Last week I photographed my first Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) of the season, a stunning female that I spotted while exploring in Prince William County. I really like all of the different shades of green in this image and the linear stalks of grass that provide a perfect perching place for the pondhawk.
Before long Eastern Pondhawks will become a frequent sight in my area, but it is always special for me to greet the first member of a species each year.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
What a beautiful image, Mike.
Thanks, Chris. We are in the midst of a heat wave right now–the high temperatures have been above 90 degrees (32 degrees C) the last two days–so this green coloration seems really cool and soothing to me.
Stunning alright, the vivid green is so wonderful 🙂
Somehow all of that green made me think of Damien and his Emerald isle. 🙂
Love that thought! 🙂
What a pleasing photograph. I love the variety of greens and your use of all those lines in the composition.
Thanks, Laura. Eastern Pondhawks are pretty common, but I tend to find them mostly in fields and not as often at ponds, where I find a lot of the dragonflies that I photograph. This is one of my photos that I like as much for its artistic qualities as for its actual subject.
She’s a beautiful dragon!
Thanks. The female of the species is quite striking with the emerald green thorax and face and the black stripes across the abdomen. A mature Male Eastern Pondhawk has a bluish body and the same green eyes and face. (Here’s a link to a posting that shows a male. https://michaelqpowell.com/2017/08/10/missing-the-point/)
Wow! Yes, the many shades of green are so amazing, a tapestry. Wonderful photo Mike.
Thanks, Suzette. One of the coolest things about a dragonfly’s wings is their transparency that allows the background to show through. I think the photo would have a different feel if the wings were opaque.
Yes! I see your point. Nature is exquisitely planned to display it’s own beauty. Thank you for that reminder with all your photos, Mike.
In our never-ending quest to locate and photograph the rare and exotic, it is all-too-easy to overlook the common.
The ubiquitous Eastern Pondhawk is so beautiful it’s hard to believe one could walk past this emerald-colored jewel.
Thank you, Mike, for taking the time to showcase a special dragon!
We are definitely on the same wavelength, Wally. I really try to make an effort to photograph as many things as I can, especially the common ones. I am constantly reminded that the species that are common for me may be viewed as rare and exotic by others who live in other parts of the US or elsewhere in the world. Some people feel the need to travel around a lot and always see new things and places, but I am content to visit the same small group of places over and over again and see how they change as we move from season to season and species reappear and disappear again.
Very nice capture with all those greens, Mike!
Gorgeous greens!
Thanks, Eliza. It was cool to photograph this green dragonfly against a green background–the colors usually do not match so well.
Stunning, Mike. I’m always blown away by your dragonfly images. You have a great eye (and infinite patience too, I suspect 🙂.)
Thanks. I think that it shows that I love to capture photos of dragonflies of all varieties. I do tend to be both patient and persistent and often those are the key factors in my success more than my equipment or even my skill. Over time I have gotten much better in spotting dragonflies and reacting quickly when I do thanks to hours and hours of practice.
Great Pondhawk image Mike! Enjoyed seeing it!
[…] I love the cool tones of this image of a male Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) that I photographed last week at Occoquan Regional Park—the green of the vegetation seemed a perfect complement to the colors of this handsome dragonfly. In most dragonfly species the male stands out more than the female, but with the Eastern Pondhawk, it is the female who is more often in the spotlight with her emerald green thorax and the black striped abdomen, as some of you may recall from my posting last week entitled First Eastern Pondhawk of 2021. […]
So bright!