographed-
upgrade of prior sighting only record)
Arroyo Bluet 6 (1 in hand)
Pacific Forktail 50
Western Forktail 12
Desert Firetail Telebasis salva 7 (photographed - upgrade
of prior sighting only record)
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Common Green Darner 4
Blue-eyed Darner 10
Western Pondhawk 9
Flame Skimmer 10
Blue Dasher 1
Spot-winged Glider 1
Glider,sp 1 (probably Wandering)
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
Cardinal Meadowhawk 9
Striped Meadowhawk
Black Saddlebags
Felton and Big Trees Time: 2:40PM to 4:05PM
Vivid Dancer 12
Boreal/Northern Bluet 1
Arroyo Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 1
Western Forktail 2
Desert Firetail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 15
Common Green Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 3
Flame Skimmer 20
Blue Dasher 2
Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens 1 - new sight record
Spot-winged Glider 1
Glider,sp 4
Common Whitetail Libellula lydia 1 (photographed - upgrade
of prior sighting only record)
Cardinal Meadowhawk 3
August 18, 2005
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River on Thursday, August 18 from Ash Creek River
Access (6 miles west of I-5) to Gottville. The float was about twelve miles or
so. We did a river cleanup with a Goosenest YCC Crew. It was a great
opportunity to teach a few teenagers some common ode identification. We also
managed to pull nine tires out of the river. It was sunny with scattered
afternoon clouds and temps were in the low 90's. Lots of ode activity. We saw:
American rubyspot - 1 male perched on rock
Northern bluets - numerous pairs ovipositing
Emma's Dancers - numerous pairs ovipositing
Flame Skimmer - numerous males
Widow Skimmer - numerous, a few pairs in tandem
Blue Dasher- 2 males observed
Black Saddlebags - 3 males observed
aeshna sp - 1 male patrolling (first mile of river float)
#Common Green Darner - We evidently floated through an emergence swarm! I
noted only 2 mature males, everyone else appeared to be teneral male or female.
The numbers began to grow and surpass the widow skimmers only two miles into
our float. Near Skeanan Bar we figured we had easily seen over a thousand
darners. They were centered over the river. A few miles past Cayuse River Access
the numbers dropped back to nearly zero. It was pretty cool floating along and
being "escorted" by so many green darners. Cayuse River Access pond
may well be a source for such an emergence, this particular swarm seemed to be
located a few miles east and stretched maybe two miles west of the Cayuse pond.
On shuttle I noticed the pond to be totally covered with bright green algae.
The teenagers were even impressed with the numbers of the swarm.
August 17, 2005
Colusa County
Greg Kareofelas
Stony Creek
I just was up at Stony Creek and I got an *Great Spreadwing Archilestes
grandis, not used to finding these out so early. This one was a very
mature male, so he has been out for a while.
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Happy Camp
My backyard pond is providing great opportunities for watching odes.
Here are today's highlights. High temps were in the low 90's.
Widow Skimmer - A female was flying about the yard near the pond;
a male showed up shortly thereafter. This occurred during the cool of the early
morning before 10 am. A male was the first ode to perch on the "preferred
reed" today.
Flame Skimmer - A male has been perching on same reed
("preferred reed") for the last two weeks. It usually shows up after
11 am and stays until sun leaves pool at 3:30 pm. I have seen it in tandem with
random females and witnessed ovipositing occurring on several occasions. There
was no ovipositing observed today.
Western Forktail - A male showed up and explored the pond habitat. It
was there during the heat of the afternoon.
Northern Bluet - A tandem pair was ovipositing on stems and vegetation
during the heat of the afternoon.
Striped Meadowhawk - A male competes with the flame skimmer for the
"preferred reed" to perch on. They have skirmishes and the meadowhawk
will actually attempt to land on top of the flame skimmer while it is perched
on the reed. Lots of oblisking during the heat of the day. They eventually
share the "preferred reed".
Emma's Dancers - A pair was ovipositing into floating veg during mid
afternoon heat.
Paddle-tailed Darner - A male showed up yesterday and returned today. He
patrols and searches. He appears after the pond has shaded over and temps have
cooled off a bit, usually after 5 pm.
Pacific Spiketail - A female showed up at 7pm and did some ovipositing on
shallow sand, floating veg, and a partially submerged leaf. She was a new
species for the yard list. She oviposited for about three minutes and then
disappeared. A beautiful bug!
Elsewhere in the county:
I went to China Point River Access this afternoon. The access is about
six miles east of Happy Camp. Ode activity was pretty good. It was sunny, hot,
low 90's. During the one hour I was there I saw:
Northern Bluet - Several males perched.
Eight-Spot skimmer - 1 male patrolling.
Common Green Darner - 1 male patrolling.
Western Forktail - 1 female ovipositing.
Widow Skimmer - The most common ode today, lots of males, 1 tandem
pair, and 1 male netted for fun.
Blue Dasher - A few males patrolling.
Emma's Dancer - Several couples ovipositing.
Flame Skimmer - 1 male pat patrolling.
The shoreline here is lined with willows, reeds, and grass. The river is
broad, shallow and swift as it breaks out of a half mile long pool. The eddies
along the shore are covered with floating veg and are magnets for odes.
August 16, 2005
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
# Well, the flight of Spot-winged & Wandering Gliders, along
with the occasional Red Saddlebags continued today, with about 5-6 per
minute flying from North to South in National City.
-------
San Benito County
Steve Rovell and Paul Johnson
We spent half a day at the Bear Gulch Reservoir at Pinnacles National
Monument, San Benito Co. We were greeted there by a male eight-spotted skimmer Libellula forensis.
It didn't stick around long enough to be photographed or captured, but I
believe it's the first reported sighting of the species in this county. [1st
sight record]
Seen at the reservoir:
-common green darner
-giant darner
-blue-eyed darner
-white-belted ringtail* [last date reported in 2005]
-eight-spotted skimmer
-flame skimmer
-black saddlebags
-common whitetail (female only)
-cardinal meadowhawk
-variegated meadowhawk
-desert firetail
-many blue damsels
And in the small streams near the Visitor Center:
-Walker's darner
August 14/15, 2005
San Diego County
Douglas Aguillard
# Yesterday, I noticed many Odes flying over my yard, but couldn't get a
positive ID on them. Today I'm watching Variegated Meadowhawks and the
occasional Red saddlebags flying from north to south following the
Interstate 805 through National City. I'm seeing about 5 per minute. …Add Spot-wing
Gliders to the mix, and I wouldn't doubt that there was some Wandering with
the mixed group. I added both Spot-winged and Red Saddlebags to my yard list
along with a flyover Long-billed Curlew (bird).
August 13, 2005
Contra Costa County
Robert Grahamjones
# I rode my bike to the top of Mt. Diablo. Towards the summit (after
3000') I saw clouds of dragonflies thicker than I have ever seen. It reminded
me of locust clouds growing up in Ohio.
August 12, 2005
Siskiyou County
John Hall, David Edwards
Pumice Stone Well Time: 9:25AM to 1:20PM
Spotted Spreadwing 7 (2 in hand)
Northern Spreadwing 10
Western Forktail 3
Variable Darner 15
Mosaic Darner,sp 200
Blue-eyed Darner 2
American Emerald* 4 [last date reported in 2005]
Mountain Emerald* 3 [last date reported in 2005]
Emerald,sp 10
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 1
Striped Meadowhawk 30
Western Meadowhawk 2
August 11, 2005
Siskiyou County
John Hall, David Edwards
Forest Road 26 at Gumboot Creek Time: 9:50AM to 10:07AM
Vivid Dancer 5
Black Petaltail 1
Emerald,sp 1
---
Trinity County
John Hall, David Edwards
Picayune Lake Area - See Kathy and Dave Biggs July 25, 2005 report for
location of the ponds Time: 10:35AM to 1:50PM
Northern Spreadwing 70 (2 in hand)
Emerald Spreadwing* 2 (1 in hand) [last reported 2005]
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing 1 (female photographed)
Pond Spreadwing, sp 10
Vivid Dancer 7
Boreal Bluet* 1 (in hand) [last date reported 2005]
Boreal/Northern Bluet 90
Western Forktail 3
Black Petaltail 1
Variable Darner 10
Mosaic Darner,sp 15
Common Green Darner 35
Pacific Spiketail 1
Ringed Emerald Somatachlora albicincta * 3 - new sight
record [last date reported in 2005]
Mountain Emerald 2
Emerald,sp 3
Hudsonian Whiteface* 15 [last date reported in 2005]
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 8
Four-spotted Skimmer* 10 [last date reported in 2005]
Common Whitetail 1
Black Meadowhawk 1 (photographed)
White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum 3 (photographed)
Striped Meadowhawk 6
Mumbo Lakes - We visited Mumbo and Upper Mumbo Lakes Time: 2:15PM to
4:05PM
Northern Spreadwing 80
Emerald Spreadwing 1 (in hand)
Vivid Dancer 2
Boreal Bluet 1 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 30
Western Forktail 3
Variable Darner 5
Mosaic Darner,sp 20
Common Green Darner 75
American Emerald 4
Mountain Emerald 2
Emerald,sp 3
Crimson-ringed Whiteface* 30 (1 in hand) [last date reported in 2005]
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 5
August 7, 2005
Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
I spent about an hour looking for odes in the Cuyama Valley and
adjoining Santa Barbara Canyon in the NE corner of Santa Barbara county. A
number of desert birds and butterflies reach the edge of their range here and I
was hoping to find a couple of new odes for the county - specifically Desert
Firetail and White-belted Ringtail. I had no luck with either despite a 30
minute walk along the streambed looking for the ringtail.
Santa Barbara Canyon:
Sooty Dancer - 2
Vivid Dancer - 1
Red Rock Skimmer - 6
Black Saddlebags - few
Wandering Glider - 1
Pond near New Cuyama
W. Pondhawk - 2
Common Green Darner - several
Black Saddlebags - v. common
Flame Skimmer - v. common
Blue-eyed (?) Darner - v. common
Variegated Meadowhawk - 2
Bluet sp. - v .common
Wandering Glider - some
I didn't have time to check another pond or other spots on the creek as
it was dry. I could have easily missed some good species. Red Saddlebags was
noticeably absent. This species is common on the S. coastal plain of the county
but I haven't seen it inland yet.
-------
San Mateo County
Paul Saraceni and Eric Preston
We made a brief check of some ponds in Pescadero Marsh on Saturday
afternoon, with the following observations:
Northern Spreadwing 1 m.
spreadwing sp. 1 f. & 1 teneral
Pacific Forktail 30+
Swift Forktail* 1 m. [last date reported 2005]
Western Forktail 3 f.
Common Green Darner 1 m.
Blue-eyed Darner 5+
Wandering Glider 1 (briefly perched)
August 4, 2005
San Diego County
Nicole Ramirez
Lindo Lake
A female Mexican Amberwing photographed.
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
McCloud River, a delightful spot off the McCloud River Loop Rd, where we
took a little turn off between Cattle Camp and the Cattle Camp's Swimming Hole
areas.
The very cool, clear water, with a shoreline that was about 20% mud
banks hosted at least TWO Pacific Spiketails on the same 200 yd stretch!
They interacted many times, but the 'loser' always came back after a moment or
two and followed the 'winner' just a 50 ft behind him! Dave thinks there were
perhaps as many as 6!! At one point, a 3rd Spiketail came into our view, just
at the log jam that marked the apparent end of the territory. As the lead male
took off after it, Dave and I had hopes of finally getting to see a female
oviposit. But alas, it was not so. Also seen there were at least 2 large
darners. But darn it, they evaded the net repeatedly. One appeared to be
a Walker's Darner, and the other a Shadow, or perhaps even a Canada Darner.
During a short stop at 5:45 pm at Soda Springs off Squaw Valley Rd,
McCloud, we found
Western Forktails - being snatched up by red and black colored wasps! I
watched both a female and male get captured!
Variable Darner - at least one male seen well
Mosaic Darner sp.- several
Common Whitetails - common
August 3, 2005
Humboldt County
Ron LeValley
I’ve had a computer crash and so I don’t have access to the updated
county lists, but I think that this is a Gray
Sanddragon Progomphus borealis* [last date reported in
2005]. According to my old records, there were no Humboldt (or Mendocino)
records. If I had been better prepared I could have collected one. There were
two of them doing courting flights around each other along the Eel River just
about 3 miles north of Redway in Humboldt County. [photo accepted – kb].
-------
Mono County
John Hall, David Edwards
Meadowcliff Lodge Time: 8:00AM to 9:00AM Temp. 75
While waiting for the high country to warm up, we wandered the grounds
of our overnight accommodation. This lodge is about 3 miles north of Walker on
Route 395. There is a nice short stretch of an irrigation ditch on the
property.
River Bluet 1
Alkali Bluet 1
Bluet,sp 3
Western Forktail 8
Paddle-tailed Darner 2 (perched males)
Eight-spotted Skimmer 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
Striped Meadowhawk 13
Western Meadowhawk 5
---
Alpine County
John Hall, David Edwards
Monitor Pass small pond on north side of highway just west of the pass
Time: 9:35AM to11:00AM Temp. 70
Northern Spreadwing 10
Emerald Spreadwing 70
Boreal Bluet 2 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 15
Western Forktail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Striped Meadowhawk 10
Hope Valley Wildlife Area Junction of Routes 88 and 89 Time: 11:35
to12:20PM Temp. 75
Common Green Darner 1
Variable Darner (indeterminate) 1
Boreal/Northern Bluet 1
Junction of Route 88 and Blue Lakes Road Unnamed lake/reservoir . We made
a circle of the lake. Time 12:37PM to 14:15PM Temp. 75
Northern Spreadwing 200
Emerald Spreadwing 3
Boreal Bluet 1 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 150
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Common Green Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 1
American Emerald 4
Mountain Emerald 1
Emerald,sp 2
Four-spotted Skimmer 80
Variegated Meadowhawk 8
White-faced Meadowhawk 6
Striped Meadowhawk 15
Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale 9 photographed
Woods Lake Time: 2:35Pm to 3:20Pm Temp. 75
Boreal Bluet 1 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 20
Mosaic Darner,sp 4
August 2, 2005
Mono County
John Hall, David Edwards
Dechambeau Ponds Time: 10:10AM to 2:40PM Temp. 80 clear skies, no wind
Western Red Damsel 5
Tule Bluet 50 (2 in hand)
Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile 10 (2 in hand) photographed
Alkali Bluet 10 (2 in hand)
Bluet,sp 1000
Boreal/Northern Bluet 2
Pacific Forktail 3
Black-fronted Forktail 3
Western Forktail 10
Paddle-tailed Darner 4
Mosaic Darner,sp 15
Common Green Darner 5
Blue-eyed Darner 5
Western Pondhawk 200
Bleached Skimmer* 40 (at least 12 tandem pairs ovipositing)
[last date reported for 2005]
Eight-spotted Skimmer 100
Hoary Skimmer 1
Flame Skimmer 15
Desert Whitetail Libellula subornata* 5 photographed [last
date reported in 2005]
Variegated Meadowhawk 30
*Saffron-winged Meadowhawk 30
Striped Meadowhawk 1
Black Saddlebags 30
Red Saddlebags 5
Dogtown site pond:
This pond is on the west side of Route 395 near the intersection with
Route 167 to Bodie. Look for the #4 marker (for points of interest along 395).
Boreal Bluet 2 (in hand)
Bluet,sp 40
Pacific Forktail 2
Western Forktail 15
Mosaic Darner,sp 5
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Four-spotted Skimmer 4
Striped Meadowhawk 1
August 1, 2005
Inyo County
John Hall, David Edwards
This day was to be a day to look for the Sierra Nevada Skipper in the
White Mountains. This elusive butterfly occurs above tree line on scree slopes
near the summits of mountains in a few known locales. We chose Campito Mountain
with a peak at 11, 560 feet. On our way we stopped at Tollhouse Spring. Time:
8:15AM to 8:55 AM and again from 3:35PM to 3:45PM
Vivid Dancer 15
Mosaic Darner,sp 3
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Pacific Spiketail 3
Flame Skimmer 1
Western Meadowhawk 1
Campito Mountain Time: 9:45AM to 1:25PM Temp. 65
Mono County
We parked at about the 10, 760 foot level of the road and hiked up to
the peak. We were amazed to see darners flying on the slopes and hill topping.
We identified 5 Blue-eyed Darners and had another 10 left unidentified. We were
also successful in finding the butterfly at the peak.
Irrigation Canal along Route 168 just east of Big Pine. Time: 4:05PM to
4:45PM Temp. 104
Variegated Meadowhawk 6
Tule Bluet 30
River Bluet 5 (1 in hand)
Bluet,sp 300
Common Green Darner 1
Black-fronted Forktail 1
July
2005
End of July, 2005
Michael J. Ellis
Great oding in the Lakes Basin region. I was in white face heaven!!!!.
Spotted Spreadwing
Emerald spreadwing
Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)
Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
Blue-eyed Darner (A. multicolor) (I THINK)
Western Meadowhawk (S. occidentale)
Striped Meadowhawk (S. pallipes)
Variegated Meadowhawk
Four-Spotted skimmer
Saffron winged meadowhawk
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)
Grappletail
American emerald
Mountain Emerald
Pacific Spiketail
July 30, 2005
Imperial County
John Hall, David Edwards
Vicinity of Sinclair and Montgomery Roads and Highline Canal
Besides walking alongside the Highline Canal we looked in a couple of
the lateral canals. These proved to be rewarding and provided many of the
observations.
Time: 7:30AM to 10:37AM Temp 106
American Rubyspot 25
Powdered Dancer* 100 [last date reported 2005]
Blue-ringed Dancer* 14 [last date reported 2005]
Familiar Bluet 20
White-belted Ringtail 7
Gray Sanddragon 1
*Brimstone Clubtail 1
Western Pondhawk 8
Comanche Skimmer* 2 [last date reported in 2005]
Roseate Skimmer 6
Wandering Glider 7
Spot-winged Glider 5
Black Saddlebags 2
Red Saddlebags 1
-----
Inyo County
Dirty Socks Spring
We observed dragonflies here between 8:30AM and 10:20AM. Skies were
clear, temperature 85, light breeze.
Paiute Dancer* 1 * [last date reported 2005]
Tule Bluet 5
Familiar Bluet 5
Alkali Bluet 4
Bluet, sp 25
Desert Forktail 30
Black-fronted Forktail 1
Common Green Darner 10
Blue-eyed Darner 5
*Olive Clubtail Stylurus olivaceus *1 (eating bluet) [only
date reported in 2005]
Western Pondhawk 4
Bleached Skimmer 1
Blue Dasher 1
Wandering Glider 1
Desert Whitetail 3
Variegated Meadowhawk 70
Black Saddlebags 1
Mazourka Springs - Time: 11:10AM to 1PM Temp. 95
Paiute Dancer 4
Aztec Dancer* 2 (in hand) [only one IDed all year – kb]
Vivid Dancer 1
Pacific Forktail 7
Black-fronted Forktail 3
Desert Firetail 25
Common Green Darner 5
Blue-eyed Darner 3
Western Pondhawk 20
Bleached Skimmer 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer 1
Blue Dasher 50
Variegated Meadowhawk 25
Western Meadowhawk 7
Black Saddlebags 3
North McNally Canal
We walked along the canal on the north side of Silver Canyon Road. Take
Route 6 from Bishop to Silver Canyon Road. The canal is the second one a short
distance past the railroad museum. Time; 2:10PM to 4:10PM. Temp. 98
River Bluet 3
Tule Bluet 30
Familiar Bluet 1
Pacific Forktail 10
Black-fronted Forktail 2
Common Green Darner 10
Giant Darner 2
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Western Pondhawk 12
Eight-spotted Skimmer 2
Flame Skimmer 20
Blue Dasher 5
Variegated Meadowhawk 50
Western Meadowhawk 200
Black Saddlebags 10
Five Bridges Road and Owens River Time: 4:15PM to 4:45PM
Vivid Dancer 5
Tule Bluet 1
Familiar Bluet 1
Common Green Darner 2
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Eight-spotted Skimmer 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 5
Black Saddlebags 30
July 29, 2005
Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
Spent about 30 minutes over lunch here today:
American Rubyspot - 1, a lifer for me
Sooty Dancer - 1-2
Dancer sp. - many Vivid/California/Aztec Dancers
*Serpent Ringtail Erpetogomphus lampropeltis*– 2 [ONLY date reported in 2005]
W. Pondhawk - 1
Widow Skimmer - 1
Flame Skimmer - Many
Still no sign of Giant Darner or Gray Sanddraggon.
-------
Lassen County
Karen DeMello and Jan Hintermeister
(Warner Valley) - the full lifecycle of the Grappletail* -
[last date reported in 2005]
We went to the southeast corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park and
took the short 2 mile hike from Drakesbad to Devils Kitchen. We spent quite a
bit of time at the bridge leading to Devils Kitchen watching the full lifecycle
of the Grappletail. We saw several adults flying, and also perching on
shrubs and rocks in the creek. There was a female ovipositing. The highlight
was watching the end of an emergence on a blade of grass sticking out of the
stream: the new dragonfly had just emerged, and we waited patiently for its
glistening wings to pop open. It took 15 or 20 minutes for it to fly off into
the protection of nearby plants. Then the grand finale: a nymph started to
climb up the same blade of grass, but it changed its mind and went back into
the creek, possibly being a bit picky about where to emerge? Or perhaps it
wasn't quite ready yet. All in all, it was very exciting to witness all of
these facets of the lifecycle in such a short period of time. We also saw Pacific
Spiketail and Aeshna sp. (these darn darners never seem to
stop moving so we couldn't tell what kind it was).
Sacramento County
On the drive to Lassen we stopped at the Sacramento National Wildlife
Refuge off of I-5 to see what the 6 mile auto loop would be like in the middle
of summer. We saw hundreds of Variegated Meadowhawks (mostly female),
Eight-spotted Skimmer, Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Black Saddlebags, Common Green
Darner, and Blue Dasher. At the observation platform around mile 3
there were dozens of large dark spiders hanging in webbed colonies from the
trees. It looked like a scene from Arachnophbia!
Butte County
We also stopped at Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park 5 miles west of
Chico. At the boat launch area we saw Widow Skimmer, Black Saddlebags, Blue
Dasher, a female Western Pondhawk ovipositing, and Jan saw a
Pacific Forktail while he was sitting in the shade trying not to melt from
the scorching afternoon heat.
-------
Los Angeles County
John Hall, David Edwards
Frenchman's Flat
David and I walked alongside Piru Creek between the first bridge and the
narrows. Our search for the Ringtail was successful but we were unable to locate
any Lavender Dancers.
Time: 11:25AM to 2:22PM. Temp. 90
American Rubyspot 10
California/Aztec Dancer 10
Sooty Dancer 60
Vivid Dancer 30
Arroyo Bluet 1
Serpent Ringtail 18
Flame Skimmer 6
Red Rock Skimmer 15
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
July 23/24, 2005
Imperial County
Bob Miller
Salton Sea:
I photographed a female Marl Pennant* [last date reported in
2005] on Obsidian Butte, which is on the south east shore of the Salton
Sea, on Saturday , July 23. Was on a birding trip so did not have time to search
out others. The list below is of dragons and damsels that were numerous or
easily seen in the right habitats.
Other odes seen during the weekend, in no particular order :-)
Blue Dasher
Western Pondhawk
American Rubyspot
Powdered Dancer
Blue-ringed Dancer
Ramber's Forktail
Mexican Amberwing
Black Saddlebags
Red Saddlebags
Roseate Skimmer
Common Green Darner
Glider sp.
-------
Modoc County
Kevin McKereghan
I took a few days over the weekend to do some camping (and
Odeing/Birding etc) in the Warner Mountains with the family. The highlights
were the Great Basin Snaketails and the huge numbers of bluets at the Fandango
Pass pond (1.5 miles or so up Forest Road 9 from County Road 1, north of
Cedarville), look for a gate on the left signed "please close gate"
walk back along the road about 1/3 mile to the pond (hidden behind a dam) there
must have been thousands. Overall outstanding Ode activity, I wish I'd had
longer, and was going back in September. Following is my trip list
Location: Soup Spring Campground and Pine Creek Trail
Spotted Spreadwing
Common Spreadwing
Emerald Spreadwing
Western Forktail
Vivid Dancer
Boreal Bluet
Western Red Damsel
Striped Meadowhawk
Western Meadowhawk
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk
American Emerald
Great Basin Snaketail* [last date reported in 2005]
8-spotted Skimmer
Blue-eyed Darner
Variable Darner
California Darner
Aeshna sp.
Pacific Spiketail
Roadside pond along road to Fandango Pass
Common Spreadwing
Black-fronted Forktail
Western Forktail
Boreal Bluet
Tule/Arroyo Bluet
Striped Meadowhawk
Dot-tailed Whiteface* [last date reported in 2005]
Common Green Darner
Aeshna sp.
8-spotted Skimmer
12-spotted Skimmer
Common Whitetail
Blue Lake Campground
Spotted Spreadwing
Common Spreadwing
Western Forktail
Pacific Forktail
Boreal Bluet
Striped Skimmer
Western Skimmer
4-spotted Skimmer
8-spotted Skimmer
12-spotted Skimmer
Dot-tailed Whiteface
Aeshna sp.
Pacific Clubtail
July 23, 2005
Placer County
Bruce Webb
8204 Cantershire Way, Granite Bay
Neon Skimmer Libellula croceipennis* - on my pond, - photo by
Bruce Webb [last date reported for 2005]
The elevation here is about 260 ft in the Sierra Nevada foothills. A
large Blue Oak tree shades the pond. Other visitors to this (emphasized) small
pond this summer have included Desert Firetail, Spot-winged Glider and
Variegated Meadowhawk.
-------
Santa Clara County
John Hall, David Edwards
Monte Bello OSP
Seep
Northern Spreadwing 35
Vivid Dancer 20
Swift Forktail 4
Western Forktail 2
Walker's Darner Aeshna walkeri 2
Mosaic Darner,sp 4
Common Green Darner 1
Pacific Spiketail 4
Flame Skimmer 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk 5
Black Saddlebags 1
Pond
Northern Spreadwing 8
Bluet,sp 300
Arroyo Bluet 50
Pacific Forktail 1
Western Forktail 15
Desert Firetail 5
Mosaic Darner,sp 3
Common Green Darner 15
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Western Pondhawk 10
Eight-spotted Skimmer 20
Flame Skimmer 20
Blue Dasher 100
Common Whitetail 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk 8
Striped Meadowhawk 20
Black Saddlebags 5
-----
San Mateo County
John Hall, David Edwards
Skyline Ridge OSP
Alpine Pond
Northern Spreadwing 3
California/Aztec Dancer 20
Vivid Dancer 1
Arroyo Bluet 15
Pacific Forktail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 2
Common Green Darner 5
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata - PHOTO record, updates prior sight only record - 6
Eight-spotted Skimmer 15
Widow Skimmer 3
Flame Skimmer 8
Blue Dasher 100
Common Whitetail 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk 2
Striped Meadowhawk 7
Black Saddlebags 1
Horseshoe Lake
California Dancer 15
Tule Bluet 1
Bluet,sp 1500
Arroyo Bluet 20
Pacific Forktail 7
Western Forktail 3
Mosaic Darner,sp 3
Common Green Darner Anax
junius 25
- photo taken to update county record from sighting record only
Blue-eyed Darner 1
Pacific Spiketail 2
Western Pondhawk 10
Eight-spotted Skimmer 80
Widow Skimmer 2
Flame Skimmer 110
Blue Dasher 80
Common Whitetail 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
Black Saddlebags 8
-------
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I floated the Klamath River from Rocky Point River Access to Sluice Box
River Access (6 miles through Seiad Valley). It was hot, high 90's once again.
Lots of odes.
Widow Skimmer - there were hundreds on the wing, one eddy easily
had a hundred patrolling. Females were ovipositing, tandem pairs were common.
Most abundant ode of the day.
Flame Skimmer - one male only!
Eight Spot Skimmer
Twelve Spot Skimmer
Sinuous Snaketail* - numerous, collected several "near
drownings". [last date reported in 2005]
Western River Cruiser* - about seven males [last date reported in 2005]
Common Green Darner - 1 pair ovipositing, several males
Northern Bluet
Emma's Dancer - lots ovipositing
Blue Dasher
American Rubyspot
Other highlights: Seiad Valley is home to lots of Canada Geese and
Common Merganser. Great blue heron, kingfisher, osprey and kestrel were also
seen
July 22, 2005
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
Klamath River: I did a float July 22 from Happy Camp to Wingate Bar (7
miles). It was hot, high 90's.
Here is who I recall seeing.
American Rubyspot
*River Jewelwing Calopteryx aequabilis - 1 male [last date
reported in 2005]
Northern Bluet
Emma's Dancer - hundreds of pairs ovipositing on any floating
vegetation.
widow skimmer
flame skimmer
eight-spot skimmer
twelve-spot skimmer
blue dasher
black saddlebags
Sinuous snaketail
Bison snaketail* - first specimen I have found this far west along
the river. [last date reported in 2005]
Western River Cruiser
Common Green Darner
Other highlights include 1 mink; 1 adult bald eagle; and 1 immature bald
eagle; lots of nesting osprey.
Siskiyou Co
John Hall, David Edwards
Cedar Lake, Lower Cliff Lake, Cliff Lake
This day dawned totally cloudless and remained that way all day. Since
we had to drive back to San Francisco we left the area shortly after 2pm. We
drove back up towards Gumboot Lake but stopped at Forest Road 39N05Y. This is
on the left as you head up to Gumboot. It is about a mile down from the Gumboot
parking area. This is a 4 wheel drive road! Since we had a regular car
we parked at the beginning and walked in to the various lakes. This is an easy
walk. We went as far as Cliff Lake. Our walk started just after 8:30AM and
finished at 1:30PM
Road to Cedar Lake
Vivid Dancer 30
Boreal Bluet 50
Black Petaltail 2
Grappletail 2
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 1
*Black Meadowhawk Sympetrum danae 1 (adult male)
Cedar Lake
Emerald Spreadwing 2
Vivid Dancer 10
Boreal Bluet 4 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 200
Black Petaltail 2
Common Green Darner 1
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Grappletail 3
American Emerald 2
Emerald,sp 1
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 50 (1 in hand)
Hudsonian Whiteface 15
Whiteface,sp 100
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 6
Four-spotted Skimmer 40
Lower Cliff Lake
Vivid Dancer 5
Boreal Bluet 2 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 100
*Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 2
Common Green Darner 1
Grappletail 8
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 300 (2 in hand)
Hudsonian Whiteface 20
Whiteface,sp 200
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 3
Four-spotted Skimmer 60
Cliff Lake
Vivid Dancer 5
Boreal Bluet 1 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 150
Black Petaltail 1
Mosaic Darner,sp 2
Grappletail 3
American Emerald 2
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 1
Hudsonian Whiteface 5
Four-spotted Skimmer 10
-------
Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
Santa Ynez River
Not much to report here but I did see a Widow Skimmer here …., my first for this location.
-----
San Benito County
Paul Johnson
For several years I've been occasionally seeing a dragonfly at Pinnacles
National Monument, San Benito County with white on its wings, but haven't been
able to confirm its ID. A couple weeks ago I was pretty sure I saw a widow
skimmer. Today was the first chance I had to get out and look for it again, so
I took an extended lunch break and went up to the Bear
Gulch Reservoir. Found one!
Here's a list of species seen there and en route:
-spotted spreadwing - 1 male (caught and released)
-vivid dancer - abundant
-Western forktail - 1 male
-desert firetail - 3 tandem pairs
-giant darner - 1 or 2 males
-common green darner - many, including many in tandem
-blue-eyed darner - many
- *Walker's darner Aeshna walkeri - 2 (1 caught and released)
-white-belted ringtail - 1
-Pacific spiketail - 1
-common whitetail - 1 female, 2 males
-widow skimmer Libellula
luctuosa - 1 male first county record
-flame skimmer - abundant
-variegated meadowhawk - 1f, 1m
-cardinal meadowhawk - 2m
-blue dasher - 1m
-black saddlebags - many males, 2f, 1 tandem pair
I don't think I've ever seen so many dragonflies flying here. Or maybe
I'm just more tuned in than before. Is anyone else seeing more than usual?
-------
Colusa County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
Bear Creek at Hiway 20
We also checked this site on the 16th - it was like 107 out, and the
ONLY thing we saw flying was one male Flame Skimmer!
It was 'only' 92 out and from 6:45 - 7:05 pm, we saw:
American Rubyspot
CA/Aztec Dancer
Vivid Dancer
Sooty Dancer
Giant Darners
White-belted Ringtail
Western River Cruiser
Flame Skimmer
Variegated Meadowhawks - on the barbed wire fences too
Striped Meadowhawks
Black Saddlebags
July 21, 2005
Siskiyou County
David Edwards and John Hall
There was very little sun and the occasional shower. We arrived at the
lake at 10AM. We had immediate success just below the dam where we had our
first sighting of Ringed Emerald. A very cooperative patrolling
individual. We looked for American Emeralds but were unable to get a positive
idea. The lighting was terrible. By noon it looked like there would be constant
cloud and showers so we headed down to see if conditions improved at Castle
Lake. We were fortunate to see some blue sky and have some sun for a minute.
Definite views of American Emerald.
Gumboot Lake
Boreal Bluet 5 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 300
Common Green Darner 8
Blue-eyed Darner 1
American Emerald
*Ringed Emerald Somatochlora albicincta 3
Emerald,sp 5
Chalk-fronted Corporal 5
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 40
Hudsonian Whiteface 10
Whiteface,sp 50
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 5
Four-spotted Skimmer 50
----
Greg Kareofelas, Andy Rehn and Rosser Garrison [they arrived just as David
and John were leaving- kb]
Gumboot Lake
Enallagma boreale
Lestes dryas
Lestes unguiculatus
Tanypteryx hageni
Aeshna multicolor
Anax junius
Cordulia shurtleffi
Somatochlora albicincta
Somatochlora semicircularis
Leucorrhinia glacialis
Leucorrhinia hudsonica
Leucorrhinia intacta
Libellula quadrimaculata
Libellula forensis
Ladona julia Chalk-fronted Corporal* [last date reported for
2005]
Sympetrum corruptum
---
John Hall, David Edwards
Castle Lake
Vivid Dancer 8
Boreal Bluet 2 (in hand)
Boreal/Northern Bluet 200
Mosaic Darner,sp 1
Pacific Clubtail 1
American Emerald 6
Emerald,sp 4
We left Castle Lake at 3:20PM and headed north to Yreka where we were
staying overnight. We stopped for about 50 minutes along Slough Road. This is
just east of the interstate. Take the Louie Road exit and head east a very
short distance to Slough Road. Turn left. We followed this to a corral where we
parked and walked the road. This road is narrow and overgrown but offers no
problem to cars.
Slough Road
Bluet,sp 1
Blue-eyed Darner 2
Eight-spotted Skimmer 2
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 2
Blue Dasher 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
Red-veined Meadowhawk* 14 [last date reported in 2005]
Western Meadowhawk 7
Black Saddlebags 5
Four-spotted Skimmer 4
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
July 20, 2005
Siskiyou County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
We drove into Pumice Stone Well in the Medicine Lake Highlands area
(from Hiway 89, ~27 miles N on Rd 15) in Siskiyou Co. This has always proven to
be a hot spot. We found
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing, Lestes unguiculatus - 3 males IDed in hand. Scans
up at http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/Lists/spreadwings.html
- LEUN
Emerald Spreadwing, Lestes dryas - numerous, 1 female specimen
kept and scanned: http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/Lists/spreadwings.html
- LEDY
Northern Spreadwing, Lestes disjunctus, 1 male specimen kept and
scanned: http://southwestdragonflies.net/damsels/cadamselphotos/lyreMt05spumice.jpg
Western Forktail Ischnura perparva - many, 1 male specimen kept
and scanned: http://southwestdragonflies.net/damsels/cadamselphotos/westfkM05.jpg
Bluets- 200-300 seen; 1 M collected - a Boreal: http://southwestdragonflies.net/damsels/cadamselphotos/borealM05pumice.jpg
Mt. Emerald, Somatochlora semicircularis - 5 in hand IDed
American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii - ~12 in hand IDs
Emerald sp - ~50, assumed to be 75% Am. Emeralds [note- Emeralds are
GORGEOUS in hand, but often difficult to net, not so at this small pond- we
recommend it!]
Variable Darner Aeshna interrupta - We stayed an extra half
hour to collect one, only to find that when we returned to the car, our
windshield had collected one too! 2 in hand ID, one pair of floating wings with
3 cells
Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor - 1 male seen
Aeshna sp - 50 seen, all but one presumed to be Variables. We
repeatedly saw pale colored female Aeshnas splashing their thorax into
the water, presumably to cool off. We saw none ovipositing.
Common Green Darner - one seen
Whiteface sp. - one seen, appeared to be Crimson-winged.
12-spotted Skimmer - ~12; 1 female collected and scanned: http://southwestdragonflies.net/caphotos/12sptFs05.jpg
http://southwestdragonflies.net/caphotos/12sptF05.jpg
8-spotted Skimmer - possibly seen
Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes - 1 seen still emerging; 4+
adults seen
We returned via Tennant and at a stop at Lower Antelope Creek we found
Pacific Spiketail - 1 male patrolling
Aeshna sp. - 1
12-spotted Skimmer - 1
We made one last quick stop at Hammond Lagoon outside of Weed to see if
the Beaverpond Baskettails we'd seen there just two weeks ago were still out,
as it would have been new late flight season data, but we didn't' see any in
our 10 mins there at ~ 5:30 pm. We did find
Bluets- numerous
Co Green Darner- 3+
Aeshna sp. - some
Dot-tailed Whiteface* - (finally!) – many [last date reported in 2005]
8-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - many
Western Meadowhawk Sympetrum occidentale - 1 male
4-spotted Skimmer – some
July 18, 2005
Siskiyou County
Kathy and Dave Biggs
We’d heard from Greg Kareofelas that he and Andy Rehn and Rosser
Garrison were heading up to Gumboot Lake on Thurs. so we decided that with the
'big guns' heading that way just 2 days after our planned visit, that our time
would be better spent checking out new areas. We didn't' even know that John
and David would be there and doing the same too!
So, we drove up and passed by the exit to Gumboot Lake. We did stop at a
beautiful little spot a bit further up the road where Gumboot Creek (the
outflow from Gumboot Lake) crossed Rd. 26. It is a gorgeous little
seep/creek/meadow area full of Darlingtonia and wildflowers. There we saw:
Vivid Dancers - galore!
Dancer sp. - smaller than the Vivids
Black Petaltails - 2 males
Darner sp. - one male patrolling, possibly a Paddle-tailed
From there we continued up Rd 26 to just past the exit for Rd 40N45
where a small pond was formed - about a 30 ft diameter. It had a darner
patrolling - possibly a Paddle-tailed. It left the moment Dave took a
first swing at it!
------
Trinity County
Then we there we turned around and went down onto Rd 40N45 (gravel at
this point) which is just barely over the ridge of the Trinitys and crosses
into Trinity County. Along the road were many many seeps, and each one had a
few Petaltails in it. We have never seen so many. It actually got to the point
where we'd say, 'what was that? Oh, just another petaltail'!! We even
saw a 3-some. We assume it was a male in the lead, with a female in tow, and
with another male hanging on to her in hopes of getting to mate with her
too/instead! We tried to get a photo, but they disengaged just as Dave climbed
the hill to where they had perched. We were also able to watch a female
solo-ovipositing into a sheet of water that flowed over a rock just before the
water tumbled into the drainage ditch alongside the road. She might have been
putting her eggs into a tiny bit of vegetation that overhung the large rock,
I'm not certain.
There were also many Dancers at the seeps. I caught a smaller one that
appeared to be a Calif./Aztec type, but as I was putting him into an envelope,
he escaped. We tried to catch another, but mostly we saw Vivids. Then Dave
caught a pair in cop, and a quick look showed the split side thoracic stripe so
we enveloped them as either Calif./Aztec would be a record for Trinity Co. When
we got home and I got around to scanning them yesterday, I was surprised to
find that although the side stripe was "Y" shaped, the appendages
looked like Argia vivida and there were also the little black
triangles alongside the abdomen. The female's markings were quite odd, so I
sent the scan to Rosser and to Greg, and they both agreed that this was just an
odd looking Vivid pair! I've posted their scan at http://southwestdragonflies.net/damsels/cadamselphotos/viviprcop_unusual.jpg
We continued a mile or so down Rd. 40N45 to where Rd. 39N18 goes off to
the left. We found the road that leads to Picayune Lake and parked at the
locked gate. The Forest Service's pamphlet which is about the Alpine Lakes of
the Trinity Divide lists this lake as being at 6100 ft. (about the same as
Gumboot Lake). It says "It is is an easy 1/4 mile walk from the gate to
the lake. The land owner has a cabin on the lake and if guests are present at
the cabin please pass this lake by." From the road, we'd not only seen the
lake, but also a marshy area with ponds above it. It was to the ponds that we
went. They were clouded over with
dragonflies!! :-) We found:
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing, Lestes unguiculatus
- 2 males collected as the
Trinity Co. vouchers. Scans up at http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/Lists/spreadwings.html
- LEUN
Emerald Spreadwing, Lestes dryas - 1 female collected http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/Lists/spreadwings.html
- LEDY
Spreadwing sp. - 8 others seen and presumed to be Lyre-tipped
Vivid Dancer Argia vivida - many on the streams
into/out of the ponds
Northern/Boreal Bluets Enallagma cyathigerum/boreale-
numerous,
probably Boreals as that is what we've found nearby before
Western Red Damsel Amphiagrion abbreviatum - 1 female collected when
sweeping the sedges in hopes of finding Sedge Spites. Her scan is up at http://southwestdragonflies.net/damsels/cadamselphotos/wesredF7_05.jpg
Variable Darner Aeshna interrupta - one female was still on the
stalk where she had emerged. I used the net to slip her off the sedge and
placed her upon Dave's cap where we took photos, which I hope to post later. We
couldn't tell why she hadn't flown off yet - the day was warm and Darners
usually emerge during the night.
Black Petaltail Tanypteryx hageni - 1 male landed on
my net after I swiped at an Emerald!
Mountain Emerald Somatochlora semicircularis - 1 specimen taken, 7 others
IDed in hand http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/dragons/emeralds.html
- SOSE
Emerald sp. - 12 more seen - presumed to all be Mt. Emeralds
Crimson-ringed Whiteface Leucorrhinia glacialis - 2 IDed in hand
Hudsonian Whiteface Leucorrhinia hudsonica - 4 IDed in hand
Whiteface sp - 1000+, 90% appeared to be Hudsonians; no Dot-tailed
Whitefaces - darn! - they would have been new for Trinity County!
Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella - ~ 3 dozen
Four spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata - 1 seen at Picayune Lake,
but there were people at the cabin, so we left the area.
-------
Siskiyou County
On our return to our McCloud area home, we stopped first at a BEAUTIFUL
natural spring along Rd. 26, right where it makes a sharp hairpin turn. Dave
took about 30 pics - it was so pretty. There we saw Vivid Dancers, a Black
Petaltail and an Emerald sp.
Then we stopped at Gumboot Lake for just a short while at ~6 pm to see
how that lake level was. A very quick walk in the brisk wind revealed these
species:
Emerald sp - a few (not ringed)
Spreadwing sp - a few
No/Bo Bluets - some
Vivid Dancers - some
Co. Green Darner - a few
Black Petaltail - a male who tried to land in my hair, on my
shoulder, etc. Wonder if it was this species that started that old folklore
that dragonflies would get tangled in your hair!!??!!
Crimson-ringed Whiteface -a few
12-spotted Skimmer - a few
4-spotted Skimmer - a few
We were thinking of stopping at the Cliff Lakes, but didn't have time,
so were really glad to hear what David and Ed saw there!
July 14, 2005
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I did a short float on the Klamath River west of Happy Camp. I did
notice some nice odes. I did not keep numbers. We saw:
American rubyspot - male & females
River jewelwing - male & females
northern bluet - few males
Emma's Dancers - many couples ovipositing
flame skimmer - several males
eight spot skimmer - one male
widow skimmer - several males
Western River cruiser - one male patrolling
Sinuous snaketail - males patrolling
Blue Dasher - males patrolling
July 10, 2005
Sonoma County
Pine Flat Rd.
I had at least one and I think quite a few more California
Spreadwings Archilestes californicus at the pond at mile marker 10,
one of which I got photos of. I guess this is a young male, as it's eyes aren't
blue yet.
I also had the same Gray Sanddragon Paul had earlier in the week.
The thing almost landed on my foot. I had to backup to photograph it.
No Hoary Skimmers for me this day. No petaltails.
New photos are at the following:
http://www.ericwpreston.com/CaliforniaSpreadwing_1.html
http://www.ericwpreston.com/EmmasDancer_1.html
http://www.ericwpreston.com/GraySanddragon_2.html
July 9, 2005
Siskiyou County
Ray Bruun
Castle Lake – East of Mt. Shasta City
American Emeralds – many,
photographs taken [note, none were apparent, nor their exuviae on June 28 – kb]
-------
Lassen County
John Hall/David Edwards
Cooper Swamp
We spent from 9am to noon here. It was totally cloudy until 10am when it
slowly cleared. The Whitefaces began flying shortly after 10am. Many were
clustered on logs and rocks. On one log alone we counted over 20. The most
numerous insect at the swamp was the mosquito!
Emerald Spreadwing 30
Western Red Damsel 1
Taiga Bluet 80
Boreal/Northern Bluet 3
Western Forktail 1
Sedge Sprite* 4 [last date reported 2005]
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 150 (1 in hand)
Hudsonian Whiteface 25
Whiteface, sp 200
Four-spotted Skimmer 3
--
Silver Lake and adjacent pond
We looked for dragonflies between 12:15pm and 1:30pm. Mostly cloudy and
breezy.
Emerald Spreadwing 1
Taiga Bluet* 8 [last date reported 2005]
Boreal/Northern Bluet 5
Mountain Emerald 1
Emerald, sp 1 presumably Mountain by flight profile
Crimson-ringed Whiteface 10
Hudsonian Whiteface 10
Whiteface, sp 10
Four-spotted Skimmer 8
--
Shasta County
Cow Creek and Highway 44
We walked upstream from the bridge from 3:25 pm to 4:38 pm. Sunny and
warm.
American Rubyspot 5
California Dancer 1
California/Aztec Dancer 4
Emma's Dancer 5
Sooty Dancer 100
Tule Bluet 3
White-belted Ringtail 1
Sinuous Snaketail 1
Gray Sanddragon 8
Pale-faced Clubskimmer 3
Western Pondhawk 3
Widow Skimmer 7
Flame Skimmer 4
Common Whitetail 2
Variegated Meadowhawk 3
Black Saddlebags 2
