Posts in Category: Odonata
American Emerald
American Emerald dragonfly, Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I am pretty sure this is an American Emerald. If so, it would be a first for me. I saw a Racket-tailed Emerald over the water very near where I took this photo a week before…Racket-tail is an early Dragonfly in Maine, and has an obvious “racket” at the end of the abdomen…but this one looks more like an American. Of course there are a couple of striped Emeralds it could be here in Maine, but, like I say, it is most likely an American. I still have a lot to learn about dragonflies. 🙂 I do enjoy photographing them though. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Four-spotted Skimmer
Four-spotted Skimmer, SMHC Ponds, Kennebunk, Maine. — Our Four-spotted Skimmers are among the early summer dragonflies in Southern Maine…and there were many of them at the drainage ponds at Southern Maine Health Care campus in Kennebunk. Like all dragonflies, I find the intricate patterns fascinating. And of course all skimmers are wonderful for photography because they sit still just long enough to focus, and often land close enough. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Calico Pennant
Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa), Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area, Kennebunk Maine, USA.
Yesterday’s post featured my first Halloween Pennant for the season. The Calico Pennant, featured here, is the other Pennant on the wing in Southern Maine right now. I have been seeing Calicos for about a week and half. These individuals were around the pond on the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area, and are particularly dark red, for whatever reason. I was also, just after my encounter with the Halloween, struck anew by how small they are. There were lots of Slaty and Spangled Skimmers around, and the Calicos were almost tiny by comparison. Sony RX10iv at 600mm optical plus enough Clear Image Zoom to fill the frame. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and assembled in Framemagic.
Halloween Pennant
I found my first of the season Halloween Pennant the day before yesterday. I stopped at the parking lot for the new Wild Forever Sanctuary on Rt 99 going out of Kennebunk toward the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area and spent some time chasing Monarchs in the overgrown field. There was just this one female Holloween Pennant perching on the tallest grasses. I managed to get several angles on it. 🙂 Sony RX10iv at 600mm optical equivalent with enough Clear Image Zoom to fill the frame. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and assembled in Framemagic.
Damsels
Things are really hitting up Odonata wise in Southern Maine here in mid-July. About time! Every little drainage pond and ditch is alive with dragon and damselflies. These damsels are from a fairly large drainage pond on a condo development between Kennebunk and Wells. Male and female Familiar Bluet, and Eastern and Fragile Forktails. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent with enough Clear Image Zoom to fill the frame. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and assembled in Framemagic.
Sometimes they come to you…
My wife Carol came into the bedroom where I was writing and said there was a dragonfly on our back deck near the bird feeders. It had, of course, moved by the time I got my camera and got there, but it was still sitting on the bow of one of the feeder poles. I got a few shots before a Woodpecker came and scared it off for good. This is a Painted Skimmer, one of the most abundant dragons on the wing right now in Southern Maine. Sometimes they come to you 🙂 Sony RX10iv at 600mm optical equivalent, plus 2x Clear Image Zoom. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr.
The Dragons of July
We had a long cold spring in southern Maine this year, and most dragon and damselflies are late arriving or late flying, but here in the first weeks of July, we are finally seeing some action. These dragons were all at the drainage pond at Southern Maine Medical Center in Kennebunk yesterday. Unicorn Clubtail, Twelve Spotted Skimmer, female Eastern Pondhawk, and Blue Dasher. All but the Unicorn will be abundant at the area ponds for the next month or more, but it is good to see them flying. Sony RX10iv at 600mm optical equivalent, plus enough Clear Image Zoom to fill the frame. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr.
Dragons at the pond
More dragonflies from Day Brook Pond on the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area here in Southern Maine. Slaty Skimmer, a well worn Chalk-fronted Corporal, Frosted Whiteface, and Spangled Skimmer. Sony RX10iv at 600mm optical plus enough Clear Image Zoom to fill the frame. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr.
Ebony Jewelwing
A nice close up view of a male Ebony Jewelwing from the rapids on the Bascom River at Emmon’s Preserve in Kennebunkport. For a few weeks, just now at the turn from June to July, the Ebony Jewelwings are abundant along small streams with rapids and rills all across Southern Maine. Depending on the light they are anything from this deep metallic green to bright electric blue. Sony RX10iv at 600mm optical plus 2x Clear Image Zoom for 1200mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr.
Immature male Common Whitetail Dragonfly
The Common Whitetail is not a particularly elegant dragonfly, and, true to its name, it can be among the most common dragons on the wing in early summer, but it is still a fascinating creature. This, taken at Emmon’s Preserve in rural Kennebunkport, is an immature male, which has not developed the pruinose on the tail that will turn it white with time. (Pruinosity is a waxy power that forms on the surface of the dragonfly.) Females don’t have the solid black bars across the wings. This one was posed so nicely for a perfect portrait shot. Sony RX10iv at 1200mm equivalent (600 optical plus 2x Clear Image Zoom). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr.