One Hour, A New Pond, Two New Dragonflies

My friend's husband told me about a pond beyond the Equestrian Center, so this morning I decided to find it.

At the barn, I found a friendly gentleman in a stall, who said, "Hop in!  I'll drive you over there!" and off we went in his golf cart.

On the way, he confirmed the pastures were once part of the college dairy, the fields where horses graze today once served cows.  He drove right up to the dam, told me I could come in and park and walk anytime I wish, then left me to my own devices.

Farm Pond wasn't much to look at in early morning haze, and the dam steep with no even ground below for peeking into the reeds, so I decided to go across to see what I could see.

Within five minutes, I found dragonfly number 16: the Halloween Pennant.  Oh, the male's color!  Pumpkin orange with laced wings like spider webbing.  Two feet away a female perched, sparkling like honey, wings outspread.  

Back at the dam I found a Cow Killer (what a name for a stinging ant!), more horse flies than I'd ever want to see, and a lot of the usual suspects -- Slaty Skimmers, Widow Skimmers, Amberwings, Banded Pennants.

About an hour later, truly dripping with sweat, cliche and all, I headed back across the dam.  Only then did I realize I could stand on a small bit of shore next to some cattails.  There, after trying to snap a picture through leaves into the lake, I saw something glimmer, pulled up the camera, and zoomed -- and held my breath: a Common Green Darner!  I had only seen them flying before, and even though I could get no closer than about six feet, I looked and learned: red legs, spotted thorax, lime green face, tawny eyes, aquamarine abdomen.  Oh my!

The new count: seventeen identified and photographed dragonfly species; five damselfly species; one dragonfly spotted (Black Saddlebags) but not photographed.

I bet you can guess where I'm headed tomorrow!