Shooting Dragons with a Canon

Still having a `play around` with the new camera! This time I was trying to get some shots of dragonflies and although the images below aren't amazing, I am fairly pleased with the results, especially the Broad-bodied Chaser and the Black-tailed Skimmer.

An immature Broad-bodied Chaser

Black-tailed Skimmer

An Emperor `ovipositing` (laying eggs) with a few damselflies in attendance

Emperor `ovipositing`

All photos taken with a Canon Powershot SX40 HS

Black-tailed Skimmer

Another dragonfly post I am afraid. This time of year does see the `disappearance` of birds as they start their moult after the wearing business of breeding and so I am only really on the look out for insects when I go anywhere. There have been very few butterflies of any note so far this year, this may change, but I have seen a few dragonflies with the Black-tailed Skimmer being another species in good numbers at my local gravel pits at Maxey.

The photos below show the male form of this skimmer. The blue abdomen with a black tip has yellow spots along the side, the female has a yellow abdomen with two prominent longitudinal black bands on the upper surface. Males of this species can have territories of over 50metres and can be very aggressive towards other males, indeed I saw the individual pictured `chase` at least one other Black-tailed Skimmer, a couple of Four-spotted Chasers and even an Emperor! A dragonfly that is normally on the wing until early August.

A couple more Dragonflies

A couple more species of dragonfly that were present at Maxey gravel pits the other day were the Black-tailed Skimmer and the Hairy Dragonfly.

The photos above were taken using my Canon Powershot A640 `hand-held`

The Hairy Dragonfly is the first hawker dragonfly of the year on the wing. Males (the blue one above) are usually seen during May and early June, but I think with the lovely weather we have been having this has been delayed somewhat. The pair above were seen flying in the position you see them in, before landing in long grass, allowing me to get these hand-held shots. The duration of this copulation is variable, but can last up to 40 minutes. A dragonfly that is only on the wing for a short time, lasting from mid-May to late June or early July, so catch them while you can! They have a noticeably downy (hairy) thorax, unlike other hawker species, with the male having blue pear-shaped spots along the abdomen and the female yellow.

Both photos above were digiscoped using my normal set-up

The Black-tailed Skimmer is a fast, low-flying species, which is often observed perching on open ground or on muddy banks, stones and even roads. The species seemed to be pretty common at Maxey, with numerous individuals noted, although I only saw the yellow version of the species which is the immature male or female (I don`t know which I have photographed, any pointers would be gladly accepted). The adult male has a blue abdomen with a black tip. Another fairly common species in the southern half of the country that has a flight season lasting from late May until early August. I may get a photo or even just a glimpse of a blue  male in that time! One can hope.