June 19, 2019 by Mike Powell
The most common view that I have had of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) the last few months has been of their bobbing tails as they ran away from me. Last week, however, I managed to capture some shots of a young buck as it ran laterally across a trail at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
When I first spotted the deer, its head was just sticking out of the vegetation at the edge of the trail. As you can see in the first image, the deer looked straight at me and seemed to hesitate a moment before deciding what to do. Without much warning, the deer sprung into action and I was able to capture these shots as the young deer bounded across the trail. Note how the deer had only a single hoof in contact with the ground in many of the photos.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in animals, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, deer, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Odocoileus virginianus, Tamron 150-600mm, white-tailed deer, Woodbridge VA, young buck | 13 Comments »
June 18, 2019 by Mike Powell
I have not yet spotted any Monarch butterflies this season, but last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I did see a number of the similarly-colored Viceroy butterflies (Limenitis archippus). Viceroy butterflies are smaller than Monarchs, but the main visual difference between the two is the black line across the hind wings that is present with Viceroys, but not with Monarchs.
I chased after one Viceroy last week for quite some time and eventually managed to get these shots.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Limenitis archippus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Viceroy, Viceroy butterfly, Woodbridge VA | 10 Comments »
June 17, 2019 by Mike Powell
Last week as I was exploring Prince William County, I encountered this large dragonfly perched in a tree overhanging a fairly large stream. When I captured these images, I was not sure what kind of dragonfly it was. After consultations with some experienced dragonfly experts, I learned that this is a female Dragonhunter dragonfly (Hagenius brevistylus).
Dragonhunters are among the largest dragonflies in our area. Unlike darners, another group of large dragonflies that fly almost continuously as they seek prey, dragonhunters prefer to perch and wait patiently before they strike. As their name suggests, they specialize in hunting other dragonflies, reportedly including members of their own species.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Summer, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Dragonhunter, dragonhunter dragonfly, female Dragonhunter, Hagenius brevistylus, Prince William County VA, Tamron 180mm | 6 Comments »
June 15, 2019 by Mike Powell
This past Wednesday I encountered a really cooperative Gray Petaltail dragonfly (Tachopteryx thoreyi) as I explored nearby Prince William County and was able to capture this tight head shot. I simply love this dragonfly’s beautiful gray eyes, which are a perfect for the monochromatic palette of the rest of its body and give this dragonfly a more sophisticated look than many of its more gaudily-clad brethren. (The coloration also helps this dragonfly to almost disappear from view when it is perched on a tree like this one.)
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Gray Petaltail, Gray Petaltail dragonfly, Prince William County VA, Tachopteryx thoreyi, Tamron 180mm | 4 Comments »
June 14, 2019 by Mike Powell
I have often thought that Comet Darner dragonflies (Anax longipes) are appropriately named for they have always been beautiful objects speeding by that I have been forced to admire from a distance. It is hard to miss a Comet Darner when they are around because they are very large and the red color on their bodies is so bright that it seems to glow. They generally patrol near the center of the ponds where I have seen them and I have never seen one stop to perch. According to the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website, “Comets have expansive territories that may cover several miles and a network of small, shallow, forest-edged ponds. They’ll visit your pond, leave for 30 minutes to patrol other sites, then return.”
On Wednesday, I spotted a Comet Darner while I was at a small pond and started to track it in my camera’s viewfinder. Strangely this dragonfly was flying in and out of the vegetation growing in the shallow water, as you can see in the first shot. As I was trying to figure out what was going on, the Comet Darner dipped her abdomen in the water and began to deposit her eggs. If you look closely at the second image, it looks like she may actually have the tip of her abdomen submerged as she oviposited. I didn’t have a completely unobstructed view of this beautiful dragonfly, but I actually like the effect of the vegetation in the foreground—it helps to convey the sense that we are sharing a private moment.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Anax longipes, Canon 50D, Comet Darner, Comet Darner dragonfly, Prince William County VA, Tamron 180mm | 5 Comments »
June 13, 2019 by Mike Powell
When it comes to photography, how do you balance its creative and technical components, how do you mix art and science? In the uncontrolled natural environment in which I take my photographs, I often have to be content with merely capturing an image, any image, of my subject before it disappears.
Sometimes, though, I can make minor adjustments on the fly that have a major impact on the final shot. Last week I was at Occoquan Regional Park, observing dragonflies as they zigged and zagged over the surface of the water. Most of them were common, readily identifiable species. Suddenly I spotted one that was different. I suspected, and later confirmed, that it was a female Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus villosipes) and knew that it was pretty rare to spot the female of this species.
The dragonfly began to dip the tip of her abdomen down in the water to deposit eggs and I sprung into action. She was not far from the shore and I snapped off a few shots looking down at her. Those images simply did not have any impact. Instinctively I dropped to my knees, which brought me closer to my subject. More importantly, it gave me a new perspective. I was closer to being at eye level with my subject and I was able to capture a more interesting background with the ripples in the water created by her actions.
This image, for me, is close to being an optimal mix of the technical and creative components of photography. It was challenging to shoot and simultaneously allowed me to express myself artistically. It is my response to the occasional naysayers who assert that photography is merely about capturing reality.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Arigomphus villosipes, Canon 50D, female Unicorn Clubtail, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, Tamron 180mm, Unicorn Clubtail, Unicorn Clubtail dragonfly | 8 Comments »
June 12, 2019 by Mike Powell
Last week at Occoquan Regional Park, I spotted a pair of Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies (Tramea carolina) flying in tandem. I managed to capture this sequence of shots as the male released the female so she could deposit eggs in the water (ovipositing). Once she was done, he grabbed her again and they went on to the next spot.
After mating, male dragonflies and damselflies are concerned about protecting their reproductive efforts, lest a rival intervene and dislodge their sperm. Some males will circle overhead to fight off potential rivals while the female oviposits; some will hang onto her during the entire process; and a few will use the “catch and release” method illustrated in these images.
If you are interested in additional information about dragonflies and mating, I recommend an article on ThoughtCo.com entitled “How Dragonflies Mate–A Rough-and-Tumble Affair.” Some of you may be worried that this is some kind of scientific treatise, but it is not. To allay your fears and entice you to read the article, here is the opening paragraph of the article.
“Dragonfly sex is a rough-and-tumble affair. If you’ve ever seen a pair of mating dragonflies in the act, you know that their sexual coupling requires the flexibility and acrobatic skill of a “Cirque de Soleil” performer. Females get bitten, males get scratched, and sperm winds up everywhere. These strange mating habits have survived millions of years of evolution, so the dragonflies must know what they’re doing, right? Let’s take a closer look at how dragonflies mate.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Carolina Saddlebags, Carolina Saddlebags dragonfly, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, Tamron 180mm, Tramea carolina | 4 Comments »
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