This was published on another listserve, and I thought it would be of
interest to birders.

>I made what I thought was an interesting observation today (July 23, 2002),
>on the Saint John River in New Brunswick. I was watching an Epitheca
>princeps [Prince Baskettail, a large dragonfly] patrolling back and forth
>low over the water about 15 yards
>offshore when a male Hagenius brevistylus [Dragonhunter, an even larger
>and very predatory dragonfly] buzzed in and appeared to attempt
>to capture it. The Epitheca took off immediately, and at that point a
>spotted sandpiper happened to fly by, in the opposite direction, about 7-8
>yards away and just over the water. The Hagenius instantly turned and gave
>chase. The sandpiper noticed this at once, and began calling excitedly
>while putting a lot more effort into its flight speed. This was to no
>avail, as the dragonfly closed to within a foot or so after a 50-60 yard
>chase, with the sandpiper calling loudly the entire time. The sandpiper
>then did exactly what they often do when chased by a falcon and almost
>caught - it closed its wings and dove under the water. The Hagenius did a
>quick U-turn over the ripples and then took off back downstream, and an
>instant later the sandpiper popped up and took off upstream.
>
>Territoriality I suppose, but does this often involve non-Odonates?
>
>> Dwayne Sabine
>> Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
1500 N. Warner, #1088
Tacoma, WA 98416-1088
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html