It has been some time since I posted to the blog. Fortunately, Graceanne has taken up some of slack with posts over the past 2-3 months. Normally we would be posting a 'PhotoHunt' theme photo on a Saturday, but, considering the date, I thought I would post something a little different.
The arrival of Valentine's Day brought back memories of some of our favorite visitors during the summer. I have posted about them before, but I just couldn't resist sharing some additional photo's with you. From the moment I saw the first one last summer I thought of Valentine's Day.
These are Calico Pennants. Among the primary features for these dragonflies are the 5 markings down their back. The markings are often 'heart-shaped' and easily identifiable.
The red specimen above is the male. The female (below) is yellow or golden in color. You can see that her markings are even more heart-shaped than the particular male above, but we have also seen males with comparable markings.
In addition to the markings along the body, these pennants also have distinctive wing markings making them among the most colorful and prettiest of the dragonflies that visit the pond frequently.
The wing markings make them great subjects from any direction.
Happy Valentine's Day to one and all.
By the way. How do you like the new header?
3 months ago
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Hey Baker, Welcome back! These are great for Valentine's Day! Who knew mother nature gave us Valentines! They are quite beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteHello Baker..Nice to see a post from you. I for one am always happy to see photos from your pond especially as this has been a long winter. I love the Canada geese in the heading and a very Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours...Michelle
ReplyDeleteHi! Nice to see you here again. Those are gorgeous photos of gorgeous insects. I'm amazed you can get so close. Your shots are so clearly focused, and the depth of field is great. Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day to you, too.
Kelly - "Mother Nature's Valentine" - I wish I had thought of that for the title, lol.
ReplyDeleteMichelle - Thanks - We call that header photo "One Silly Goose, II" because of the one goose looking in the other direction. That's the second photo I've posted with the last goose looking in the opposite direction. I'm wondering if perhaps he/she is a lookout for the group watching for potential danger. I'm going to have to watch them more carefully in the future and see if the behavior is common.
MyMaracas - Thanks so much. Getting some good shots is not too hard with such beautiful subjects - The males are sometimes a little difficult as they are a bit timid - I believe that particular female, however, had only recently emerged (a matter of hours before) and was not completely ready to fly any appreciable distance
I love dragonflies... I was once on a course at an outdoor education centre and I was working out in the sunshine, writing a paper and suddenly heard this loud crunching sound. I looked around and it wasn't until I looked down at my leg that I saw this HUGE dragonfly munching on a very large moth! It was fascinating to watch.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Baker! I'm enjoying these Valentines' treats! I especially enjoy the Female Calico...that's something I've not seen around my pond, a yellow dragon. I like your new header.
ReplyDeleteJust noticed your Damsels and Dragons...with Butter! Nice!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Baker. The dragonflies are beautiful. I love the new header. Canadian geese always make me think of Spring.
ReplyDeleteMudhooks - It seems most of the insects the dragonflies eat are relatively small but I have seen them grab a few large meals from time to time. Unfortunately I have not yet been able to get a shot of one with a mouthful.
ReplyDeleteKim - Those calico pennants are really stunning. The aren't very large, but very colorful. I'm not sure where they normally feed and the come to the pond infrequently, primarily to mate. Glad you liked the header and slide show.
Tammy - Good to see you drop by. We have a few Canada geese that stay around through the winter. I don't see them often but I can hear them calling from a nearby lake.
I'm still impressed by the photogenic quality of the dragon fly. Still waiting for a shot of them feeding.
ReplyDelete