Most pennants are tropical species and the red-tailed pennant shown here is scarce in southern California (at least in the places where I look for dragonflies)   Males have bright red faces and abdomens, brown thorax, and small amber spots at the wing base; females are less brightly colored (lower right).   I took the pictures in October at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area near Riverside, California, and near Palm Desert and Desert Center, California.