Terry & Diana's
Photography and More

HOME - OUR PROPERTY - FAMILY - SCENERY AND TRIPS - PLANTS - CACTUS - DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES - BUTTERFLIES -AMPHIBIANS - REPTILES - BIRDS - MAMMALS

2019 Summer Vacation, California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada

June 18 - We got off late. We didn't leave until 6:00 PM. Our first stop on this trip was at Delux Inn in Ft. Stockton, Tx.

June 19 - Got up and left early, ate at McDonalds and headed west. We got to Clifton, Arizona at 11:30 AM. It was already very warm. I checked out the San Francisco River near town where Troy had seen Harkness's Dancer (damselfly) the year before. There was not a lot of diversity, but I did find 3 Harkness's (my first). There were a few other odes seen. It was really too hot for much to be out. Since I had gotten the damselfly I wanted, we headed west through Phoenix and stopped at Burro Creek Recreation Area (BLM) to spend the night. We got there at about 10:00 PM.

San Francisco River near Clifton, Arizona

Harkness's Dancer (Argia harknessi)

Powdered Dancer (Agria moesta)

Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula)

White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomhus compostus)

Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia sedecimpunctata)

June 20 - I looked around Burro Creek for a couple of hours before heading north. Mohave County, Arizona. Not a lot flying along the creek, but did get a few nice lizard and bird shots. We didn't get as far as we had hoped for. We stopped at Whiskey Flats RV park out side of Hawthorne, Nevada at 6:30 PM. Cleaned up and took showers.

Burro Creek Recreational Area camp ground (BLM)

Burro Creek Recreational Area

Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)

Diana next to a saguaro

Terry taking a photo of something

Lucy's Warbler

Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

Tiger Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris)

Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus) male and female

Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)

Canyon Tree Frog (Hyla arenicolor)

Common Green Darner (Anax junius)

Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata)

Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)

Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula)

Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)

Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum)

North of Los Vegas looking toward California border

June 21 - We left the RV park at 8:00 AM and headed north for Susanville, California. There was a marsh beside the road just inside the state line in California, so I had to stop and look around. I found a couple of species of damselflies and a Northern Harrier. We then headed on down to Cherry Hill national forest camp ground on CA 32. This was a very windy road through some beautiful forest. Got to the park at 3:00 PM. As soon as we set up camp, I headed out to see what I could find. The temperature was between 70 and 75 degrees. There were lots of Black Petaltails out and about.

Marsh beside the road just across the border into California from Nevada, Lassen County

Northern Harrier

Paiute Dancer (Argia alberta)

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)

Cherry Hill national forest camp site hillside seep. Habitat for several dragonflies and damselflies.

Pileated Woodpecker

Trirteleia izioides

Chipmunk (Tamias)

Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea)

Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas)

Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta)

Black Petaltail (Tanypteryx hageni)

June 22 - Once again Terry searched the camp ground area for odes in the morning. More Black Petaltails. We left camp at 11:30 AM and stopped in Chico to eat lunch before heading for Grass Valley for a motel. On the way we stopped at Thermolite Lake Picnic area near CA 70 and Oroville. We also stopped briefly in a Yubba County Park in Brown's Valley CA 20 road at Hammon Grove Park. Arrived in Grass Valley and stayed at a Best Western Motel.

Cherry Hill camp ground, Butte County

White-faced Woodpecker

Lilly (Lilium vollmeri)

Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus)

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)

Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)

Black Petaltail (Tanypteryx hageni) female

Black Petaltail (Tanypteryx hageni) male

Thermalito Lake Picnic area

Canada Geese

Red-winged Black Bird

Tailed Blue (Everes sp.)

Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta)

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

Varigated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)

Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) Brown's Valley, Hammon Grove Park

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) Grass Valley, Best Western Motel parking lot

June 23 - We went to church in Grass Valley and met and ate lunch with Tom and Theresa Hughes (Tomascena, our preacher's wife's parents). After visiting for awhile, we headed west and then back north to a camp ground in Lassen County, called Ash Creek. Looks very promising. Got there just before dark.

Truckee Pass north of Lake Tahoe on I-80

On the way to Ash Creek, Eagle Lake, Lassen County, CA 139

Arrived at Ash Creek camp ground

Mule Deer

Either Northern or Boreal Bluet (Enallagma annexum or borealis) hard to tell with only photographs

Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)

Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas) female

June 24 - Terry spent all day searching along Ash Creek. This is one of the best places that I have searched for odes outside of Texas and Arizona. Searched from 9 - 4, but the best time was between 10 and 2. 23 species were observed and photographed. Also butterflies and few herps as well.

Ash Creek, Lassen County

Terry photographing a dragonfly along Ash Creek

Wyethia mollis

Triteleia laxa

Triteleia hyacinthina

Plebejus icarioides

Callophrys gryneus

Chlosyne palla

Coenonympha tullia

Euphydryas chalcedona

Limenitis lorquini

Papilio multicaudata

Phyciodes campestris

Thamnophis elegans

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Hyla regalis

Emma's Dancer (Argia emma)

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) Blue female

Vivid Dancers (Argia vivida) paired

River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis)

River Bluet (Enallagma anna)

Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)

Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)

Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)

Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas) female

Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)

Bison Snaketail (Ophogomphus bison)

Great Basin Snaketail (Ophogomphus morrisoni)

Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis) female

Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis) male

Pacific Clubtail (Phanogomphus kurilis)

Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)

Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)

June 25 - Left early from Ash Creek and went the long way out to the north. I saw 3 -4 dragonflies along the way. I stopped for one that hung up and it was a Pacific Spiketail. This was a new one for me. We also stopped and took a few photos of the scenery on the way. Drove through the northeast corner of California into Oregon and then down into Nevada on US 140. On the map I noticed that there were some lakes south of the road at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge/Antelope Wildlife area. We drove down to the springs and camp ground. Checked the area out for odes. Back on the road again heading to the North Fork of the Owyhee River. We got there at 8:04 PM. at the BLM camp ground. No one else was camping there. Beautiful area.

Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis)

Mt. Shasta in distance, Modoc County from Forest Road 40N33

Nevada, Humboldt County, Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

Pauite Dancer (Argia alberta)

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)

NOBO Bluet or Northern or Boreal (Enallagma annexum or boreale)

Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)

Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)

Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata)

Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)

Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta) pair

Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor)

Idaho, Owyhee County, North Fork of Owyhee River

June 26 - All day was spent at the North Fork of the Owyhee River BLM camp ground. I searched for odes, birds, herps, butterflies, and whatever else I could photograph.

North Fork of Owyhee River Recreational Site

Our camp ground

Road to our camping area.

North Fork of the Owyhee River

Diana relaxing at the camp site

Boreal Toad (Anaxyrus boreas)

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer)

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans)

Aster

Cedar Waxwing

Western Tanager

Yellow-breasted Chat

Yellow Warbler

Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)

Great Basin Woodnymph (Cercyonis oetus)

Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)

Dotted Blue (Euphilotes enoptes)

Wedemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis wedemeyeri)

Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)

Field Crescent (Phyciodes campestris)

Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)

Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis)

Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)

River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis)

NOBO Bluet or Northern/Boreal Bluet (Enallagma annexum/boreale)

Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)

Common Green Darner (Anax junius)

Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)

Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica)

Pale Snaketail (Ophiogomphus severus)

Pacific Clubtail (Phanogomphus kurilis)

June 27 - We left the canyon by 9:00 AM heading for the Owyhee River boat ramp near Rome, Oregon. We checked out the boat ramp for odes and then headed 2 miles south of Rome on a county road to a spot on the river that Troy had told me about. Search about an hour at each site. We then headed south to I-80 in Nevada. Ate at Long John Silvers before heading east on I-80. Decided to spend the night at Angel Creek camp ground south of Wells, Nevada at the base of snow covered peaks. Cold night.

North Fork of Owyhee River. On the way back to main road.

On the way out from Owyhee Canyon to main road.

Massive number of Katydids on the road.

What the katydids look like up close.

Boat ramp at the Owyhee River near Rome, Oregon

Western Tiger Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris)

Western Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia oregona)

California Dancer (Argia agrioides)

Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)

Columbia Clubtail (Gomphurus lynnae). This is why I went to this site.

Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentis)

Two miles south of Rome on county road at the Owyhee River.

Emma's Dancer (Argia emma)

Columbia Clubtail (Gomphurus lynnae) more of these

Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentis) female

On the road to Elko, Nevada

Angle Creek camp ground south of Wells, Nevada at the base of snow covered peaks. Cold night.

June 28 - After a few photos of birds and scenery, we left at 8:30 AM heading west to Elko and then south to Ely and then east into Utah. I couldn't pass up stopping at a lake on the way, Comins Lake south of Ely. Pine Tree County. It was windy but still found dragonflies hanging up low in the bushes. I got my first California Darners. Spent the night at Machuel camp ground on Fish Lake, Utah. We got the last camp site available.

View of mountains from Angel camp ground.

House Wren

Lazuli Bunting

Red-naped Sapsucker

Spotted Towhee

Warblering Vireo

Wilson's Warbler

On the road south of Elko on US 93. Lots of flowers. Hedysarum species

On the road south of Elko on US 93. Lots of flowers. Linum perenne

On the road south of Elko on US 93. Lots of flowers. Castilleja chromosa

Cumins Lake south of Ely, Pine Tree County, US 93

White-faced Ibis

Greater Yellow Legs

Yellow-headed Black Bird

NOBO Bluet, Northern/Boreal Bluet (Enallagma annexum/boreale)

Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)

Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)

California Darner (Rhionaeschna californica)

Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)

June 29 - Left Mackuel Camp around 8:30 AM and headed southeast to Hanksville, Utah. Stopped at couple of pull outs along the Fremont River in Capitol Reef National Park. Got a couple of photos of lizards and odes. Also stopped at Hog Springs Picnic area south of Hanksville. We had stopped here once before when the boys were young, many years ago. I got a few photos. We didn't stop again except for gas. We ate at Blanding, Utah. Traveled through SW Colorado across northern New Mexico and finally decided to get a motel in Merota, New Mexico.