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Goose Lake (above) is a huge,
alkaline lake in a sagebrush basin in the extreme northeastern corner
of California. From Hwy 395 a road runs right down the state line to
the lake, and a State Park that is on the Oregon side. As I was up
early on 9 June 2007, I drove up here as it was too early for odes
elsewhere in Modoc County. I found just two species at this hour (8
a.m.): Pacific Forktail 1 & Alkali Bluet 6. But the latter was a
lifer; had to hop a fence to be sure of one inside California, though.
One male Alkali Bluet is below.
You can even sort-of see the wedge-shaped cerci at the abdominal tip.
It was not actually necessary to drive way up here. I saw more later
that day at Willow Creek W.A. in Lassen County.
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This can be a very spectacular trip in early
summer. The lakes and marshes of Modoc County are filled with birds
(American White Pelicans, right) and other wildlife abounds. During my
short drive along Hwy 395 this trip, I saw deer, Pronghorn, and Badger.
The vistas of sagebrush plains and mountain ranges in all directions
bring a supreme feeling of 'big sky Montana' to California in this
little-visited corner of the State.
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It was at a spot along Hwy 395, some 10.7 miles north of
Alturas, that I happened to look down into the north fork
of the Pit River (left) and saw two young bucks
splashing upstream. I skidded to a stop and got off a couple shots (one
is below). The streambed of the crystal clear river was filled with
emergent rocks, and the sun was shining brightly. It looked so inviting
that I decided to scramble down the back to search for odes here. I
found: River Jewelwing 25 (both sexes), Vivid Dancer 10, Bo/No Bluet 4,
W. Forktail 15, W. Red Damsel 20, Blue-eyed Darner 1, Four-spotted
Skimmer 1, and Eight-spotted Skimmer 1.
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Several of these were new species for
me, including Western Red Damsel (below left). But
the real stunner was River Jewelwing (below right,
and succeeding three rows).
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 A male jewelwing would sit
quietly on a favored perch (left), glistening metallic green in the
morning sun, and then unexpectedly its wings would fly open in a
dazzling display (below).
Breathtaking.
The female (with white pterostigma below the
displaying male) is also drop-dead gorgeous when the metallic
iridescence of the body catches the sunlight.
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The final important locale for odes in Modoc
County that I had chosen for this trip was Sand Creek,
nearly at the Nevada state line 8 miles east of Cedarville on Hwy 299.
One turns north on County Road 18 (a dirt road) for 2.6 miles to where
Sand Creek crosses the road (it is flowing this time of year). I had
walked upstream the previous day from 5:15-6:15 p.m. The little stream
curves between crumbling sandstone cliffs through the sage (below).
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It was a warm and sunny afternoon on the high
desert. I encountered nesting Barn Owls in the cliffs, Western
Meadowlarks in the flats, and a food-carrying adult Loggerhead Shrike
in the sage (left). I searched patiently but the odes were routine:
Vivid Dancer 15, Bo/No Bluet 8, Tule Bluet 5, Western Forktail 30, and
Eight-spotted Skimmer 3.
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 It was getting late in the day. Thoughts of
giving up were frequent. Pushing through sagebrush and crossing the
creek multiple times was getting tiresome. Finally, about a mile
upstream, I came to a fence. And oh the joy! The ode of my quest was
right beside that fence!
Sitting on a lump of pumice in the cow-trodden muck was
a male Pale Snaketail (right & below). Although
widespread in the Great Basin, this species appears to be restricted to
Modoc County within California. It has been found along the Pit River,
but I didn't find it there. This was its only other 'known' locale
within the State.
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