I was delighted to spot this stunning Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum ambiguum) on Halloween Day at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. We have had a series of cool, damp days recently, so when I saw the weather was forecast to be sunny, I went out to see if I could find any dragonflies. As I suspected, most of the dragonflies are now gone, but I was delighted to find a couple of Blue-faced Meadowhawks, one of my favorite species, and also a few Autumn Meadowhawks. The dragonfly season is not over yet.
I absolutely love the striking coloration of the male Blue-faced Meadowhawks, like the one in the photo below. Their turquoise faces, blue eyes, and bright red abdomens are incredibly beautiful. On a day when many children would be focusing on their “trick or treat” adventures, I felt like I received my “treat” a little early.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
What do you photograph when the dragonflies are gone for the season?
That’s a good question. I tend to switch to mostly birds when the weather gets cold (and when all the leaves are gone and I have a better chance of spotting the birds). There are a number of eagles that have nests in the wildlife refuge where I do a lot of my shooting and a number of small birds overwinter in the Northern Virginia area where I live.
Your Halloween trek resulted in a wonderful treat without any trickery! This male Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly is quite a flamboyant specimen. I cannot recall having ever come across one of them in either Rhode Island or in Benjamin’s home state of Massachusetts. Benjamin was out trick or treating with family and friends on Halloween evening. He designed his own costume this year by dressing fully in black from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. He went as his own “SHADOW”! I was the only adult that appreciated his ingenuity, I loved it! Several years ago I taught him these words by the poet Rudy Francisco : “…I’ve been trying to convince my shadow that I’m someone worth following.” Apparently, he’s succeeded! Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
Thanks, Ellen, for your thoughtful comments and your info on Benjamin’s Halloween costume. I think dressing as his own shadow was quite clever. Blue-faced Meadowhawks are one of my favorites, in part because a macro shot of one of them got me second prize in a photo contest at one of my local parks in 2015, the only contest I’ve entered. In case you are curious about that photo, here’s a link to a blog posting about it. https://michaelqpowell.com/2015/12/21/second-place-in-local-photo-competition/
Such a beautiful red! What a treasure to spot so late in the year!!
Certainly dressed well for a costume ball!
I love the color combination of its “costume.” 🙂