Poison Lake - Part 1, Lassen County, 7/21/06

I took the afternoon off to photograph odes. I had intended to look for Crimson-ringed Whiteface at Summit Lake (Lassen Park), but as I headed eastward, the rain (July, believe it or not) chased me all the way to Lassen County. I ended up at Poison Lake for the second time this season. The pictures below and on the other page from this trip were taken at the pullout along Highway 44. Poison Lake was hopping with odes. There were clouds of teneral Striped Meadowhawks and the spreadwings were so thick they colored the grass. Seventy five percent of the spreadwings were Lyre-tipped, the others were more or less evenly split between Northern and Emerald.

Male Dot-tailed Whiteface wilted after the rain.

It started raining at Poison Lake, too, which actually turned out to be a blessing of sorts. This male Dot-tailed Whiteface with raindrops on his eyes (close-up crop of eyes in below photo) gives an unusual effect.

"Raindrops fallin' on my head . . ."

Female Dot-tailed Whiteface.

Teneral male Striped Meadowhawk.

Male Emerald Spreadwing. His wings were open in the normal fashion, but he closed them after I approached.

Male Emerald Spreadwing.

Male Northern Spreadwing with raindrops on eyes and a few parasites hitching a ride.

Male Northern Spreadwing.

Female spreadwing. Odds are it's a Lyre-tipped.

Female spreadwing. Lyre-tipped?.