Date: Apr 18, 2024

Location: Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

City: Alamo

State: TX

Number of species found: 4

Observed no photo: none

New finds: none

Notes:

Warm and humid today. 85 degrees and overcast. Hiked the Pintail Lakes area of the park. About half of the lakes have dried. Some have water in the middle, but the shoreline has receded 20 to 50 yards, making it difficult to search the water for odes. The smallest lake, farthest east, still had water and an appropriate water edge. Found a few dragons there.

While I was at the end of a long peninsula that extended across the largest of the waters, a helicopter started circling above the area. For the first five minutes, I did not pay too much attention, because the park is adjacent to the Rio Grande and the Mexican border. Eventually the circling got lower and lower, directly overhead, and it’s loud speaker announced to “go to the park ranger and you will be given a ride to the gate.” By then there were three park/border patrol vehicles about a five minute walk across the lake area. Turns out, an elderly couple had gotten lost in the area and had phoned for help. I continued my dragonfly search!