Spangled Skimmer Libellula cyanea

Distinctive for those spangles, the white stigma marks, among skimmers. This is the female and you can see the color resemblance otherwise to the female skimmers. Spangleds have a more refined flight, they seem more acrobatic. The males are the same blue as Great Blue Skimmers (though smaller in size) with these same wing spangles.

Side shot showing lateral thorax and the wide yellow sidelines on the abdomen.

The blue-purple male. These are mostly open field or border zone insects. More often I find them away from water. No other dragonfly in NA has this spangled look.

The brighter thoracic mark may be a sign of a younger male. Note those yellow cheeks.