During a short visit to Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge last Friday I spotted my first Banded Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis fasciata) of the year. Pennant dragonflies like this one often perch precariously on the very tips of vegetation, which causes them to flap about in even the slightest of breezes, like a pennant.
Banded Pennants are somewhat uncommon and in some years I have not seen a single one, so I was happy to encounter this handsome male, the only one I saw all day. As you can see in all of the photos below, the dragonfly’s upper left wing did not seem to straighten out as much as the other three wings. From what I could see, though, the dragonfly was able to fly quite well despite this injury or deformity.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wonderful detail in you images Michael!
Thanks so much. My goal is almost always to capture as much detail as I can, but my wildlife subjects do not always cooperate. 🙂
Just gorgeous
Thanks, Molly.