Amber-winged Spreadwing

Sarsaparilla Trail in July

Sarsaparilla Trail is always worth a quick visit in the warmer months, even with the limited access to the water. The pond is fairly large, and I’ve often wondered just how many species actually live and breed here away from the boardwalk – the only point of access to the water. On June 18, 2025 I added a new species here to the list of Stony Swamp odes, a female Horned Clubtail that landed on the boardwalk and stayed long enough for some photos. After seeing that magnificent dragonfly I wasn’t expecting to add another new species to the list anytime soon, but that is what happened on one of my visits this month.

The circular trail through the woods is short – the inner loop is only about 0.5 km – so most times I only stop by for a quick walk on my lunch break while working from home, or a short visit after returning from somewhere else. My July 8 visit was a lunchtime visit, and although there were lots of clouds in the sky, the odes were flying around the pond as usual.

Finding Amber-wings

I have been spending time on iNaturalist lately, looking at historical records of various odonate species and checking what species have been seen around Ottawa recently. This search stemmed from an interest in seeing whether there were any new locations or new records for the Eastern Red Damsel and Amber-winged Spreadwing, two species that used to be common at Bruce Pit but aren’t any longer. The Amber-winged Spreadwing is a relatively hefty species that inhabits various bogs, lakes and ponds, preferably those which do not contain fish. It’s been a good ten years since I’ve seen one at Bruce Pit, and the only other place I’ve seen one in Ottawa is at the Mississippi Snye in 2021. To my surprise one had been reported in Kanata not too far from home: Bill Teron Park in Kanata North. Named for the developer who initially designed Kanata to be a garden city existing in harmony with nature – no straight roads or cookie-cutter houses, while preserving rock outcroppings and areas for parks – it is a delightful pocket of the same rocky, wooded ecosystem found at South March Highlands hidden within an urban setting. There is a small pond here, with the usual dragonflies being seen at the water or along the nearby trails: Chalk-fronted Corporals, Dot-tailed Whitefaces, Common Whitetails, Autumn Meadowhawks, Common Green Darners.

A trip to Morris Island with the McNamara Field Naturalists

On Saturday, July 3rd I accompanied the McNamara Field Naturalists on their first in-person outing since the latest Stay-at-Home Order ended on June 2nd. Ontario entered Stage 2 of its reopening plan on July 2nd, which raised the number of people who could attend outdoor social gatherings and organized public events to 25 people (as well as allowing haircuts and personal care services again). Although I am not a member of the McNamara Field Naturalists Club, which calls Arnprior home but whose explorations include a large swath of the Ottawa Valley, one of my friends happens to be in charge of putting field trips together, and asked if I wanted to help lead a dragonfly walk. I said yes, and suggested Morris Island as it’s a great place to find all sorts of odes, including several flashy skimmers and clubtails that can be found perching in the vegetation and along the trails. I was thrilled when my mentor Chris Lewis joined us, as it would be easier to find some more of the unique species with a couple of knowledgeable people looking.

Ode-hunting in Prince Edward County

During the first week of July my fiancé and I spent some time in Prince Edward County with my dad’s family. We rented a cottage on Loves Lane on Prince Edward Bay, a nice three-bedroom place with 8 acres of land only 20 minutes away from both Sandbanks and Picton. The weather was beautiful, and I spent most of my time getting to know the local residents. On our first full day at the cottage (Monday, July 1st), I went for an afternoon walk on the property to see what I could find. It seemed to be a good spot for odonates; every now and then a couple of Prince and Common Baskettails flew in and started swooping above the deck. There were some other dragonflies present too, so I brought my net out in the hopes of catching one.