One of the delights of owning a modestly sized condominium-like property in Spain, is attending the yearly AGM of the owners organization. The Spanish “horizontal property law” requires that a committee exists for such “shared living” properties and that AGMs are held yearly. Though it is possible to skip attending and vote on resolutions by proxy, we generally attend to show willing. Last year we were off on our extended Antipodean trip and missed it but this year we were free and went along for three weeks. Naturally, it is a good opportunity to see who is still flying later in the season.
The weather began quite well but was essentially a little changeable with a fair amount of rain. It’s the time of year when I hope to see Desert Darters (Sympetrum sinaiticum) and I was not disappointed; it seems perhaps to be strengthening its hold in Spain though is still not widespread. During the last two weeks of October we racked up a respectable count of 18 species. Aeshna mixta (Migrant Hawker) appeared to be ubiquitous – we saw many flying across the roads – as it is in the UK at this time of year.
Here’s my map of locations indexed to the entries below.
Riu Jalón-Gorgos, Jalón, 16, 18, 24 Oct [#1]
This list is a combination of two locations along the river in Jalón. One is the ford opposite Casa Aleluya and the other, just 250m upstream, is what I refer to as “dead cat alley”, for reasons that I imagine I don’t need to explain. [Said cat has long been cleared up.] Although the two locations are just 250m apart, it is normal to see a different mix of species at both locations. Both locations have some shallow water flowing over concrete/rocks but Sympetrum striolatum (Common Darter) seems to favour the upstream site whilst Sympetrum sinaiticum (Desert Darter) apparently favours the ford downstream, which is also favoured by Trithemis kirbyi (Orange-winged Dropwing).
We spotted two of my seasonal favourites at the ford on the day we arrived, Orthetrum chrysostigma (Epaulet Skimmers) and the colourfully stunning T. kirbyi . Both species are now doing very well indeed in Spain and they seem to have become reliable in Jalón at this time of year, particularly at the local ford. At least one Anax imperator (Blue Emperor) was still cruising and I did spot a lone Crocothemis erythraea (Broad Scarlet).
- Aeshna mixta (Migrant Hawker)
- Anax imperator (Blue Emperor)
- Orthetrum chrysostigma (Epaulet Skimmer)
- Sympetrum striolatum (Common Darter)
- Sympetrum sinaiticum (Desert Darter)
- Crocothemis erythraea (Broad Scarlet)
- Trithemis kirbyi (Orange-winged Dropwing)
Marjal de Pego-Oliva, 17 Oct, 03 Nov [#2]
A combination habitat of river, rice paddies and reed beds, this is one of my favourite locations, especially as we often seem to have some parts of it to ourselves.
We typically visit three different specific areas in the marsh. The first provided two of the very few damselflies that we saw (it is late in the season, after all), Ischnura elegans (Common Bluetail) and Erythromma lindenii (Blue-eye). Apart from anything else, it’s a pleasant walk in a rural setting with (usually) few noisy members of Joe Public to suffer. Our third spot netted me, albeit somewhat distant, my first ever perched female Anax ephippiger (Vagrant Emperor).
- Ischnura elegans (Common Bluetail)
- Erythromma lindenii (Blue-eye)
- Aeshna mixta (Migrant Hawker)
- Anax ephippiger (Vagrant Emperor)
- Orthetrum trinacria (Long Skimmer)
- Sympetrum fonscolombii (Red-veined Darter)
- Crocothemis erythraea (Broad Scarlet)
Parque Natural el Hondo, 17, 29 Apr [#3]
This is one of my favourite locations in the region because it does support or has supported have a few species that I’ve never seen elsewhere, notably Selysiothemis nigra (Black Pennant), Diplacodes lefebvrii (Black Percher) and Brachythemis impartita (Northern Banded Groundling), though the latter now seems to have been absent for a couple of years. So were the other two, on my visit this time but I suspect I was simply too late and that their flight season had come to a natural end.
So, exciting it wasn’t but I was quite surprised to see several individuals of Orthetrum cancellatum (Black-tailed Skimmer) on the wing (even if the picture is on the ground). The most notable feature on this occasion, though, was the absolutely incredible number of pairs of Sympetrum fonscolombii (Red-veined Darters) flying in tandem and ovipositing; there were quite literally hundreds of pairs doing their level best for the next generation.
- Ischnura elegans (Common Bluetail)
- Anax parthenope (Lesser Emperor)
- Anax ephippiger (Vagrant Emperor)
- Orthetrum cancellatum (Black-tailed Skimmer)
- Orthetrum trinacria (Long Skimmer)
- Sympetrum fonscolombii (Red-veined Darter)
Vall d’Ebo, 25 Oct [#4]
How things change. This was one of the first sites I visited for dragonflies when we first came familiar with the area inland of the Costa Blanca and it was very good on that occasion. On subsequent visits following that, it seemed to suffer badly from a lack of water and life quietened alarmingly. This year, I found more water than ever before and several new species for the location. I had trouble dragging my self away but we were heading for another location (see below).
Most exciting for me here was a Sympetrum sinaiticum (Desert Darter) pair in cop because it was my first sighting of a female for this species.
- Chalcolestes viridis (Western Willow Spreadwing)
- Aeshna mixta (Migrant Hawker)
- Aeshna cyanea (Blue Hawker)
- Orthetrum chrysostigma (Epaulet Skimmer)
- Sympetrum striolatum (Common Darter)
- Sympetrum fonscolombii (Red-veined Darter)
- Sympetrum sinaiticum (Desert Darter)
Riu Serpis @ Beniarrés, 25 Oct [#5]
Often the trick in Spain is finding rivers that actually have water in them. This being the outflow from a reservoir, we’ve always found water here and it has been good for Damselflies. This time was no exception and I was delighted to see a Platycnemis latipes (White Featherleg) pair doing their bit trying to ensure a next generation.
- Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis (Copper Demoiselle)
- Ischnura elegans (Common Bluetail)
- Chalcolestes viridis (Western Willow Spreadwing)
- Platycnemis latipes (White Featherleg)
- Aeshna mixta (Migrant Hawker)
- Sympetrum sinaiticum (Desert Darter)
City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, 04 Nov [#6]
We made a return trip to the City of Arts and Sciences for its spectacular architecture on a completely different photographic mission. Whilst there is quite a lot of water there, most of it is completely and utterly sterile but there is one area where there are plants and reeds that attract some dragonflies. Well, it’s worth another pin in the map.
As well as the two below that I did manage to identify, there was an Emperor of sorts but it didn’t pause enough for identification.
- Orthetrum chrysostigma (Epaulet Skimmer)
- Trithemis kirbyi (Orange-winged Dropwing)
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