July 17, 2021
I visited Powhatan State Park this morning in an attempt to find a few Spiketails. My efforts for Spiketails was unrewarded but I did encounter many Mocha Emeralds and Ebony Jewelwings in the habitat I was searching. A few of the photographs are as follows:
July 16, 2021
I was in both Sussex and Prince George Counties this morning. My principal focus was to try and locate a Fine-lined Emerald. My efforts came up short but I did encounter both Treetop Emeralds (4) and Mocha Emeralds, many. I also had a male Duckweed Firetail in Prince George County.
In Sussex County, I encountered one (1) Anhinga and in Prince George County, I encountered three (3) Anhinga.
July 15, 2021
I ventured to Maple Flats in Augusta County this morning. The day started out sunny with temperatures around 72 degrees but by noonish the skies were mostly overcast and temperatures were in the low 80’s.
The ponds were mostly low with a few holding only remnant water except for South and Spring Ponds. Odes are still emerging with Autumn Meadowhawks and some Double-ringed Pennants heading the list. I encountered the always enjoyable and delicate Southern Sprite and ended the date with a dragonfly from one of the oldest families, a Gray Petaltail.
I also encountered several Cuckoo Wasp. These are small iridescent green parasitic wasp which parasitize solitary wasp nest sites. I also observed what I think was a Weevil Wasp species(?).
Lastly, the beaver are really clearing out some of the understory at Spring Pond compared to what was present last year. I found the going much easier to gain some of the pond edge.
July 13, 2021
I visited Highland County for the day under wonderful weather condition. The temperature ranged from 62-77 degrees under mostly clear skies.
Bird nesting activity is gearing down but it was nice to observe some of their success. I encountered several family groups of Red-breasted Nuthatches, Slate-colored Juncos and Cedar Waxwing. I also encountered two (2) Red Crossbill, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a couple of my favorite songsters Winter Wren.
Odonate activity was enjoyable with my highlights being a Spatterdock Darner, Northern Bluet, a brief one pass visit by a Comet Darner and my first of year Clamp-tipped Emeralds. Substantial numbers of Amber-winged Spreadwings, Hagen’s and Azure Bluets, American Emeralds and Chalk-fronted Skimmers were noted.
July 9, 2021
I traveled to King William County for a change of pace. All in all the day was enjoyable with no great surprises. I did encounter a few species that I don’t see that often one being a fly which mimics small dragonflies and the other a robber fly which mimics Carpenter Bees.
July 6, 2021
What an interesting day and turn of events! I went to Sussex County this morning to focus on getting the two likely emerald dragonflies that I am missing for this time of year, both Fine-lined and Clamp-tipped. After almost striking out on all emeralds except for Mocha’s I started stopping at a few blackwater swamp areas to look at Cyrano Darners, etc. At the first stop, a clubtail few in briefly and lit on a rock next to the small bridge I was at and as I turned to photograph it, I realized it was a Gray-Green Clubtail. I took a few images and then it was off like a shot not to return again. This location on SR 604 was different than that in which Gray-Green was found last year and again this year in Prince George County by not having any lily pads, limited light and not much clear open water. I then thought about a location similar to the Prince George location in Sussex County on SR 622, the Assamoosick Swamp. I then traveled to that location and after five minutes of observation I had located two additional Green-Gray Clubtails. Again this site had no lily pads, but the clubtails utilized both leaves in the water and low hanging branches for their perches.
It would appear that Gray-Green Clubtail has gone the way of Cocoa Clubtail in Virginia in that it has quickly expanded it’s range northward and established successful breeding locations within Virginia. It may be interesting in the next 10-20 years to see if other “southern” species such as Septima’s Clubtail or even Southeastern Spinyleg either increase in their numbers in Virginia or move further north to establish a presence?
