California's Year 2011 Dragonflies

Sightings are listed in order from MOST recently to LEAST recently seen! 
Please send your sightings, with date, county and location as displayed below to 
Kathy Biggs.
date (month/day/year) 
County (name of county where seen) 
your name 
place, etc. 
species common name &/or scientific name - #s & other data, comments, etc.  
species common name &/or scientific name - #s & other data, comments, etc. 
See examples below (after dates start)
THANK YOU
 

Key:
Species will be posted using either the Common Name or the Scientific Name, whichever the sender uses (inc. using both), 
but all first and last sightings of the year, county records, and new flight data will be posted using both names. 
To contact the person making the sighting, email Kathy Biggs.
COUNTY RECORDS are underlined and in red text  (some new, but prior to 2011 records are listed at the bottom of the page)
 OC= Odonata Central: http:/www.odonatacentral.org/index.php/PageAction.get/name/HomePage%20 - please report new county records here also
 
* = first/last sighting of species of year in CA 
** = new flight data for species in CA
# = possibly a migratory event
MO = many observers (usually means a field trip full of observers)



 
  
 
 
  
  
 


 

As of the most recent date below,

106 species (out of 113 known species) have been reported to this site as flying in CA in the 2011 season.

13 new California county records &/or upgrades to county records have been reported this year

(this # may include 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.

If you find such a record, please email it to Kathy Biggs <bigsnest at sonic.net>

County records should be substantiated with specimen (preferable) or photo and notes.

[note: not all species are identifiable by photos]

Report new county records to Kathy Biggs <bigsnest at sonic.net> & to Odonata Central: http://odonatacentral.bfl.utexas.edu/records/US_new_records.asp for verification

December

December 31, 2011

San Diego County

Gary Suttle

Ramona, Dos Picos County Park pond, 11:30-12:45, sunny, 76 degrees.

**Arroyo Bluet Enallagma praevarum 1M in hand [new late date]

*Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula 2M 1F [last report 2011]

*Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor 2 [last report 2011]

*Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum 1 [last report 2011]

December 22, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park in Santa Rosa at lunch time

Variegated Meadowhawk - one

December 17, 2011

Humboldt County

Tony Westkamper

Van Duzen River; 12:15 - 12:40

Two Variegated Meadowhawks seemed to be putting on aerobatic displays just for me among the forest of dried fennel stalks

on the river bar occasionally resting on the ground and another one was patrolling a forest clearing half a mile away and a hundred feet higher in elevation.

I have posted photos of two of them in my folder "Tony Westkamper."

 
December 16, 2011

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

Aviara Golf course - Carlsbad

blue-eyed darner - 1
 
December 10, 2011

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

Quail Botanical Gardens, Encintas

*Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum - 2 [last report 3011]
 
December 9, 2011

Contra Costa County

RobThomas

Martinez

Common Green Darner patrolling the yard while I was out hanging Christmas lights.

First time I have seen something other then a Variegated Meadowhawk around here in December.

…….

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park in Santa Rosa at lunch

Pacific Forktail - 1 immature female

Blue-eyed Darner - 1 male (perched)

Variegated Meadowhawk - 1

 
December 2, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Ellis Creek Wetlands Park, Petaluma, 76F
Shallow entry pond was dry, but other ponds held water.
**Shadow Darner – 1 male – assumed this species as it interacted with a Blue-eyed…
Blue-eyed Darner – 1-2 males
Common Green Darner – at least one male
NO Variegated or Striped Meadowhawks
Copeland Rd, 3:30 – spot already mostly in shade, no Great Spreadwings seen
 
December 1, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Bigsnest Pond, their Sebastopol backyard; beautiful day, nearly 80F
**Shadow Darner – 1 male circled the pond at two different times [new late flight date for CA by 3 days]
**Striped Meadowhawk – 1 male perched near the pond [new late date - Sonoma Co. by a whole month, and the state 5 days]
 
November
 

November 26, 2011

Orange County

Doug Willick

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine - warm spell

#Common Green Darners suddenly in evidence. - at least 30 seen on the wing, but just sampled a small percentage of the

expansive wetlands here -- extrapolating over the entire area (where similar ode habitat present), there could have been

between 100 to 200 on the wing that day. Saw two pairs in mating wheels that day, as well as a few

*Flame Skimmers. Libellula saturata [last report 2011]

Surprised to not see any other of the semi-hardy species.

November 20, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

…beautiful day after some nasty rain/snow in the last few days. Little to no wind, almost 60F.

Headed to the lagoon as we haven't had frost yet at sea level, so I thought it might be the best bet in finding some odes.

Several types of darners were on the south end of the dyke (near the outlet) where the alders created a wind break and it was

noticeably warmer feeling. Some would go perch up high in the alders and others were perching low in the berry brambles, but

they either landed where I couldn't see inside the tree canopy, or would not let me get close enough in the berry brambles to

photograph, let alone net.

Blue-eyed Darners-several males, one female (2 very short term wheels with the one female)

Shadow Darner- Suspected this species….few ( based on greenish/yellow thoracic stripes and behavior)

Common Green Darner- 2-3 females (no males)

Meadowhawk sp - 2 with red bodies &,clear wings

One Ode with definite blue eyes and yellow/black abdomen….looked like it could be a Spiketail [but 5 wks later than ever – kb]

November 17, 2011

Yolo County

Ed Whisler

Davis; 11:00am morning (62 degrees F, slight breeze, increasing clouds)

Variegated Meadowhawk - 1 foraging about 2 feet off the ground - residential street in old east Davis

I think this is the latest I've seen one in my neighborhood. I also heard a Western Tanager, which is a bit late in our area.

November 15, 2011

Napa County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Calistoga –Old Faithful Geyser, mild weather

Striped Meadowhawk – 2 males at the small pond surrounding geyser; water warm, not hot to the finger

--

Len Blumin

Ellis Creek, Petaluma

was pleased to see at least 6 Blue-eyed Darners, both along the shorelines of the ponds and over the nearby

grasslands. No other Odonates spotted.

November 11-12, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

Although ode activity has dropped dramatically, they're not all gone yet

Korbel Ponds; approx. 60degrees, with a very light intermittent breeze. (~13:00-14:30).

The large year-round pond has a lot more open water as the Lilly Pads are almost all gone and the resident coots seem to be enjoying the "extra space".

Spreadwing sp -2 - very small - but definitively not the larger, more robust, black Spreadwings I usually see here in large #s.

Variegated Meadowhawks- 2 males

mosaic darners -few - Lots of yellow to green on thorax which along with behavior make me suspect they were shadow darners …. They were rather smart individuals with lots of edges to cruise and managed to stay just outside reach of my net.

-Zero blue-eyed darners thatare usually common here.

The surrounding ephemeral ponds have begun to fill with rain and possibly the rising of the water table (as it seems there is

more water than the amount of rain we've received would explain); they currently create an interesting mosaic of upland dry

areas, to puddles, to ankle deep open water. There I flushed two Common Snipe- a species which I've never seen there before.

Striped Meadowhawks- several males and one female (a couple in hand)

Variegated Meadowhawk- one male (perching on a dark flat rock on the ground...not on the brush)

Common Green Darner- two males

On another note- I've been visiting the drafting ponds in Hoopa as often as possible, and haven't seen any of the Shadow

Darners there since the week before last....They're at a higher elevation (2000-2500'); we've had some frost down to that level-

and snow @ 3000'.

November 11, 2011

Siskiyou County

Celise Sharp and Dennis Ball

Their Big Springs backyard pond(s) – near Monique, West of I-5

#Variegated Meadowhawk – 100s, when otherwise only a half dozen present; photos taken

November 7, 2011

Yolo County

Stephan Telm
South Davis Parking Lot (Interland Properties); 54F, Mostly sunny, slight breeze
Variegated Meadowhawks (2 male)

November 6, 2011

Yolo County

Stephan Telm
West Davis Greenbelt58F, Partly cloudy, slight breeze
Variegated Meadowhawk (1 male)
 
November 1, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Bigsnest Pond, their Sebastopol backyard
Striped Meadowhawk – 1 male perched near the pond [new late date for Sonoma Co. by 10 days]
..
Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park at lunch time

Common Green Darner - 1-2 [new late date for Sonoma Co.]

Blue-eyed Darner (?) - 1, mosaic darner with bright blue eyes

Variegated Meadowhawk - 1

Meadowhawk sp. - 1, possibly a female Striped but lacking pale stripes on front of thorax

Pacific Forktail - 2-3, including a male with a presumed female of this species fighting/ovipositing [new late date for Sonoma Co.]v

Tule Bluet - 2, likely this species based on past experience at this location

Northern/Boreal/Familiar Bluet - 1, third segment more than 50% blue, top appendages appeared longest (not 100% sure on this) so probably Familiar

…….

Yolo County

Ed Whisler

Davis; Strong north winds, warm, clear skies.

Common Green Darner - 1 in my suburban backyard around 4pm.  I think this is the latest I've had a CG Darner in my yard. 

 
October

October 31, 2011

El Dorado County

Will Richardson

**Black Meadowhawk Sympetrum danae [last report 2011 & new late flight date, old date 10/28/2003]

October 27, 2011

Santa Barbara County

Peter Gaede

near Eagle Creek

*Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata - 1 [last report 2011]

October 26, 2011

Los Angeles County

Robb Hamilton

Colorado Lagoon

Black Saddlebags - 1

October 25, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs; David Hofmann

Cotati, Fairfield Osborn Preserve (not open to the public), 3-4:45, 55-57F

*Vivid Dancer Argia vivida - one brown female and one blue male [last report 2011]

Darner sp. - 1, assumed to be a Shadow Darner, on the wing

Meadowhawks - that was the name of the game today. We saw about 18 individuals belonging to 3 species:

Variegated Meadowhawk - about 1/4 as many as Striped.

*Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum - 1 male, Turtle Pond, the only dragonfly there & the only one on territory today. [1 day later than latest Sonoma Co. date of 10-24-2000] [last report 2011]

Striped Meadowhawk - about a dozen, scattered about on the pathways in the sun mostly [3 days later than latest Sonoma Co. date of 10-22-2000]

David had a calling match with a Pygmy Owl that refused to show itself.

We stopped on the way out where Lichau Rd. crosses Copeland Creek, but all we saw there were

Variegated Meadowhawks 2....it was already mostly in the shade.

October 23, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Petaluma,

My daughter and I explored Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility/Park in Petaluma, this afternoon  

Pacific Forktail – 1 adult male

Tule Bluet – 3+ [new late date for Sonoma County]

Common Green Darner – 1 [new late date for Sonoma County]

Blue-eyed Darner (?) – 1, appeared to be this species

…….

Santa Barbara County

Steven Courtney

Sispe Canyon (Ventura Canyon)

Variegated Meadowhawk (6)

Arroyo/Tule Bluets 40

*Great Spreadwing Archilestes grandis (20) [last report 2011]

*American Rubyspot Hetaerina americana (20) [last report 2011]

October 22, 2011

Santa Barbara County

Steven Courtney

Lake Los Carneros:

Green Darner (several)

unidentified Blue darner (several)

Pacific Forktail (1)

Santa Ynez

Blue-eyed Darner (2)

Green Darner (2)

Unidentified large darner (2)

Flame skimmer (1)

Arroyo/Tule Bluets (20)

Vivid Dancer (5)

Great Spreadwing (10)

American Rubyspot (10)

…….

Shasta County

Ray Bruun

Lake McCumber, 4100 feet

Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) Lots of these flying about http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/6272944244/in/contacts/

Striped Meadowhawk

Spreadwing sp. (likely Spotted Spreadwing). Male.

October 21, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

two water drafting ponds on Hoopa Valley Reservation.

The first one was where I originally found my first Shadow Darners, but none were there.

Shadow Darners - To my surprise, I did see at least 3 at another drafting pond about 5miles away in a different drainage (Hostler Ck tributary)!

It seems this pond is only big enough for 1 male, as anytime a second male showed up, a battle ensued which typically had them both flying way up high in the sky

and then a couple minutes later, a single one would return and restart his very distinct patrolling of the edges as well as the groupings of floating yellow leaves. The

third one was in the water- so I netted it out; I initially thought it was dead but still in good condition, so I put it on a sunny boulder hoping it might still turn out to be a

good specimen... 20minutes later, the legs began moving and another 10minutes later it began whirring its wings- absolutely amazing! That pond water is very cold,

as it is fed by a cold forested creek. Of note, I've not seen any other odes at either of these fishless ponds, and no salamanders either (which is odd for this area).

October 19, 2011

ElDorado County

Will Richardson

Tallac Creek Marsh

*White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum [last report 2011]

October 17, 2011

Siskiyou County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

McCloud

Soda Springs – only one darner Aeshna sp seen

Mt. Shasta City

Hospital Pond

*California Spreadwing Archilestes californicus M& F, pairs [last report 2011]

*Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener - few [last report 2011]
Aeshna sp. – 1-3 males

October 15, 2011

Siskiyou County

Kathy & Dave Biggs; Celise Sharpe & Dennis Ball

Big Springs (east of Yreka), at Celise and Dennis’s ponds
California Spreadwing - M& F, many tandems. Very interesting behavior was to see the females flying solo out over the water, dipping their tails into the water once, and then flew back to shore....what were they doing? Any ideas?
Spotted Spreadwing - in hand ID - some M&F
Bluet sp. - many, ovipositing pairs plentiful
Pacific Forktail – 1 male
*Western Forktail Ischnura perparva - M&F,  ovipositing [last report 2011]
Common Green Darner - several males
Aeshna sp. - dark female looked for a place to oviposit, males seen also
**Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella - 1 male [new late flight date by one day

Old date 10/14/1978. Latest date since 1998, however, was 9/30/2008, so this is unusually late] – seen again by Celise on the 16th
Variegated Meadowhawk - many, ovipositing
possibly one other meadowhawk seen.
At our McCloud pond the only dragonfly seen was a

**Variable Darner Aeshna interrupta male, but this was a new species for our pond. [and a new late date, old date 10/10/1999]

Bluet sp. also seen.

…….

Imperial County

Bob Miller

Did a 112 mile day of birding through the Imperial Valley. Temps from 65 to 103, clear sky, light breezes.

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Managed Marsh on the west side of Hwy 111 at Hazard Road a mile south

of Niland was loaded with odes. I was amazed at the number of easily viewed Blue-eyed Darner there which I saw

nowhere else and many of them would have made for fantastic photos had I the time or the camera for it.

Common Green Darner - Few on open flats near Salton Sea, common at IID Managed Marsh

Blue-eyed Darner - only seen at one location but was common at the IID Managed Marsh

*Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata - one at Ramer Lake [lst report 2011]

Variegated Meadowhawk - Everywhere - most as scattered individuals but hundreds in tandem and very actively ovipositing in ponds at Unit One

and at IID Managed Marsh, many brightly colored males near these active areas but not as scattered individuals.

*Roseate Skimmer Orthemis ferruginea - few female in ditch at Unit One view tower, many at IID Managed Marsh including male [last report 2011]

*Blue-ringed Dancer Argia sedula - few on banks of large canals [last report 2011]

*Desert Forktail Ischnura barberi - very few in ditch at Unit One view tower w/ one in hand [last report 2011]

*Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa - very few in pond on McKindry Road going east off of Obsidian Butte to Gentry Road [last report 2011]

*Powdered Dancer Argia moesta - very few in drain ditch on Hoober Road east of Hwy 111

in ditch at Unit One view tower [last report 2011]

…….

Mendocino County

George Chaniot

Red Post Vineyard Pond, Potter Valley

*Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - male [last report 2011]

October 14, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Santa Rosa - Nagasawa Park at lunch

Common Green Darner - >= 3; new late record for Sonoma County
Flame Skimmer - 1 male; new late record for Sonoma County

Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2 males

Tule Bluet - 10+; new late record for Sonoma County

October 13-15, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

On Thursday (13^th), I got to go to one of the spiketail/walker's darner/vivid dancer hot spots @ the Pine Ck Bridge on Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation.

All I saw was one male vivid dancer at the Creekside seep. Rather disappointing, but we did have quite some rain last week, and one frost advisory....

To think of it, I have only seen one spiketail (a very pale, old looking, ovipositing female in a roadside ditch below a seep creating a pseudo small creek(in full sun)

since I got back from the blitz and before then, I would see at least a few every field day.

Also, the variegated meadowhawks at the whitehorn lined prairies (prairie term used loosely), has dropped to about 20% of the activity in August and September.

On Friday, I went and found Aldergrove Marsh (I saw it mentioned several times in the historical posts). It looks like good ode habitat, but saw zero.

Will be on my short list next season, as it's just ~10miles from my house.

On Saturday, while deer hunting on wiregrass ridge, I did see a few darners and hundreds of Variegated Meadowhawks foraging over an old cut unit

which is now brushy and dry (they were only in this one unit, not ay of the others I went through). Interestingly, when walking through, it would disturb

large groups of the meadowhawks, and they always shifted to the south- could be happenstance, but thought it at least noteworthy.

Lots of creeks nearby, but all are shaded, and no open water/ponds for miles.

Ode activity in Humboldt has definitively dropped significantly since the weather has turned (early).

October 13, 2011

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

Tijuana River Valley

Black Saddlebags - 1

Common Green Darners - hundreds

Blue-eyed Darners - hundreds

October 11, 2011

El Dorado County

Will Richardson

Taylor Creek Marsh

*Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata [last report 2011 & new late flight date, old date 10/1/]

October 9, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Spent the afternoon on the Russian River northeast of Healdsburg at a private beach party.

Weather mild, low 70s, no wind.

American Rubyspot - ~12 males seen, no females seen. Males dueling in circles over the shallows.

*Emma's Dancer - 1 gray colored female seen. Ties latest date ever for CA of 10/9/2006 & new late record for Sonoma County

Thinking about it, I rarely see the gray colored females – and all the times I can remember have been in the late summer/early fall.

Usually I see yellow-tan females on the Russian River.

No/Bo Bluet - a sprinkling of males along the shoreline

Tule type Bluet - 1 male, along the shoreline

Darner sp. - a male with a green face with a dark black line, green thoracic stripes - never perched,

but appendages had a noticeable spine. Sure looked like a paddle-tailed! But that species has only been

seen in the county once, in the fall, along the coast. It was hunting for females along the shoreline,

similar to how a Walker's Darner behaves....

Common Green Darner - a dozen or so, mostly over the beach area

Flame Skimmer - 1-2 males (probably one, seen twice), coursing along the shoreline

Variegated Meadowhawk - a few females appeared to be ovipositing over the river, mid-stream from a foot or two

above the water. Others were over the beach area, feeding.

…….

Yolo County

Ed Whistler

Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, east of Davis (1:30-3:30pm) The day was 78 degrees F., calm, with thin clouds, mostly sunny.

an abundance of BLUE-EYED DARNERS throughout the auto tour loop, especially feeding over the the cockle-bur fields.

only a few COMMON GREEN DARNERS.  A few were still mating.

I observed two BLACK SADDLEBAGS.

There many damselflies, a few mating.

…….

Imperial County

Bob Miller

walked about 5.5 miles through the Algodones Dunes... Extreme drought going on in parts of the dunes so very dry.

Most interesting was that there were Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum every where we went! I estimate we saw at least 50 individuals

throughout the three hour walk. All appeared to be young and none were the brightish red of adults. It was early when we walked so most of them were

hawking from extended twigs and we saw no evidence of migrating in any direction but they probably begin moving later in the day because they darn sure

do not stay there for very long as the nearest breeding habitat is in the mid double digit miles!

Walking the Algodones Dunes does not mean walking the entire time through massive dunes.

Most of the time is spent in the pockets of vegetation between smaller lateral dunes.

…….

Alameda County 
Ken Wilson
Sunol

*Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis - at least 2, on opposite ends of the wilderness area. ..near the visitor's center and pass the bridge off Geary. [last report 2011]

October 8/9, 2011

San Diego County 
Ken Wilson
Mission Trails Regional Park
Variegated Meadowhawk - (female) a few … They were located on a high trail away from water but still within a easy flying distance to the creek.
 
October 8, 2011

Yolo County

Ed Whistler

Lower Putah Creek

While birding the UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve this morning (10am-11:30am;) (calm, clear, 61 degrees F),

I observed only two dragonflies: Both were FLAME SKIMMERS. 

There were a few damselflies, but I couldn't crash through the brush fast enough to see or catch them (being a bit portly didn't help). 

The spot where I usually see a COMMON WHITETAIL had been invaded by Dr. Peter Moyle's fisheries class. 

The school of students was thrashing about, seining for fish (some of them caught Pikeminnow and smallmouth bass).  No whitetail.

October 7, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Bigsnest Pond, Sebastopol
Shadow Darner – 1 male 

……..

Orange County

Doug Willick

Hart Park; this was along Santiago Creek in the city of Orange

*Neon Skimmer Libellula croceipennis - a male (I've only seen Flames at this site at in the past). [last report 2011]

I also saw Neons on several occasions in September, at a nature center in Newport Beach that I bird…

 
October 1 & 3, 2011
Mono & Inyo Counties
Barbara & Ron Oriti 
*Band-winged Meadowhawks at Dechambeau Ponds on October 1  (Mono),  
at the Laws Canal  (Inyo)  on October 3. [last reports 2011]
 
October 1, 2011
Marin County
Scot Peden
Hawk Hill
#Variegated Meadowhawk – 1 young female: 
http://scottpeden.smugmug.com/Animals/In/Dragonflies-and-Damselflies/4921247_wbk4HQ#1515034270_XHfkMQj
 
September

September 28, 2011

Nevada County

Phil Robertson

Fuller Lake - The altitude is about 5,500 ft.

*Band-winged Meadowhawk Sympetrum semicinctum – female photographed [last report 2011]

Blue-eyed Darner – male photographed

September 27, 2011

Mono County

Ron & Barbara Oriti; Kathy & Dave Biggs

DeChambeau Ponds, north of Mono Lake; 11-1:30, mild weather

Spotted Spreadwing - some

Dancer sp. - possibly Paiute or Blue-ringed

*Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile - many

*Black-fronted Forktail Lestes denticollis - one male [last report 2011]

Blue-eyed Darner - many

*Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata - some [last report 2011]

Darner sp - one female we couldn't ID, Paddle-tailed or Variable

Common Green Darner - few

*Western Pondhawk – several [last report 2011]

Flame Skimmer - some

Variegated Meadowhawk - few (esp compared to elsewhere!)

*Saffron-winged Meadowhawk Sympetrum costiferum – dozens [last report 2011]

Black Meadowhawk Sympetrum danae - dozens, but skittish and only in north pond

Band-winged Meadowhawk - few

Striped Meadowhawk - 4

Black Saddlebags - 1-3

15 species, not bad for the end of September!

…….

Imperial County

Bob Miller

#Got a call from a friend Monday evening about sunset. He is a zanjero for the Imperial Irrigation District (IID).

Zanjeros are the ones who control the water as it moves through the canal systems from the Colorado River to all of Imperial Valley.

Water comes off the river at Imperial Dam, through the All American Canal.

The Coachella Canal comes off of the All American Canal near the western foot of the Algodones Dunes and flows north all the way

to Indio on the north side of the Salton Sea and because it is concrete lined the majority of the way it does not have much odentate habitat.

The first major canal that supplies the Imperial Valley is the East Highline Canal (EHL) which flows north and ends near Niland and it basically

follows the ancient shoreline of Lake Cauhuilla right about 0 sea level.

The West side of the valley has the Westside Main and the basic shape of Imperial Valley is defined by these two canals as they flow toward the Salton Sea.

Brad is currently in charge of all canal gates coming off of the EHL from Near Interstate 8 to a few miles south of Hwy 78 and he is out there every evening.

He has been noticing large numbers of large dragonflies filling the sky at sunset so he gave me a call.

I went out there this evening to check it out. I turned south off of Hwy 78 onto the EHL about 5:30pm and made a few stops along the canal

to see what was about and ruffle the vegetation with my net.

Powdered Dancer were the first damsels I encountered and then American Rubyspot, fairly numerous, and a few Blue-ringed Dancer all along the canal bank.

A few Common Green Darner were seen along the way but not big numbers. Variegated Meadowhawk were fairly common but not in numbers as they were

on the Colorado River this past weekend! I did have one male

*Comanche Skimmer [lastreport2011] and one male

Blue-eyed Darner but that was about it!?

The Comanche Skimmer was rather sedate. the wings were pretty well worn and I would guess it was nearing the end of its time.

Did not scour the banks and vegetation thoroughly so I expect there were lots of things that I missed.

Met Brad at the old Heartshorn Road bridge about 6:30pm and the sky was beginning to fill with Common Green Darners. It was amazing!

On several occasions I did a count as I turned in a full circle and had at least 60 individuals visible to my bifocal denial, glasses wearing eyes, each time.

Looking through binoculars revealed the same type of density as far as I could see!

They were still flying when I left as it was getting dark and they were just silhouettes against the sky.

I do not think they were migrating as they appeared to be actively feeding over water and vegetation and there was no noticeable trend of movement in any direction.

Temperatures have changed pretty sharply this week and it seems summer has broken but I expect we will get one or two more hot days before it is completely over.

High was about 98.

September 26, 2011

Tehama County

Stephan Telm

Black Butte Lake - Temps varied from the high 80s to the low 90s; partly overcast and very little breeze.
At the lookout:
Variegated meadowhawks: several dozen
Black saddlebags: 6
Common green darner: 2 (most likely; rapid fly-by only, so ID is tentative)
At the bottom of the lake, near Burris Creek:
Variegated meadowhawks: several dozen, if not hundreds (they were everywhere)
Bluets (familiar?): 2
*Sooty dancer: 1 [last report 2011]

September 25, 2011

Yolo County

Robert Bugg

Putah Creek at Pedrick Road

American rubyspot male on Leersia oryzoides grass

September 24, 2011

Riverside County

Peter Siminski

Dos Palmas Oasis and Fish Ponds, Dos Palmas Preserve, Elev. -100’; 8:00-11:20, 75-95F, 10% cumulus, calm to light breeze SE.

Blue-ringed Dancer, Argia sedula 1

Familiar Bluet, Enallagma civile 4

Desert Forktail, Ischnura barberi 2

*Citrine Forktail, I. hastata 2 [last report 2011]

*Rambur’s Forktail, I. ramburii 10 [last report 2011]

Common Green Darner, Anax junius >100 including many tandem pairs, some ovipositing.

Blue-eyed Dancer, Rhionaeschna multicolor 8

Variegated Meadowhawk, Sympetrum corruptum >25

*Red-tailed Pennant, Brachymesia furcata 6 [last report 2011]

Western Pondhawk, Erythemis collocata >65

Flame Skimmer, Libellula saturata 5

*Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis 16 [last report 2011]

Roseate Skimmer, Orthemis ferruginea 2

*Marl Pennant, Macrodiplax balteata 22 [last report 2011]

Black Saddlebags, Tramea lacerata >75 including several pairs in tandem.

*Red Saddlebags, Tramea onusta 2 [last report 2011]

September 23-26, 2011

San Berardino County CA; Mohave County (Arizona) & Clark County (Nevada)

Dragonflies and Damselflies seen on the 2011 CalOdes/SoWestOdes/DSA West Blitz

Kathy & Dave Biggs, Bob Miller, Ron Oriti, Gary Suttle, Chris Heaivilin, Rick Schilk, Matthew Matthiessen, Tony & Shela Godfrey, Bruce Lund (& Flo Lund), Dave Welling, Sandra Hunt-von Arb

1. *White-belted Ringtail Erpetogomphus compositus- San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ); Clark Co. (NV) [last CA report 2011]

2. Russet-tipped Clubtail Stylurus plagiatus Mohave (AZ) Levee Rd, M&F, photo record – Shela & Tony Godrey+Blitz Participants – Female photographed on the 23rd and male on the 24^th.

3. Common Green Darner Anax junius San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)

4. Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV

5. Western Pondhawk Erythemis colocata San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ)

6. Plateau Dragonlet Erythrodiplax basifusca Mohave (AZ) (range extension in Arizona)

7. Widow Skimmer Libellula. luctuosa Mohave (AZ) 

8. Twelve-spotted Skimmer L. pulchella SB San Bernardino (CA), Gowan Cove, Moabi Park, SIGHT RECORD ONLY, seen on 23 & 25, several participants & Mohave (AZ)
9. Flame Skimmer L. saturata San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ)
10. Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)
11. *Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens again sight only San Bernardino (CA) America’s Best Value Inn parking lot SIGHT RECORD ONLY [last report CA 2011]; Mohave (AZ)
12. *Spot-winged Glider Pantala hymenaea San Bernardino (CA [last report 2011]) & Mohave (AZ)
13. Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)
14. Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)

15. Striped Meadowhawk S. pallipes Mohave (AZ) Pintail Slough, HNWR photo record Male Dave Welling, found on the 25th (range extension in Arizona)

16. Band-winged Meadowhawk S. semicinctum Mohave (AZ) (range extension in Arizona)

17. Striped Saddlebags Tramea calverti Mohave (AZ)

18. Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)

19. Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta San Bernardino (CA)??? & Mohave (AZ)

20. Powdered Dancer Argia moesta Mohave (AZ)

21. Aztec Dancer A. nahuana Clark Co. (NV)

22. Blue-ringed Dancer A. sedula San Bernardino (CA)??? & Mohave (AZ)

23. *Double-striped Bluet E. basidens San Bernardino (CA) [23^rd 1^st sighting of year, 24^th the latest]

24. Tule Bluet E. carunculatum San Bernardino (CA)

25. Familiar Bluet E. civile San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)

26. Desert Forktail Ischnura barberi San Bernardino (CA)??? Mohave (AZ)

27. Pacific Forktail I. cervula Clark (NV)

28. Citrine Forktail I. hastata San Bernardino (CA)??? Mohave (AZ)

29. Rambur's Forktail I. ramburii San Bernardino (CA) & Mohave (AZ) Clark Co. (NV)

30. *Desert Firetail Telebasis salva San Bernardino (CA) [last report CA in 2011]

September 22, 2011

Inyo County

Ron & Barbara Oriti; Kathy & Dave Biggs

Bartlet Springs, north of Owen's Dry Lake

*Paiute Dancer Argia alberta – many dancers, the only one photographed was a Paiute [last report 2011]

Comanche Skimmer - several males and a female; none present on 25th nor 26^th or thereafter

*Hoary Skimmer Libellula nodistica - several old females; still one present on the 26^th [last report 2011] (by M Matthiessen)

Flame Skimmer - a few

Blackwater Marsh

Common Green Darner

Blue-eyed Darner

Black Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

.......

Alameda County

Leslie Flint

Sunol Regional Wilderness and Alameda Creek.

Since the park was virtually deserted, and I had no idea where to go, I simply went down to the creek (which is still flowing) just beyond the Visitor Center

and the main parking lot. I arrived about 9 AM thinking I would avoid the heat and ending up staying to 12:00 ish when it did get HOT.

It was pretty quiet at first, but when the sun hit the rocks in the stream, things picked up a bit. I saw and was able to photograph:

American Rubyspot (such a fabulous damsel)

Vivid Dancer

Sooty Dancer (new for me)

Arroyo Bluet (?)

Striped Meadowhawk

Mosiac-type darner - one that flew by and never reappeared.

Another nice treat of the day was a bobcat that strolled by me while I was mid-creek not more than 10' away.

Enjoying this new hobby!

September 19, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

-Snow Camp Lake (private) 4583' elevation

*Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum- 100+ ovipositing- few singles was county record until I ID'ed female from 8/27 at same location. (posted and vetted on Odonata Central) [last report 2011]

*White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum - OC#: 333996 CA Chart #111 - Many ovipositing and single males perched COUNTY RECORD! (posted and vetted on Odonata Central) [last report 2011]

Probable Lyre-tipped Spreadwing (female)

September 18, 2011

Mendocino County

George Chaniot

Red Post Vineyard Pond, Potter Valley

*Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa male [last report 2011]

September 3 & 18, 2011

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

Tecate

California Spreadwing – males, females, pairs

September 17, 2011

Shasta County

Michael Plank and wife

Baum and Crystal Lakes - east of Burney near the town of Cassel

A beautiful day. Started around 10:30 and not much happening, but by the afternoon there were plenty of Dragonflies in the air.

Variegated Meadowhawks

Striped Meadowhawks

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum - The target of the day-1 Male and 2 Females

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Common Green Darners

Arroyo Bluets

September 16, 2011

Mariposa County

Harold Howell

Small pond south of Tioga Road near the May Lake trailhead in Yosemite National Park. High altitude with many conifers. Latitude 37.81689° Longitude -119.50879°

*Northern Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus OC#: 334344 [last report 2011]

Variable Darner OC#:334345

September 15, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bigsnest pond, Sebastopol
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Flame Skimmer
Blue-eyed Darner
Western Forktail

…….

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum – 100's ovipositing, few non-paired individuals. Mixed in with

White-faced Meadowhawks

…….

Mariposa County

Harold Howell

Summit Meadow on the south side of Glacier Point Road. A large open very wet meadow at high altitude.

Shadow Darner

September 14, 2011

Santa Barbara County

Nick Lethaby 

Santa Ynez River – a cursory (5 minute) check of the river by Paradise Road revealed one each of:

*Gray Sanddragon Progomphus borealis [last report 2011]

*Serpent Ringtail [last report 2011]

Red Rock Skimmer

-------

Mariposa County

Harold Howell

Merced River

Striped Meadowhawk – male 334338

September 13, 2011

Siskiyou County

Dave Payne

Klamath River - sunny and warm, high 80's to low 90's

#Common Green Darners - a nice gathering. These guys were working the river at the confluence with Ukonom Creek (a large, cold tributary). They seemed to be quite fresh, I did not see any mature males. There was probably close to fifty of these guys patrolling the skies around 1300 hours. I did not see any Green Darners when we returned to the site around 1530 hours.

September 12-15, 2011

Mono County

Leslie Flint

Dechambeau Ponds - very cool and even rainy on Monday and Tuesday evening, thus I imagine the number of dragonflies was reduced

Flame Skimmer

Black Meadowhawk (female)

Common Green Darner

#Mosiac-type Darner - a fair number but hard to ID

Black-fronted Forktail

I was able to photograph the Black Meadowhawk female (who seemed to be ovipositing in the hot springs!) and the Forktail http://www.flickr.com/photos/leslie_flint/

Note, on the forktail there are tiny orange dots - Kathy tells me that these are mites hitching a ride from pond to pond!

We took a trip to Willow Lake on Sunday 9/11/2011 and the day started with sun and ended in rain.

We went with Bill and Diane Wreuss

September 11, 2011

Plumas County

Michael Plank & wife

Spotted Spreadwing

Northern Spreadwing

*Emerald Spreadwing Lestes dryas [last report 2011]

Vivid Dancers

*Boreal Bluet Enallagma boreale [last report 2011]

Pacific Forktail

Western Forktail

Variable Darners

Common Green Darners

Blue-eyed Darners

White-faced Meadowhawks--by the hundreds

Striped Meadowhawks

Western Band-winged Meadowhawks

September 7, 2011

Yolo County

Ed Whistler

I was conducting biological monitoring in a rice field east of Davis, 06:00am to 4:30pm.

The morning was about 58 degrees F and increased to about 100 degrees. 

Calm winds and mostly clears skies. Rice fields and cattail lined ditches were present.

Common green darner.  At least 10, several mating.

Blue-eyed Darner.  About 35.

Black saddlebags.  About 10.

Variegated meadowhawk.  About 20.

Tule bluet?  About 10

The highlight of the day?  Some sort of of bee or hornet bit me between my eyes.  Didn't sting me, just bit me.

Also a river otter zoomed by.

……..

Siskiyou County

Dave Payne

Klamath River, Coon Creek to Persido Bar

Nice selection of odes on the wing: flame, eight-spot, widow, green darners, bluets, dancers, and few meadowhawks also.

…….

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bigsnest pond, Sebastopol
Variegated Meadowhawk – pair ovipositing

September 6, 2011

Orange County

Doug Willick

#Just thought I'd pass along an encounter I had on 6 Sept. with a possible migrant Red Rock Skimmer. I was doing a survey along the top of a high ridge in Yorba Linda (Orange County), just south of Chino Hills State Park, where I saw a drab, grayish ode fly in and hang-perch on a stalk under the shade of a large shrub. Weather was relatively calm and in about the low 90s at the time. I was surprised to see it was a female Red Rock Skimmer. This area is very dry, with dead grasses and weeds and scattered chaparral (toyon, lemonadeberry and laurel sumac shrubs and a few small black walnut trees). About 300' to 400' below (at the base of a steep north-facing slope) is Telegraph Creek, which is a small ephemeral drainage, bone dry most of the year except during a few weeks or months following winter storms. I've only been looking at odes for about the last 4 or 5 years, but I don't think there is any breeding habitat for Red Rock Skimmers anywhere near this site (Perhaps within about 15 to 20 miles). Actually, I've never seen this species in Orange County before, though haven't looked much in suitable habitat at the right time of year. I do know they apparently only occur in very limited areas within the county.

Over the last 3 years or so I've seen two other Red Rock Skimmers (both males in May) that were in unexpected locations in southern California (one in an area that completely lacked suitable ode habitat, and the other being encountered in an area well outside their known range within the state--along the All American Canal, in s.e. Imperial County). From what I understand this species is known to wander well away from typical breeding habitat (generally open, rocky streams), but was wondering how far these wanderings might typically be. I've not heard of this species showing migratory patterns such as Variegated Meadowhawk, saddlebags or gliders. Would guess then that these wanderings/disperals by Red Rock Skimmers are typically of a more localized nature. Just curious.

September 5, 2011

Siskiyou County

Celise Sharpe and Dennis Ball

Weed

*Canada Darner Aeshna canadensis – 1 flying over field. In-hand ID with photos (now posted on Calif. Dragonflies website) [only report 2011]

…

Michael Plank and wife

Orr Lake

We enjoyed a beautiful day with lots of different Meadowhawks.

On the Old State Highway or Forest Route 44N25 off of Tennant Rd. about 1/2 miles or so before the turn to Orr Lake there were lots of

Black Meadowhawks and

*Cherry-faced Meadowhawks Sympetrum internum along the road on either side. More Black Meadowhawks than the Cherry-Faced. [last report 2011]

Blue-eyed Darners were very active.

Around Orr Lake there was an abundance of

White-faced Meadowhawks,

a few Cherry-Faced Meadowhawks

Striped Meadowhawks,

Band-winged Meadowhawks,

Saffron-winged Meadowhawks.

*Eight-spotted Skimmers [last report 2011]

Vivid Dancers,

Blue-eyed Darners,

**Black Spreadwing Lestes stultus [new late flight date, old date 8/27/2004 photo confirmation]

Blue Dasher one

On the road out about one block from the stop sign at Tennant and Old State Highway on both sides of the road there are barbed wire fences. It was in the afternoon about 2:30 or so and the fences and dead tree branches were loaded with

Band-winged, Red-veined, Striped, and Saffron-winged Meadowhawks.

A great day.

…….

San Francisco County

Paul Saraceni

San Francisco

#I just observed a species that is rare in San Francisco Co. (only 1 record I know of in the past 10 yrs)

and was my first for the county after years of looking -- a male TWELVE-SPOTTED SKIMMER.

Amazingly, it showed up in a Cole Valley backyard and perched in the sunlight about 40 feet up in a large ornamental tree,

first spotted by my daughter as she looked out from our window and noticed its distinctive pattern as it flew.

We are a couple of miles from the nearest body of water (in Golden Gate Park) as the dragonfly flies.

September 4-5, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb & Ken Mierzwa 
Mini-blitz -Big Rock River Access to Trinity River (Six River's National Forest) in Willow Creek and Fish Lake

Common Green Darner

Paddle-tail Darner (in hand-Ken has pics)

Blue Dashers -many (Surprisingly many of which were females)

Cardinal Meadowhawk

Striped Meadowhawk? Probably not - kb

Variegated Meadowhawk

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata

Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa

Western Pondhawk

Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis

*Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga mendax [last report 2011]

Black Saddlebags

*California Dancers Argia agrioides [last report 2011]

Emma's Dancer

Sooty Dancer

Vivid Dancers

American Rubyspot

Pacific Forktail

Western Forktail

…….

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

I spend most weekends sitting along side a local road, shooting images of motorcyclist as they buzz by on thier sportbikes. Over the Labor Day weekend, I stayed at one spot along the Hwy 94 between Tecate and Potereo.

The habitat is foothill country with lots of coastal sage scrub. There is a year round creek running down a canyon about 600 feet from where I sit.

Over the 3 days of Labor:

Common Green Darner

Blue-eyed Darner

Flame Skimmer

Red Rock Skimmer

Black Saddlebags

Blue Dasher

California Spreadwing

Vivid Dancer

unknown damsel

September 3, 2011

Imperial County

Leslie Flint
Salton Sea
Desert Forktail – photo taken -The only ode that I saw allllll day.
…….

Humboldt Sandra Hunt-von Arb

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

-Arcata Marsh

Pale-faced Clubskimmer-1

Cardinal Meadowhawk-few

Mosaic Darner-few

-Mad River @ Blue Lake Fish Hatchery (1mile walk)

Variegated Meadowhawk- few

Sooty Dancer- Many on old gravel road/trail

Emma's Dancer- Many but localized

…….

Modoc County

Steve Rottenborn

Surprise Valley

Northern Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus

September 2, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

Big Rock River Access to Trinity River (Six River's National Forest) in Willow Creek

Darner- Female Mosaic ovipositing

Variegated Meadowhawk- many

Eight-Spotted Skimmer-1

Flame Skimmer-1

Tule bluet- many

Vivid Dancer-Many

California Dancer-many

Emma's Dancer-few

…….

Colusa County

Steve Rottenborn

Bear Creek near SR 20/SR16

Giant Darner Anax walsinghami [last report 2011!!]

September 1, 2011

Contra Costa County

Ethan Winning

Walnut Creek Open Space
# Black Saddlebags - hundreds flying around this morning. 
 
August 

August 31, 2011- September 19, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

Hoopa Valley Tribal Lands

Pacific Spiketail- Many especially in Beaver Ck and Pine Ck Drainages

Common Green Darner-few

Mosaic Darners-few – in Pine Creek

*Walker's Darner Aeshna walkeri- Few@ Pine Ck Bridge [last report 2011]

Variegated Meadowhawks- many

Vivid dancers -Many especially @Pine Ck Bridge

Tule Bluet- Many especially in dry roadside ditches above creek crossings

Mosaic Darner "roosting Swarm" in cutover berry patch- would swarm when disturbed and then perch within dead berry vines on 9/19

Striped Meadowhawk @ Pooky's Park Lawn

August 31, 2011

Placer County

Will Richardson

Blackwood Canyon

**Taiga Bluet Coenagrion resolutum [last report 2011 & new late date, old late date was 8/27/10]

August 30, 2011

Siskiyou County

Dave Payne

Klamath River

(30^th)I had the pleasure of being escorted down the Klamath River by a loose group of

#Variegated Meadowhawks.

The group appeared (approximately 40 bugs) and moved downstream (southwest)

with us as we floated from Wingate Bar to Ferry Point.

It was around eleven am when I first realized some different odes were flying with us.

They gradually disappeared in about twenty minutes.

We encountered them near the confluence with Clear Creek (a major trib creek of 25+ miles

that flows south from Siskiyou Wilderness to join the Klamath River).

I was thinking these guys may be on the migration trail following the river courses through the mountains that are here.

They also seemed to be feeding on tiny bugs that were swarming over the river that morning.

Today (31) we were in the same vicinity along the river. I did not see any meadowhawks on the river today. (Aug 31)

Other odes on the wing the 30th:

Flame Skimmers

Widow Skimmers

*Northern Bluets [last report 2011]

Emma's Dancers - ovipositing

American Rubyspot

**Sinuous Snaketail Ophiogomphus occidentis [last report 2011 & new late flight date by 2 wks, old late date 8/14/2002]

Eight-spot Skimmer

*Western River Cruiser Macromia magnifica [last report 2011]

…….

Siskiyou County

Kathy and Dave Biggs, Celise Sharpe and Dennis Ball, and Heidi George

Medicine Lake Highlands, Pumice Stone Well, off Harris Spring Rd. We found far fewer dragonflies than last month, and hardly any damselflies.
No/Bo Bluet - a few
Pond Damsel sp - one that may have been a Sedge Sprite, seen poorly in flight, but showing metallic green on thorax
Variable Darner - 2 m in hand
Paddle-tailed Darner - 1 m in hand
Common Green Darner - a few
*American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffi ~ half dozen in hand [last report 2011]
**Mountain Emerald Somatochlora semicirularis - m in hand [new late flight date, old date 8/27/2010 – kb]
12-spotted Skimmer - 1 m
Striped Meadowhawk - many, many in wheel!!
Then Heidi took us to Toad Pond/well, a new site for us.
No/Bo Bluet - some
Western Forktail - a few m & f, several seen in the jaws of large predatious diving beetles
Common Green Darner - some
Variable Darner - 1 m in hand
12-spotted Skimmer - 1 m
Striped Meadowhawk - many, many in wheel!!

………

Santa Baraba County

Nick Lethaby

I spent about 45 minutes looking at odes in the general vicinity of the Paradise Road crossing over the Santa Ynez River:

Pale-faced Clubskimmer - 1

Red Rock Skimmer - 6+

Flame Skimmer - 8+

Serpent Ringtail - 3

Gray Sanddragon - 1

*Great Spreadwing Archilestes grandis - 1, I was hoping for California [first report 2011]

Sooty Dancer - 2

Bluet Sp. – many

August 29, 2011

Siskiyou County

Michael Plank and friend

Cedar Lake, below Gumboot Lake, ~18 miles west of Mt. Shasta

Ringed Emerald Somatochlora albicincta

August 27, 2011

Siskiyou County

Kathy and Dave Biggs, Bob and Patti Claypole

Gumboot Lake, west of Lake Siskiyou ~10 miles, 6100’, mild weather

Northern Spreadwing - abundant and still emerging. We watched tandem pairs descend underwater to oviposit as we'd witnessed here before.
we didn't find any emerald spreadwings
Northern Bluet - common
Pacific Forktail - 2 males - surely more there
Western Forktail - 2m; 2 f - surely more there
no Black Petaltails there, but we didn't search for them
Emerald sp. - some
American Emerald - in hand
no Ringed Emeralds seen, but they could have been there. Our focus was quite divided!
Darner sp - many, one teneral female photographed and we'll post the pix to see if anyone can help us ID her. Blue-eyeds were possible.
Variable Darner - 2 males in hand
Shadow Darner - 1 male in hand
Common Green Darner - quite a few, some looked young
*Hudsonian Whiteface - 6 or more [last report 2011]
*Crimson-ringed Whiteface Leucorrhinia glacialis - 2 or more [last report 2011]
Four-spotted Skimmer - quite a few
Meadowhawk sp. -1 seen by Bob
our McCloud home
There have been NO dragonflies, except a few Darner fly-bys, at least one a Green Darner

…….

Contra Costa County

Ethan Winning

Walnut Creek Open Space
Black Saddlebags - http://www.ethanwinning.com/Insects/Dragonflies-and-Damselflies/12193738_FfcFtN#1450539826_wPphWQ6

August 27, 2011

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt-von Arb

-Snow Camp Lake (private) 4583' elevation – Humboldt County

**Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum – teneral female OC# 333996 CA Chart #111 & new early flight date, old date 9/1/2000

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata - One --- OC#: 333994 CA Chart #111

Variegated Meadowhawks- few

Mosaic Darner-few

Eight-spotted Skimmer-few

Pacific Forktail-Many

Western Forktail-few

August 26, 2011

Colusa County

Leslie Flint

Hwy 16 bridge - I saw

Giant Darner Anax walsinghami, a first for me

Continuing along Hwy 16, I stopped at one of the Cache Creek pullouts to look at what might be on the river.

There were lots of

American Rubyspots and

Emma's Dancers.

…….

Sacramento County

Chris Conard

*Olive Clubtail Stylurus olivaceus – male http://www.flickr.com/photos/conardc/6138878421 [only report 2011!!]

August 23, 2011

Los Angeles County

Dave Welling

Piru Creek 34.36577° N 118.44421° W

California Dancer Argia agrioides OC#: 332207
Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor OC#: 332209
Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata OC#: 332212

August 22/23, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy Biggs

Bigsnest Pond, Sebastopol

*Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa – 1 male circling – 23rd

Blue-eyed Darner – 1 male; 1 female

Pacific Spiketail – 1 male

Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1 male

August 21, 2011

Siskiyou County

Michael Plank and friend

Gumboot Lake, 20 miles west of Mt. Shasta

American Emeralds

**Black Petaltail Tanypteryx hageni – more than 1 [new late flight date, old late date 8/10/2001- kb]

Hudsonian Whiteface

Crimson-ringed Whiteface

*Grappletail [last report 2011]

Variable Darner

Northern Bluet

*Ringed Emerald Somatochlora albicincta

…….

Mendocino County

George Chaniot

West Road, Potter Valley

*Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia -  female, sitting in blackberries [last report 2011]

August 20, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs
Bigsnest pond, Sebastopol
Blue-eyed Darner – pair in wheel

August 19, 2011

Imperial County

Dave Welling

arroweed vegetaion along irrigation canal on ranch

*Brimstone Clubtail Stylurus intricatus OC#: 332199 [last report 2011]

arroweed vegetation along irrigation canal on ranch near intersection of Lyons Road and west canal

White-belted Ringtail Erpetogomphus compositus OC#: 332204

Comanche Skimmer Libellula comanche OC#: 332213

northeast bank of Fig Lagoon

Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa OC#: 332205

vegetation along irrigation canal near intersection of HWY 98 and Drew Road

Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa OC# 332203

August 18, 2011

San Diego County

Gary Suttle

Santa Ysabel Creek, Clevenger Canyon, 1:30-2:40, clear, light wind, 89 degrees. The creek is bone dry apart from several distantly spaced tiny pools.

California Spreadwing 5M

*Lavender Dancer Argia hinei 3M [last report 2011]

Vivid Dancer >20

Flame Skimmer 4

 
August 14, 2011
San Diego County

Jamie Simmons

I visited the small area described as Florida Canyon in San Diego (on the sw corner of the intersection of Upas and Florida) that includes a creek and numerous flowering plants.  Noted:

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) 3

*Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) pair (brief views of the female, only 1 photo) [last report 2011]

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) 1

I will post photos on the group website in an album titled with my name. Comments are welcome.

 
August 13, 2011
Marin County

Kathy & Dave Biggs + mo

We taught our annual class at Pt. Reyes today. And today was the first time ever when the sun had already burned the fog back when we arrived.

We spent the morning indoors in a classroom session and then Five Brooks pond was our afternoon destination.

We were pleased to find 16 species on the wing....there might have been more, but because this was a class for Beginner's, we didn't pay a lot of attention to the damselflies.

Even before we left the Redbarn Classroom near the visitor's center, we saw Gliders and Darners flying over the field and oak trees.

At Five Brooks, where we estimated 500-1000 individuals on the wing:

Western Pondhawk - they were everywhere! Mostly green-colored females young males. Didn't see any eating other Odes like last April though

Eight-spotted Skimmer - several over the trails and over the pond. None perched for us though

Widow Skimmer - 1-2 males seen poorly

Twelve-spotted Skimmer - several, one landed and posed for us

Flame Skimmer - a few males seen

Blue Dasher - 1 or 2 seen poorly

Wandering Glider - over the parking area and nearby scrubs when we arrived, but none there when we left

Spot-winged Glider - a few appeared to be this species

Cardinal Meadowhawk - many seen, one in-hand

*Red-veined Meadowhawk Sympetrum madidum - 1 male seen well by about half the group [last report 2011]

Black Saddlebags - many seen

Blue-eyed Darner - many seen, no other darner species noted

Pacific Spiketail - one quick fly-by on the trail

CA/AZ Dancer - one in hand

Bluet sp. - many seen, many in 'wheel' - a few in hand

Western Forktail - 1 female in hand

August 12, 2011

Imperial County

Gary Suttle

Westside Main Canal, just north of the Highway 98 bridge crossing to the footbridge, 11:00-12:00, clear, light breeze, 101 degrees.

Powdered Dancer

Blue-ringed Dancer

*Russet-tipped Clubtail Stylurus plagiatus 1F [ONLYCA report 2011]

Brimstone Clubtail 3M

White-belted Ringtail 1F

Mexican Ambering

Westside Main Canal at the end of Fisher Road (a .06 mile length of dirt road from the intersection with Drew Road/ S 29), 12:15-12:50.

Powdered Dancer

Blue-ringed Dancer

Common Green Darner

Russet-tipped Clubtail 1M 1F

Clubtail or Ringtail unidentified 3

Blue Dasher

Westside Main Canal at the Lyon Road bridge crossing (a .07 mile length of dirt road from the intersection with Drew Road/ S29), 1:00-2:00.

A small but robust stand of arroweed grows along the west side of the bridge crossing, (where the road configuration and a bridge gate limit the reach of tractor grading).

The tall shrubs provide good shade and protection for the clubtails; I found the day's greatest concentration here.

Note: In all three locations, clubtails hang out in Arrow Weed growing on banks east of the canal as well as in vegetation lining the canal.

Powdered Dancer

Blue-ringed Dancer

Russet-tipped Clubtail 6M 2F tandem observed

Brimstone Clubtail 1 M 1F

White-belted Ringtail 2

Clubtail or Ringtail unidentified 7

Blue Dasher

Seeley, Sunbeam Lake, 2:20-3:00.

Familiar Bluet

Western Forktail

Mexican Amberwing

Widow Skimmer

Blue Dasher

Spot-winged Glider 2 A female repeatedly circled a 5 foot diameter, inch-deep 'rainpool' (a long over-irrigated lawn depression) before she chose to oviposit there.

August 9, 2011
Inyo County

Ron & Barbara Oriti

West side of Owens Dry Lake

Comanche Skimmers – male and female photographed. Also seen at this site July 21, 22, 24, 29, August 5

a pond south of Mazourka Canyon Rd.

12-spotted Skimmers – 3-4 at a new spot a good 50 miles south of Mono County!

This new place is a little south of the FORMER Mazourka Springs.

We very much regret reporting this, but Mazourka Springs is no more!!

It has been capped and new pipes put in, and the spring is gone.

No water is escaping, and the entire area is drying up.

This is very sad, because the springs and surrounding area was always a good place for odes.

…….
San Diego County

Gary Suttle

Checked out Lake Morena for first time, nestled in the mountains at 3000' in south portion of the county.

Found algae-ladden water and only a few of the common lake dwelling species (Tule Bluet, Blue-eyed Darner, Flame Skimmer, Blue Dasher, Variegated Meadowhawk, Black Saddlebags, and a Glider, undetermined).

Next stopped by Pine Valley Creek where American Rubyspot, NoBo (one Northern Bluet in hand), Vivid Dancer, Western Forktail, and a lone Walker's Darner flew--usually see more of them here at this time of year, as well as Pacific Spiketail, which was a no show. Then on to ponds near Southeastern shore of Lake Cuyumaca:

Spotted Spreadwing >12 Mostly male

Black Spreadwing 1M Late in the season for San Diego Co.

Tule Bluet some

Western Forktail many

Pacific Forktail a few

Blue-eyed Darner some

Cardinal Meadowhawk 2

Red-veined Meadowhawk 3M First time I've seen them at this site -- also late in the season for San Diego Co.

Blue Dasher many

Flame Skimmer some

Black Saddlebag 3

 
August 8, 2011
Santa Barbara County

Nick Lethaby

The creek in Santa Barbara Canyon in the desert NE of the county today. Water flow was better than normal and there were more odes:

Flame Skimmer - 1-2

Red Rock Skimmer - 15+, including 2 females ovipositing

Vivid Dancer - present

Cal/Aztec Dancer - present

Sooty Dancer - 5, new for this site

Gray Sanddragon - 1, new for this site

Common Green Darner - 3+

No sign of any ringtails but the general ode selection suggests they might occur after all here.

I then checked the Cuyama River itself probably about 15 miles E of Santa Maria, where there was decent water flow (it's mostly dry in the Cuyama Valley itself).

The river in on the border of SBA and SLO counties. I was fairly confident of finding some gomphids but failed miserably:

Flame Skimmer - common

Pale-faced Clubskimmer - 1

American Rubyspot - 15+

Sooty Dancer - 1

dancers and bluets - Various unidentified - many

I was seriously shocked to see no Red Rock Skimmers here and only one Sooty Dancer. I checked this location between 3.30 and 4.20 PM in hot sunshine, so unless these species are not active during the late afternoon, they are rare to absent here. I noticed more algal growth than typical in the stream and a lot of evidence of cattle. I am wondering whether this river gets too polluted (it is more stagnant most years where these is less rain) to hold these species.

 
August 6, 2011
Inyo County

Matthew Matthiessen

Black Rock Spring in late afternoon. In a relatively brief amount of time I was able to find and photograph one.

It was a little further down the road than where they were seen last summer but at least I was able to confirm they're still around.

I didn't have much time and was focused on STSA so didn't pay attention to damsels at all. Species seen were:

Common Green Darner

Blue-eyed Darner

Western Pondhawk

Blue Dasher

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Hoary Skimmer

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

**Striped Saddlebags Tramea calverti [new early date for this species – old date 8/22/2010 and only date reported 2011]]

A month ago I visited the same area and saw several Red Saddlebags but no striped. Directions to this site:

If coming from the south, from the north edge of Independence (the end of the trees...the airport is on the right) drive approximately 7.8 miles north on SR 395 and turn right onto the Black Rock Springs Road, which is paved.
There is an exit lane for this turn. After making the turn there are two signs on the right describing the Blackrock Waterfowl Management Area. The mileage starts from this turnoff.
0.7 mi - Right turn onto a paved road. This is just a couple hundred yards prior to the entrance to the Blackrock Fish Hatchery. Power lines are on the right side on this road. The pavement shortly turns to dirt.
1.0 mi - Continue across a bridge
1.1 mi - Just past two large transformers on the left, turn right and follow the water which runs on the left side of the road
1.7 mi - Left turn over the water
2.1 mi - Cross a ditch on metal grating and turn left at the Y
2.2 mi - Turn right (do not take the bridge to the left)
2.6 mi - Left turn at the Y
2.8 mi - Note the pink ribbon on the left by the "lake"
3.1 mi - The Striped Saddlebags was photographed on the right side of the road on low growing vegetation near a tree.
3.7 mi - Row of trees on right.  There is a gravel turn-around area on the right at the end of this row.  The Striped Saddlebags was flying about 15 feet over the road along this tree line.

…….
El Dorado County
Will Richarson, Zach Smith, Don and Lynn Harriman

Lake Tahoe Basin mini-blitz @ Grass Lake on Luther Pass … vegetation next to the southernmost parking area was completely covered in young meadowhawks. 

Once we got out into the field we almost immediately found our first Crimson-ringed Whiteface.
Northern and Emerald Spreadwings 
Taiga Bluet Coenagrion resolutum 
Boreal/Taiga-type Bluet (forgot my loupe both days!) 
Western and Pacific Forktails 
Two different sized Mosaic Darner (these did NOT cooperate this year!) 
Mountain Emerald - many 
Crimson-ringed Whiteface - a few 
Hudsonian Whiteface - lots 
Black Meadowhawk - a few 
White-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum obtrusum - tons! 
Striped Meadowhawk - a few on the vegetation along the edge of the meadow 
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 
Four-spotted Skimmer
Our most interesting observation was a male White-faced Meadowhawk in wheel for ~ 10 minutes with a red-form female Hudsonian Whiteface.  
I know that interspecies tandems aren't exactly unheard of, but interspecies copulation is pretty unusual.  
What's more, this pair was bridging across different genera!!  Maybe they just liked each other's white faces. 
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150257384545028&set=a.10150257379615028.330280.173935990027&type=1&theater
…….
Humboldt County
Sandra Hunt-von Arb

Private Pond in Korbel; 15:30-17:30; 30% cloud cover, variable breeze (area is "below surrounding ground level"- breeze not felt below 4-5' in ht/ or at "real" ground level)

Habitat: Complex of several old gravel extraction pits/depressions; Several remained wet into July this year due to late rains.

One remains wet year-round (spring fed??) with many pond lilies and other permanent aquatic plants.

Common Green Darner – 1 pair in wheel

Blue-eyed Darner – Many, 1 confirmed female (photographed)

Mosaic Type Darners ---- Many—suspect, Blue-eyed, Paddle-tailed, and California

(behavior was to come out for short periods of time and defend territory and then to quickly go to either perch in willows, or to "drop" into Lily leaves and not come out-perhaps perching under the leaves?

Eight-spotted Skimmer –- 2males

Western Pondhawk –-- 3females 1male

Cardinal Meadowhawk –-1 male (Usually see many (june/july)

Blue Dasher –-2males (1perched, 1flyby- Usually see a few more)

Black-fronted Forktail –-- 1 female (see pics- I'd like verification of ID)

Pacific Forktail –- >100 – Several in hand and photographed…Many in wheels, tons of females ovipositing

Western Forktail -- >100- Many in wheels, tons of females ovipositing; few immature (orange); females seemed to outnumber males ~10:1

Black Spreadwing -- ~20 (3 males in hand + 1female in hand+1male—photographed)

 
August 5, 2011
El Dorado County
Will Richarson, Zach Smith, Don and Lynn Harriman

Lake Tahoe Basin mini-blitz @ Glen Alpine Creek, upstream from Fallen Leaf Lake.  We started out hiking straight up to a large wooded pond called Grass Lake.  At the very back end, there was tremendous habitat formed by old beaver dams, but on the whole, the place was pretty dead, possibly because it was absolutely choked with tiny trout.  We did, however, manage to find the following up there:
Emerald Spreadwing
Vivid Dancer (in a rocky choke between two sections of the pond)
Taiga Bluet
Boreal/Taiga-type Bluet
Western Forktail
Pacific Forktail
*Western Red Damsel Amphiagrion abbreviatum [last report 2011]
Mosaic Darner - small to medium-sized
American Emerald (in a huckleberry oak along the trail)
Striped Meadowhawks in the bushes along the trail
Four-spotted Skimmer
It was a bit disappointing, and I wonder if we were too early for this year (this pond was surely surrounded by snow a month ago), it was too early in the day, or if the site is under too much pressure from all the little fish.  We did have some gorgeous fairy shrimp in a small vernal pool just downstream, however.  Then we popped back down to Glen Alpine Springs, a soda spring that was smaller in extent, and muckier, than I remembered.  Not much happening there besides a lot of Four-spotted Skimmers chasing each other around, and a few larger mosaic darners occasionally working the creek.  So we dropped down to Lily Lake, which was much buggier.  Here we added:
Northern Spreadwing
Paddle-tailed Darner
*Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta [last report 2011]
Twelve-spotted Skimmer

…….

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park, Santa Rosa

Common Whitetail – 1

 
August 1, 2011
Colusa County
Dave and Kathy Biggs

Bear Creek @ Hwy 20 Bridge, 4:00-4:50 pm

We stopped by for 20 mins to get our annual “Giant” fix

Common Green Darner

Giant Darner 5

Blue-eyed Darner

‘Dashhawk’

Widow Skimmer - as abundant as the Flame Skimmers, which we’ve never seen before!!

Flame Skimmer - abundant

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

Familiar Bluet

Then, we drove the 2 miles down Hwy 16 to Cowboy Camp where BLM has set up observation areas and plans to put signage up about dragonflies, or at least about aquatic insects. I’d like to encourage everyone to try to use this new area, which not only has the creek, but also ponds and a ‘swampy’ area. So far it’s being used mostly by horse riders, but the more WE use it, the more clout we’ll have towards their making better pathways to the water (so far, no real trails, and still lots of star thistle).

We really didn’t spend much time there, just checked it out – but we saw the same species as above, plus

Western Pondhawk

Striped Meadowhawk

…

[same site as 1^st above – earlier in the day –kb]

Michael Plank

Bear Creek off of Hwy. 20, about 20 miles west of Williams and Interstate 5. We found it a bit of work to get down into the creek. A lot of private property and not so well maintained trails. But we had a great time. 
A beautiful day. Not too hot or windy. What a great place!

Vivid Dancers

Emma's Dancer

Sooty Dancers

Desert Forktail

Gray Sanddragons

Giant Darners

Twelve-spotted Skimmers

Eight-spotted Skimmers

Pale-faced Clubskimmers

Blue Dasher

Flame Skimmers

Red Rock Skimmers

Variegated Meadowhawks

Red-veined Meadowhawks

…….

Santa Cruz County

Steve Gerow

Natural Bridges area of Santa Cruz - Ode activity picked up some yesterday …, likely due to the fog clearing early, with little wind.

A mature male Twelve-spotted Skimmer in the northeast corner of the park yesterday was a highlight, my first in the county.

It is listed as "sighting record only" for Santa Cruz County on the map, so I put a couple of photos at the beginning of this gallery:

https://picasaweb.google.com/steve.gerow/SantaCruzCountyOdonata#

A full list of species is below:

Natural Bridges State Beach- northeast area

Black Spreadwing- one mature male

Blue-eyed Darner- a few

Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella - one mature male, upgrade from prior sight-only record CA Chart #110, OC#__

Spot-winged Glider- one, plus a couple of unidentified gliders

Natural Bridges- Moore Creek area:

Bluets- several

Blue-eyed Darner- several

Variegated Meadowhawk- 4-5, including a tandem pair, ovipositing in the creek's lagoon near the beach

Spot-winged Glider- 2-3 near the creek, but many over the coastal scrub just uphill, including 17 hovering over one poison-oak patch (all in this area seemed to be Spot-winged, as far as I could tell)

Antonelli Pond added

Pacific Forktails, 2-3 each

Cardinal Meadowhawks, 2-3 each

bluets

Blue-eyed Darners

Variegated Meadowhawks

gliders

 
July
 
July 30/31, 2011
Shasta County

Michael Plank

On a tip from Ray Bruun we went to Canyon Creek Rd. and found three Neon Skimmers. A real treat for us because we had never seen them before. Canyon Creek is in Redding Ca. off of Hwy 273 and Buena Ventura southwest of town. We didn't have our cameras on Tuesday so we had to go back the next evening and got a few nice shots.

Big Springs - located below Mt. Lassen State Park almost to Hat Creek.

*Lyre-tipped Spreadwing L. unguiculatus [last report 2011]

Emerald Spreadwing

Striped Meadowhawk

Variegated Meadowhawks

Baum Lake on Lower Hat Creek

Vivid Dancers

Twelve and Eight-spotted Skimmers

Widow Skimmers

Variegated Meadowhawks

Cardinal Meadowhawks

 
July 29, 2011

San Bernardino County

Annette and Tim Manolis 
Prado Regional Park, near Chino 
We have driven right by this park along Hwy 83 a few times and I have always wanted to stop and check it out for odonates. It is a large, typical county park (day use fee of $7, as I remember) 
with a couple of large, marshy-bordered fishing lakes (artificial). We spent about an hour and a half there at midday.
Tule Bluet -- fairly common, some males netted
Familiar Bluet -- a few seen
Pacific Forktail -- fairly common
Black-fronted Forktail -- a few seen
Common Green Darner -- some seen, including ovipositing pair
Blue-eyed Darner -- about 10 seen
Blue Dasher -- some seen
Flame Skimmer -- 5-6 seen
*Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa-- 5-6 seen

Red-tailed Pennant Brachymesia furcata - sight record only, CA Chart #6

Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few seen
Not an incredibly impressive list, but the presence of Red-tailed Pennant and Mexican Amberwing suggest that this spot is worth continued scrutiny.
I only covered a fraction of the marshy borders of the large lakes at this site, so more things probably await discovery there.
…….
Siskiyou County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
Medicine Lake Highlands
Pumice Stone Well, off Harrison Springs Rd. Area in spring flood yet! ~2 acres surrounding the normally 30 X 100’ pond. 12-2
We’ve been surveying this pond for ~10 years, at least once a yr, but it held a BIG surprise for us this time. See below:
Northern Spreadwing - abundant
Emerald Spreadwing - some
*Lyre-tipped Spreadwing Lestes unguiculatus - few
Bluet sp. - abundant
*Boreal Bluet Enallagma boreale – one IDed in hand [last report 2011]
Pacific Forktail – 1 male
Western Forktail - some
**Sedge Sprite Nehalennia irene – one pair in cop. This is a new county record for Siskiyou County and only the 3rd site for the species in Calif. 
CA chart#7, OC#: 330956 [last report 2011]
Darner sp. – a large dark darner, possibly Variable Darner which is usually common at this site.
Paddle-tailed Darner – one found dead on the surface and somewhat deteriorated. IDed by side stripes
Common Green Darner – one dead male found floating on the pond
California Darner – one male appeared to be this species
American Emerald – abundant, one in hand
*Mountain Emerald Somatochlora semicirularis - some, one in hand
Eight-spotted Skimmer – a few
Twelve-spotted Skimmer – some
Striped Meadowhawk – some
Variegated Meadowhawk – one male
Little Medicine Lake, NW of Medicine Lake 3-4
Spreadwing sp. – all teneral, none caught
Bluet sp. - abundant
Boreal Bluet – one IDed in hand
NO DARNERS at all!
Clubtail sp. – over the meadows just west of LML. Unusual! Flying low…..a mystery, 2-3 seen. Grappletails??
Emerald sp.- 100s on the wing and thousands of exuviae, Mountain Emerald possible as found once before there.
American Emerald – abundant, one in hand
Crimson-winged Whiteface – all teneral; a few damaged tenerals collected
Eight-spotted Skimmer – 1 female ovipositing
Striped Meadowhawk – some
Red-veined Meadowhawk – one photographed
 
July 28, 2011
Los Angeles County
Robb Hamilton

ponds down off the 605 Freeway in Irwindale

Red Saddlebags female

Spot-winged Glider

 
 
July 27, 2011
Siskiyou County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
We decided to take a wildflower hike on the backside of Mt Eddy (west of Weed since we'd heard the wildflowers were fabulous there this year with all the precipitation. 
But we almost didn't make it to the trail into the Deadfall Lakes thru the wet wildflower meadows as every little seep/creek along the way had such pretty flowers and ALSO ODES!! 
Our trip started in Siskiyou County and ended in Trinity County. It is difficult to tell exactly where the county line is, but we believe that all our stops except the hike were in Siskiyou County.
Stewart Mineral Springs, ~ 11:15-12:15. Our first stop. This is a lovely resort built on several mineral seeps/springs along Eddy or Parks Creek and just 3 miles up 
Steward Springs Rd which comes off I-5 just north of Weed. Beautiful place and worth considering as an overnite if you can! Their website: www.stewartmineralsprings.com
Dancer sp (not Vivid)
Common Green Darner
Eight-spotted Skimmer - several
Hoary Skimmer – 1 f
Flame Skimmer - 1 f
Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia - young males seen 
Red-veined Meadowhawk - 1 young female photographed
Striped Meadowhawk - many young seen, none red yet
I'm certain that if we'd spent the day there we would have seen many more species.
Next we stopped at several creeks/seeps along the road towards Deadfall 
Lakes and the PCT. This area was near where FS41N74 comes off. These all 
have associated Darlingtonia seeps.
Spotted Spreadwing - 1 young male
Black Petaltail - 3 males and 1 female seen at various sites, 1 at each stop! Photos
Common Green Darners in small feeding swarms at various spots along the road
Snaketail sp. - seen only head on, but appeared to be a Great Basin Snaketail
Eight-spotted Skimmer - several; photos
Hoary Skimmer - more females found; photos
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - several
Flame Skimmer - 1 f
Common Whitetail - young males seen
Red-veined Meadowhawk - young females photographed
Striped Meadowhawk - several; photos
…
Trinity County
Then we hiked almost to the lowest of the Deadfall Lakes.
Wildflowers were great, but Odes were almost non-existant although the whole area is wet with Darlingtonia and Bog Bean (both still flowering). Lots of Butterflies though!
Black Petaltail - 1 m
Common Green Darner - 1
Striped Meadowhawk - several young ones
…….
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Poway, Lake Poway, 1:15-2:30, sunny, light breeze, 84 degrees.
Familiar Bluet 
Tule Bluet 
Pacific Forktail 
Common Green Darner 
Blue-eyed Darner 
*Red-tailed Pennant Brachymesia furcata 6M 2F wheels, ovipositing
Blue Dasher
Flame Skimmer 
Black Saddlebags 
Red Saddlebags 
…….
Santa Cruz County
Steve Gerow
San Lorenzo River, just north of the Highway 1 bridge

*Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion exclamationis, 3, the first I have seen this year [but the last report of 2011]

 
July 25, 2011
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Canyon Creek (south of downtown and west of Hwy 273) noontime
Neon Skimmer- 5 males; This is a new location for this species in Redding. They outnumbered other dragonfly species present. 
Flame Skimmer - 2
12-spotted Skimmer – 1

…….

Butte County

Bidwell Park, Chico, Big Chico Creek, 12:00 noon – 2:30 pm (closed Gate to Bear Hole)

Gray Sanddragon

Western River Cruiser

Pale-faced Clubskimmer

Western Pondhawk

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

American Rubyspot

Emma's Dancer

Sooty Dancer

Tule Bluet

Familiar Bluet

Western Forktail

 
July 24, 2011
Alameda County
Alice Cavette 
Fremont 
Flame Skimmer - Libellula saturata – male-colored female - Fun to see - she wasn't scared even when I got 2 inches away - when she did fly, she flew straight at me - she bobbed her head a lot 
CA Spreadwings two, within a foot - a bee swarm was 50 feet away.
…….
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
South Cow Creek Meadows in Latour State Forest. This location is only 15 miles from our house (as the crow flies) but it is almost an hour drive (30 miles).
Along the South Fork of Cow Creek, at an elevation of 5,700 feet, there are two meadows on either side of a very nice state-owned campground. 
The meadows here reminded me of the Cherry Hill site in Butte County--sloping wet ground fed by seeps (one meadow is very wet) with a creek running along the bottom edge. 
The west meadow on Cow Creek is roughly 7 acres in size and the east meadow is about 6 acres (Cherry hill meadow is about 7 acres in size). 
I was not surprised to find 
Black Petaltail
and saw perhaps two dozen (the count would no doubt have been higher had I been paying more attention . . . was concentrating on taking pictures). 
The Petaltail all seemed fresh as if the season was just starting, and they all appeared to be males. 
Sierra Blues (butterfly) were present in good numbers, and Sundew (plant) was common.
South Cow Creek Meadows is about an hour drive east of Redding and easily accessible off of I-5. The location coordinates are: N 40.627224° / W 121.676265° 

…….

Sacramento County

Steve Gordon and Cary Kerst with Tim Manolis

American River, Sacramento 11:00 am – 12:45 pm

Common Green Darner

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

Tule Bluet

Familiar Bluet

Arroyo Bluet (new for Steve)

Exclamation Damsel (new for Steve)

Tim's house in Sacramento:

Spot-winged Glider

 
July 23, 2011
Santa Clara County
Martin Hall
Roop Pond … near Coyote Lake Reservoir in Morgan Hill - part of the Santa Clara County Park system so easy to get to & 250 yards long and lots going on.
Western Pondhawks eating grasshoppers 
Blue Dashers, mating
Damselflies, mating
http://konoctipirate.smugmug.com/Nature/At-Roop-Pond/18196807_smVQTT#1398316389_4wNSWSN-A-LB

…….

Colusa County

Colusa NWR, 6:30-7:30 am, 65 ° F

Variegated Meadowhawks

Wilbur Springs, 9:45-10:45 am and 2?45-3:45 pm

Giant Darner

Blue-eyed Darner

White-belted Ringtail

Gray Sanddragon

Western River Cruiser

Pale-faced Clubskimmer

Western Pondhawk

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Spot-winged Glider

Common Whitetail

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

Sooty Dancer

Vivid Dancer

Tule Bluet

Familiar Bluet

Desert Forktail

Western Forktail

Bear Creek @ Wilbur Springs Bridge, 12:45- 2:45, Colusa Co., 83 ° F

Giant Darner

White-belted Ringtail

Gray Sanddragon

Western River Cruiser

Pale-faced Clubskimmer

Western Pondhawk

Widow Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Spot-winged Glider

Common Whitetail

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

American Rubyspot

California Dancer

Emma's Dancer

Sooty Dancer

Vivid Dancer

Tule Bluet

Desert Forktail

Bear Creek @ Hwy 20 Bridge, 4:00-4:50 pm

Common Green Darner

Giant Green Darner (most abundant at this site)

Western Pondhawk

Widow Skimmer

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

American Rubyspot

Familiar Bluet

Western Forktail

…….

Sierra County

Alan Wight

near Lower Sardine Lake (near Bassetts in Sierra Nevada

*Chalk-fronted Corporal Ladona julia – – a few, lifer for me!  [last report 2011]

July 22, 2011
Alameda County
Alice Cavette 
Fremont 
California Spreadwing - Archilestes californica – female – photos
…….
Imperial County
Gary Suttle
Westside Main Canal, just north of the Highway 98 bridge crossing, 2:00-3:30, windy, 106 degrees.
Powdered Dancer 2
Blue-ringed Dancer 1
*Brimstone Clubtail Stylurus intricatus 2M 5F
White-belted Ringtail  9
For the second year in a row, re-grading of the dirt roads that parallel the canal have reduced the size and quantity of tall, eye-level arrow weed that provides nice shade and cover 
for the clubtails and good opportunities to view them. 
May have seen a Russet-tipped Clubtail, but not well enough for sure ID. 
Russet-tipped and Brimstone Clubtails are usually reliably seen at this site.

…….

Siskiyou County

Steve Gordon and Cary Kerst

Shasta River, 6:00 – 10:00 am

*Pacific Clubtail Gomphus kulilis – [last report 2011]

Sinuous Snaketail

Western River Cruiser

Western Pondhawk

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Common Whitetail

*River Jewelwing Calopteryx aequabilis – [last report 2011]

American Rubyspot

Emma's Dancer

Vivid Dancer

Western Forktail

…

Colusa County

Wilbur Springs, 2:45-3:40 pm, 95 ° F

Giant Darner

Blue-eyed Darner

Gray Sanddragon

Pale-faced Clubskimmer

Western Pondhawk

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Spot-winged Glider

Common Whitetail

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

California Dancer

Sooty Dancer

Tule Bluet

Northern Bluet

Desert Forktail (new species for Steve)

Pacific Forktail

Western Forktail

Bear Creek @ Wilbur Springs Bridge, 3:45-5:00 pm

Giant Darner

White-belted Ringtail

Gray Sanddragon

Widow Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Common Whitetail

Variegated Meadowhawk

Black Saddlebags

American Rubyspot

California Dancer

Emma's Dancer

Sooty Dancer

Vivid Dancer

Tule Bluet

Desert Forktail

Colusa NWR, 7:30 – 8:30 pm

Common Green Darner (cop. pair)

Variegated Meadowhawk (10,000's of thousands)

27 species!
 
July 21, 2011
Inyo County
Ron Oriti 
west side of Owens Dry Lake
Comanche Skimmers – photos taken
…….
Riverside County
Steve Rovell
Whitewater Preserve (temperatures around 103º) - 10 am to 1 pm
I called ahead to see if I was allowed to bring in nets to capture and release odes. 
Their website explicitly states that no collecting is allowed. 
But I managed to talk my way in by mentioning I was a biology teacher and that I am contributing to the knowledge base of ode distribution. 
Plus, I was catching and releasing, not collecting. 
But nets were to be put away in the areas most frequented by visitors, mainly the area right around the visitor center and the series of ponds. 
This was so visitors didn't get the wrong impression that collecting was OK. 
Unfortunately, almost all the odes we saw were around the ponds, and very little was seen elsewhere.
Giant Darner: 2-3 (ponds only)
Blue-eyed Darner: 2 (ponds only)
Flame Skimmer: ~15 (all locations)
Red-rock Skimmer: 2 (ponds only)
Blue Dasher: 1 (ponds only)
Black Saddlebags: 11 (most at ponds)
Red Saddlebags: 2 (away from ponds only - upriver)
Vivid Dancer: many (most at ponds)
bluet sp.: 6 (all but one at the ponds)

…….

Siskiyou County

Steve Gordon and Cary Kerst

Shasta River, 5:30 pm, camped, Siskiyou Co.

Pacific Clubtail

Sinuous Snaketail

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Common Whitetail

River Jewelwing

Vivid Dancer

 
July 20, 2011
Santa Cruz County
Steve Gerow

Gray Whale Ranch, and the upper UC Santa Cruz campus near Cave Gulch

Pacific Spiketail – 2 (1 each place), foy SCruz Co.

 
July 19, 2011
Riverside County
Steve Rovell
Dos Palmas Oasis Preserve - (temperatures above 100º) - 210' below sea level - 11 am to 1 pm
We probably should have left earlier, as we knew it would be hot. 
The mile hike to and from the parking area didn't help much. 
Good thing they had a water faucet and hose to wet us down before the hike back to the car. 
I was especially frustrated by not being able to find Bleached Skimmer and by the lack of damsels. 
Either it was too hot (for damsels) and they weren't out, or I was looking in the wrong place. 
In addition, I was very surprised to see a White-belted Ringtail as I had never seen these guys away from rivers or streams before. 
Also pretty surprised to see all those pondhawks and no dashers. I didn't check them all, but I checked plenty of them.
Blue-ringed Dancer: 1
Vivid Dancer: a few
Rambur's Forktail: a few
Blue-eyed Darner: a few
Common Green Darner: 1-2
White-belted Ringtail: 1
Western Pondhawk: many
Comanche Skimmer: many
Widow Skimmer: 1
Flame Skimmer: several
Marl Pennant: many
Roseate Skimmer: 3
Black Saddlebags: 5
Red Saddlebags: 2
bluet sp.: a few
 
July 17, 2011
Colusa County
Tim Manolis & Sacramento Audubon field trip in the morning. We also encountered Jim Laughlin at Bear Creek.
Bear Creek, just upstream from the junction of Hwys 16 and 20, and nearby feeder creek (Sulphur Creek) near entrance to Wilbur Hot Springs. 
The creek was higher than it usually is at this time of year. Numbers of many species (except Variegated Meadowhawks) seemed quite low for the season.
California Dancer -- common
Sooty Dancer -- common
Vivid Dancer -- a few seen
Northern Bluet -- a few males netted
Western Forktail -- fairly common
Pacific Forktail -- a few seen
Desert Forktail -- a few males netted along Sulphur Creek
Blue-eyed Darner -- 3-4 males seen
Giant Darner -- 6-8 seen
Pacific Clubtail -- 1 seen
Gray Sanddragon -- 1-2 seen
(White-belted Ringtail -- Jim reported seeing one)
Western Pondhawk -- 1
Widow Skimmer -- 3-4 seen
12-spotted Skimmer -- 2 seen
Flame Skimmer -- fairly common
Common Whitetail -- 8-10 seen
Spot-winged Glider -- fairly common
Black Saddlebags -- 8 seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- extremely abundant, 100s, if not 1000+, seen. Many tandem pairs ovipositing along both streams.
 
July 15, 2011
Plumas County
Tim Manolis
Willow Lake - A late morning visit of about an hour and a half. Jim Laughlin reported seeing Crimson-ringed Whitefaces there on 9 July, but he never netted any, 
so might have seen Belted Whitefaces instead. 
So I went to check this out. I didn't seen either, but saw lots of Hudsonian Whitefaces, and Jim says that may have been what he saw, too.
Vivid Dancer -- a few
Pacific Forktail -- common
Western Forktail -- common
Western Red Damsel -- common
*Taiga Bluet Coenagrion resolutum -- a male netted, some others seen
*Boreal Bluet Enallagma boreale -- common, males netted
Emerald Spreadwing -- a few seen
Spotted Spreadwing -- a teneral seen
Corduliids -- a few emeralds (or baskettails?) seen at a distance
Aeshna sp. -- 1-2 seen at a distance
4-spotted Skimmer -- common
8-spotted Skimmer -- a few seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- common
Chalk-fronted Corporal Ladona julia – common 
Hudsonian Whiteface -- fairly common, one male collected
Dot-tailed Whiteface -- 8-10 seen
It is a bit disturbing that Belted Whiteface has not been seen at this site, the only know site for the species in the state, in the last few years. 
But I encourage folks to continue to look for them there (and perhaps other places in the area?).
 
July 14, 2011
Modoc County
Tim Manolis
Canby Bridge across the Pit River along Hwy 299 (west of Canby, Modoc Co.). Brief stop in late morning.
American Rubyspot -- 2-3
River Jewelwing -- 3-4
Emma's Dancer -- common
Western Forktail -- common
*River Bluet Enallagma anna -- 1 male netted [last report 2011]
Tule Bluet -- males netted
Northern Bluet -- male netted
Pacific Clubtail -- 3-4
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- some seen
Common Whitetail -- 6
Cardinal Meadowhawk -- 1 female seen
Variegated Meadowhawk -- some seen 
Lassen County
Willow Creek Wildlife Area, Brief visit in the afternoon
Tule Bluet -- abundant
Northern Bluet -- some seen
Vivid Dancer -- a few seen
Western Forktail -- common
Pacific Forktail -- common
Blue-eyed Darner -- a few seen
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- abundant
Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few seen
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk -- a female netted
 
July 12, 2011
El Dorado County
Steve Rovell
Tahoe Keys, and with all the rain/snow from this winter, the habitat was incredible! Here is what was found:
Blue-eyed Darner - 2 - I'm assuming, because I have a hard time separating these guys from other blue darners in flight
Common Green Darner - 1
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 2
Emerald Spreadwing - many
Western Forktail - definitely one, but probably many more
bluet sp. - many - didn't have net or handlens
…….
Inyo County 
Barbara & Ron Oriti 
Millpond, Bishop

Twelve-spotted Skimmer - photos

 
July 11, 2011
Siskiyou County
Michael and Muriel Plank
We went to Gumboot Lake west of Mount Shasta. 6050 Ft. elevation. Not one Ode to be seen. No grass growing over 2 to 3 inches. 
So we decided to try Orr Lake near Bray and Tennant off of Hwy. 97 headed towards Klamath Falls.
Band-winged Meadowhawk
Western Forktail
Pacific Forktail
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Eight-spotted Skimmer
Chalk-fronted Corporal
Familiar Bluet
Vivid Dancer
Emerald Spreadwing 
 
July 10, 2011
Siskiyou County
Michael and Muriel Plank
We went to Shasta Wildlife Refuge in Siskiyou County just south of Montague. we had a wonderful time around Bass Lake:
Black Saddlebags
Common Whitetail
Widow Skimmers
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Eight-spotted Skimmer
Flame Skimmers
Western Pondhawk
Red-veined Meadowhawk
Variegated Meadowhawk
Familiar Bluet
Tule Bluet
Western Forktail
Pacific Forktail
Blue-eyed Darner
*California Darner Rhionaeschna californica [last report 2011]
Emerald Spreadwing
Black Spreadwing ?
Spotted Spreadwing
Then on to Hudson rd. North of Yreka. take I-5 to Hwy 96 West to Hwy. 263 then turn south and cross the Shasta River Bridge and turn Right. This is Hudson Rd.
Pacific Clubtail
Sinuous Snaketail
Vivid Dancer
California Dancer
Emma's Dancer
American Rubyspot
River Jewelwing
…….
Lassen County
Matthew Matthiessen
Susan River, Susanville 
River Jewelwing - some, photos taken
 
July 9-10, 2011
El Dorado County
Steve Rovell
I spent the weekend up in South Lake Tahoe and managed to get in about an hour of odeing. I visited Tahoe Keys, and with all the rain/snow from this winter, the habitat was incredible! 
Blue-eyed Darner - 2 - I'm assuming, because I have a hard time separating these guys from other blue darners in flight
Common Green Darner - 1
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 2
Emerald Spreadwing - many
Western Forktail - 
bluet sp. - many - didn't have net or handlens
…….
Lassen County
Zach Smith
Made a trip to the Warner Mtns this past weekend to try for Spiny Baskettails. While Blue Lake is beautiful and there were lots of dragons, no baskettails were to be found. 
I"m guessing we were a little early for them as things in the insect world seem to be happening a bit late this year. I did see my first 
*Great Basin Snaketail Ophiogomphus morrisoni [ast report 2011] in the juniper woodland on the way up Jess Valley Rd, as well as a 
Band-winged Meadowhawk. 
…….
Plumas County
Matthew Matthiessen
Willow Lake
Beaverpond Baskettail (photographed in hand) there which Tim Manolis thought might be a new species for that location.  There weren't any darners flying so I'll have to go back later in the year for those.
 
July 9, 2011 
Santa Clara County
Steve Rottenborn
I spent a few hours today at two locations along Coyote Creek north of Morgan Hill (Santa Clara County). 
The highlight was finding multiple Pale-faced Clubskimmers in both locations. Santa Clara County apparently has no prior records, though I've visited the Ogier Ponds 
(where two of the clubskimmers were) at least 40 times over the past few years looking for odes without detecting this species.
Coyote Creek (1/2-mi reach upstream from Bailey Ave.), Santa Clara Co.,
0930-1230 hours, mid 60s to upper 80s F, clear
California/Aztec Dancer - hundreds (all examined closely apparently California)
Vivid Dancer - 20
Tule Bluet - 10
Western Forktail - 10
Pacific Forktail - 8
Common Green Darner - 12
Blue-eyed Darner - 50 (2 females ovipositing)
California Darner - 2
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2
Variegated Meadowhawk - 3
Blue Dasher - 4
Western Pondhawk - 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 2
Widow Skimmer - 3
Common Whitetail - 1
Flame Skimmer - 6 (1 female ovipositing)
Black Saddlebags - 2
Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga mendax - 6 (4 males foraging in beats in open areas in the floodplain, sometimes at eye level but usually 5-10 m high;
one perched low several times, allowing for photos. 
One male flew around the crown of a cottonwood for about 5 minutes before disappearing into the foliage and emerging in tandem with a female)
 – New County Photo Record, CA Chart #102 OC#: 329647
Ogier Ponds and reach of Coyote Creek immediately downstream, Santa Clara Co., 1230-1500, upper 80s F, clear
California/Aztec Dancer - 150+
Vivid Dancer - 15
Northern/Boreal Bluet - 4 (2 tandem pairs)
Tule Bluet - 20
Arroyo Bluet - 5
Exclamation Damsel - 3
Western Forktail - 4
Pacific Forktail - 2
Common Green Darner - 20 (1 tandem)
Blue-eyed Darner - 15
*Beaverpond Baskettail Epitheca canis - 1 (late for this location) [last report 2011]
Variegated Meadowhawk - 10 (1 tandem pair with female ovipositing)
Blue Dasher - 10
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 8
Widow Skimmer - 6
Flame Skimmer - 20 (2 females ovipositing)
Black Saddlebags - 10 (1 tandem)
Pale-faced Clubskimmer – 2
…….
Plumas County
Jim Laughlin
Traveled to Willow Lake North of Chester today and along the way found a few good flies. In the big meadow just south of where 89 and 32 meet I had the following:
Western Forktail 
Western Red Damsel common
Four-spotted Skimmer common
Common Whitetail 4
Hoary Skimmer 2
Crimson-ringed Whiteface common
Twelve-spotted Skimmer 1
At Willow Lake north of Chester I had the following
Western Red Damsel
Western Forktail
Four-spotted Skimmer
Dot-tailed Whiteface 2 
Eight-spotted Skimmer 1
*Chalk-fronted Corporal Ladona julia 
Crimson-ringed Whiteface
 
July 8, 2011
Trinity County
Sandra Hunt-von Arb
Was at Ruth Lake with family and managed to get some dragon hunting in...
Pacific Clubtails
Tule Bluets- many
Eight Spotted Skimmers-many (single males perching atop willows)
Beaverpond Baskettail -few
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalOdes/photos/album/2011143520/pic/list
Also- It was amazing to see 100's of exuviae on anything emergent or close to the water. At least three types of Dragonflies, and many damsels.
 
July 7, 2011
Plumas County
Rob Thomas
Butterfly Valley Botanical Area, Quincy, Plumas Co, 1030-1400 hrs, mid 70s to mid 80s, clear
Vivid Dancer – common
Black Pedaltail – few
Pacific Spiketail – few
Cold Creek, Sierraville, Sierra Co, 1600-1700 hours, low 90s, clear
Common Whitetail – few
Four-spotted Skimmer – few
Eight-spotted Skimmer – few
Twelve-spotted Skimmer – few
Big misses were emeralds, snaketails, Red Rock Skimmer and American rubyspot.

…….

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt von-Arb

-Fern Canyon (Primarily a family outing)

Bluets- many at the wet trailhead

California Darner- In small prairie above the Canyon

Darner- at the beach

 
July 6, 2011
Plumas County
Rob Thomas
Marble Hot Springs Road, Plumas Co,. 0800-1100hrs, low 70s to mid 80s, clear
Familiar Bluet – few
No/Bo Bluet - few
Western Forktail – abundant
Pacific Forktail – abundant
Western Red Damsel - few
*Variable Darner Aeshna interrupta - few 
Blue-eyed Darner – common
unidentified darners - many
Common Whitetail – common
Four-spotted Skimmer – common
Flame Skimmer – few
Eight-spotted Skimmer – common
Twelve-spotted Skimmer – common
Widow Skimmer – few
Dot-tailed Whiteface – few
Band-winged Meadowhawk – thousands, mostly teneral and immatures
Blue Dasher – few
…
Sierra County
Cemetery Ponds, Sierraville, 1330-1500hrs, low 90s, clear
Northern/Lyre-tipped Spreadwing – few
Familiar Bluet – abundant
No/Bo Bluet – abundant
*Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata - 1
Flame Skimmer - few
Common Whitetail – common
Four-spotted Skimmer – common
Eight-spotted Skimmer – common
Twelve-spotted Skimmer – common
Widow Skimmer – few
Variegated Meadowhawk – few
Red-veined Meadowhawk – 1
Striped Meadowhawk – few
Western Meadowhawk – few
…….
San Diego County 
Doug Aguillard
My usual access point is no longer as the County of San Diego put "No Parking" along a giant dirt area off of Sandia Creek Rd. for no apparent reason.
I had to go into a new section of the creek that wasn't as productive as the old spot. Sunny and hot, slight cooling breeze with the water being a pleasant approx. 65 degrees.
Flame Skimmer 11
Red Rock Skimmer 1
Pale-faced Clubskimmer 1
Gray Sanddragon 1
American Rubyspot 20
Vivid Dancer 3
Aztec Dancer 1
Pacific Forktail 2
Tule Bluet 7
 
July 5, 2011
Sierra County
Rob Thomas
Spent a few days puttering around the Sierra Valley with a few side trips looking for… anything and everything we could find. 
Still a fair bit of snow on the ground above 6500ft so some of our favorite haunts were inaccessible. 
Rivers and creeks were running fast, high and cold. Lakes, marshes and vernal pools were as high as I have ever seen them.
Little Truckee River, Sierra Co., 1400-1530 hours, mid 80s, clear
Checked three locations and nothing!
Jackson Meadow Reservoir, Sierra Co., 1600-1730 hours, low 80s, partly cloudy
Variegated Meadowhawk – common
Striped Meadowhawk – few
…….
Santa Barbara County 
Peter Gaede
Atascadero Creek, Goleta
Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener – female; Photo record, OC#: 329445; CA Chart #
 
July 4, 2011
Modoc County
Steve Rottenborn
Lower Lily Pond along Forest Service Road 2 east of New Pine Creek, Modoc Co.:
California Darner - 50 (3 tandem pairs)
American Emerald - 40
Four-spotted Skimmer - 400 (some females ovipositing)
Northern/Boreal Bluet - 10
Western Forktail - 5
Small pond on CR 30, north of Lassen Creek near Lassen Creek Campground, Modoc Co.:
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 3
Four-spotted Skimmer - 15 (female ovipositing)
Common Whitetail - 1
Striped Meadowhawk - 1
Emerald Spreadwing - 50 (several tandem pairs)
Northern/Boreal Bluet - 25 (several tandem pairs)
Western Forktail - 150
CR 133C crossing of Lassen Creek, west of Lassen Creek Campground, Modoc Co.:
Beaverpond Baskettail - 3
Four-spotted Skimmer - 10
Boat ramp at SW corner of Dorris Reservoir, east of Alturas, Modoc Co.:
Common Green Darner - 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 15
Common Whitetail - 2
Variegated Meadowhawk - 200+ (many tandem pairs)
Black Saddlebags - 1
Northern/Boreal Bluet - 500+
CR 85 crossing of Pit River several miles west of Highway 299, north of Adin, Modoc Co.:
Pacific Clubtail - 1 at Pit River crossing several miles east of Highway 299
Beaverpond Baskettail - 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 4
Common Whitetail - 2
American Rubyspot - 20
Emma's Dancer - 15
Vivid Dancer - 1
Sooty Dancer - 1
Pond along CR 85 0.5 mi. west of CR 85A, north of Lookout, Modoc Co.:
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 3
Common Whitetail - 3
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 4
Emerald Spreadwing - 10

…….

Shasta County

Ray Bruun
*Crimson-ringed Whiteface Leucorrhinia glacialis at a pond a few miles east of our house in Shingletown at around the 4,000 foot elevation. 
It's always been a good spot for Dot-tailed Whiteface, but this is the first time for L. glacialis and the only time I've found this species below 5,500 feet in Northern California. 
I only saw two, a pair in wheel. Pix - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/
…….
?? County
Noah Arthur
A Fourth of July family trip to Varona County Park at Cache Creek yielded the largest numbers of dragonflies I have ever seen in one place. 
I estimated about 5 dragonflies per square foot of airspace in some places along the banks of the creek, the biggest swarms being in the shade of waterside shrubs and trees. 
Nearly all were VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWKS, with a few WHITE-BELTED RINGTAILS and 
WIDOW SKIMMERS, one COMMON WHITETAIL, one FLAME SKIMMER, and an unidentified 
fly-by darner. Damselflies were also extremely numerous: AMERICAN RUBYSPOTS, 
TULE BLUETS, EMMA'S DANCERS, a couple of SOOTY DANCERS, and a few WESTERN 
FORKTAILS in the low vegetation along the water. 

July 3, 2011

San Diego County
Matthew Mattison and David Nelson 
We spent about 30 minutes at the creek checking out odes. We saw: 
American Rubyspot 
Northern/Boreal Bluet 
Vivid Dancer 
Lavender Dancer
Giant Darner 
Cardinal Meadowhawk 
Flame Skimmer 
I was particularly stoked about the Giant Darner as that's only the second time I've seen them. Lavender Dancer was also a new CA species for me.
…….
Modoc County
Steve Rottenborn
Lake City, western edge of Surprise Valley, Modoc Co.:
Flame Skimmer - 1 flying down a residential street is the only one I can recall having seen in Modoc County away from the extreme SW part of the county
Striped Meadowhawk - thousands of immatures (no red males) in scrub and woodlands in the eastern foothills of the North Warners, 
such as along Forest Service Road 44N34 Seyferth's (a.k.a. Sacrifice/Chicken) Hot Spring in Surprise Valley, Modoc Co.:
Western Pondhawk - 100
Comanche Skimmer - 25
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 8
Hoary Skimmer - 1
Common Whitetail - 1
*Desert Whitetail - 25 (including one male with mature wing pattern on the left side and almost completely immature pattern on the right) [last report 2011]
Striped Meadowhawk - 30
Emerald Spreadwing - 2
Paiute Dancer - 100 (3 tandem pairs)
Familiar Bluet - 1
Black-fronted Forktail - 20 (2 tandem pairs)
Western Forktail - 15 (2 tandem pairs)
Sand Creek, approx. ½-mile long reach above CR 18 (many pools but no flowing water), east of Cedarville in Surprise Valley
Common Green Darner - 1
*Pale Snaketail Ophiogomphus severus – 5 [last report 2011]
Western Pondhawk - 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 20
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 1
Common Whitetail - 1
Desert Whitetail - 1
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1
Striped Meadowhawk - 12
Western Red Damsel - 15
Dancer sp. - 1 female
Northern Bluet
*Boreal Bluet Enallagma boreale- 50;
I netted and released 20 males, identifying 2 as Northern and 18 as Boreal with magnification in-hand
Black-fronted Forktail - 2
Western Forktail - 40
Highway 299, wetlands east of Cedarville in Surprise Valley, Modoc Co.:
Western Pondhawk - 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 15
Hoary Skimmer - 2
Desert Whitetail - 25
Black-fronted Forktail - 5
Western Forktail - 5
CR 38, wetlands east of Eagleville in southern Surprise Valley, Modoc Co.:
Blue-eyed Darner - 7
Beaverpond Baskettail - 1
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 20
Desert Whitetail - 2
Variegated Meadowhawk - 8
Striped Meadowhawk - 2
Tule Bluet - 8
Western Forktail - 4
Stough Reservoir, 6300 ft. elevation, north of Cedar Pass/Highway 299, Modoc Co.:
California Darner - 1
American Emerald - 125 (several tandem pairs)
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 2
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 5
Four-spotted Skimmer - 4
Common Whitetail - 5 (female ovipositing)
Northern/Boreal Bluet - 1500+ (numerous tandem pairs)
Western Forktail - 20
Eastern shore of Goose Lake, New Pine Creek, Modoc Co.:
*Black Meadowhawk Sympetrum danae - 1
*Cherry-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum interum - 4
Western Red Damsel - 60
Tule Bluet - 20
*Alkali Bluet Enallagma clausum – 6 [only report 2011]

…….

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt von-Arb

Korbel Ponds (Private)

The ephemeral ponds are still holding water due to late June rains- typically dry by now

Eight Spotted Skimmer- few

Red-veined Meadowhawk-few

Cardinal Meadowhawk-few

Variegated Meadowhawk-few

Western Forktail-many

Pacific Forktail- very many

Black Spreadwing- Many

Blue-eyed Darner- Many (one in hand)

July 2, 2011

Santa Barbara County
Nick Lethaby
Mazana River (in the San Rafael Mountains)
American Rubyspot - 5
California/Aztec Dancer - 1+
Vivid Dancer - 2+
Sooty Dancer - 30+, commonest ode as usual
Red Rock Skimmer - 2-3
Flame Skimmer - 1
Serpent Ringtail - 3
*Gray Sanddragon Progomphus borealis - 1-2
This river lacks the slower flowing, heavily vegetated sections that the Santa Ynez has mixed in with open stony sections (at least in the section I visited) and this was 
doubtless responsible for the lower variety of species.
This is presumably a new northerly limit for Serpent Ringtail. It will undoubtedly occur further N in the Sisquoc as well. The Sisquoc ultimately joins with Cuyama River to form 
the Santa Maria River. It seems very possible that the ringtail could occur into extreme S. SLO along the Cuyama, although the Cuyama doesn't flow as consistently as the Manzana or Sisquoc.
At this point, I doubt White-belted Ringtail occurs in the county. There is little to no suitable habitat in the NE corner where I have looked for it in Santa Barbara Canyon. 
The main drainages in the W. part of the county have Serpent Ringtails. I will try to put in a hour looking for this species along the Cuyama later this summer.
…….
Modoc County
Steve Rottenborn
County Road 42, heading west from southern Surprise Valley into the South Warner Mountains in sage scrub in the eastern foothills of the Warners, just west of Surprise Valley
Hoary Skimmers --a few
*Desert Whitetails Plathemis subornata --a few
Striped Meadowhawks--a few 
Striped Meadowhawks --a few teneral
Bluets --a few teneral 
Western Forktails --a few teneral 
Emerald Spreadwing, one at Patterson Meadow
…….
Lassen County
Steve Rottenborn
Blue Lake, Lassen Co., 0930-1110 hours, 75-77 degrees F, clear but very windy:
*Spiny Baskettail Epitheca spinigera - 750+ emerging along the shoreline on either side of the boat ramp at the north end of the lake. [only report of 2011]
Judging from the low number of older exuviae (i.e., not today's), this was probably the heaviest day of emergence yet this year; 
the only other time I've seen such an emergence in several visits over the past three summers was on 9 June 2009, so this year's emergence is apparently (and expectedly) late.
Some individuals were already making their first flights away from the lake when I arrived at 0930, but many more late-instar larvae were still crawling out of the lake. 
As I observed in 2009, birds were preying heavily on emerging baskettails. In a 10-minute period, a pair of Steller's Jays consumed at least 40 in a small area. 
I did not see them eating any larvae, but they did pull a number of emerging dragonflies out of the exuviae if they had already begun to emerge; 
they ate these, and immatures whose wings had not yet extended, whole. 
They also ate a number of immatures with fully extended wings by pulling the wings off and eating just the body. 
American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Mountain Bluebirds were also eating emerging baskettails.
Northern/Boreal Bluets --100+
Familiar Bluets - a few 
Pacific Forktails - a few
…
Chris Conard

Ash Creek Campground

Great Basin Snaketail - http://www.flickr.com/photos/conardc/6138083855/in/set-72157605008722651

River Jewelwing - http://www.flickr.com/photos/conardc/6138083615/in/set-72157605008722651/

Common Whitetail - http://www.flickr.com/photos/conardc/6138630974/in/set-72157605008722651/

Grappletail - http://www.flickr.com/photos/conardc/6138630834/in/set-72157605008722651/

…….
Modoc County
County Road 64, along the South Fork of the Pit River west of Jess Valley,:
California Darner - 3
Beaverpond Baskettail - 3 (one dead on road)
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 1
Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 1
Modoc NWR near Alturas, Modoc Co.:
Blue-eyed Darner - 2 (tandem pair)
Western Pondhawk - 20
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 1000+
Four-spotted Skimmer - 1
Variegated Meadowhawk - 30+
Western Red Damsel - 1
Tule Bluet - thousands
Pacific Forktail - 50+
Western Forktail - 100+
North Fork of the Pit River, at Highway 395 pullout 4.2 mi. north of Highway 299 (north of Alturas), Modoc Co. (water higher than at this time of year in 2009 or 2010,
 and few odes, including no River Jewelwings):
*Pale Snaketail Ophiogomphus severas - 1
Vivid Dancer - 4
Tule Bluet - 1
Three Springs Ranch, along CR 48 near SW part of Goose Lake, Modoc Co.:
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 3
Common Whitetail - 4
Aztec Dancer - 7 (presumably this species rather than California Dancer, none examined in-hand)
Western Forktail – 25
 
July 1, 2011
Modoc County
Steve Rottenborn
Sweagert Flat, a large meadow above 6000 ft. elevation, in the Manzanita Ridge area about 9 mi. northeast of Adin, Modoc Co.:
Four-spotted Skimmer - 1
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1
Western Red Damsel - 40
Dancer sp. - 1
Western Forktail - 10

…….
Santa Clara County

Martin Hall Los
Gatos Perc Ponds
Blue Dashers 
California Darners mating
Widow Skimmer 
http://konoctipirate.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=17835969&AlbumKey=G8jg62 
…….
Santa Cruz County
Steve Gerow

Moore Creek Preserve, Santa Cruz

Common Green Darner – 2, foy SCruz Co.

…….
San Diego County
Doug Aguillard
Spent this morning climbing up and over Otay Mtn in South San Diego County, and then south into Marron Valley, which is extremely close to the US/Mexico border. 
On the Mountain proper was several Wandering Gliders at all elevations, and then along the seasonal creek in Marron Valley, was Vivid Dancers, Flame Skimmers, and one Pale-faced Clubskimmer.
 
 
June
 

June 30, 2011
Shasta County

Michael Plank 
a pond just East of the Train tracks in downtown Cottonwood 
Blue Dasher males- quite a few 
Western Pondhawk--Male and female - quite a few 
Widow Skimmer - Male and female 
*Band-winged Meadowhawk - our first of the season 
a few photos are in the CalOdes Folder ‘bluestroller’

…….
Sonoma County

Kathy Biggs
7 species on our Bigsnest backyard pond at once!
Vivid Dancer - several
Western Forktail – several females
Exclamation Damsel - 1 male (FOY for pond and new late date for Sonoma Co.)
Eight-spotted Skimmer – one male
Flame Skimmer – a few males
Blue Dasher - 1 male
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1 emerged, several males, ovipositing pairs
…….
San Bernardino County
Steve Rovell 
Forest Lawn Boy Scout Camp, (34.246184 N, 117.14756 W)
From Hwy 173 on east end of Lake Arrowhead in town of Cedar Glen, turn east onto Hook Creek Road. 
Follow a short ways past a Malt Shop (be sure to visit them after if you head this way) and turn right onto Deep Creek Camp Road 
(you can't miss the big sign for the boy scout camp). Follow to end. There is a pair of ponds back there that we didn't get to survey. 
Too many scouts! Don't know how good these ponds were. On the way back, we noticed a couple odes cruising the road at the coordinates above so we stopped. 
Not easy to access the very small creek there. Too much vegetation. We did see the following:
Pacific Spiketail - 2
Blue-eyed Darner - 1
…
Deep Creek access, (34.300994 N, 117.127476 W)
There is a complex of dirt roads to get out to this spot. If you are interested, use the coordinates above.
After visiting the boy scout camp and being very frustrated with the lack of odes, we tried to get to Deep Creek. 
I had spoken to a forest service ranger who said the water levels were fairly high, so we weren't expecting much. 
 She also said that the last .75 mile of the road is very steep and hard to drive back up. Well, I didn't listen and started to drive down the hill. 
I got about 200 yards and realized there was no cell signal there and that the road got a little steeper. 
I stopped, but the road was too narrow to turn around on, with a very steep slope off the side! We decided to do it in reverse. 
DON'T DO THIS AT HOME!!! We made it, but decided not to visit Deep Creek after all.
 
June 28, 2011
San Bernardino County
Steve Rovell
Seasonal pond at Sawmill Road, (34.250735 N, 117.242661 W)
From Hwy 189, take Grandview Road north to Sawmill Road (about 1 mile). The street sign is hidden behind some vegetation. 
Turn left on Sawmill and park immediately, as a gate blocks your way. Walk down this dirt/gravel road. 
When it forks, go left. In a couple hundred yards, it bends left. Follow until you see the pond on your left.
This is a seasonal pond. Satellite images of this pond show up both wet and dry at different zoom levels. 
Photos were obviously taken at different times of the year. We found no dragons, just two species of damsels:
Western Forktail - many
Emerald Spreadwing - many (most were tenerals - only two adult females found)
…….
San Bernardino County
Steve Rovell
Pine Crest Pond, (34.231803 N, 117.243605 W)
To get there from intersection of Hwy 18 and Hwy 189, follow 189 north around a mile. Turn left onto Pine Crest Road. 
The pond is on your left next to the first building you get to.
This pond is on the private property of Pinecrest Christian Conference Center. Their number is (909) 338-4243 or (800) 427-1858. 
 I called ahead of time because in Google satellite, the pond looked so good. And it was! They had no problems granting me access. 
Here is what we found (combination of both days - only numbers changed - no new species on second day):
Common Green Darner - 2
Blue-eyed Darner - 2
Common Whitetail - 10 to 15 (mostly males - some guarding females while ovipositing)
Western Pondhawk - 4 to 5
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2
Black Saddlebags - 3
Western Forktail - many
Pacific Forktail - many, but not nearly as common as Western
Familiar/Tule Bluet - many, a bit more common than Pacific Forktail
Emerald Spreadwing - several
I noticed that there weren't any reports from the Lake Arrowhead area before mine. 
I hope that others that live closer get out there are find more odes and more locations to look for them.
 

June 27, 2011
Lassen County

Tim & Annette Manolis
Zamboni Hot Spring and nearby sections of Long Valley Creek
visited these sites in the mid-morning.
Paiute Dancer -- abundant.  I can't recall seeing so many here or anywhere else for that matter (though I always see them here when I look for them). 

I must have seen one-two hundred at least.
Vivid Dancer -- common, but not as common as Pauites.  Maybe 60 seen.
Western Forktail -- common
Pacific Forktail -- some
Black-fronted Forktail -- one female seen
Western Red Damsel -- fairly common
Bluets -- common, probably River and Tule, maybe Northern, too.
Spotted Spreadwing -- some, mostly tenerals.
Blue-eyed Darner -- 2-3 patrolling males
Common Green Darner -- 1-2
*Great Basin Snaketail Ophiogomphus morrisoni -- about 8 patrolling males
*Bison Snaketail Ophiogomphus bison -- one or two males were a big surprise here; this is only the second known site for the species here in Lassen County

(other site is along the Susan River in Susanville) and Long Valley Creek seems like a bit odd habitat for them. [last report 2011]
Variegated Meadowhawk -- a few
8-spotted Skimmer -- 20
Flame Skimmer -- 10

Plumas County
Last site visited on 27 June (and the trip as a whole) was Butterfly Valley, in the afternoon.
Vivid Dancer -- common
Western Red Damsel -- some
Bluets -- some (Northern/Boreal types)
Western Forktail - some
Black Petaltail -- 4
Pacific Spiketail -- 10
Hudsonian Whiteface -- 3
Dot-tailed Whiteface -- 1 male
4-spotted Skimmer -- 4
8-spotted Skimmer -- a few
12-spotted Skimmer – 1

June 26, 2011
Lassen County

Tim & Annette Manolis
First visited a small pond a few miles west of Madeline, Lassen County that has had a nice variety of odes in the past. 

At one time this was BLM property, but there are now signs posting it as Private, NO TRESPASSING, the area is trashed,

and the pond has deteriorated badly (stagnant with little emergent or bordering vegetation other than weedy grasses). 

We only saw a few Common Whitetails here, including ovipositing females.  Rather sad situation, I will have to ask the BLM folks what happened here.
Secret Creek at Karlo Road (just west of turnoff from Highway 395, between Ravendale and Litchfield).
Northern Bluet --1 male netted (bluets were common).
*River Bluet Enallagma anna -- 1 male netted.
Tule Bluet -- common, some netted.
Vivid Dancer -- some seen
Aztec Dancer Argia nahuana -- 1 male netted, other probables seen
Pacific Forktail -- some
Western Forktail -- common
Western Red Damsel -- abundant; they seemed to be more common than is typical(?) away from water

(i.e., up along the weedy edges of the roads away from the creek, some in tandem pairs; I even saw some land on the ground in the middle of the dirt road,

something I don't recall seeing before!)
California Darner -- 3-4 patrolling
Common Green Darner -- 2
Pacific Clubtail -- one floating dead in the water.
Common Whitetail -- 3-4
8-spotted Skimmer -- common
Flame Skimmer -- 2-3
ponds at the Fleming and Dakin units of the Honey Lake Wildlife Area
Emerald Spreadwing -- 10-15 mature ones
Spotted Spreadwing -- many tenerals
W. Forktail -- common
Pacific Forktail -- some
Tule Bluet -- common
Northern Bluet -- a male netted
W. Red Damsel -- some
8-spotted Skimmer -- some
Common Green Darner -- some
California Darner -- some
Common Whitetail -- some
Variegated Meadowhawk -- 10-12

…….
Kern County
Steve Rovell 
Hwy 46 in western Kern Co.
Red Saddlebags – flyby
 

June 25, 2011
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs, MO from Pepperwood Preserve’s Pond Workshop
Pepperwood Preserve’s Twin pond (not open to the public). We’ve been told that this is an ephemeral pond. Last year we saw emerging Common Green Darners here.

We’re curious as to whether all the emergers we’ve found here are able to survive the dry period this pond goes thru as eggs &/or as nymph.

There is a spring up above that may keep this pond’s area at least moist.
Pacific Forktail - few
Western Forktail – pruinose females plentiful; nymphs found
Black Spreadwing – matures in tandem, and tenerals both abundant, nymph found
Common Green Darner – 1-2 mature males
Western Pondhawk – males and females, and predation on damselflies seen
Eight-spotted Skimmer – some
Blue Dasher – 1f noted, but possibly many on territory, difficult to distinguish from the pondhawks
Red-veined Meadowhawk – tandems, wheels, ovipositing and possibly a nymph found

Black Saddlebags – 1-2 M, 1 wheel

Also noted was a mass of what appeared to be Chorus Frog eggs that was 2 FEET by 3 FEET – we’ve never seen eggs like this before!
Pepperwood Preserve’s Dwight Center
Vivid Dancer
Flame Skimmer

….

Alan Wight

His Petaluma backyard

*Northern Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus – 1 m; upgrade of prior photo only record CA Chart #37; OC # 329106; new late date for Sonoma Co.

http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/northern_spreadwing.htm

…….

Butte County

Tim & Annette Manolis

Cherry Hill

illHi

Black Petaltail Tanypteryx hageni

Pacific Spiketail

…….

Lassen County

Tim & Annette Manolis

Susanville Our first "ode stop" was at Duck Lake, along County Road A-21 a few miles north of Westwood.

Pacific Forktail -- fairly common
Western Forktail -- abundant
Western Red Damsel -- common
Bluets -- common -- only one netted was a male Boreal.
*Hudsonian Whiteface Leucorrhinia hudsonica -- common (40+), mating seen.
Eight-spotted Skimmer -- 25.
Four-spotted Skimmer -- 20
Variegated Meadowhawk -- 1

June 24 & 26, 2011

Plumas County

Peter Gaede

Near Willow Lake around the Drakesbad Meadow vicinity

*Black Petaltail Tanypteryx hageni - 3 on 24 and 26th.

is Peta

June 21/22, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs
Our Sebastopol back yard pond (Bigsnest Pond)
Vivid Dancers
Pacific Forktails
Western Forktails
Black Spreadwing – 1m
California Darners
Blue-eyed Darners
Eight-spotted Skimmer – 1m
Pacific Spiketail – 1m
Blue Dasher – 1m
Cardinal Meadowhawks
 
June 19, 2011

Shasta County

Michael Plank 
Lake McCumber off of Hwy. 44 in Shasta County between Shingletown and Viola - very windy but found some new Odes for us.
Beaverpond Baskettail-1
California Darner
*Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta 
Twelve-spotted Skimmer-Good amount
Four-spotted Skimmer-lots
*American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffi
Familiar Bluet
Boreal Bluet
Pacific Forktail
Western Dancer
Also in our yard in Cottonwood
Black Saddlebags
Widow Skimmer
Flame Skimmer

June 18, 2011

Santa Clara County

Martin Hall

Los Gatos Perc Ponds – photos taken of the following species.

Dancer sp, - pair in wheel

Western Pondhawk - f

Flame Skimmer - m

Blue Dasher - m

Black Saddlebags - m

Alpine Pond on Skyline Boulevard

Blue Dasher – f

Eight-spotted Skimmer - m

…….
Contra Costa County
Kathy & Dave Biggs, MO from Tilden Dragonflies Workshop

Tilden Park, Berkeley; 57-61F; 12:30-2:15

Vivid Dancer – males and females, several in hand, in tandem, wheels, tandem guarding & sentinel ovipositing

Pacific Forktail – males and females, in hand

Desert Firetail – 1 male, in hand

Darner sp. – 1 female flyby

Cardinal Meadowhawk – males and females, male in hand, in tandem, wheels, tandem guarding & ovipositing

……..

Yolo County

Stephen Telm

Northstar Pond, Davis

Mostly cloudy (thin clouds) and warm (mid-80s), with a slight breeze.
Here's what I saw.  Some picture links for vetting.
Widow skimmer: several dozen, both mature and immature http://www.flickr.com/photos/36618387@N06/5846399831 and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36618387@N06/5846400213
Common whitetail: several dozen http://www.flickr.com/photos/36618387@N06/5846956462
Flame skimmer: maybe a dozen, but hard to tell for sure, since they were very active and all over the place http://www.flickr.com/photos/36618387@N06/5846400343
Western Pondhawk: One female http://www.flickr.com/photos/36618387@N06/5846956516
Variegated meadowhawk: I think; I just got an awfully fast fly-by (no picture)
12-spotted skimmer: I think; I just got an awfully fast fly-by (no picture)
Pacific forktail: dozens
Familiar bluet: dozens/no clear picture
Where have all the darners gone?  I was also on the South part of the UC Davis campus, near Putah Creek, where there are usually scores of darners buzzing around, but I saw none

…….

Santa Barbara County

Peter Gaede

*California Spreadwing Archilestes californicus OC #328788 – earliest record in past decade.

…….
Siskiyou County
Bob and Patti Claypole
We drove the gravel road from Klamathon bridge (Hornbrook) to "Collier Rest Stop" 
pacific clubtails - hundreds of along the road, often on the road. 
Along the way we found a new "state wildlife area" still being fenced-off from cattle. 
Here we easily observed the clubtails and also a few jewelwings, 8-spot, darner sp? and damsel sp? 
Not nearly as nice as Hudson road, but different birds and views..

June 17, 2011
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
Nagasawa Park, Santa Rosa
Black Spreadwing - 7+
Tule Bluet - 1-2
Pacific Forktail - 1
Western Pondhawk - 1+
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 5+
Widow Skimmer - 2+
Common Whitetail - 1
Flame Skimmer - 2+
Blue Dasher - 5+
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2 
Black Saddlebags - 1-2
California Darner - 1
Common Green Darner - 1
Darner sp. - >= 1
Here's a Widow Skimmer photo: http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/widow_skimmer_8764.jpg
 
June 16, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle & David Rawlins
Laguna Mountains, Cottonwood Creek, 11:00-1:15, sunny and breezy, 74 degrees.
American Rubyspot 
Ca/Az Dancer
*Lavender Dancer Argia hinei 2 M
Vivid Dancer
No/Bo Bluet
Western Forktail
Pacific Spiketail
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Western Pondhawk
Flame Skimmer
Red Rock Skimmer
Ponds near Lake Cuyumaca, 3:45-5:30.
Spotted Spreadwing > 200 tenerals and immatures
Black Spreadwing 1 mature male
…….
Siskiyou County
Bob and Patti Claypole 
We drove the gravel road from Klamathon bridge (Hornbrook) to "Collier Rest Stop" and saw hundreds of pacific clubtails along the road, 
often on the road. Along the way we found a new "state wildlife area" still being fenced-off from cattle. 
Here we easily observed the clubtails and also a few jewelwings, 8-spot, darner sp? and damsel sp? Not nearly as nice as Hudson road, 
but different birds and views
…….
Sonoma County
Alan Wight 
Sonoma Horticultural Nursery
Exclamation Damsel – a few
 

June 15, 2011

Contra Costa County

Rob Thomas

Mitchell Canyon, Mount Diablo State Park, 0830-1230, mid-70s to mid-90s, clear, light breeze (up canyon)
Good bit of water in the creek but ode number and variety were dismal. 
The bizarre weather of the last few weeks looks to have done a number on the local odes.
Vivid Dancer - few
CA/AZ Dancer - one
Blue-eyed Darner - few
Grappletail - 8-10 males

…….
Siskiyou County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
Our pond in Mt. Shasta Forest, McCloud

Twelve-spotted Skimmer – 2 m – our first odes of the year there – the pond was frozen just 10 days ago!

…….

Mono County

Ron & Barbara Oriti

Dechambeau Ponds. Very few dragonflies

Red Saddlebags - a couple

Weather still screwy............nice and warm for a couple days, then it gets cooler, cloudy and windy again.

…….

Monterey County

Steve Rovell

Arroyo Seco - increased flow in the river and pond cut down on the odes immensely.  

Pond

Blue Dashers (several to many),

Blue-eyed Darners (2),

Flame Skimmers (a few),

Pacific Forktails (many)

Vivid Dancers, probably this species.

river

Flame Skimmer, one

Pacific Forktails, about a dozen, same amount of

No/Boreal Bluets, about a dozen

Dragon - 1 that was on the other side of the river briefly, but I didn't have bins on at the time and then it was gone.

This is the same stretch of river where I've always had Giant Darners.

June 14/15, 2011
Contra Costa County 
Noah Arthur 
Oakland Hills 
There seems to have been a major decline in ode numbers sometime between last 
Wednesday and this week. Last Wednesday, there were more dragonflies than I've 
ever seen before in spring in the Oakland Hills,[see below on that date].
I was back up there on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, and found only 
a single darner (couldn't tell which kind) but still lots of VIVID DANCERS and 

NO/BO BLUETS. Does anyone know what happened to the dragons?

June 14, 2011
Siskiyou County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
Shasta River @ Hudson Rd; 12:30-4:00; 85-90F; river full, but not flooded

River Jewelwing - both males and females plentiful; underwater ovipositing by 1 female

American Rubyspot - ~1/3 as many as Jewelwings

Emma’s Dancer  - both males and females plentiful; many tenerals
Vivid Dancer - ~1/3-1/2 as many as Emmas; most seen away from the water; many tenerals
No/Bo Bluet – many; several dozen
Western Forktail – some (1-2 dozen)

Pacific Forktail – 1 male, 1 imm. Female, both at end of road
Pacific Clubtail – abundant; many in wheel; also a few tenerals

Sinuous Snaketail – 1 f (and we worked hard to find her!)
Blue-eyed Darner - a few
No skimmers at all. The Chats were noisy, but darn, no Canyon Wrens sang

June 13, 2011
Shasta County
Michael Plank 
Coleman Pond @ Coleman Fish Hatchery Rd.
American Rubyspot 
Sinuous Snaketail
Pacific Clubtail
Blue-eyed Darner
Common Green Darner
Western Pondhawk - Male and Female
Widow Skimmer
Blue Dasher
Pacific Forktail
Vivid Dancer
…….
Santa Cruz County
Steve Gerow
Meder Canyon, Santa Cruz

Common Whitetail – 1, foy SCruz Co.

June 12, 2011

Mono County

Ron & Barbara Oriti

"Fish Slough #3" 

Giant Darner

…. also seen

Hoary Skimmer

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Western Pondhawk

Blue Dasher

Emerald Spreadwing

So, we are beginning to see more species, but not very many of each.

June 11, 2011
Colusa County
Dave and Kathy Biggs
Bear Creek @ Hiway 20 for ~ a half hour; sunny and calm, 77F
American Rubyspot - 1 m
Sooty Dancer  Argia lugins - 1 tandem pair + 1m
CA/Aztec Dancer - many
No/Bo Bluet - many
*White-belted Ringtail - 1, perhaps this species (ID verified on June 16)
Pacific Clubtail - 1m
CA Darner - a few
Blue-eyed Darner - ~3
Giant Darner - NONE YET (nor on the 16th)
*Western River Cruiser Macromia magnifica - 1-3 m, all very active and flying fast
Flame Skimmer - abundant
Common Whitetail - 1m
Black Saddlebags – 1 seen on June 16 on our return trip
 
June 10, 2011
Siskiyou County
Dave Payne
I managed to stop by Hudson Road this morning on the way into Yreka. It was still a bit cool, but sunny with light breezes. A few odes were stirring. Could only stay about twenty minutes. 
American Rubyspot - about a dozen males mostly perching in the tall grass
River Jewelwing - 2 males also perched in the tall grass. They fluttered away if approached too closely.
Emma's Dancers - several mature males
Vivid Dancers - several mature males and hundreds of tenerals.
Pacific Clubtail - ~20 adults, some on the road, others perched in grass or brush.
*Sinuous Snaketail Ophiogomphus occidentis - several in the act of emerging and about 10 adults.
I narrowly missed catching a large gopher snake at the Jewelwing site.
I should also note that route 263 is closed at the Pioneer Bridge for about six weeks. You can access Hudson Road by coming in from the north only. 
I-5 at Colliers Rest Area to highway 96 (Klamath River Road) to route 263. 
 
June 9, 2011
Contra Costa County 
Noah Arthur 
Oakland Hills
*Walker’s Darner Aeshna walkeri
California Darner
Clubtail sp.
No/Bo Bluet
Vivid Dancers
 
June 8 or 9, 2011
Siskiyou County
Cary Kerst
Shasta River @ Hudson Rd.
*River Jewelwings Calopteryx aequabilis - many 
Pacific Clubtails – many & lots of tenerals
Vivid Dancers
*Emma's Dancers Argia emma
Tule Bluet
Western Forktail, 
Rubyspots - some
Great birds, lots of emerging aquatics, Sphinx and Polyphemus moths after dark. 'twas magical!
 
June 6, 2011

San Benito County

Paul Johnson

Sandy Creek, Pinnacles Nat'l Monument 36.48625° N 121.15318° W
Red-veined Meadowhawk Sympetrum madidum - 1 male collected CA chart #76 OC#:329148

 
June 5, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Ramona Grassland Preserve pond, 10:45-11:15, clear, light breeze, 71 degrees. 
A new preserve, just opened to the public, located a short distance east of the intersection of Archie Moore Road and Highland Valley Road. 
Trailhead kiosk map shows no pond, but demarcates "riparian and bottomland habitat" where the pond lies, approximately one-half mile from the parking lot,
 just southwest of where the west end of the Wildflower Loop Trail joins the main trail from the trailhead. 
A brief survey (my wife looked forward to the Wildflower Loop) found many of the usual standing water denizens—
highlights included swarming bluets over the middle of the pond, numberless teneral maiden flights, and an ovipositing Giant Darner.
Vivid Dancer (inlet creek) 
Dancer sp. 
Familiar Bluet
Tule Bluet
Bluet sp. maybe Arroyo
Western Forktail
Desert Firetail
Common Green Darner
Giant Darner 
Blue-eyed Darner 
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Variegated Meadowhawk
Blue Dasher
Western Pondhawk
Common Whitetail
Flame Skimmer
Black Saddlebags
Red Saddlebags

…….

Humboldt County

Sandra Hunt von-Arb

Korbel Ponds (Private) Permanent and Ephemeral ponds all full

Mosaic Darners- many

Red-veined Meadowhawk-few

Striped Meadowhawk -one teneral (white stripes on sides and top of thorax showing)

Black Spreadwing-few

Pacific Forktail-many

Western Forktail-many

June 2, 2011

Santa Cruz County

Steve Garrett

Wilder Ranch State Park coast
Red-veined Meadowhawk Sympetrum madidum – female https://picasaweb.google.com/steve.gerow/SantaCruzCountyOdonata#
A bit further inland in the park 
*Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens - male patrolling the Cowboy Loop Trail near Wilder Creek - first of these I have seen this season.
 
May
 

May 30, 2011

Santa Cruz County

Steve Garrett

Natural Bridges (northeast portion)

Black Spreadwing-2 (mature male and immature male)

Antonelli Pond

Pacific Forktail- several

Cardinal Meadowhawk- 1 male

darner (sp.)- 2

May 28, 2011

Santa Cruz County

Steve Garrett

Antonelli Pond

Black Spreadwing- 4

Natural Bridges (northeast portion)

Pacific Forktail- ~5

Blue-eyed Darner- 1

East of Antonelli Pond

Blue Dasher- 2 (my first this season)

Variegated Meadowhawk- 1 (my first this season)

May 27, 2011
Mono County
Ron & Barbara Oriti

Fish Slough - Pupfish Pond

Giant Darner!   He made 3 runs up and down the ponds, then disappeared.  Ron tried to get a photo, but wasn't able to. 

May 26, 2011
Mono County
Ron & Barbara Oriti

Fish Slough -

Western Pondhawks – saw a few for the first time, then we went to in the afternoon and

…

Inyo County

Keough Hot Ditch 

Western Pondhawks - saw more of them there

…….

Santa Cruz County

Steve Garrett

Natural Bridges State Beach (northeast portion)

Northern Spreadwing

May 24, 2011

Los Angeles County

Steve Garrett

(roughly 3-ft diameter) pond in his suburban backyard in Pasadena
**Neon Skimmer Libellula croceipennis – 1 M, pix at http://www.flickr.com/photos/johngarrettbirding/5755640549/in/photostream/ [new early date by one week for all of CA – kb]

May 23, 2011

Shasta County

Michael Plank

Coleman Fish Hatchery Pond

Pacific Clubtail – young male

Common Whitetail – mature male

12-spotted Skimmer – young male

May 22, 2011

Monterey County 
Carole & Larry Rose 
Soberanes Canyon, Garrapata SP
*Pacific Spiketail Cordulegaster dorsalis – perched-This is the earliest record for Monterey County by about 2 weeks.
From Don Roberson:
Soberanes Canyon is perhaps the best locale that I know for this species in MTY. 
Usually the males patrol Soberanes Creek in the redwoods up-canyon, but I have seen spiketails all the way down near the coast, along the willow-lined creek in otherwise chaparral habitat, 
and I've also seen one cruising the trail and then stop to perch (photos on my web site). 
The Roses saw their spiketail perched in a prickly-pear cactus dominated spot along the main trail. Carole had a good description for never having seen a spiketail before.

…

Don Roberson with Rita Carratello
Arroyo Seco Rec Area, 2-4 pm; weather sunny, to high 70s, some wind
We spent 20 minutes along the rushing Arroyo Seco River, with me wading to traditionally good spots that have had snaketails by early May in past years, and found exactly one ode: 
Sooty Dancer- 1 fem-type
Then 1.4 hours checking out the upper & lower Arroyo Seco Lakes, with these marginal results, despite the fine weather: All species (except Sooty Dancer) were photo'd
Black Spreadwing 1 male, 1 female – These were the highlight, having not previously been recorded at this site (to my knowledge). 
Pacific Forktail 2 males
Western Forktail 1 orange female
California Dancer 1 male
California Darner 6 males in flight (only ode seen near lower lake)
Blue Dasher 2 males
Flame Skimmer 3 males

…….

Sacramento County

Tim Manolis, John Huls

American River Parkway adjacent to Rio Americano High School, Sacramento approx. 10 - noon, sunny, mild with a light breeze

Pacific Forktail -- fairly common

Western Forktail -- modest numbers, most mature females, one male seen

Exclamation Damsel -- fairly common; including tandem pairs

Tule Bluet -- a few males netted and examined in hand, others, probably this and/or Arroyo Bluet, seen

Familiar Bluet -- one male netted

California Darner -- one male seen perched

Blue-eyed Darner -- a few seen in flight; some males patrolling over water

Common Green Darner -- one or two seen in flight

Twelve-spotted Skimmer -- one immature male seen

Glider (Pantala sp?) -- one seen in flight

All in all, this has been a slow spring for odonate emergences in the Central Valley, with skimmers in particular being quite scarce. Clubtails have been emerging from the smaller creeks (e.g., see my report from 12 May in reference to Sculpture Park, Placer Co., and Bidwell Park, Butte Co.) but are not yet coming out of the larger rivers (e.g., the American), which are still flowing at very high levels.

…….

Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs, Bill and Arlene Houghton
Sonoma Horticultural Gardens, aka Sebastopol Azalea Gardens; Time was 12:20-2:00, ~67-70F
Most were seen in the “Yellow Gardens” but this is the first time we’ve found them by the large pond, inc. pairs in tandem!
Exclamation Damsels +/- 100 
No other Odes seen. 
Here's a link to these beautiful gardens: http://sonomahort.com/
..
Our Sebastopol pond had a few other species
Pacific Forktail 

Western Forktail
Vivid Dancer - many
Blue-eyed Darner
Calif. Darner

Cardinal Meadowhawk +/- 5 m
(no Exclamations on our pond yet this year though)

…….
Mono County
Ron & Barbara Oriti
Fish Slough 
8-Spotted Skimmer

*Hoary Skimmer Libellula nodisticta

*Emerald Spreadwing Lestes dryas – a few

May 21, 2011

Riverside County

Peter Siminski

Dos Palmas Oasis and Fish Ponds, Dos Palmas Preserve, Elev. -100’; 7:30-12:15, 70-85F, 25% cirrus, calm to light breeze S.

Paiute Dancer, Argia alberta 1

*Powdered Dancer, A. moesta 1

Blue-ringed Dancer, A. sedula 5

Desert Forktail, Ischnura barberi 7

Rambur’s Forktail, I. ramburii  18

Common Green Darner, Anax junius 4

Red-tailed Pennant, Brachymesia furcata 1

Western Pondhawk, Erythemis collocata >50 including a pair in wheel.

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis >30

Comanche Skimmer, Libellula comanche 6!

*Bleached Skimmer, Libellula composita 1 [last reports 2011]

Widow Skimmer, L. luctuosa 1

Flame Skimmer, L. saturata >35

*Roseate Skimmer, Orthemis ferruginea 6 including a female ovipositing.

*Marl Pennant, Macrodiplax balteata 6

Red Saddlebags, Tramea onusta 2

Spot-winged Glider, Pantala hymenaea 2

Note: A relatively quiet day for Dos Palmas this time of year.  Besides being cool, it has been even cooler the past two weeks and very windy.

…….

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

a very small pond

Red-veined Meadowhawk - 1 young,

Black Spreadwings - several

Bluets - assorted

May 20, 2011

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard 
just west of Potereo along Hwy 94
Vivid Dancer 
Blue-eyed Darner 
…….
Inyo County
Ron & Barbara Oriti
Blackrock Wetlands
 8-Spotted Skimmer
…….
Tehama County
Ray Bruun
Elevation 1,050 ft. Bennett Creek off of Forest Route M4

Northern Bluet (Enallagma annexum) – male http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5741919296/in/photostream

 
May 19, 20
Tuolumne County
Kathy & Dave Biggs, Pamela Blair & David Hardin
Pond at Apple Valley Estates (private), outside of Sonora
Pacific Forktail - many
California Darner - 1 or more males
Blue-eyed Darner - 1 m, 1 f, perhaps more
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1 imm.
We also saw a Western Pond Turtle :-)
.......
Calaveras County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
pond across from 90 Rock Creek Rd, just outside of Copperopolis
Familiar Bluet - quite a few
Pacific Forktail - some
California Darner - 1 
Western Pondhawk - 1 m, perhaps more
Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - 6-12 - first record for Calaveras County - CA Chart #7 OC#: 328035
*Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa - 1 teneral male, 1 teneral female (female caught in spider web, damaged eye, we freed her)  foy 2011
Flame Skimmer - 1 m at intersection of Rock Creek and Felix Roads
Common Whitetail - 1 m
Variegated Meadowhawk -1 imm. at Madame Felix historic marker
…….
Contra Costa County
Rob Thomas
Briones RP, Sindicich and Maricich Lagoons, 1100-1400hrs, sunny, gusting northwesterly winds, low 70s
Black Spreadwing - few
Pacific Forktail – abundant
Western Forktail – abundant
Black-fronted Forktail – few
Tule Bluet – abundant
Familiar Bluet – many
No/Bo Bluet – many
unidentified Bluet – many
California Darner – 5
Blue-eyed Darner – few
Common Green Darner - 1
Common Whitetail – 4
Western Pondhawk – 1M
Variegated Meadowhawk – lots
Cardinal Meadowhawk – abundant, more then I have ever seen before
*Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes - 2
Still not a single Flame Skimmer
 
May 13, 2011 
Siskiyou County
Rob Santry and Ray Bruun
Tree-of-Heaven Campground on the Klamath River and Hudson Road on the Shasta River. 
I saw one teneral damselfly at the Shasta River (probably a dancer) and a dragonfly, which was likely Pacific Clubtail. Otherwise both locations were dead.
…….
Colusa County
Dave Kathy Biggs
Bear Creek on our way home from Siskiyou County. We spent about 20 mins. there, from 5-5:20, 
I climbed down to the water, while Dave stayed up on the road. Mild weather, maybe 70F and light, thin clouds overhead.
American Rubyspot - a few, both males and females seen, some teneral
CA/AZ Dancer - 1 very teneral on maiden flight
No/Bo Bluet- ~ a dozen
Tule/Arroyo Bluet - 1 pair in tandem wheel
Pacific Forktail - 1 m
Bison Snaketail Octogomphus bison - 1 seen well
Clubtail sp. - 3-4, possibly all Bisons, none seen well
Common Green Darner - 1-2
Calif. Darner - 3-4
(no Gaint Darners)
Pale-faced Clubskimmer - 1 possibly this species, seen poorly
(no Flame Skimmers!!)
 
May 12, 2011
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
Nagasawa Park, Santa Rosa
Black Spreadwing
Tule Bluet
Pacific Forktail
Western Forktail - 1, female http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/western_pondhawk_8460.jpg
Flame Skimmer - 1, female http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/flame_skimmer_8434.jpg
Western Pondhawk
Eight-spotted Skimmer http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/eight_spotted_skimmer_8462.jpg
Common Whitetail - 1
Blue Dasher http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/blue_dasher_8490.jpg
Cardinal Meadowhawk 
Red-veined Meadowhawk - 1, female, new early date for Sonoma County by a week http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/red_veined_meadowhawk_8435.jpg
Darner sp.
Beaverpond Baskettail - 3+

May 11, 2011

Siskiyou County

Ray Bruun

Volonte Park, Anderson

Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum) – male: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5711424119/in/photostream/

Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) Female. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5711427527/in/photostream/

May 10, 2011

Siskiyou County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

A wonderful outing, much nicer than we had expected:
Soda Springs, McCloud: ~1/4 mile south of CalFire Station on Squaw Creek Rd., 2-3 pm
~65-70F  Odes seen on pond created by beaver dam on Squaw Creek, not  the actual Soda Springs
Pacific Forktail - ~6, all males
*Swift Forktail Ischnura erratica - ~12 males, one female also seen [only report 2011]
Western  Forktail - ~6, all males
Common Green Darner - 1 male
Blue-eyed Darner  - 1 male seen well, it even perched for us!!
*Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella - 1 young male
Our Dragonfly Roost pond at our home in the Mt. Shasta Forest ~3 miles SE of McCloud
is still frozen over with 2' of snow on top! It's at 4700'

…

Dave Payne
Happy Camp - my backyard pond: sunny and close to 80 degrees at the time
Four-spotted Skimmer - One individual patrolling the pond and yard area, perching on Umbrella plant flower stems that had been nipped off by deer. This is a new species for my pond and yard list!
bluet sp - One female flirting with the bluegill below. She seemed to be ovipositing on emergent vegetation.
 

May 9, 2011

Shasta County

Ray Bruun

Things are still pretty slow up here. 
Looked for Swift Forktail at Nora Lake in Shingletown 8 days ago; have seen them there at the end of April in warmer springs than this one. 
Vivid Dancer – young male & mature male: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5705681030/in/photostream/ 
Beaverpond Baskettail – male @ East Turtle Bay, Redding (Sacramento River): http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5705116329/in/photostream/
 
May 8, 2011
Riverside County
Gary Suttle
Palm Springs, Indian Canyons, partly sunny, mid-70's, intermittent gusty winds (60+MPH at top of the tram!)
Andreas Creek
American Rubyspot
Vivid Dancer
*Pale-faced Clubskimmer Brechmorhoga mendax
Red Rock Skimmer
Flame Skimmer
Palm Canyon Creek
*California Dancer Argia agrioides
Vivid Dancer
Arroyo Bluet
Bluet sp.
Giant Darner 
Red Rock Skimmer
Flame Skimmer
 
May 7, 2011
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Darrah Springs State Fish Hatchery
Vivid Dancer – mature male: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5696962867/in/photostream/ 
 
May 6, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle, David Rawlins
Ramona, Mt. Woodson Pond, 1:40-3:45, sunny, moderate breezes, 77 degrees.
*Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener 1M 8F all teneral or immature
*Northern Bluet Enallagma annexum 1M in hand
Arroyo Bluet 4
Western Forktail >10 all mature females
Pacific Forktail >40
Blue-eyed Darner  6 including several in clearings far from water, maturing, with brownish blue eyes
Cardinal Meadowhawk 2M
Common Whitetail  >30 Mostly males flying at waters edge, 5 simultaneously basking on a 3 two foot wide rock, females
sweeping down from brushy banks above pond, to mate and oviposit in a trice, with successful male hovering overhead, numerous exuvia, tenerals still emerging (first observed at this site on April 12).
…….
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
Nagasawa Park, Santa Rosa
Black Spreadwing - 6+
Vivid Dancer – 3
Tule Bluet - 3+
Pacific Forktail - 3+
Western Forktail – 3
Western Pondhawk - 10+
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 5+
Common Whitetail – 2
Blue Dasher – 1
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2+
California Darner – 1
Darner sp. - 2+
Beaverpond Baskettail - 2+
 
May 5, 2011
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Clear Creek, near Redding
Pacific Forktail – m http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5691512517/in/photostream/ 
Grappletail – young male http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5691514987/in/photostream/
 
May 4, 2010
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs 
Nothin' new, but we did have our first double digit day if you count the
Vivid Dancers seen at our home pond, before and after we went out:
Spring Lake, by kayaks, temps in the 80s, light breezes, 12-3 PM
Tule Bluet - seen well thru binoculars, 2-3 males only – but 100s of Bluets, not identified
Pacific Forktail – many
Western Forktail - very few, only males noted
Calif. Darner - several dozen, but less than at 5-Brooks on Sat.
Blue-eyed Darner - ~6 appeared to be this species
Pacific Clubtail – only 4-6
Beaverpond Baskettail - ~ dozen
Eight-spotted Skimmer - 5-6. all males
Common Whitetail - 1 mature male
Cardinal Meadowhawk - ~6, all males, 1 still teneral
 
May 3, 2010
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Ramona, Barrett Ranch pond and seep, 2:30-3:30, clear, light wind, 88 degrees.
Familiar Bluet few 
Tule Bluet lots
Western Forktail 1
Pacific Forktail 5
Blue-eyed Darner 3
*Red-veined Meadowhawk Sympetrum madidum 1 immature male
Variegated Meadowhawk 2
Flame Skimmer 1
Ramona, Dos Picos County Park pond, 1:00-1:45, calm, 89 degrees
Familiar Bluet many
Tule Bluet many
Western Forktail >5
Pacific Forktail 2
*Desert Firetail Telebasis salva 1M
Common Green Darner 2
Blue-eyed Darner 7
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
Common Whitetail >5M
Blue Dasher >20
Flame Skimmer >10
…….
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Their backyard, Sebastopol, Bigsnest Wildlife Pond
Vivid Dancer 
Pacific Forktail 
Western Forktail 
California Darner – 1 male fly-by
Eight-spotted Skimmer – 1 young male
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 3 males, at least 2 females 
..
David A. Hofmann
Nagasawa Community Park, Santa Rosa
Blue Dasher/Pachydiplax longipennis-1 [new early date for Sonoma Co. by 3 days]
Cardinal Meadowhawk/Sympetrum illotum-1 
Eight-spotted Skimmer/Libellula forensis-1
Common Whitetail/Plathemis lydia-1
…….
Napa County
David A. Hofmann
Lake Hennesey (west end)
Pacific Clubtail/Gomphus kurilis-4
California Darner/Aeshna californica-6
Beaverpond Baskettail/Tetragoneuria canis-4
Western Forktail/Ischnura perparva-12
 
May 1, 2011
Yolo County
Stephan Telm
North Davis Wildlife Pond, Sunny and Slightly Breezy, Noon
Western Forktail - 12  (several mating pairs)
Pacific Forktail - 20 (several mating pairs)
Vivid Dancer - 12  (several mating pairs)
Flame Skimmer – 4
Giant Darner - 1 [possibly this species – kb/tm]
Common whitetail (I think -- very rapid fly-bys): 2
…….
Riverside County
Peter Siminski
Thousand Palms Oasis, Coachella Valley Preserve, 17:00-17:40, 80F, cloudless, gentle breeze N.
Vivid Dancer, Argia vivida 7
*Spot-winged Glider, Pantala hymenaea 2

 
April 
 
April 30, 2011

San Diego County

Doug Aguillard

As working this morning and being in Ramona, I decided to check some creeks in the Ramona Grasslands Perserve, and found only

Pacific Forktails

Western Forktails

…….

Yolo County 
Stephan Telm
North Davis Wildlife Pond, Sunny and Windy, Late PM
Western Forktail - >50 
Pacific Forktail - >50 
Vivid Dancer – 3
…….
Marin County
Kathy and Dave Biggs and 8 Pt. Reyes Birding and Nature Festival participants, 
Five Brooks, Olema, 1:30-4, temp. lower 60s
Dancer sp - hundreds - CA/AZ type 
Bluet sp - many dozens - No/Bo type * see note below
Pacific Forktail - many dozens, both sexes, all stages of coloration
Western Forktail - many dozens, males and mature females
California Darner - dozens, and we'd never seen so many in wheel, or in one place
Beaverpond Baskettail - 2, one in-hand
Western Pondhawk - dozens, all green (K. possibly saw one 'fly by' blue male) * see note below
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 3-4 males, mature and immature coloration, 1 female
* NOTE: We led a dragonfly walk at 5 Brooks, and the dragonflies were most cooperative...we even got to witness something that we'd only seen in photographs: 
A pondhawk female captured a pair of mating bluets (No/Bo type). She perched right at the edge of the trail and started eating! 
She quickly consumed the head of the male, which left the female dangling below the male, with no chance of his being able to release her. 
By the time the male's thorax was eaten, the female seemed to sense that something was wrong and she was actively wiggling and grabbing hold of the grass stem and trying, 
we assumed, to extricate herself from the situation. As the pondhawk then held the male bluets abdomen in its grasp, eating it like a kid with a Popsicle, many in our group of 
observers were moaning with trepidation. Luckily for the female Bluet, the pondhawk's appetite was sated, and she dropped the male's abdomen and flew off after having eaten 
segments one and two.
So, there was the female, with ~ half a males' body attached to her, as if he were in the 'sentinel' position.
I decided to net her, and we were all able to see the attachment well, and then, I talked about doing an 'experiment' and trying to pull the male's abdomen off her. 
And, this did work! I wasn't certain how strong that attachment might be. I'm hoping some of the group members will be able to send us photographs.
AND, at the event and dinner, some of California's earliest dragonfly enthusiasts congregated: 
Keith Hansen, Ron LeValley, Charlene McAllister, David Lukas, Ken Wilson and Alvaro Jaramillo, who gave the key note speech and was personally apologetic about not including any dragonflies!
 
April 29, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Poway, Lake Poway, 2:15-3:30, mostly sunny, breezy, 73 degrees.
Familiar Bluet >30 
Tule Bluet >30 
Pacific Forktail >10
Common Green Darner 2
*Giant Darner Anax walsinghami 1M Patrolling Hidden Bay
Blue-eyed Darner 5
Cardinal Meadowhawk 1
Variegated Meadowhawk 1
Flame Skimmer 7
Black Saddlebags 1
Red Saddlebags 2
…….
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
Nagasawa Park, Santa Rosa – noon
Black Spreadwing - 12+
Vivid Dancer – 1
Tule Bluet - 10+
Pacific Forktail - 30+
Western Forktail – 1
*Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis - 2, first I have seen this year
Cardinal Meadowhawk - 2 males
Darner sp. – 2
Beaverpond Baskettail - 4-5
Also, here are several Black Spreadwing photos that I took at this location recently: http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/black_spreadwing.htm
…….
Shasta County
Ray Bruun
Ponds east of Battle Creek Wildlife Area HQ
Black-fronted Forktail http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5671179454/in/photostream/ 
Pacific Forktail http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5670568769/in/photostream/ 
 
April 28, 2011
San Diego County 
Doug Aguillard
Tijuana River pond where Baja Bluet was once reported
Black-fronted Forktail
Blue-eyed Darners
Sadowski" and "Dairy Mart Ponds". 
Blue-eyed Darners - lots (and I mean lots) 
Pacific Forktails
Western Forktail – possibly this species
…….
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs, and “Jurassic John” (FOP docent)
Fairfield-Osborn Preserve (must obtain permission to survey there) – lower areas, neither Kelly pond nor vernal “spreadwing” pond accessed. 
Windy and coolish weather, high 50s to lower 60s. 2-4 PM
Vivid Dancer – abundant, but many still uncolored
One smaller dancer seen, but not well, could have been an Aztec Dancer
*Western Red Damsel Amphiagrion abbreviatum – 4-5, all males and all seen separately
Pacific Forktail – quite a few
Western Forktail – a few
Interesting was the lack of Beaverpond Baskettails
California Darner - ~8
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 3-5 males and one newly emerged female
 
April 27, 2011
San Diego County 
Jan Roxburgh
Her backyard in Solana Beach, near Encinitas & San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve
Flame Skimmer – one male fly by
…….
Sonoma County 
Gloria Conley, Kathy Biggs and Nancy Bauer
Conley’s Sebastopol backyard pond – warm day, but slight overcast
Forktail sp – several tenerals on maiden flights
Cardinal Meadowhawk – we were able to watch about a half dozen emerging, inc. watching 3-4 nymph climb up to begin the process. Today was the first day of ovipositing at their pond
..
Biggs’s Sebastopol backyard pond – warm day, but slight overcast
Vivid Dancer – several females and one male
Pacific Forktail – several tenerals and several matures
Western Forktail – several tenerals and several matures
California Darner – one female ovipositing 
Cardinal Meadowhawk – several ovipositing pairs: we get more ovipositing, but the Conley’s get more emergers – thus their pond is more successful!!
 
April 26, 2011
Shasta County 
Ray Bruun
East Turtle Bay, Redding
Beaverpond Baskettail – 1 young female photographed:
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5659487507/in/set-72157622054051210
Vivid Dancer – male (cool) photographed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruunphoto/5660078650/in/set-72157621982744454
 
April 25, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Elfin Forest Preserve, Escondido Creek, 1:45-2:30, mostly clear, light breeze, 70 degrees.
American Rubyspot 4 (including one female basking on my car at the trailhead)
Vivid Dancer >20
Arroyo Bluet a few 
Pacific Forktail many
Cardinal Meadowhawk 3
Flame Skimmer 1
*Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis lineatipes 2 M; FOY, reflects slow start of the season, compared to first sightings here March 20, 2010 and March 7, 2009.
 
April 20, 2011
Inyo County
Barbara and Ron Oriti 
Klondike Lake 
Common Green Darner
Mosaic Darners
Four-spotted Skimmer
Flame Skimmer – some
Variegated Meadowhawks - some 
Black Saddlebags – one
The Blackrock Wetlands are just starting, and all we've seen there are 
Common Green Darner
Variegated Meadowhawks
 
April 17, 2011
Shasta County
Michael and Muriel Plank
Darrah Springs Fish Hatchery SP, East of Cottonwood
Vivid Dancer – photo taken
*Grappletail Octogomphus specularis  – 4-5 photo taken of female
Several years ago, Ray saw an impressive mass emergence of Grappletail at this location
…….
Riverside County
Peter Siminski
Dos Palmas Oasis and Fish Ponds, Dos Palmas Preserve, Elev. -100’; 7:40-12:40, 75-95F, cloudless, calm to light air.
*Paiute Dancer, Argia alberta 14 including one in hand.
*Powdered Dancer, Argia moesta 1 
Blue-ringed Dancer, A. sedula 7
Familiar Bluet, Enallagma civile 10 including one pair in tandem.
Desert Forktail, Ischnura barberi 5
*Citrine Forktail, Ischnura hastata 1
Rambur’s Forktail, I. ramburii 2
Common Green Darner, Anax junius 10
Blue-eyed Darner, Rhionaeschna multicolor  2
Variegated Meadowhawk, Sympetrum corruptum 1 teneral
*Western Pondhawk, Erythemis collocata >30 including one pair in wheel.
Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis >90
**Comanche Skimmer, Libellula comanche 2 – new early date, old early date 4/24/2010
*Bleached Skimmer, Libellula composita 21 including two tandem pairs ovipositing. 
Flame Skimmer, L. saturata >75 including one pair in wheel and three females ovipositing.
*Black Saddlebags, Tramea lacerata >30 including four tandem pairs. 
…….
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Elfin Forest Preserve, Escondido Creek, 1:20-2:00, clear, 86 degrees.
American Rubyspot 5
Vivid Dancer >10
Tule Bluet 3
*Arroyo Bluet Enallagma praevarum 8 
Pacific Forktail many
Cardinal Meadowhawk 5
Flame Skimmer 2
 
April 15, 2011
Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs, Gloria and Harry Conley
Petaluma Wetlands – Ellis Creek – 60s & quite breezy
Pacific Forktail – many
Darner sp – probably CA Darner
No Variegated Meadowhawks, although they were there in March 
..
The Biggs’ Bigsnest Wildlife pond in their Sebastopol backyard
Pacific Forktail – several

Western Forktail – a mature, pruinose female ovipositing

Darner sp – probably CA Darner

Cardinal Meadowhawk – 2-3 males on territory/in ‘dogfights’

…

Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park at lunch

Black Spreadwing - at least 75 present in the weeds between the parking lot and the small seasonal pond and at onetime there were at least 40 flying around me that I had flushed up while walking slowly through the weeds. Some were quite green:

http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/black_spreadwing_7527.jpg

Beaverpond Baskettail – 1

Darner sp. – 2

Pacific Forktail – many

Tule Bluet – 1

…….

Contra Costa County

Rob Thomas

Briones RP, Sindicich and Maricich Lagoons, 1000-1400hrs, partly cloudy, gusting westerly winds, mid-60s

Pacific Forktail – abundant, 1 wheel

Western Forktail – many

Black-fronted Forktail – 2

Tule Bluet – 7

Familiar Bluet – 3

*No/Bo Bluet Enallagma annexum or boreale – 2

unidentified Bluet – many

California Darner – 13

Variegated Meadowhawk – 6, 1 tandem

Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1

Common Whitetail – 1

April 14, 2011

Sonoma County

Gloria and Harry Conley

Their Sebastopol backyard

Cardinal Meadowhawk - about 26 emerged today (a new high count), they report they are averaging about 12 emerging daily from their ~20’ round pond!

April 12, 2011

San Diego County

Gary Suttle

Ramona, Mt. Woodson Pond, 12:00-2:00, hazy sun, light wind, 65-68 degrees.

Tule Bluet 5

Pacific Forktail numerous

Cardinal Meadowhawk >15 wheels, tandem ovipositing

*Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia >20 Single mature male flew over water, the rest glistening-winged tenerals and immatures, perched and fluttering on chaparral-covered slopes above the pond.

Blue-eyed Darner 1

…….

Sonoma County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Shiloh County Park east of Windsor (thanks DH for introducing us to this park yrs ago).

Pacific Forktail - ~ 24, all but 4 were males at ponds at the backside of the park

*Western Forktail Ischnura perparva - 1 teneral male, probably just emerged today @ ponds

Bluet sp. - 1 mature female on trail, probably Tule Bluet

California Darner - ~24, inc. 1 female ovipositing @ ponds, many seen in fields

Beaverpond Baskettail - 10-12, almost all seen along the lower part of the Big Leaf Trail

Also seen:

Animals:

PipevineSwallowtail -abundant, nectaring on Blue Dicks

Ringneck Snake - 2 (our first time in Sonoma County!)

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers - a threesome!

Flowering plants: All seen along the Creekside Trail

Mission Bells - common - from Reny Parker's wildlflower book: "Mission Bells - the sound in the forest no one's around to hear."

Giant Trilliums- several; Woodland Star, Shooting Star, Hound's Tongue and more

..

At our Sebastopol Backyard pond:

Vivid Dancer - 1 young male

Pacific Forktail – several

California Darner - 1 male

Cardinal Meadowhawk - 1 male, the first day one's come in on territory

April 11, 2011

Sonoma County

Kathy and Dave Biggs

Our Sebastopol backyard

Vivid Dancer – 1 young, still ‘milk’ colored

April 10, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Pine Flat Road east of Healdsburg

*Pacific Clubtail Gomphus kurilis – 1 young male - photo

April 9, 2011

Imperial County

Bob Miller

Finney Lake

Rambur's Forktail - numerous

Dragons - two … but both were zoomers and never got a look or a clue other than they were not Variegated Meadowhawk.

April 8, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park in Santa Rosa

Beaverpond Baskettail – 1

California Darner – 1

*Black Spreadwing Lestes stultus - 1 female – new early date for Sonoma Co.

Tule Bluet – 1

Pacific Forktail – abundant

Back at my nearby workplace, I saw:

Vivid Dancer - 1 immature

April 6, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight

Nagasawa Park in Santa Rosa

*Beaverpond Baskettail Epitheca canis – 1, near parking lot (same location as last year in early April)

Pacific Forktail – many

April 4, 2011

Sonoma County

Gloria and Harry Conley

Sebastopol – their back yard & pond

California Darner – 2

Cardinal Meadowhawk – ‘Things are slowing down – only 10 emerging today.”

…….

Monterey County

Don Roberson

A sunny lunchtime walk along my old ode survey route that I did in 2007 at Laguna Grande Park, Seaside

Pacific Forktail – 6

Vivid Dancer – 1

Cardinal Meadowhawk - 1 bright male

My feeling is that the combination of very cold rainy weather and strong winds through March delayed emergence locally. These are my FOY odes.

…….

Mono County

Ron and Barbara Oriti

Pupfish Pond in Fish Slough - These are also their FOY odes

Common Green Darner

Mosaic Darners, a couple

Variegateds, several

Flame Skimmers, several

**Four-spotted Skimmers Libellula quadrimaculata, several [new early date by ~2 wks]

…….

Imperial County

Bob Miller

canal in eastern Imperial Valley while fishing

*Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis – 1 male

…….

Placer County

Tom Roach

Rocklin

Pacific Forktail – have been emerging for about a week, no other species though

 
April 3, 2011
Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Downtown Sebastopol
California Darner – 2 flybys
Pacific Forktail – 1 in friends garden
Feels good to have Odes in the air again!
 
April 2, 2011
Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Sonoma Horticultural Gardens, aka Sebastopol Azalea Gardens; Time was 3:20-4:00, ~67-70F
Exclamation Damsels - 3 mature females and 1 mature male 
*Exclamation Damsel Zoniagrion exclamationis - 5-6 tenerals, all on 'maiden' flights from the creek
No other Odes seen. 
Lots of Azaleas in bloom and some other plants too. Here's a link to these beautiful gardens: http://sonomahort.com/
..
Our Sebastopol backyard kiddies wading pond where we grow plants for CNPS
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1 emerged; no matures have returned to the pond yet.
Our Sebastopol backyard pond
Pacific Forktail – 1 male and 1 ovipositing mature female
…
Gloria and Harry Conley 
Sebastopol – their back yard pond
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum – 20+ emerged from their pond today, no matures have returned to the pond yet.
 
April 1, 2011
Sonoma County 
Gloria and Harry Conley 
Sebastopol – their back yard pond
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum – 23 emerged from their pond – no foolin’!
…
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Their backyard pond
Pacific Forktail – 1 mature male, and 1 mature female, ovipositing
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1 male emerged

 
March 
 
March 31, 2011
Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Their backyard ponds
Pacific Forktail – 1 mature male, and 1 mature female
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1 male emerged
 
March 30, 2011
Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Bullfrog Lake, Armstrong Redwoods SP, Guerneville [rd closed at campground, we had to walk in last ½ mile]
Pond Damselfly – 1, probably a Bluet
 
March 29, 2011
Sonoma County 
Kathy and Dave Biggs
Lake Ralphine in Howarth Park, Santa Rosa
We took our kayaks out from ~12-1. 60-70F, breezy
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula – 13, 5 just emerging, 4 mature adult males, others young females. Our foy
Gloria and Harry Conley 
Sebastopol – their back yard pond
Cardinal Meadowhawk – 1 – only one new emerger today.
…….
Marin County 
Jen Sleight
Novato
Vivid Dancer – 1, it was on my porch and the wings looked like it just hatched.  
 
March 28, 2011
Sonoma County 
Gloria and Harry Conley 
Sebastopol – their back yard pond
*Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum – 3, 1 fell into pond and drowned (plant life not tall enuf to support it yet), 1 successfully emerged and flew off, 
1 overnited and flew off on 29th. 
This is 8 days later than at their pond last year.
…….
Monterey County 
Steve Rovell
My Marina backyard pond 
PACIFIC FORKTAILS - three. This is the only species yet to breed in my pond. They are the first I have seen this year, but I haven't been getting out much. 
…….
Marin County 
Jenny Sloat
Olompali state park, Novato
*California Darner, Rhionaeschna californica – a very young male collected as part of SSU class.
 
March 27, 2011
Imperial County 
Bob Miller 
At the Imperial Irrigation District's (IID) Managed Marsh on the west side of HWY 111 two miles south of Niland in northern Imperial Valley
Familiar Bluet - numerous. 
*Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta – 1
Variegated Meadowhawk – lone individuals continue to be seen anywhere all year, in small numbers, even in the remotest desert you can find.
 
March 22, 2011
Contra Costa County 
Rob Thomas 
Hidden Lakes Park, Martinez ,1030-1200hrs, mid-50s, partly to mostly cloudy, SE wind
Didn't expect to find any odes but took advantage of the break between storms to get out. Happily the odes seemed to be thinking the same.
Pacific Forktail – 50+, mostly teneral and immatures
Variegated Meadowhawk – 3
Darner – 1 unidentified teneral
…….
Santa Barbara County
Steven Courtney
After big storms 19-21 March
Pacific Forktail (about 25% of the number on the 18th)
*Blue-Eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor -1 male, 2 teneral
 
March 18, 2011
Santa Barbara County
Steven Courtney
A few hours between showers at Lake Los Carneros:
Flame Skimmer – 1
Pacific Forktail – many
small-medium Darner (not Blue-Eyed) - 1 unidentified (surely a California Darner)

 
March 16, 2011
Alameda County
Alice Cavette 
Lake Elizabeth, Fremont 
Pacific Forktail Damselfly - Ischnura cervula - Female - http://bugguide.net/node/view/498417 - 1st this year for us...
 
March 11, 2011
Riverside County
Peter Siminski
Dos Palmas Oasis and Fish Ponds, Dos Palmas Preserve, Elev. -100’; 8:00-12:00, 70-80F, 10% cirrus, calm to light air.
*Blue-ringed Dancer, Argia sedula 1
Vivid Dancer, A. vivida 1
*Desert, Forktail, Ischnura barberi 2
*Rambur’s Forktail, I. ramburii 19
Common Green Darner, Anax junius 1
Variegated Meadowhawk, Sympetrum corruptum 8
*Flame Skimmer, Libellula saturata 4
 
March 10, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Escondido Creek, Elfin Forest Preserve, 11:00-11:45, sunny, 76 degrees.
*American Rubyspot Hetaerina americana 1 immature
*Vivid Dancer Argia vivida >10 mostly tenerals and immatures
*Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis 1 immature
…….
Los Angeles County
Damian Pinguey 
Lake at El Dorado Nature Center,
Pacific Forktail – male-colored female, photo taken
*[California?] Darner Rhionaeschna [californica ?] – one, it just flew round and round a small reed island in the middle, never really approaching the lake shore...
[long shot photo taken – this would be a Los Angeles County record if ‘proven’ – or a new early date should it be a Blue-eyed Darner]
Meadowhawk Sp. – presumed Variegated

 
February
 
February 13, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Ramona, Dos Picos County Park pond, 11:30-12:00, partly sunny, 66 degrees.
Pacific Forktail 3
*Common Green Darner 1M
Variegated Meadowhawk >12 including four tandems
 
February 12, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Poway, Lake Poway, 1:30-2:30, sunny, 79 degrees.
Pacific Forktail 6
Familiar Bluet >20 tandems, wheels, ovipositing
*Tule Bluet >10 tandems, wheels, ovipositing
Variegated Meadowhawk 3 tandem ovipositing
 
February 4, 2011
Sonoma County
Alan Wight
Nagasawa Park, Santa Rosa, during my lunch hour and I saw the following:
This is the earliest date that I've seen Pacific Forktail in Sonoma County. [earliest ever date 2/3/2003 – kb][first report for Northern CA – kb]
Pacific Forktail - 3-5 males http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/temp/pacific_forktail_5002.jpgv - this ties earliest Sonoma Co date
Variegated Meadowhawk - 1 female http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/variegated_meadowhawk_5057.jpg
 
February 2, 2011
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs
Petaluma, Ellis Creek Wetlands Park
Variegated Meadowhawk >=5, all males
We saw some interesting behavior, which distracted us from the beautiful courtship antics of a pair of swans. 
The Meadowhawk behavior: A pair that appeared to be in wheel, was being chased by a 3rd Meadowhawk; all this very close to the water's surface. 
At one point, physical contact was made. 
The next instant, we found one meadowhawk to be floating on the water surface, with a male attempting to form the wheel with it. 
It didn't seem to be able to do so, and then flew off, leaving the floating meadowhawk 'stuck' on the water surface, due to water tension. 
We watched for several minutes as it tried feebly to free itself. 
A wind came up and we lost it in the 'chop', but the wind did seem like it would eventually blow it into show.Not certain of what was going on...
too many males and an attempted mismatch? 
Or was the one on the water a female, and the male just couldn't raise her off the surface?? 

 
January
 

January 28, 2011

Sonoma County

Alan Wight 
While walking around Nagasawa Park in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County today at lunch, I flushed a dragonfly.  
Fortunately it landed again where I could see it and turned out to be a Variegated Meadowhawk – the first one I have seen this year.  
A photo is here (last of the series of photos): http://www.sonic.net/~shwand/odonata/variegated_meadowhawk.htm
 
January 27, 2011 
San Benito County
Steve Rottenborn 
near Highway 25 southeast of Bitterwater - warm weather (75 degrees F) in southern part of the county 
Variegated Meadowhawk - a single male
Later, at a site south of Paicines 
Variegated Meadowhawk - 18 individuals at four different ponds, including four tandem pairs ovipositing in three ponds. 
…….
Alameda County
Alice Cavette 
Lake Elizabeth, Fremont - It has been 70 degrees here for about 10 days.
Variegated Meadowhawk - Sympetrum corruptum 
Male and female attached flying and other unknown sex (photo shows a very young male) 
Near drainage channel where there are MANY during the Summer.
 
January 25, 2011
Sonoma County
Harry Conley 
His Sebastopol backyard
Variegated Meadowhawk – 1 hanging out
 
January 17, 2011
Sonoma County
Kathy & Dave Biggs 
Don's post yesterday inspired Dave and I to go out to the Laguna Wetlands Park here in Sebastopol.
We went at 3:30, the fog had lifted about noon and it was 63F, but no Odes.
 
January 16, 2011
Riverside County
Peter Siminski
Dos Palmas Oasis and Fish Ponds, Dos Palmas Preserve, Elev. -100’; 8:50-12:00, 60-75F, 75% cirrus, calm to light breeze SE.
Variegated Meadowhawk, Sympetrum corruptum 7
Note on winter condition of some S. corruptum: I got good looks at 5 of 7.  The wings of none of them were glisteny fresh; one had worn edges with notches 
near the tip and some opacity; the remainder were in good condition but not fresh. They all looked like reddish mature males.
…….
Monterey County 
Don Roberson & Rita Carratello 
Carmel R. mouth (Odello restoration area) 10:30-11:30; unseasonably warm & calm after early morning fog
Variegated Meadowhawk 2 
Rita spotted these at an inlet in the freshwater lagoon; the male was patrolling, and Rita saw a brown female. These adults still appear to be interested in breeding. 
These are the "earliest" records for the county. There are two prior January records: 22 Jan 2003 Ft. Ord (R.J. Adams) & 26 Jan 1938 Hastings Nat. Hist. Resv., 
upper Carmel Valley (specimen). However, it seems likely these are not "early" but "late" fall/early winter individuals, since the next earliest record for the county is not until May. 

 
January 16, 2011
Los Angeles County
Steve Rottenborn 
San Fernando
Variegated Meadowhawk reports, I saw one (looked like a male, not looking particularly fresh nor worn) 
 
January 10, 2011
San Diego County
Gary Suttle
Ramona, Dos Picos County Park pond, 12:30-1:00, sunny, 59 degrees.
*Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum 3 
Poway, Lake Poway, 1:30-2:20, sunny, 61 degrees.
*Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile 1  immature
Bluet sp. unidentified 6 tenerals devoured in flight by birds
Variegated Meadowhawk 3 tandem ovipositing
 
January 1, 2011
San Diego County 
Gary Suttle
Ramona, Dos Picos County Park pond, 11:50-12:30, mostly sunny, 54 degrees.
*Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula 1  Male seen basking on a leaf, and stirred only when an American Coot gliding through
the reeds bumped its perch. (Likely the individual seen on 12-31-10).
 
 

New County records reported/realized/found in museum, etc. in 2011 from prior years:

August 6, 2010

Santa Cruz County

Steve Garrett

Natural Bridges SB

Spot-winged Glider Pantala hymeneae – upgrade of prior sighting only record. CA Chart #110)

July 28, 2004

Alpine County

Steve Rovell

Grover Hot Springs State Park just west of Markleeville. 

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor 1 male [sight record CA Chart #79}