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Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Libellula pulchella, male Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly, Woodbridge VA on September 11, 2025| 6 Comments »

I spotted this gorgeous Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula pulchella) on Monday (8 September) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I don’t see this species very often and think this might be the first one that I had photographed this season. The white spots in between the darker patches on the wings indicate that this is a male—females of this species have only the darker spots.

Most of the time when I am photographing dragonflies I have to shoot quickly before the dragonfly flies away. In this case, I had the luxury of being able to move around a bit to find a shooting angle that captured the details of the beautiful wings and the blooming wildflowers in the background. Why? When male Twelve-spotted Skimmers are flying, their patterned wings make them look almost like butterflies and I was able to track this dragonfly to the spot where he landed—most other dragonflies have transparent wings and therefore appear smaller when they are in flight.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Calico Pennant dragonfly (male)

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Calico Pennant, Calico Pennant dragonfly, Canon 7D, Celithemis elisa, male Calico Pennant, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on September 10, 2025| 5 Comments »

I was thrilled to spot this stunning male Calico Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis elisa) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. At this time of the year I am eager to search for the survivors of the summer species. The number of dragonflies continues to dwindle as we move deeper into September and I never know for sure when an encounter with one of the species will turn out to be the last one of the season.

I absolutely love the look of male Calico Pennant dragonflies. The beautiful patterning on their wings and the red heart-shaped markings on their abdomens really make them stand out. I guess that I am a bit romantic when it comes to those red hearts and I managed to find a shooting angle that allowed me to capture that detail really well in the image below.

Alas, this male was the only Calico Pennant that I spotted that day. Dragonflies spent a lot of their time looking for a mate and then doing their part to ensure the preservation of their species. Perhaps this solitary dragonfly will find a mate or maybe it is too late in the season for that. As I said, I am somewhat of a romantic and I choose to hope that love will find a way for him.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Shredded wings

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Celithemis eponina, Halloween, halloween pennant, Halloween Pennant dragonfly, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on September 6, 2025| 6 Comments »

It has been a long, hot summer and I welcome the cooler temperatures and lower humidity of the autumn. For me, this is part of a cycle of nature that is repeated each year. For dragonflies, though, the autumn signals that their lives are drawing near to the end. Dragonflies begin their lives as water-dwelling nymphs and when they emerge and are transformed into the incredible aerial acrobats that we see, their days are numbered in weeks and months.

Earlier this week I spotted this Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) that appeared to have survived several encounters with predators. Its wings were shredded, but somehow the dragonfly was still able to fly. It’s probably my imagination, but the Halloween Pennant seemed to be smiling, enjoying every minute of its remaining days, happy to be alive. As I get older, I feel like that sometimes.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Needham’s Skimmer in September

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, female Needham's Skimmer, Libellula needhami, Needham's Skimmer, Needham's Skimmer dragonfly, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on September 3, 2025| 3 Comments »

Earlier in the summer Needham’s Skimmers (Libellula needhami) were one of the most common dragonflies that I would encounter at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, but over the past month their numbers have dropped significantly as their flight season draws to a close. I was therefore quite pleased to spot this mature female Needham’s Skimmer on Monday at the wildlife refuge.

The dragonfly’s colors seemed a bit faded, but otherwise she appeared to be in good shape. I am not sure if the stalk of vegetation on which she was perching was comfortable, but it helped me to isolate her from the background and its pointy protrusions add visual interest to the image.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Common Whitetail dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 7D, Common Whitetail, Common Whitetail dragonfly, Huntley Meadows Park, male Common Whitetail, Plathemis lydia, Tamron 18-400mm on August 25, 2025| Leave a Comment »

As we approach the end of August, some of the more common dragonfly species are becoming much less common. Some autumn species will soon take their places. At the moment the Common Whitetail dragonfly (Plathemis lydia) is the species that I see most often. During a recent visit to Huntley Meadows Park, I spotted this young male Common Whitetail perched vertically on some vegetation.

How do I know that it is a young male? Females of this species have a different pattern of dark patches on their wings, as you can see in the second image below from earlier in the season, and different terminal appendages. Males start out with a darker coloration like that of their female counterparts and as they age they develop a white powdery substance on their abdomens called pruinosity. The dragonfly in the first photo is currently a bluish white and some of the markings are still showing through—eventually he will turn a bright white in color.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Looking to Halloween

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Celithemis eponina, halloween pennant, Halloween Pennant dragonfly, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on August 22, 2025| 1 Comment »

As we near the end of August, I am seeing more and more reminders that Halloween is drawing near. Although we still have a couple of months before the 31st of October, store displays of candy and costumes and all other sorts of spooky merchandise have popped up everywhere.

Even when I was walking the trails of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge recently, I was reminded of the upcoming holiday when I spotted this Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) perched at the highest point of a patch of vegetation. Halloween Pennants have very distinctive markings on their wings that make then easy to identify. Unlike some other dragonfly species that perch on the ground and are therefore hard to spot amidst the fallen leaves, Halloween Pennants always seem to perch high above the ground and consequently are easy to spot. These perches often sway in the slightest of winds, causing the dragonflies to flutter in the wind, like pennants.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Signs of autumn

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 7D, Common Whitetail, Common Whitetail dragonfly, female Common Whitetail, Huntley Meadows Park, Plathemis lydia, Tamron 18-400mm on August 15, 2025| 4 Comments »

It is a bit early to be thinking of autumn, but early signs are beginning to appear. On Monday, classes begin for public school students in our county and traffic will be crazier than ever as commuters and school buses adjust to a changed dynamic.

Some species of summer dragonflies are beginning to disappear and I have begun to search for their autumn replacements. The trails at the wildlife refuges that I haunt are now littered with fallen leaves, making it hard to spot those species that perch on the ground.

This past Monday I captured this shot of a female Common Whitetail dragonfly (Plathemis lydia) at Huntley Meadows Park. This species is one of the most common in my area at this time of the year and I spotted a lot of them during my visit to the park. I particularly like the way that I was able to capture the texture and detail of the dried leaves on which the dragonfly was perched—I can almost hear the crunch of those leaves as I walked through them that day.

Truth be told, autumn is my favorite time of the year and I am patiently waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime, I am still enjoying the summer. “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Just hanging around

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 7D, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Erythemis simplicicollis, female eastern pondhawk, Huntley Meadows Park, Tamron 18-400mm on August 12, 2025| 10 Comments »

How do you handle the heat? For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the last few months have seen a series of unrelenting hot days. High temperatures have frequently been in the 90’s (33 degrees C) and have occasionally pushed past 100 degrees (38 degrees C).

Despite the heat, I ventured out yesterday with my camera during the middle of the day and visited Huntley Meadows Park, a local wetlands area. Wildlife activity seemed quite low—many of the creatures seemed to be sheltering out of sight in the shade. I did manage to spot this female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) that was perilously perched on a flimsy bit of vegetation. I don’t know for sure if she was taking a siesta or was simply chilling, but somehow her actions seemed make a bit more sense for dealing with the heat than those of this intrepid photographer.

Perhaps the old saying is true—”Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.” Technically I am not English, so what does that make me?

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Dragonfly love

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Great Blue Skimmer, Great Blue Skimmer dragonfly, Libellula vibrans, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on August 1, 2025| 6 Comments »

I love dragonflies. There is something almost magical about these incredible aerial acrobats that never fails to fascinate and enchant me.

When I was attempting to compose a photo of this Great Blue Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula vibrans) last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I tried to use a leaf in the background to draw attention to my primary subject. It was only later, when I was review my images, that I realize that the leaf was heart-shaped, a perfect visual representation of my feelings towards dragonflies.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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It’s not easy being green

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Erythemis simplicicollis, female eastern pondhawk, it's note easy being green, Kermit the Frog, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on July 31, 2025| 10 Comments »

My mind sometimes works in mysterious ways. Often when I see a bright green female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis), like the one in this image that I captured during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I can’t help but think of Kermit the Frog. Why?

Kermit the Frog has always been my favorite Muppets character. I have distinct memories of Kermit singing one of his signature songs, “It’s not easy being green” in which he laments his green coloration, expressing his concern that green “blends in with so many ordinary things” and wishing to be some other color.

“It’s not that easy being green;
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves.
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold-
or something much more colorful like that.

It’s not easy being green.
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.
And people tend to pass you over ’cause you’re not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water-
or stars in the sky.”

Have you ever felt that way, wishing you could stand out more from the crowd, uncomfortable in your own skin? I know that I have sometimes felt that way.

In the end, though, Kermit recalls positive associations with the color green, and concludes by accepting and embracing his color.

“But green’s the color of Spring.
And green can be cool and friendly-like.
And green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.

When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But, why wonder? Why wonder?
I’m green and it’ll do fine
It’s beautiful, and I think it’s what I want to be.”

Life’s too short to worry and complain about all the things that we are not, to constantly compare ourselves with others, to become green with envy. It is so much more rewarding when you can boldly embrace who you are and ignore the views of the naysayers on the sidelines.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Seeing red

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Libellula needhami, male Needham's Skimmer, Needham's Skimmer, Needham's Skimmer dragonfly, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on July 26, 2025| 2 Comments »

During a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I was delighted to spot some bright red male Needham’s Skimmer dragonflies (Libellula needhami). The combination of the golden accents on the edges of their wings with that reddish-orange coloration makes these dragonflies visually stunning. The Needham’s Skimmers often were skittish, flying away as I approached, I managed to capture a few shots of them when they perched momentarily within range of my telephoto lens.

At this moment, Needham’s Skimmers are one of the most common dragonfly species that I encounter at this wildlife refuge, along with Common Whitetails. Some of the species that were present in the spring have disappeared and the autumn species have not yet taken their place. In that sense, we are in the midst of the summer doldrums, when the air is heavy with heat and humidity and new activity has slowed down to a snail’s pace.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Widow Skimmer (male)

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Libellula luctuosa, male Widow Skimmer, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Widow Skimmer, Widow Skimmer dragonfly, Woodbridge VA on July 24, 2025| 10 Comments »

There were lots of dragonflies, mostly Common Whitetails and Needham’s Skimmers, flying about on Monday when I visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge along with an abundance of pesky flies and mosquitoes. The temperatures were marginally cooler than in recent days, but the high humidity made it feel like I was slicing my way through the water-laden air.

I was delighted to spot this male Widow Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula luctuosa), a species that I do not often at this location, perched in the vegetation adjacent to a small pond. Like female Widow Skimmers, male have dark patches on their wings, but they also have a white patch on each wing, which makes them easy to identify. These patches are visible when male Widow Skimmers are flying, causing them to look a bit like fluttering butterflies.

When I was processing this image, I was surprised to see what appears to be an ant attached to the tip of one of the back legs of this dragonfly—you may need to click on the image to see this detail. I am not sure if the ant had hitched a ride on the dragonfly from its previous perch or, more likely, was merely exploring this unexpected intruder that had landed on this stalk of vegetation.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Frazzled summer

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Calico Pennant, Calico Pennant dragonfly, Canon 7D, Celithemis elisa, male Calico Pennant, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on July 17, 2025| 5 Comments »

The weather in my area this month has been mostly miserable. It has been hot and humid and we have had almost daily thunderstorms, resulting in a significant amount of localized flooding.

Some of the dragonflies in our are are also showing signs of the stresses of summer, like this male Calico Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis elisa) that I spotted during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The photo below shows a substantial amount of damage to the wings of this dragonfly. I can’t tell if the damage was caused by a predator or if it is part of the normal wear-and-tear associated with life as a dragonfly.

I hope to get out a bit more often with my camera during the second half of July, perhaps starting out a bit earlier in the morning before things heat up to miserable levels.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Great Blue Skimmer from below

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Great Blue Skimmer, Great Blue Skimmer dragonfly, Libellula vibrans, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on July 11, 2025| 3 Comments »

Last Saturday I inadvertently spooked this Great Blue Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula vibrans) while exploring Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and it flew up into some high vegetation. I was not hopeful that I would be able to get a shot of it, but I decided to try to do so anyways. I’m quite pleased with the result.

I really like the way that the light was shining through the dragonfly’s slightly shredded wings and the shape and structure of the branch draw in a viewer’s eyes too. Overall it’s a fun “artsy” photo that makes me smile.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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12 Year Anniversary

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged 12th Anniversary, anniversary, Canon 7D, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Erythemis simplicicollis, female eastern pondhawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on July 8, 2025| 20 Comments »

Last Saturday I spotted this stunning female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The thorn-like projection near the tip of the abdomen that helps her to lay eggs made it immediately obvious that this was a female. The bright green coloration, distinctive black bands on her abdomen, and her green face make it almost impossible to misidentify this species.

As I was checking my blog yesterday, I came across a notice from WordPress informing me that I had started my blog 13 years ago. Wow! It’s hard to believe that I have kept this blog going for that long. According to the statistics from WordPress I have had 524,468 views of 5,417 posts since I began posting.

It is a bit of a cliché but it is absolutely true that I could not have done this without all of the support, suggestions, and encouragement. Thank you to all of you. I remember my modest expectations when I started the blog, looking simply for a place to post my wildlife and nature photographs. Over time this blog has become a kind of diary in which I have been able to express a lot of what I think and feel as I experience the beauty of the natural world. I have come to enjoy expressing myself as much in my written words as I have in my photos, reflecting on many different aspects of my life, including religion, poetry, and various artistic pursuits.

I remember deciding on the subheading for the blog some 13 years ago, calling it “My journey through photography.” Though the path has often been meandering and full of detours and distractions, that journey still continues. Once again, I thank all of you who have chosen to walk alongside me and to experience the world in part as I see it.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Smiling at me

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Libellula needhami, Needham's Skimmer, Needham's Skimmer dragonfly, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on July 7, 2025| 7 Comments »

I have spent a lot more time indoors this past month than I normally, as a result of our unusually warm and stormy weather. On Saturday I finally made it out to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, my favorite place to explore with my camera, and was greeted by an abundance of dragonflies.

Many of the dragonflies I encountered were Needham’s Skimmers that were often perched at the tops of vegetation that seems to have grown a lot recently. A lot of other flies were common too and they pestered me incessantly by buzzing around my ears, but fortunately they did not appear to be interested in biting me.

I was delighted that many dragonflies seemed be smiling at me, like this cool-looking Needhams’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami). I also really like that I able to capture the beauty of the beautiful two-toned, speckled eyes.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Looking for a good angle…

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 7D, Common Sanddragon, Common Sanddragon dragonfly, Progomphus obscurus, shooting angle, Tamron 18-400mm, Wickford Park on June 23, 2025| 7 Comments »

It is hot! It seems that much of Europe and the United States is currently experiencing sweltering heat. Here in Northern Virginia where I live, high temperatures are going to hover around 100 degrees (38 degrees C) each day this week. I might consider going out with my camera when there are heat advisories, but today there are extreme heat advisories and people are advised not to go out in the heat unless absolutely necessary.

This morning I went over my photos from an outing earlier this month and recalled my thought process when I was taking photos of Common Sanddragon dragonflies (Progomphus obscurus). I was trying to frame the shot in a way that showed the dragonfly’s face and body with an interesting background, which was a bit frustrating, because the Sanddragons tended to perch at the edge of the water facing the water.

I changed positions repeatedly and eventually I got the shot that I was imagining in my head. I love how the green of the dragonfly’s eyes matches some of the mossy vegetation and how the yellow and brown body matches the stones. The dragonfly also seems to be looking up at me and smiling, though I suspect that may be my imagination.

Stay cool and hydrated this week if you have to go outside this week!

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Common Sanddragon dragonflies

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 7D, Common Sanddragon, Common Sanddragon dragonfly, Progomphus obscurus, Tamron 18-400mm, Wickford Park on June 21, 2025| 3 Comments »

I spotted these male Common Sanddragon dragonflies(Progomphus obscurus) on 11 June alongside a creek at Wickford Park, a small suburban park in Alexandria, Virginia. As their name suggests, Common Sanddragons prefer sandy beaches over the kinds of vegetation where many other dragonflies most often perch.

The Common Sanddragons were pretty skittish and would fly away as I approached, but would frequently return to “their” beaches a short time later. Most of the time, they would face the water, which made it problematic to get a side shot. However, one perched on a leaf a bit farther from the edge of the water and I was able to capture the first image below, my favorite image of the day.

You may notice that the Common Sanddragons in the photos have their abdomens (their “tails”) raised. I think that may be their normal way of perching or it may be a variation of the obelisk pose used by other species to regulate their body temperature by reducing the amount of their bodies exposed to the direct sunlight.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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First Slaty Skimmer of 2025

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, Summer, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 7D, Libellula incesta, male Slaty Skimmer, Slaty Skimmer, Slaty Skimmer dragonfly, Tamron 18-400mm, Wickford Park on June 14, 2025| 5 Comments »

On Wednesday I visited Wickford Park, a small suburban park a few miles from where I live that has a creek that flows through it. In the past I have spotted a variety of dragonflies and damselflies at this location and once again I was rewarded with some new sightings.

I was pleasantly surprised to spot a male Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta), the first one that I have seen this year. During the summer, Slaty Skimmers are quite common at a number of the locations that I visit. The dark slate blue of the mature males of this species and their brown eyes make this species pretty easy to identify.

I thought about cropping this image closer to give a better look at the dragonfly, but decided that I really liked the twisting vegetation on which the dragonfly was perched and ultimately decided to keep the crop loose. What do you think?

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Love is in the air

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, Summer, wildlife, tagged Arigomphus villosipes, Canon 7D, mating Unicorn Clubtail, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Unicorn Clubtail, Unicorn Clubtail dragonfly, villo, Woodbridge VA on June 13, 2025| 4 Comments »

A dragonfly couple in wheel formation flew by me during a recent visit Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and landed on some nearby vegetation. This acrobatic position is the one used by most dragonflies for mating—sometimes they will mate while in the air and other times they will “do the deed” while perched.

I am not totally certain but I believe that these dragonflies are Unicorn Clubtails (Arigomphus villosipes), a species that I see from time to time in my area.

Happy Friday the 13th!

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Black Saddlebags dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Black Saddlebags, Black Saddlebags dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Tramea lacerata, Woodbridge VA on June 7, 2025| 4 Comments »

I tracked this Black Saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea lacerata) in the air for quite some time on 2 June at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge until it finally landed and I was able to capture this shot of it perching in the vegetation.

Black Saddlebags are among the few North American dragonfly species that undertake migrations. Specifically, the offspring of the Black Saddlebag dragonflies migrate south in the fall, while some return north in the spring to breed. It’s impossible for me to know if the dragonfly in this photo started its journey somewhere to the south, but that is certainly a possibility.

One thing I do know for sure is that Black Saddlebags spend a lot of their time in the air, patrolling back and forth over an area. Most of the time when I spot them, they are flying, so it was nice to have a chance to capture a shot of one on the ground.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Blue-faced Meadowhawk (immature male)

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, immature male Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum ambiguum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on June 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I was really surprised to spot this immature Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum ambiguum) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. In the past I have seen this species only in late summer and early autumn and by the bodies of those dragonflies have always been red in color and the face has had a distinctive blue tinge.

This dragonfly appears to have only recently emerged and that is its the body is tan rather than red—the color will change as he matures. The stripes on the abdomen and the eye color, though, helped me to identify it as a Blue-faced Meadowhawk rather than the somewhat similar Autumn Meadowhawk that has brown eyes.

I was curious to understand why I happened to spot this species a lot earlier than usual and have heard some other dragonfly enthusiasts speculate that the immature Blue-faced Meadowhawks “hide” in the woods and make an appearance only later in the season. One of the experts in Virginia Odonata Facebook group to which I belong noted that “They appear to have two different emergence periods, one in spring and one in late summer/fall.”

Whatever the reason for the early appearance, I was delighted to see and photograph this Blue-faced Meadowhawk, one of my favorite dragonfly species. A few long-time subscribers may recall that I was awarded second place almost ten years ago in a local photography contest for a macro close-up of a Blue-faced Meadowhawk. If you are interested in learning more about that experience and seeing the “award winning” image, check out my blog posting from December 2015 entitled “Second place in local photo contest.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Female Widow Skimmer

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, female Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Widow Skimmer, Widow Skimmer dragonfly, Woodbridge VA on June 5, 2025| 1 Comment »

On Monday I spotted this female Widow Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula luctuosa), my first one of 2025, during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Widow Skimmers have very distinctive dark patches on their wings that reminded the scientist who named them of the dark mourning crepe worn by Victorian-era widows during their initial stages of mourning and even their Latin name “luctuosa” means “sorrowful.”

The weather in my area has warmed considerably this week and already it feels like summer. Gradually the summer dragonflies, like this Widow Skimmer, are starting to appear. The hot days of summer are a bit uncomfortable for me, but seem to be preferred by many dragonfly species.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Calico Pennants (male)

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Calico Pennant, Calico Pennant dragonfly, Canon 7D, Celithemis elisa, male Calico Pennant, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on June 1, 2025| 5 Comments »

This past Friday I was delighted to spot some mature male Calico Pennant dragonflies (Celithemis elisa) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Earlier this season I had seem some immature male Calico Pennants who still had yellow bodies. As they mature, male Calico Pennants turn red in a pattern that looks like a column of little hearts, as you can see in the second photo below.

Like other “pennant” dragonfly species, Calico Pennants like to perch precariously on the very tips of vegetation. Even the slightest breeze will cause them to flutter, like pennants in the wind.

You can’t help but notice the beautiful patterning in the wings that makes this species stand out from almost all other dragonfly species. Wow!

I took the first two photos when the dragonflies were perched nearby in the vegetation. Periodically the dragonflies would fly out over the water of a small pond at the wildlife refuge and would perch at the water’s edge. The shoreline was really mucky, so I could not get close to these dragonflies. I was happy, though, to be able to capture the final photo below, an “artsy” minimalist view of a Calico Pennant perched at an almost right angle on a slim blade of vegetation.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Needham’s Skimmer dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, female Needham's Skimmer, Libellula needhami, Needham's Skimmer, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 31, 2025| 4 Comments »

I was delighted yesterday during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to spot this beautiful female Needham’s Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula needhami), my first of the year. Later in the year, Needham’s Skimmers will become the most frequent dragonfly that I will encounter at this location but the dragonfly in the photo below was the only one that I saw yesterday.

Needham’s Skimmers are quite distinctive in appearance. Mature males are reddish-orange in color and stand out from the males of other species. Females and immature males have a body coloration that is shared with some other species, but the golden yellow veins at the leading edges of their wings distinguishes them from the others.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Late-season Blue Corporal dragonflies

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Blue Corporal, Blue Corporal dragonfly, Canon 7D, Ladona deplanata, male Blue Corporal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 27, 2025| 4 Comments »

Blue Corporals (Ladona deplanata) are an early-season dragonfly—they appear in April and are usually gone by the beginning of June. I was therefore happy to spot some Blue Corporals in mid-May during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Blue Corporals perches frequently on low flat surfaces, often on the ground, so they are sometimes hard to see when the ground is cluttered, as it often is at this time of the year.

The dragonfly’s “corporal” stripes on his thorax are really visible in the first photos, so I could immediately identify his species. A short time later I was surprised when I saw a Blue Corporal land on a rusty bit of metal sticking out of the water at the edge of a small pond—I haven’t seen Blue Corporals flying over the water very often. I think this might have been a fence post or some kind of marker, because it appeared to be attached to some concrete.

I was absolutely delighted to be able to captures the texture of the rusty metal and the orange-blue complementary colors make this image particularly eye-catching.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Spangled Skimmer dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Libellula cyanea, male Spangled Skimmer, Orkney Springs VA, Shrine Mont, Spangled Skimmer, Spangled Skimmer dragonfly, Tamron 18-400 on May 26, 2025| 2 Comments »

There are quite a few blue dragonflies where I live, so I can’t always rely on color to tell them apart. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to identify a male Spangled Skimmer (Libellula cyanea), because it has a lighter-colored spot beside a black spot on the outer leading edge of each wing—as far as I know, no other dragonfly in our area has multi-colored stigmata, the technical name for those spots.

The stigmata are not there for decoration, but reportedly serve an important role in the flight of dragonflies. I do not really understand the physics of flight, but have read that the stigmata are heavier than the adjoining cells and help to stabilize the vibrations of the wings.

I spotted this male Spangled Skimmer as he was perched in the vegetation at the edge of a small pond at Shrine Mont, an Episcopal Church retreat center, in Orkney Springs, Virginia. Most often I try to get side views of dragonflies in order to get most of the body in focus, but in this case I deliberately tried to focus on the dragonfly’s large, compound eyes, knowing that much of the body would fall out of focus. This allows the viewer’s attention to be drawn immediately to those eyes.

I encourage you to click on the image to get a closer look at the dragonfly’s amazing eyes.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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More flying Common Baskettails

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Common Baskettail, Common Baskettail dragonfly, Epitheca cynosura, Orkney Springs VA, Shrine Mont, Tamron 18-400mm on May 24, 2025| 4 Comments »

I was away in the mountains last weekend at a church retreat at Shrine Mont, and Episcopal retreat center in Orkney Springs, Virginia. We had a wonderful time of rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation in a really beautiful setting.

There was a small pond at the site where I spotted a number of dragonflies, including some Common Baskettails (Epitheca cynosura) that were patrolling back and forth over the surface of the water. I felt compelled to try to capture images of these dragonflies and had a modest amount of success, as you can see in the photos below. I ended up focusing manually most of the time, because the backgrounds were often cluttered and the focus system had trouble acquiring the dragonflies.

I really like the way that this little series shows the varied backgrounds at the pond. I was also quite happy to focus well enough on the dragonflies that the backgrounds were blurred and non-distracting. In case you are curious, these Common Baskettails were relatively cooperative, hovering a bit over the water and allowing me time to focus on them.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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First Blue Dasher of 2025

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Blue Dasher, Blue Dasher dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Pachydiplax longipennis, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 21, 2025| 5 Comments »

I usually try to get close-up shots of dragonflies, but sometimes that is not possible. In those cases, I try to be creative and frame and/or isolate the subject with elements of the environment, as I did with this Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) that I spotted last Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the first one that I have spotted this year.

I really like this composition, despite the fact that the dragonfly is very small in the photo, thanks largely to the undulating green waves of the leaves and the out-of-focus branches in the background. What do you think? Should I have cropped the photo a bit more?

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Calico Pennant dragonflies

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Calico Pennant, Calico Pennant dragonfly, Canon 7D, Celithemis elisa, male Calico Pennant, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 15, 2025| 4 Comments »

Later in the season I can rely on coloration to distinguish between male and female Calico Pennant dragonflies (Celithemis elisa)—the bodies of males are red and those of females are yellow. When they first emerge, however, immature males are yellow, so you have to look really closely at a given individual to determine its gender.

The terminal appendages of the dragonfly in the second photo indicate to me that it is a male, despite the fact that its body is yellow. The one in the first photo is also an immature male Calico Pennant dragonfly that is just beginning to change from yellow to red. I love the way that he is perched on the very tip of the flimsy vegetation stalk, holding tightly to it with all of his little legs.

I spotted these two dragonflies on 12 May at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, my first sightings of this colorful dragonfly species of the year. There is something really special about the patterned wings of both genders of Calico Pennants and when viewed from the right angle, as in the second photo, the pattern on their bodies look like a series of hearts.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Another Stream Cruiser

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Canon 7D, Didymops transversa, Fort Belvoir VA, Stream Cruiser, Stream Cruiser dragonfly, Tamron 18-400mm on May 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »

How do you capture a shot of a dragonfly perched at an angle on a fallen branch? That was my dilemma last week at Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge when I caught a view of a flying dragonfly out of the corner of my eye and saw it land.

My first reaction was to stop and then to slowly bring my camera up to my eye to capture a shot before the dragonfly flew away. I was still a good distance away from the dragonfly but thanks to my telephoto lens I could see that it was a Stream Cruiser dragonfly (Didymops transversa). The final photo shows my initial view of the dragonfly. It is a little hard to tell, but the fallen branch was not very far off of the ground.

Stream Cruisers are long and skinny and a little tough to fit into a photo taken in landscape mode. I moved closer to the dragonfly, knelt down, and circled around a bit to capture the middle image. By getting closer to my subject and altering my shooting angle, I was able to blur out the background better. I still was not quite satisfied with the photo, though, because it conveyed the mistaken impression that the cruiser was perching horizontally.

I circled around some more and decided to take some shots in portrait mode. I held my camera at an angle, trying to match the angle at which the dragonfly was perched, in order to have its entire body in focus. This first shot below, one of the last ones I took, was my favorite. The background is blurred and almost all of the details on the cruiser are pretty sharp.

I realize that the image makes it look like the cruiser was hanging perfectly vertically, which was not exactly true, but the image looks pretty natural to me. Wildlife photographers make a whole series of creative choices that help them to create images that reflect their personal vision of “reality” in front of their cameras, a kind of subjective reality.

One of my favorite quotations about photography comes from noted photographer Dorothea Lange, who said, “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” My photos provide some insight into the way that I view the world. Welcome to my world!

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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