[birding] Stewart Lake:birds, fishing spider, dragonflies, butterflies

[woodpecker97330 at yahoo.com]

A fun lunch hour at Stewart Lake (HP) in Corvallis today, Friday, June 12. Photos of some (no birds, but, yes, spider & others) at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=22352&id=1533961816&l=4a9ce5f49b
 
Bird highlights:
Bald Eagle - 1 adult perched in tall dead tree on west side mobbed by crows (a first at HP for me)
Bullock's Oriole - 1 bright male high in oaks, west side, short vocalizations (no song)
 
Butterflies:
Swallowtail - 2
 
Spiders:
A Six-spotted Fishing Spider (Dolomedes triton) was new to me. In spite of its large size, it walked on the surface of the water, then quickly disappeared below the surface.
 
Dragonflies:
Cardinal Meadowhawk - pair and more
8-spotted Skimmer - many
Common Whitetail - at least 3
Darner spp. - at least 2
Western Pondhawk or Blue Dasher (haven't IDed in photos yet)
 
We watched female 8-spotted Skimmer and Cardinal Meadowhawk briefly dipping their abdomens into the water during or after copulation.
 
In general, the best views of dragonflies and damselflies are along the southern half of the west side "lakeside" trail.  Also at the south end (lawn) and near the bench at the southeast corner.  On Tuesday when it was cooler and cloudy, no dragonflies were flying.
 
 Jamie Simmons
Corvallis 


      
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