The Eagleson storm water ponds are a series of ponds that form part of the Monahan Drain system running through Kanata South to the Jock River. The ponds are bordered by Eagleson Road to the west, Bridgestone Drive to the north, and Hope Side Road to the south. There is a parking lot at Meadowbreeze Park on Meadowbreeze Road; this road runs parallel to Eagleson and can be accessed from either Grassy Plains Drive or Crownridge Drive. A paved walking path forms a large loop south of Emerald Meadows Drive with a short spur up to Bridgestone Drive. The vegetation is so dense that it’s difficult to get down to the water, but there are still some places around the south pond where you can make your way down the rocks to the water’s edge. Water flows in through the north end and out through the south end, providing some movement. Other than that, it appears just as stagnant and murky as you’d expect from any pond whose main purpose is to help filter the dirty rainwater that pours out of the subdivision before it makes its way to the Jock River.
Specialties
The ponds are mainly home to pond damselflies (including large numbers of Eastern Forktails), skimmers, and Common Green Darners. In 2013 I was delighted to find a colony of Rainbow Bluets. Then in 2015 and 2016 the ponds underwent major reconstruction – all the ponds were drained, the islands were bulldozed, the trees on the far side were removed, and the narrow channel of water running south of Emerald Meadows Drive was widened. As part of that reconstruction the City of Ottawa placed a series of boulders across the central and southern ponds, planted new vegetation in the water and along the shore, and otherwise left it to its own devices. I was delighted to find that the Rainbow Bluets were still present in 2016, and have made it a point to check the ponds throughout the course of the warmer months for new species.
In 2017 I discovered not one but two exciting new residents: Eastern Amberwings and Saffron-winged Meadowhawks, which saved me from having to drive out to Petrie Island and Bill Mason Center respectively to see these gorgeous dragons. Although the amberwings are still doing well, it’s become difficult to find the Saffron-winged Meadowhawks – in 2023 I saw only one and in 2024 I saw none. This is possibly due to the loss of sandy substrate in and around the pond edges as the vegetation grew rampant.
The next resident species I discovered there was the tiny Orange Bluet in 2022, an afternoon ode that was present in good numbers from 2022 through to 2024. This was another delightful find as prior to this discovery I had only seen them reliably at Petrie Island.
Rainbow Bluets in June, Eastern Amberwings and Orange Bluets in July, and Saffron-winged and Band-winged Meadowhawks in August are the main reasons for visiting. Look for the Rainbow Bluets in the vegetation on the left-hand side of the path just after you cross the bridge on the west side of the southern-most pond; they can be found from there to Hope Side Road. Eastern Amberwings and Orange Bluets can be found perching on lily pads on the west side in the small bay between the bridge and Don Brown Private. Band-winged Meadowhawks love to perch in the vegetation anywhere around the southern-most pond.
Other Dragonflies and Damselflies
Prince Baskettails and Common Green Darners can often be seen patrolling over the water close to the shoreline. Skimmer numbers vary from year to year but have been quite low lately – except for the Blue Dasher, which is another recent arrival that has done well the past two years. Spotted and Slender Spreadwings are seen almost every year, as are Wandering Gliders and Shadow Darners flying over the lawns later in the season.
Many of the species on the list seem to be strays that wandered into the area from more suitable habitat nearby: Racket-tailed Emerald, Beaverpond Baskettail, Chalk-fronted Corporal, River Jewelwing and Violet Dancer fall into this category.
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