Watts Flats Wildlife Management Area April 23, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, birds, dragonflies, mammals, reptiles.2 comments
One of the bird walks for Audubon’s spring birding series will be at the Watts Flats Wildlife Mangement Area. I decided to check it out today. I’m frankly kind of suprised I’ve never run upon it before this. It is so close, and so accessible.
We parked at a lot at the corner of Swede Road and Green Flats Road.
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Before getting to the parking lot, we saw a mink bound over Swede Road in front of us. Later we would also see a muskrat, and plenty of evidence of beaver activity:
We parked close to Swede Road and walked Green Flats Road to the second parking lot. It looked as Green Flats Road is supposed to continue as a grassy trail.
But the bridge and much of the trail was under water!
We turned left instead and into the woods. The trail was wet – even covered with water in some places. But I could see it would be a very nice trail when the water goes down a bit. We hiked out until we got to a spot where the trail was covered with two feet of water, then turned around and back out to the car.
Along the way, we saw plenty of wildlife.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Garter Snake
Canada Goose
We also saw robins and crows, a red-tailed hawk, a pair of frisky kingfishers, and a very large bird that we could not identify. I swear it was shaped like a cormorant, but it was a light brown color. I heard red-winged blackbirds, but never saw one. Dozens of frogs jumped into the water before we could see what they were. And we even saw dragonflies – one was definitely a Common Green Darner. I suspect the other one was, too, but I couldn’t get a good look.
Plants were also plentiful, though not many in bloom yet.
Pussy Willow
Colt’s Foot
Ground Pine
It was a very pleasant afternoon walk. I look forward to going back early in the morning in a few weeks as part of the birding classes. Hopefully the water will be down and we can hike around that pond.
Walking back to the car…
After the Rain… June 13, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in birds, dragonflies, insects, photography, reptiles.8 comments
It rained this morning. As the clouds thinned, the light became perfect for photography, so I headed down to Audubon to see if the adorable Yellow Warblers were out by the overlook again (and to practice using my 100-400mm lens). They were… taking inchworm after inchworm to a nest that was hidden from view.
I watched for quite a long time and was also treated to a Swamp Sparrow singing his little heart out.
The Red-winged Blackbirds who are also nesting in the shrubs would not pose nicely for pictures. Other wildlife along my path did, however…
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Eastern Garter Snake in one of the Woodpecker Holes in the Dead Elm Tree
Tadpoles in the pond along the maintenance road
And, back at the building:
An adorable Eastern Chipmunk in the Bird Garden
The Results Are In May 28, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in dragonflies.3 comments
A fat package arrived from The Natural Heritage Program. A letter from the project coordinator. A certificate of appreciation for my contributions. And a big fat book containing the results of the New York Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey (NYDDS) – a project that began in 2005 and continued through the summer and early fall of 2009.
I’m just loving flipping through the pages one by one… The maps… The charts… The photographs (some of them mine 
)… The information…
I’m very proud of these accomplishments:
Chautauqua County tied for 6th in the number surveys submitted. A lot of those surveys (most) came from Jeremy Martin. And a lot came from folks at Audubon: staff, a board member, college interns, and day camp and other program participants.- Of the 72 species we racked up for Chautauqua County, fully half were new county records – species that had never been verified for our county previous to 2005.
- Six of the species we verified were considered to be “species of greatest conservation need.”
- We were the only county to verify 100% of the expected species for our county.
And I have a deep feeling of satisfaction over all the people that got hooked on nature via dragonflies over the years:
Justin and Phyllis
Kathleen
Richard
“Z”
Kimberly
John
Jeremy
Cassie
Jacob
Waylon
… and I could go on and on …
Thanks to all who helped out with this survey! I hope you are as proud of the results as I am.
Invitations July 29, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in dragonflies, dragons.7 comments
When I went to Girl Scout camp (a billion years ago), there were several staff members who didn’t have their own group of girls to camp with: the lifeguards, the camp director, the maintenance staff… So we used to invite them to come to our units for cookouts. We actually made written, decorated invitations. We picked flowers to make a centerpiece for the table… Wow.
I remembered all that because today, I (the camp director) got an invitation… verbal, not written… but welcome, just the same. Not for a cookout, but something more fun! The kids in the Nature Safari group invited me to go dragon-hunting with them. And it just so happens that today, the weather cooperated and there were all kinds of dragons flying!
Eastern Pondhawk
Common Green Darner (female): Actually, we didn’t see the female when I was out with the kids… I found her later, after the kids were gone. But during camp, Allie actually caught a male while at the pond!! Unfortunately, he wiggled free before getting a photo.
Blue Dasher
Meadowhawk
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Also flying, but unphotographable: Widow Skimmers, Common Whitetails, Spreadwings, Other Damsels… It was a good day for Odes.
Dragonflies July 20, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in dragonflies, insects.10 comments
One of the reasons I wanted the longer lens: Dragonflies! They were always just out of reach with my kit lens. The weather has been weird and we haven’t been seeing as many as in some summers… But here are a few I’ve managed to capture:
Blue Dasher
Eastern Pondhawk – Male
Common Whitetail (OK, I’ve posted this one before…)
I also saw Widow Skimmers and Black Saddlebags yesterday – but they wouldn’t light anywhere close enough for a picture…
We usually see so many more species and individuals. How are the dragonflies this year where you live?
A Prince at Girl Scout Camp June 12, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in dragonflies.3 comments
I went with Maddie last Saturday to Girl Scout Camp Seven Hills. She had a life guarding gig and I had never seen the camp, so… While she made sure nobody drowned, I walked around the very small lake to see what I could see.
One of my favorite finds was a newly emerged Prince Baskettail dragonfly. I snapped this shot on my way around the lake…
And this one on my way back…
I watched him for quite some time after taking pictures. It was very breezy and he was being tossed this way and that. Just before he flew for the cover of nearby trees, he quivered and shivered for 10-15 seconds.
Prince Baskettails are quite large and seem to prefer ponds, lakes, and streams that are near wooded areas. Adult males develop pretty green eyes. I have yet to find one at Audubon… But I have seen them at Camp Timbercrest and at RTPI. I’ve only managed to photograph tenerals (newly emerged adults)… Because usually when I see them, they are patrolling at about shoulder height – back and forth and back and forth right in front of my eyes… teasing, “You can’t catch me! Not with that net, not with that camera!”
Intergenerational Elderhostel August 19, 2008
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in Dragon-Hunting, dragonflies, dragons, reptiles.Tags: Eastern Forktail, Elderhostel, Halloween Pennant, Northern Water Snake, snake
5 comments
This is Jamestown Audubon’s first experience offering an intergenerational Elderhostel program. The theme is insects, but participants will also take general nature walks and birding walks. They will kayak in two different locations and take a ride on Chautauqua Lake on the Summer Wind.
I got to spend Sunday evening and a good chunk of Monday with our small but pleasant group. Here are some highlights:
Sarah came along and calmed a Water Snake for a Close Encounter and some snake education:
Water Snakes have keeled scales which makes for a rough texture on top:
The belly is as smooth as can be:
We also saw a Garter Snake, Leopard Frogs, and Grasshoppers along the way, along with lots of funky fungi and strange parasitic wildflowers.
In the afternoon, the group proved to be rather adept at catching dragonflies. Here’s a Halloween Pennant:
And check out this mating pair of Eastern Forktails, caught in midflight:
So, welcome Elderhostel participants. I hope you have a great week. More pictures from the Elderhostel experience can be found here and will be updated throughout the week: FLICKR PIX
Dragon Hunting June 26, 2008
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in Dragon-Hunting, dragonflies, dragons.4 comments
Last Wednesday, I had the distinct pleasure of leading Phyllis and Justin on a Dragon Hunting adventure.
They were in town from Oregon… quite a long way from here! Originally, they had signed up for an Elderhostel intergenerational program we offer, but the June offering had to be cancelled. They were the only ones signed up, unfortunately. Not easily deterred, the adventurous pair did not cancel their travel plans. So, off we went… the hunt was on!
Our first find (other than the ubiquitous Eastern Forktail) was a pretty little Slender Spreadwing. 
Spreadwings are a kind of damselfly. The Slender Spreadwing male is quite lovely: blue eyes, greenish shoulder stripes, lemon yellow under his thorax, metallic bronzy-green abdomen. With spreadwings, to provide positive identification for the NYS Survey, you need to photograph the terminal appendage.
Justin learned quickly the safe way to handle these beauties, 
and it wasn’t long before he got the knack of capturing them in his aerial net.
For most of the other species we found the NYS scientists require nothing more than an observation because the field marks are so distinctive it is difficult to confuse them for anything else. We captured them and photographed them nonetheless, just for fun.
Blue Dasher (male)
Eastern Pondhawk (male)
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (female)
Common Whitetail (male)
This is the third year of the survey. I’ve seen plenty of Common Whitetails in a variety of habitats. I have never been able to net one, nor had anyone in my group that has netted one. But Justin did! Way to go, Justin!
Dot-tailed Whiteface (male)
It was a great day and I will file two official datasheets, as we visited two separate sites on the Audubon property. I will also (eventually) log the two site surveys at my Odonata blog, which you can see by clicking here.
Dragons weren’t our only finds…
Check out this awesome caterpillar that Phyllis found. I think it’s one of the Checkerspots:
I kept spotting little grasshoppers when I was looking for dragons:
We stopped to check out the owl pellet and found this tiny jawbone:
It was great spending a couple of hours with this curious pair of visitors. Justin, it was great to meet you. You are a very delightful person and you have a really cool grandma. Phyllis, it was great to meet you. You’re doing a great thing with your grandkids. I can STILL remember a trip I took with my grandma when I was but FIVE years old. I didn’t get to meet Emily, but if she is as grateful as Justin, it must be a joy to spend time with her, too.
Happy travels!
Being the Camp Director July 18, 2007
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in dragonflies.1 comment so far
This week, I don’t have a group of children of my own to supervise. Instead, I’m in charge of the whole camp – overseeing three other counselors and their campers. Yesterday I had to deal with a girl who had scraped her neck, a boy who had a sliver on the back of his leg, another boy who had been stung 12 times, and a staff person who had to go to the hospital with a broken finger.
I wasn’t too excited when they called up to my office this afternoon to say they needed me downstairs. But today, instead of medical emergencies, they brought me a beautiful female Common Green Darner. She was just newly emerged, her wings still shimmery and a little fragile. I took several pictures of her in my hand. Then I put her on a goldenrod plant and she let me take several more shots while she recovered from the shock of so much attention.
Isn’t she pretty? Today being camp director was OK. (Though I still don’t have my paperwork done… Oh well… aren’t dragonflies more important?)
Dragonfly Sex July 15, 2007
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in dragonflies, insects.7 comments
One of the cool things about WordPress is that it tells you what people typed into a search engine to find your blog. Somebody out there has been typing “dragonfly eggs” for the past couple of weeks and finding me… but I’m sure they have been disappointed. Up until now, I have had posts about dragonflies and posts about eggs… Now, finally, here’s a post about dragonfly eggs.
All dragonflies have 10 segments in their abdomen. The one closest to the thorax is called segment 1. Segment 2 on a male dragonfly is enlarged and contains sexual organs. Segment 10 on the male also contains sexual organs. Before finding a female, the male transfers sperm from segment 10 to segment 2.
Once a male finds a female, he will use segment 10 to clasp a her behind the neck. When you see two dragonflies or damselflies flying like this, it is said they are in tandem.
Next, the female will swing segment 10 of her abdomen up to the male’s segment 2 to retrieve the sperm. At this point the pair is said to be copulating and may be described as a mating wheel. On our dragonfly survey sheets, there are checkboxes for reproductive behavior. 
We check “tandem” for any observances of tandem flight, “copulating” for any mating wheels, and “ovipositing” when we observe egg-laying.
There are a few possible ways that eggs will be deposited. Some species will remain in tandem as the female oviposits. Other species may separate, but the male stays nearby guarding the female from other males. Still others simply go their merry ways…
Some females deposit eggs by tapping their tails on the surface of the water, washing the eggs off, which then sink to the bottom of the pond. Some land on vegetation and may even use specially designed ovipositors to pierce the surface of plant material so they can place their eggs inside. If you want to see a wide variety of ovipositing methods, just go to Flickr.com and search everyone’s pictures for dragonflies ovipositing. You’ll see all possible methods!
Finally, the eggs… When I was at my very first Dragonfly Survey training in 2005, the Common Baskettails were putting on the whole show at the pond at Rheinstrom Hill. We saw all manner of reproductive behavior. What’s really cool about this species is that after ovipositing, their eggs expand into strings that resemble minature toad egg strings. I was new to photography and only had my little Kodak Easyshare camera. Still, I was able to capture this image of dragonfly eggs – for one species, at least:
So, there you have it fellow web surfer: some dragonfly eggs. Enjoy!
I was pretty surprised when I first learned that dragonflies may spend as long as 7 years on the bottom of the pond as nymphs or naiads. When they are big enough to emerge as adults, they crawl up out of the pond, their backs crack open, and the adult simply crawls out of the exoskeleton of the naiad form. (Because there is no pupal stage, this is called Incomplete Metamorphosis.) As adults, they spend only one season eating other insects, finding a mate, and laying eggs. Sometimes you can find the shed exoskeletons (or exuviae) in the vegetation near ponds.
P.S. Many thanks to Flickr friends for the use of their photos for this blog posting. I hope you will all click on over to their photostreams to see their other amazing work.
Update: click here for more on dragonfly eggs.
