TRIP REPORT SPAIN - Macromia Scientific · After a superb lunch (as always) taken at La Tasca in...

TRIP REPORT – SPAIN 2012 – Part 2

D G Chelmick

Macromia Scientific

Dec‐2012

SPAIN 2012 TRIP REPORT – Part 2

1

Introduction and Participants

This year cannot be considered as one trip; it comprised four separate visits as follows:

1. 21‐May to 28‐May D G Chelmick, P. Mitchell, R. Wicks,

a. Lagunas de Castilla la Mancha

b. Laguna de Gallocanta

2. 6‐June to 12‐June D G Chelmick, C E Chelmick meeting up with Fons and Valentina, Richard Gabb,

Carlo Utzeri and Arturo Bernal

a. Gaucin and environs

3. 4‐July to 11‐July D G Chelmick, P. Mitchell, A Winchester

a. Upper Tajo

b. Teruel

4. 3‐September to 7‐September D G Chelmick, C E Chelmick

a. Upper Tajo

Due to the size of the report it is presented in separate parts for each visit.

Dragonflies Recorded

This trip was primarily and, I am glad to report, successfully in the pursuit of Macromia splendens. Only

notable species are included here.

Daily Log – Part Two

This section provides more detailed information of the many sites visited together with notable fauna

recorded and any other information that may be of interest. Site refs all refer to DGC database. For more

information contact [email protected]

5‐June‐2012

Laguna de la Fuente de la Piedra from the plane – very dry this year and very few Flamingos


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First stop – lunch on the beach in Estepona

Rio Genal – Gaucin Bridge

Looking south towards los Nogales

Looking north

The levels of the river are those normally encountered in July – this is early June!


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River full of algae

This whole bank was remodelled (by nature) last year now it is just very dry

According to Bob Buckler’s blog www.wingspan2010news.blogspot.co.uk The river Genal dried up

completely from the early part of July at Gaucin Bridge. By July 21st the river was not a continuous flow but

simply a series of small pools full of dead and dying fish. On July 23rd Bob’s favourite pool under the bridge

was just surviving. Bob added 8 litlres of tap water but it seemed to disappear in from of him.

The Rio Genal at Gaucin Bridge on 21‐July thanks to Bob Buckler www.wingspanbirdtours.com


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6‐June‐2012

A day on the Rio Genal – Molino Tapanero

Looking down river from the Molino. The new embanking holding out for the road. This was at least 3.0 m deep the winter before last

Looking up river to the first deep pool section. Oxygastra was common here

The Macromia spot – water level normally 300mm higher this time of year. No exuviae this year

The first deep pool with Oxygastra buzzing me. So few real deep pools the males are all competing.

The day fell apart following this short work as we went back to Paul and Dawn’s for a superb lunch on their

terrace


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7‐June‐2012

Rio Hozgarganta – Jimena de la Frontera

On the Hozgarganta. Levels maintained remarkably well bearing in mind the dryness of the year I met Paul Hopkins who was working on a video of European dragonflies. It was quite a shock to see someone else on my favourite site. He had got there early and had seen Macromia males and females ovipositing. We did some temperatutre measurements and the Hoz was 5 degrees warmer than the Rio Genal.

Bob and Chris searching for Macromia on the Canuelo. We got there too late. Anax was patrolling spooking the Macromia. Got to get up early for this beast. I went down the stream during which timed Bob and Chris had a female Macromia ovipositing. Gomphus pulchellus was very common

This superb Oxygastra was settled along the path to the Canuelo


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Erythromma lindeni in cop. Common on the river Platycnemis acutipennis By far the rarer of the two species that occur in Spain and an early beast over by early July

After a superb lunch (as always) taken at La Tasca in Jimena we went off with Bob down the Guadiaro just

down the road from Estacion Jimena.

The river here is superb. Five years ago no one would go near the Guadiaro now it is as clean as the Genal.

The following pictures look like great Macromia stretches

8‐June‐2012


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Torreguadiaro – the northern side of the Guadiaro estuary

This area is a compensation/ reclamation area pout in as a sop to the locals by the Developers. The whole

area surrounding is a Floridaesque gated community right down to the palm trees.

The main laguna is permanent

but the surrounding habitat is clearly temporay and would be perfect for Lestids. It has even got Sea Club Rush

The problem is that Bob Buckler has only known this area flooded once in about 10 years

Following a superb lunch in the Caleta – Europa Point now much improved


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North Africa from Europa point


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9‐Jun‐2012

Los Barrios

We have come to this area on the advice of Arturo Bernal, a local dragonfly man for what has been hailed

as a particularly interesting Macromia experience. We are worshipping at Macromia holy grail. I am not

putting any detailed information on the report as it is not my site and the way Macromia behaves here it

could be vulnerable to unscrupulous collectors who still tragically exist.

The stream is rocky and very small. Macromia breeds here; Arturo has found exuviae. According to Arturo the stream is really a series of deep pools linked by rushing water. It never dries out. Macromia emergence is always in the early morning 9:00 am at the latest.

But it is the open meadow just a few yards up from the stream that provides the interest

It was a long walk probably 2 km through cork oaks and rather open woodland. We arrived at around 9:45

am and there were at least three male Macromia flying and feeding in this meadow; and then one settled.

Not only did it settle and feed, it rested for many minutes and allowed us humble humans to worship at its

feet.


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(from left) Miguel Conesa Garcia, Carlo Utzeri, Arturo Bernal, Richard Gabb and Fons Peels all in adoration. All you have to do now is spot the Macromia!! According to Arturo the females are much harder to find

On the stream we had at least one male Macromia holding territory. Perhaps the males that we are seeing

are unable to find territories and are laying up and feeding in readiness for their turn. This was my only trip

to this area but Fons returned for the next few days and reported a gradually decreasing number of

insects.

This tiny feeder stream, which we crossed, has breeding Oxygastra curtisii


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The principal object of our devotions. Macromia splendens (male) Above by kind permission of Richard Gabb Right by Chris Chelmick

A male enjoying its breakfast (DGC pic) left and below


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This fine female Macromia was photographed by Arturo at the same site but a couple of weeks after our trip

Two Gomphids common here

G. pulchellus

G. graslini


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This very mature male (right – blue eyes) found in the same area

Oxygastra curtisii This young female (left ‐ see dark eyes) was found resting near the car park far away from the breeding habitat

4 happy entomologists + 2 other halves (from left) Valentina, Chris, yours truly, Arturo, Carlo and Fons Photo courtesy of Richard Gabb

It was at lunch after this superb morning in a venta off the motorway that I was talked into the trip to the

Complejo Endorreico!!


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Two great pictures sent to me by Richard Gabb of Oxygastra curtisii photoed at today’s site

The first is fully adult male (with muck on its wings). The second is a young female (see the very dark eyes).


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10‐June‐2012

A day on the Genal. We parked up at the Tapanero and walked up to the Molino. Macromia was common

everywhere. Males and females ovipositing. No sign of copulas tragically. Anax was notable by its absence

Despite the major changes to this river in the winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11 where Macromia no longer

emerged in my favourite sites. It has made no difference to the species which is as common as I have ever

seen it.

Importantly many of the Males were holding territory in stretches of river that were too shallow or less

than suitable. Too many males for too few territories.

The first crossing point above the Tapanero. At this time of year the river at this point should be the full width of the channel not this miserable trickle

This was one of the deepest stretches of the river and a well attended area. It was about 2.0m deep.

Macromia was patrolling here. The males were probably more obvious along the river as territories were greatly reduced by the much lower water levels


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The leet which held up the waters by the third crossing was at normal levels unlike the river. Macromia and Oxygastra in good numbers here The temperature of the water was 18.5 deg C which is far colder than either the Hozgarganta or the Guadiaro.

This patch of detritus is Macromia larval habitat. Last year it was hard to find in the river but it is building up again. Very large numbers of small fish present wherever the water was deep enough

Lizard with extremely long tail


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This stretch by the Molino was as far as we went. I found a Macromia exuviae here (as I had 3 years ago). This exuvia was old and had been out at least one week. Boyeria was flying. Idyllic lunch here until the goatherd moved us on – we were spooking his animals!! The oranges in the deserted orchard are still delicious Grey Wagtails common here feasting on emerging odos no doubt.

Young Boyeria hiding in the shrubs Onychogomphus uncatus (below)

Paul Sutcliffe – Molino Tapanero wrote on 1‐Sep‐2012

“The river has dried up at the [Gaucin]bridge, as it often does in summer, but it has also dried up at the

white rock pool half way up to us which is not so usual, our part has continues running, albeit pretty

slowly, I think we are past the danger period now as the days are getting shorter.”

I am pleased to report that the river did not dry up and that the winter rains are maintaining a good

flow.(DGC)


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11‐June‐2012

Complejo Endorreico del Puerto de Santa Maria

Miguel had left the Macromia site in order to go off to this site where in 2011 Lestes macrostigma had

been recorded.

But first we had to stop on the round south of Jimena to get Carlo some stork pictures

This site which is very clearly found on google earth comprises three lakes

Laguna Salada – the biggest lake dominated by Phragmites and Tamarisk

Laguna Chica – like a smaller less accessible version of the above

Laguna Juncosa – a shallow lake dominated by Juncus and club rush

On arrival we found Brachythemis impartita in spectacular numbers along the sandy tracks


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The team preparing the cameras next to the Laguna Salada (pictured). This is clearly a permanent lake

which is reasonably accessible if you can penetrate the Tamarisk. Laguna Chica is even less accessible but

very similar.

The Laguna Juncosa lives up to its name; it is very shallow and dependent upon rainfall. This year it was

completely dry

The conundrum with this location is that L. macrostigma was recorded from the two permanent lakes but

not on the Laguna Juncosa that looks eminently suitable.

Unfortunately no sign of L. macrostigma this year.


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Wood Tiger Beetle is common here as well as up in Castilla la mancha

Orthetrum trinacria – the most exciting find of the day on the Laguna Salada


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Laguna de Medina

We found a venta for a rather ordinary lunch then, having seen very little, we went off to the Laguna de

Medina

The big problem from an Odonatologist viewpoint is that whilst there are some good edge areas of habitat

they are inaccessible . Fine for birdwatching but little else.


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Laguna de Medina

Some nice edge but inaccessible

12‐June‐2012

Rio Genal, Algotocin

The river at Algotocin Bridge. At least one metre lower than normal for this time of the year.


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The first crossing is almost like a full dam. You don’t need to get your feet wet

Territory 1. Shallow enough to be accessible and with one exuviae. Macromia was here on territory

The main river between Territory 1 &2. This is a mere trickle compared to previous years


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The upper riverbeyond the dam. The open areas would be flowing freely. The water level must be almost a metre lower than normal

The river was walkable up to the bend. The rocky substrate and lack of detritus is very clear.

The most telling picture the river is normally up to the bank here and the tree roots are submerged


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This is the stretch beyond the bend that is normally unwalkable

We rounded the trip off with look at the bird observatory at Bennaraba. I took this picture of the rather

useful map showing the various European bird migration routes.

TRIP REPORT SPAIN - Macromia Scientific · After a superb lunch (as always) taken at La Tasca in...

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Transcript of TRIP REPORT SPAIN - Macromia Scientific · After a superb lunch (as always) taken at La Tasca in...