I am usually the fish out of water

but not today.

Close Calls

I

I drove out to Grundy Lakes, hoping to find at least Clubtail. Instead I found this lovely clump of fungi, and as I was bending down to snap at least one decent photo, thunder clapped and rain spattered.

Fortunately, I made it to the car just in time.

II

I went to Abbo's Alley in late afternoon, hoping to find the Shadow Darner patrolling the creek, where he had been yesterday (without ever hovering for a photo op), and as I was turning on my camera, I heard a great crashing of leaves and limbs atop a tree across the creek.

The fallen hawk was as shocked as I, looked in both directions thrice, and then flew off without the squirrel, who made it a tree just in time.

III

I walked further up, looking for the darner and discovered, much to my horror, that somehow I had transferred just a bit of the oily brand-new insect repellent (Burt's Bees) from my arm to the camera itself, desperately pulled out my shirttail tried to clean it, ran to the car, and drove straight home.

At home, a good wipe-down with a camera cloth suggests that I may have made it just in time.

Notes to self: Expect the unexpected and get the dadgum camera ready before leaving the car!

The Swimmer

Because I was in no hurry
because I found a soft hump of moss
because I chose to sit
because I heard a small swish
because I looked up
because the water parted into a v-shaped wake
I saw my first beaver.
And that beaver was the best thing
I saw all day.

Tallying Again

As the temperature rises and the sun continues to shine, more and more Odonates appear, making it time to create a new tally.

Today, at Lake O'Donnell and Grundy Lakes, I saw a Black Saddlebags (O'Donnell) and these for the first time this season:

Double-striped Bluet at Grundy Lakes

Skimming Bluets at Grundy Lakes

Orange Bluets at Grundy Lakes

Spangled Skimmer at O'Donnell

Now for the order: 

Common Green Darner

Fragile Forktail

then Common Baskettail

Springtime Darner

next Blue Corporal

Carolina Saddlebags

Lancet Clubtail

followed by Common Whitetail

Azure Bluet

Southern Spreadwing

Comet Darner

Violet Dancer

Painted Skimmer

Black Saddlebags

Spangled Skimmer

Double-striped Bluet

Skimming Bluet

Orange Bluet

Addendum on May 9:

Citrine Forktail

Doubled-ringed Pennant

Addendum May 11

Eastern Pondhawk

Stream Cruiser

Addendum May 13

Blue Dasher

Addendum May 16

Swamp Spreadwing

Addendum May 18

Amber-winged Spreadwing

Easy as Pie!

My friend saw a Flag-tailed Spinyleg yesterday and told me where to look.

I drove to Grundy Lakes Number 1, parked, took the camera out of the bag, turned it on, opened the door, took four steps . . . and there it was! My first Flag-tailed!

A turn to my left and there was my second Black-shouldered Spinyleg.

Six paces to my right and my third-ever Dusky Dancers.

Dang! Wish Ode-ing were always this easy!