Dragonflies or Odonata

I have been fascinated with dragonflies ever since a time I was birding at Saul Lake Bog, Kent County, MI in 2002. The meadows were full of dragonflies.

Banded Pennant - Celithemis fasciata (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

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Halloween Pennant - Celithemis eponina (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

Widow Skimmer - Libellula luctuosa (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

The next morning I was birding from my pontoon boat on the lake and managed to take a couple more dragonfly pictures. I was hooked!

Twelve-spotted Skimmer - Libellula pulchella (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

Blue Dasher - Pachydiplax longipennis (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

However, it was so difficult that I was not able to take more pictures worth keeping until this summer. I spent two mornings on my pontoon, pushed into the weeds along the shore, and have 5 different species. Dragonflies zigzag back and forth very fast in unpredictable directions. Some sit still for a few minutes but others never seem to rest. Then, since they are really quite small in a photo, you want to be very close the them, but they react to movement by flying farther away. And, of course, they have to pose in the right setting (perch, profile, sunlight, background) for an acceptable picture. (so many requirements, more than with bird photography)

Then, last week I learned a secret from James R Curry's book Dragonflies of Indiana. He captures many of his dragonflies in a net, cools them down to slow their movements, perches them in a suitable setting, and then takes his pictures. Now I know how an other photographer succeeds, but I don't think I will go that far. I'll just run my boat into the weeds and wait.

Calico Pennant - Celithemis elisa (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

Halloween Pennant - Celithemis eponina (Skimmer Family - Libelludidae)

It is one thing to manage a good photo, now I need to read, identify and learn more about dragonflies. Oh yes, there are damselflies too! (that is another story) It took me five years to identify the next photo and then only with the help of Kurt Mead, author of an excellent little book Dragonflies of the North Woods.

Prince Baskettail - Epitheca princeps (Emerald Family - Corduliididae)

The references and gear I used for this blog are:

Camera: Canon EOS 10D
Lens: Canon EF100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM
Steiner 10x42 Predator Binoculars
Dragonflies through Binoculars
North American Odonata Website
Odonata Central Website