Oregon
Video: Masses of Dragonflies Migrating Along Oregon Coast
Published 08/13/23 at 9:31 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff
(Oregon Coast) – Thousands of dragonflies are making their way along the north Oregon coast right now, according to Seaside Aquarium, which just captured some amazing images of the little creatures flitting about en masse. It’s a migration that happens apparently yearly, but many years it goes on unnoticed or at least not in great numbers. Other years, like right now, it’s quite a sight, sometimes creating large walls of them. (Above: photo Tiffany Boothe / Seaside Aquarium)
The aquarium’s Tiffany Boothe documented the current run, which often happens when there’s a lot of east winds coming in – as there is now with the sizable heatwave. She even snagged video, which has not been obtained much in years past.
“The dragonfly migration is on! Thousands of dragonflies are currently migrating through the dunes,” she said.
Boothe caught them at Del Rey State Recreation Site just north of Seaside.
The dragonflies being found are the variegated meadowhawk, which tend to engage in their big migrations a little later in the season than this.
The dragonfly migration is on! Thousands of dragonflies are currently migrating through the dunes. This video was taken this afternoon at Del Ray State Park.
At the onset of fall cold fronts, the main species involved, the Variegated Meadowhawk, seems to funnel to the coast and head south. But beyond that, little is known about these fall migrants.
“This is not only an amazing spectacle to witness but a great mystery even to scientists,” says Cary Kerst, co-author with Steve Gordon, of Dragonflies and Damselflies of OreAuthors Steve Gordon and Cary Kerstgon, the definitive field guide to the subject. “We don’t know where they are coming from or going or what prompts them to start moving.”
Here is some interesting information from Oregon State University:
Scientists have tried various methods of tracking dragonfly migrations with little success. Now, a partnership has formed to solicit the public’s help to better protect and sustain this phenomenon. The Migratory Dragonfly Partnership offers an opportunity for people to collect and record dragonfly migration observations. Citizen scientists monitor the timing, duration, and direction of travel of migrating dragonflies, and note any additional behaviors observed in migratory flight such as feeding or mating.
Learning to identify the main migratory species of dragonflies is an essential first step in migratioDragonflies covern monitoring, and for Oregon there’s no better place to start than the Kerst and Gordon guide. It includes full color photographs of all species found in the state, along with helpful illustrations and charts showing important identification characteristics. The book also features descriptions of the thirty best sites in Oregon to observe these amazing insects, a useful tool for viewing uncommon species in spectacular settings.
With sufficient participation in migration monitoring, it’s not hard to imagine a future in which volunteers line Oregon dunes each fall wearing “Dragonfly Watching Spoken Here” t-shirts and introducing curious onlookers to the wonders of dragonfly migration.
Posted by Seaside Aquarium on Sunday, August 13, 2023
During some events, variegated meadowhawk are seen in huge numbers in multiple places, sometimes swirling together in giant formations. Periodically, estimates have them at around 28 to 36 dragonflies a minute. Oregon Coast Beach Connection has covered this in the past, noting they would pop up in Rockaway Beach, Newport and Seal Rock all at once, and even Seaside all at once – then be gone after a day or two.
Photo of the variegated meadowhawk OSU
Several years ago, Steve Gordon and Cary Kerstgon talked to Oregon Coast Beach Connection about a particularly large run then. They wrote the book Dragonflies and Damselflies of Oregon, considered the definitive work on the subject here.
Not much is known about these fall migrants, and the pair of authors said no one knows where they coming from exactly and certainly not where they’re going. Scientists aren’t sure if they breed at all out on the beach area, and there aren’t any observers inland to tell them if the dragonflies are doing so in that area either.
Tiffany Boothe / Seaside Aquarium
There was a group called the Migratory Dragonfly Partnership which offered an opportunity for people to collect and record dragonfly migration observations. However, that no longer seems to exist. Citizen scientists monitored the timing, duration, and direction of travel of migrating dragonflies, and noted any additional behaviors observed in migratory flight such as feeding or mating.
So, they remain a colorful mystery on the Washington coast and Oregon coast.
That includes the question: how long will they be around? That no one really knows, either. They sometimes return briefly in yet another wave.
Hotels in Seaside – Where to eat – Seaside Maps and Virtual Tours
More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging…..
More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining…..
LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles
Back to Oregon Coast
Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted
Oregon
Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon under a high wind watch Monday and Tuesday
The National Weather Service issued a high wind watch at 9:29 p.m. on Sunday valid from Monday 4 p.m. until Tuesday 10 a.m. for Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon.
The weather service states, “Southeast winds 25 to 40 mph with gusts of 45 to 65 mph possible for the base of the northern Blue Mountains of Oregon.”
“Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” describes the weather service. “Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.”
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
No. 1 Oregon will face No. 8 Ohio State in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
With the rematch officially set, we’re taking a look back at the path the Ducks (13-0) took to reach the CFP as the top seed.
The season began with a clunky 24-14 win over Idaho. The right side of the offensive line was responsible for multiple penalties and three sacks to an FCS opponent that made for an unnecessarily difficult opener, even as Dillon Gabriel threw for 380 yards with two touchdowns to Tez Johnson.
Special teams rescued the Ducks in a 37-34 comeback over Boise State. Ashton Jeanty had 192 yards and three touchdowns to legitimize his Heisman candidacy. An 85-yard punt return touchdown by Johnson and a 100-yard kickoff return by Noah Whittington and recovery in the end zone by Jayden Limar erased a fourth quarter deficit. The offensive line made constant changes while allowing four sacks and committing five penalties in the unit’s most disjointed performance in years.
The early issues up front were gone as Iapani Laloulu took over at center in a 49-14 plastering of Oregon State. Gabriel threw for two touchdowns and ran for one as the offense gained 546 yards with 10 plays of 20-plus. The defense shutdown the Beavers ground game in the second half and UO secured its first win in Corvallis since 2018.
Following its first bye week of the season, Oregon officially opened Big Ten play at UCLA with a 34-13 rout at the Rose Bowl. A 28-3 lead was more than enough for the Ducks to coast and they held the Bruins to just 47 rushing yards.
Jordan James and Jordan Burch took center stage in a 31-10 Friday night drubbing of Michigan State at Autzen Stadium. James had 166 yards and a touchdown and Burch had 2.5 sacks and recovered a fumble. Two red zone interceptions by Gabriel made things briefly more competitive but the Ducks pulled away to setup a clash of undefeated titans.
The Oct. 12 game with Ohio State lived up to the billing as the top game of the season. There were seven lead changes in the 32-31 Ducks win over the Buckeyes, who were driving in the closing seconds and Will Howard slid at the UO 26 with time expiring. A deliberate 12 men on the field penalty by Oregon led to an in-season rules interpretation by the NCAA and provided further evidence of Dan Lanning’s preparation relative to Ryan Day. Even without Burch, who suffered a knee injury two days before the game, the Ducks were able to generate some pressure on Howard.
A Friday night trip to West Lafayette, Ind. will be remembered as Oregon’s first shutout since 2012. Purdue was hapless, throwing for less than 100 yards. Even with Traeshon Holden suspended and Terrance Ferguson out following an appendectomy, the Ducks were vastly better in every facet.
A 38-9 blowout of Illinois was filled with physicality in all phases. The defense had seven tackles for loss with three sacks, two interceptions and eight pass breakups to help build a 35-3 halftime lead.
Ferguson and Burch returned in a 38-17 beat down of Michigan at the Big House. The Ducks also suffered injuries to Johnson and Marcus Harper II but still managed to gain 470 yards and did not allow a sack against one of the best defensive lines in college football.
Gabriel broke the NCAA career touchdown record in a 39-18 win over Maryland. A season-high 12 penalties, particularly a couple of pass interference calls in the end zone, made the game more competitive than it truly was and Burch sprained his ankle.
Another fourth quarter comeback was required to escape Wisconsin with a 16-13 win. Gabriel found Ferguson on fourth and nine to open the fourth quarter and the defense closed it out with back-to-back three-and-outs, a fourth down stop and interception by Matayo Uiagalelei to cap an eighth straight conference win in as many weeks.
The second bye week allowed for Johnson to return for a 49-21 rout of Washington to cap a 12-0 regular season with Dan Lanning’s first win in the rivalry. Burch had 2.5 of Oregon’s 10 sacks and Uiagalelei had two. The Huskies ran for just 43 yards and could not stretch the field vertically.
A battle of top 10 defenses instead was a shootout in the Big Ten championship game, which Oregon won over Penn State 45-37 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Gabriel threw four touchdowns, with three going to tight ends, and the defense had two interceptions to help secure the conference title, No. 1 seed in the CFP and Rose Bowl berth.
CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl
- Who: No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (11-2)
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 1
- Time: 2 p.m. PT
- Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- TV channel: ESPN
- Stream: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or by signing up for Sling (cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on Watch ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information.
- Oregon Ducks football 2024 season schedule, scores
- Sign up for The Ducks Beat newsletter
— James Crepea covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter.
The Oregon Ducks will face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The Buckeyes handled business in the first round of the College Football Playoff and will now face the Ducks in the quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. PT on New Year’s Day.
What do the Vegas oddsmakers say about the upcoming matchup between Oregon and Ohio State?
The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will play in the Rose Bowl for a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Buckeyes are coming off a 42-17 dismantling of the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the CFP. That performance was enough for Ohio State to now be a slight favorite over the No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks.
It’s nearly a pick ‘em, but Ohio State is a one-point favorite as of now. The over/under is set at 53.5 points.
The odds makers have loved the Buckeyes all season, and they still do. Not only is Ohio State a slight favorite over Oregon, they also have better odds to win the national championship.
Texas is the overall favorite to win the national championship with odds of +340. Ohio State has the second best odds of +380. Oregon is third with odds of +400.
MORE: Oregon Ducks Land Transfer Defensive Lineman Bear Alexander From USC
MORE: Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert Closing In On Peyton Manning’s NFL Record
MORE: How Oregon Ducks Landed Transfer Portal Star Isaiah World Over Texas A&M Aggies
Oregon and Ohio State treated the country to one of the best games of the 2024 regular season when they played in October. The Ducks outlasted the Buckeyes in a 32-31 thriller at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.
The Ducks were underdogs in that game too, but prevailed and won outright. Now, the two will play against each other in the “Granddaddy of Them All” in the Rose Bowl. The winner will play the winner of the Texas-Arizona State game in the semi-finals.
What are the other games in the quarterfinal slate?
The quarterfinals in the College Football Playoff will kick off when No. 3 Boise State plays No. 6 Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl at 4:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 31.
The New Year will start off with No. 5 Texas and No. 4 Arizona State in the Peach Bowl at 10 a.m. PT on Jan. 1.
Following the Rose Bowl between Oregon and Ohio State to finish off the quarterfinals is No. 2 Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl at 5:45 p.m. PT on New Year’s Day.
MORE: Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert Injured, Breaks NFL Record In Win Over Denver
MORE: Why Oregon Ducks Five-Star Receiver Dallas Wilson To Flip To Florida Gators?
MORE: San Francisco 49ers To Draft Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dillon Gabriel? Brock Purdy Contract
MORE: Oregon Ducks Fans Color To Wear In Rose Bowl Vs. Ohio State Or Tennessee in Pasadena
Film Review: 'Better Man' Takes a Very Unusual Approach to Telling the Story of Robbie Williams – Awards Radar
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry
Video: Our Photographer’s Look Inside New York’s Migrant Shelters
Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Don’t blame Playoff committee for first round getting out of hand
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Video: Our Photographer’s Look Inside New York’s Migrant Shelters
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen hospitalized after he was bucked off a horse
Fact check: How deadly was 2024 for journalists?
Why Trump's tariffs on Mexico would mean higher avocado prices at the grocery store
Trump names several new White House picks to work on AI, crypto and more: 'America First Patriots'
-
Politics1 week agoCanadian premier threatens to cut off energy imports to US if Trump imposes tariff on country
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25789444/1258459915.jpg "OpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever says the way AI is built is about to change")
Technology1 week agoOpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever says the way AI is built is about to change
-
Politics1 week agoU.S. Supreme Court will decide if oil industry may sue to block California's zero-emissions goal
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25546252/STK169_Mark_Zuckerburg_CVIRGINIA_D.jpg "Meta asks the US government to block OpenAI’s switch to a for-profit")
Technology1 week agoMeta asks the US government to block OpenAI’s switch to a for-profit
-
Business1 week agoFreddie Freeman's World Series walk-off grand slam baseball sells at auction for $1.56 million
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23951353/STK043_VRG_Illo_N_Barclay_3_Meta.jpg "Meta’s Instagram boss: who posted something matters more in the AI age")
Technology1 week agoMeta’s Instagram boss: who posted something matters more in the AI age
-
News1 week agoEast’s wintry mix could make travel dicey. And yes, that was a tornado in Calif.
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24924653/236780_Google_AntiTrust_Trial_Custom_Art_CVirginia__0003_1.png "Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps")
Technology2 days agoGoogle’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps