Marl Bed Flats, 7/26/2017

Rambur's Forktail

This morning I decided to head out to Marl Bed Flats to see what birds and bugs I might find. I was pleased to see that the flats aren't nearly as dry as they were the last time I visited. There was standing water near the slough, and that was encouraging to me. I didn't see a lot of birds, but there were bugs everywhere. I saw several species of dragonflies and damselflies. The biggest treat was seeing two mating Rambur's Forktails. They didn't mind me getting close with my camera, so I got my first decent photos of a mated pair.

Blue Dasher

Blue Dasher

Little Blue Dragonlet

Eastern Amberwing

I only photographed three butterflies: Little Yellow, Southern Skipperling, and Common/White Checkered Skipper.

Little Yellow

Little Yellow

Southern Skipperling

It was also fun to find a different species of bee fly (I think Poecilanthrax lucifer)  and a new species of assassin bug (I think Acanthocephala terminalis).

Assassin Bug

Bee Fly