River Springs 9.9.2018

Stopped at River Springs in the afternoon to bird and look for tiger beetles. Spent 1-2 hours walking the alkali grass stubble hoping to find Cicindela parowana. I didn't find any of those, but encountered good numbers of C. tanquebarica and one C. oregona in the dry grassy, alkaline uplands.
The wetland I stopped at for the next couple hours was incredible for tiger beetles. Literally standing in place I observed 6 species! The ones listed here plus C. oregona. Good numbers of individuals as well. Patches of the mud were covered with tiger beetle activity! I estimated 8-10 Susan's Tiger beetle. At least 2 pairs were in mate guard position (only species I saw doing that), plus several singles.
Williston's TB - estimated 10 or so individuals. All of them had a green sheen, and I strongly suspect these are psueudosenilis, or perhaps that mixed with echo. I've been doing a project on Williston's TB's this summer with a small grant, and have observed and collected them at Owen's Lake, Mono Lake, Alkali dry lake in Mineral Co NV, and middle alkali lake in Modoc. These River Springs ones looked alot like the Owen's ones.
Oblique-lined tiger-beetle - very common. Didn't estimate a number, but present in dry grassland and mudflats. As in observation listed below, several individuals appeared exceptionally hairy - more so than I'm used to for this species.
Short-legged: only 3-4 observed. However, in the field they are easily over-looked among the C. tranquebarica. They look slightly greener and have a thinner front maculation. Seen pulling small inverts from the mud & eating them (Williston's did this also).
oregona - fairly common on shoreline
wetsalts Tiger Beetle: also common in the mudflats. Ranged from jet black with bold crisp yellow maculation to ebony black

Birds here were very slow given the time of year. One Least Sandpiper, a handful of Red-necked Phalarope, a dozen or less WF Ibis, and a few waterfowl and PB Grebe with a juvenile.
About 90 feral horses out in the meadow to the east of this location, and horse damage around this spring was bad. I took some documentary photos. Though the Tiger beetle spot was so muddy & soft, the horses seemed to avoid it.
Also in the meadow to the east were about 25 pronghorn. The Pronghorn are relatively new arrivals here as far as I know (I've occasionally birded here for 15+ years). I saw 26 pronghorn last time I was here in late summer, and pronghorn appear to be increasing in western Mono Co. this year. Reports have come from Black Point (first pronghorn there since the 80's - since the late 90's for the Mono Basin) and out Hwy 167
Also encountered a swarm of what I suspect are broad-striped lady beetles in the alkali grassland. I have also seen these in Long Valley while looking for tiger beetles in alkaline grassland habitat. Crossidius coralensis (spelling?) still active, one individual on rabbitbrush

Posted on September 10, 2018 10:23 PM by storm_petrel storm_petrel

Observations

Photos / Sounds

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 02:51 PM PDT

Description

These orange ones are still out at River Springs

Photos / Sounds

What

Broad-striped Lady Beetle (Paranaemia vittigera)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 12:51 PM PDT

Description

Mass of them active in a grass clump in alkali meadow. Back in July I encountered a similar grouping of these at Benton Crossing in alkaline grassy mudflats

Photos / Sounds

What

Susan's Tiger Beetle (Parvindela terricola ssp. susanagreae)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 02:04 PM PDT

Description

at least 2 pairs in mate guard position - the male planing his legs. In this case at times all 6 legs were raised up. I estimated 8 - 10 individuals in this one patch of mudflat. I observed 6 species while standing in place here

Photos / Sounds

What

Susan's Tiger Beetle (Parvindela terricola ssp. susanagreae)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 02:07 PM PDT

Description

Single individuals ranged from jet black, to subtle yellow maculation - sickle shape on shoulder - as seems frequent here

Photos / Sounds

What

Williston's Tiger Beetle (Cicindela willistoni)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 01:51 PM PDT

Description

I estimated 10 or so present at this spot. All had a distinct greenish sheen - much like pseudosenilis of Owen's Valley/Owen's lake. It's tempting to enter these as that - as the populations I've been observing at Mono Lake and areas north of there have lacked that green sheen. Though Will Richardson photographed one in the Tahoe region greenish like this.

Photos / Sounds

What

Short-legged Tiger Beetle (Cicindela tenuicincta)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 01:56 PM PDT

Description

Here is a blackish individual. I observed only 3-4 of these at this spot. This one was black, others had a matte green tone

Photos / Sounds

What

Short-legged Tiger Beetle (Cicindela tenuicincta)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 03:23 PM PDT

Description

Here are images of the one(s) that had a subtle matte green tone to the back. These seemed to average thinner, less bulbous-tipped front maculation. But I've not looked at enough to say if that's a consistent correlation

Photos / Sounds

What

Oblique-lined Tiger Beetle (Cicindela tranquebarica)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 01:59 PM PDT

Description

Common here, both in the alkali mudflats and the dry surrounding alkali grasslands. Some individuals were very hairy, included in this submission. Others were not so hairy at this spot. I reviewed photos I've taken of this species in this area and none seemed so hairy as these. Perhaps the sticky alkali mud was a factor?
I seem to recall coming across populations or individual C. oregonas that were hairier than others. Maybe it's just a variable thing. Curious what folks think on that

Photos / Sounds

What

Wetsalts Tiger Beetle (Cicindela haemorrhagica)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 02:03 PM PDT

Description

Common at this site. Some very black and crisply marked like this, others had reduced or no maculations

Photos / Sounds

What

Susan's Tiger Beetle (Parvindela terricola ssp. susanagreae)

Observer

storm_petrel

Date

September 9, 2018 03:27 PM PDT

Description

This individual caught my eye. The red abdomen was not obvious. I captured it, and it did have a red abdomen! Superficially it could have been called Susan's TB, but the rusty tone on the back seemed wrong - it just wasn't right for susanagreae. I've seen black wetsalts before, but this one seemed extra black and more subtle in abdomen shape difference.

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