Spain, Valencia, 9,10/6/2012 and Catalonia 11/6/2012
We spent two days in the Valencia area. Our main focus was trying to find Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) and Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra).
Videograbs from my Trip DVD. See Trip DVD's for sale.
Videograbs from my Trip DVD. See Trip DVD's for sale.
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| Male Faded Pincertail Onychogomphus costae |
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| Female Faded Pincertail Onychogomphus costae |
I am unable disclose the site details for the Faded Pincertail as we visited this area with local contacts on the strict instruction I did not disclose the site. We visited this excellent site twice although on the second occasion we chose not to search in the area where the Faded Pincertail occur.
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| Mediterranean Bluet Coenagrion caerulescens |
An unexpected bonus at the site was finding Mediterranean Bluet (Coenagrion caerulescens).
The site was also excellent for Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) and Yellow Clubtail (Gomphus simillimus).
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| Male Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum |
9/6/12 11.00-13.30
Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) 20
Mediterranean Bluet (Coenagrion caerulescens) 20
Small Red Damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum) 4
White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) 20
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) 1
Yellow Clubtail (Gomphus simillimus) 1
Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) 4
Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) 11
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| Male Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum |
Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) 1
10/6/12 09.00-12.00
Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) 30
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) 1
Blue-Eye (Erythromma lindenii) 1
Small Red Damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum) 2
Orange Featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis) 2
White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) 2
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) 1
Yellow Clubtail (Gomphus simillimus) 6
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| Female Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum |
Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) 3
Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) 3
Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) 1
Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) 3
Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) 6
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| Female Yellow Clubtail Gomphus simillimus |
We visited the Rio Cazuma at Bicorp site once on the 9/6/12 in the afternoon. A fantastic site where the river follows an underground watercourse emerging intermittently at crystal clear waterholes.
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| Male Pronged Clubtail Gomphus graslinii |
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| Male Western Clubtail Gomphus pulchellus |
Western Demoiselle (Calopteryx xanthostoma) 2
Blue-Eye (Erythromma lindenii) 2
Small Red Damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum) 1
Orange Featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis) 2
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) 3
Pronged Clubtail (Gomphus graslinii) 30
Western Clubtail (Gomphus pulchellus) 1
Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) 2
Orange-spotted Emerald (Oxygastra curtisii) 5
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) 2
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) 10
Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) 10
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) 4
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| Male Western Demoiselle Calopteryx xanthosoma |
Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) 2
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| Female Violet Dropwing Trithemis annulata |
Corinto near Sagunto
We visited this site on the 10/6/12 with our local contact in the hope of finding Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra). We were very lucky in finding the first seen this year.
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| Male Black Pennant Selysiothemis Nigra |
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| Male Black Pennant Selysiothemis Nigra |
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| Female Black Pennant Selysiothemis Nigra |
The large eyes a useful diagnostic feature when identifying this species from the more widespread Black Percher.
Species seen at this site:
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) 4
Lesser Emperor Dragonfly (Anax parthenope) 5
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) 1
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) 3
Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) 1
Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra) 6
As we progressed north up to Catalonia on the evening of the 10th June, the weather began to deteriorate. We spent the night at Banyoles north east of Barcelona. The following morning we visited the Can Morgat nature reserve next to lake Banyoles for the morning in windy but at least dry conditions until it began to rain at lunchtime which prompted our departure to France.
Can Morgat is an excellent site situated on the western side of Lake Banyoles. This site held our largest species count of any of the sites visited on this trip. We also added a few new species for our trip including Common Winter Damsel (Sympecma fusca) and Norfolk (Green-eyed) Hawker Aeshna isoceles).
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| Filming Keeled Skimmer |
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| Female Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum |
This male Yellow Clubtail (Gomphus simillimus) was a surprise at this site as we expected to see Western Clubtail here.
Species recorded at Can Morgat:
Western Demoiselle (Calopteryx xanthostoma) 1
Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) 1
Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) 10
Common Winter Damsel (Sympecma fusca) 8
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) 20
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) 4
Blue-Eye (Erythromma lindenii) 1
White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) 2
Norfolk Hawker (Anaciaeschan isosceles) 7
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) 3
Lesser Emperor Dragonfly (Anax parthenope) 2
Yellow Clubtail (Gomphus simillimus) 1
Orange-spotted Emerald (Oxygastra curtisii) 4
Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) 3
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) 1
Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) 2
Southern Darter (Sympetrum meridionale) 3
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) 6
