Subject: [Tweeters] Mass Dragonfly movement, Mexico, Summer
Date: Sep 10 01:32:26 2011
From: notcalm at comcast.net - notcalm at comcast.net


Hello Tweets,


While on vacation this Summer, and within a major storm moving from the East, I sent Dennis Paulsen the following field report:





"Hello Dennis,


I thought of you today.


I am on our family vacation in Mexico. This afternoon I was on the top floor, open air, leaving for a beach outing and found dragonflies all around and above me in a stream moving , uni-directionally, North. Appeared to be two species, one smaller, translucent with an orange colored tinge and the other a species I believe I have seen in WA, clear wing tips and dark brown wing sections. At the peak, from ground, with 10x binocs. I would estimate 800- 1000 per second, in a band that was near surf to approximately 1000 feet inland and from 40 feet to 120 feet high. They were clearly on a mission and flying at a very similar speed. It stopped when the rains began. I stood and watched for about 30 minutes, intermittently after that. Very neat!


No birds, including flycatchers seemed interested- or maybe they got stuffed before I noticed the migration. Also thought about how to make a meaningful video- but it has to be experienced- video would not capture the event. Thought about bringing you specimens, but didn't know how to explain at customs.


Your Mexico corespondent,
Dan Reiff"




I concluded that Kingbirds and other species were stuffed before I noticed the movement and curiously, I did not see any bird, and many species were in the area, attempt to capture even one.


Dan