{"id":2414,"date":"2011-12-01T05:53:38","date_gmt":"2011-12-01T10:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/p4td.lightshedder.com\/2011\/12\/01\/1212011-black-saddlebags-mating-wheel-sabal-palms-tx\/"},"modified":"2011-12-01T05:59:56","modified_gmt":"2011-12-01T10:59:56","slug":"1212011-black-saddlebags-mating-wheel-sabal-palms-tx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psnp.info\/p4td_\/?p=2414","title":{"rendered":"12\/1\/2011: Black Saddlebags Mating Wheel, Sabal Palms TX"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I have really gotten into<\/em> dragonflies this year, for some unknown reason. I am always looking for them, and, since it is new, I can generally find a new bug on most trips. The difference between this and birding is that I am photographing every dragonfly I see\u2026or at least every dragonfly I can catch perched. I saw many Black Saddlebags this summer in Maine\u2026they are so distinctive they are easy to identify on the wing\u2026but it was several months before I found one sitting where I could photograph it. <\/p>\n

On my recent trip to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Black Saddlebags were everywhere but, again, perched Black Saddlebags were scarce. I was delighted to find this mating wheel within a step or two of the upland trail at Sabal Palms Sanctuary near Brownsville. This shot is at 840mm equivalent from about 4.5 feet (closest focus).<\/p>\n

Engaging the 1.5x digital converter provided this more macro view of the head grip the male has on the female. <\/p>\n

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Or there is this view showing the male\u2019s wings to good advantage, taken at 840mm equivalent plus 2x digital converter.<\/p>\n

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1) Exposure Time:0.0015s (1\/640) Aperture:f\/5.8 ISO:200   2) Exposure Time:0.002s (1\/500)Aperture:f\/5.8 ISO:200 3) Exposure Time:0.0025s (1\/400) Aperture:f\/5.8 ISO:200<\/p>\n

Processed in Lightroom for Intensity and Sharpness. <\/p>\n

And I did see several Red Saddlebags at Santa Anna NWR\u2026but no photo yet!<\/p>\n

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