7/14 Update

Many dragons in the air, over 1,700 observations last week from over 200 people. 76 species recorded. We're past the peak diversity of the previous week (88 species), but still pretty cool.

Even cooler is the response to the request for Columbiana Co observations - 180 observations arrived (thanks mmp133 and tuckerc). Columbiana now well over the 1,000 observation goal. Let's try this again - counties that now need the most help in observations are are Mercer, Hardin, Auglaize, and Van Wert.

There was a question related to the low species counties and what the most likely targets are. This info is on the OOS web, but more specifically for the lowest counties:

Noble - 51 - Wandering Glider, Banded Pennant, Carolina Saddlebags, Dragonhunter, Citrine Forktail, Shadow Darner

Belmont - 55 - Spangled Skimmer, Shadow Darner, Comet Darner, Dragonhunter, Stream Cruiser, Banded Pennant

Hardin - 55 - Swamp Spreadwing, Elegant Spreadwing, Swift River Cruiser, Emerald Spreadwing, Spot-winged Glider

Marion - 56 - Lancet Clubtail, Shadow Darner, Ashy Clubtail, Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Comet Darner

The number is the current documented species for the county. Almost all of these are still "in flight" or coming in. Any would be new County Records. Go get 'em!

There is progress on County Complete. This is another success - a week ago Clinton Co had the most needed species with 6 - smwhite went to Clinton and got all 6! Next in line is Marion with 5, and Knox and Putnam, both at 3. Still waiting on an Eastern Forktail in Adams. We're down to just Putnam for Common Whitetail. We should have our first County Complete real-soon-now.

Current list:

Eastern Forktail - Adams

Common Whitetail - Putnam

Fragile Forktail - Defiance, Marion, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky

Eastern Amberwing - Crawford, Marion, Pike, Scioto

Blue Dasher - Hancock, Knox, Marion, Putnam, Van Wert, Vinton

Eastern Pondhawk - Columbiana, Huron, Knox, Marion, Putnam

Widow Skimmer - Columbiana, Erie, Fayette, Knox, Marion, Pike, Sandusky

Big picture - approaching 23,000 research grade observations for the season. 128 species. These numbers are both ahead of our record-setting 2023 season. For 2023, Mar 1 - Jul 14 was 20,902/123. Species we had in 2023 that we've missed (so far) include Stygian Shadowdragon, Northern Spreadwing, Chalk-fronted Corporal, Boreal Bluet, River Bluet. We're likely past flight on these.

Black-tipped Darner, Green-striped Darner, and Smoky Rubyspot seem likely to turn up somewhere.

Still hopeful for sightings of Gilded River Cruiser, Lance-tipped Darner, Laura's Clubtail, and Striped Saddlebags. We'll need all of these and/or some rarities to match our 5-year average.

Publicado el 14 de julio de 2024 por jimlem