On Sunday May 29th, 8 members and friends of the Athol Bird and Nature Club embarked on a beautiful sunlit day exploring for Odonates and other insects in Royalston Ma. First stop was the Eagle Reserve a huge bog and marsh owned and protected by the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust. A second stop explored the Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area and Priest Brook in Winchendon.
Butterflies included: 10 Arctic Skipper, a Pepper and Salt Skipper, Hobomok Skipper, Juvanal’s Duskywing, Pine Elfin, and lots of flyby Tiger swallowtails
Odonates included: 3 Jewelwings Ebony, River, and Superb. Ebony Boghaunter, Common Baskettail, Rackettail Emerald, Uhler’s Sundragon, Common Green Darner, Harlequin Darner, Chalk Fronted Corporal, Common Whitetail, four–spotted Skimmer, Painter Skimmer, Slaty Skimmer, Fragile Forktail, Eastern Forktail, Aurora Damsel, Lancet Clubtail plus a few others seen by some in the group.
37 species of birds and a weasel were also observed
