Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Tamron 18-400mm’

Perched on a leaf

Posted in Photography, Insects, Nature, wildlife, Dragonflies, dragonfly, tagged , , , , , , , on May 13, 2026| 3 Comments »

Some of the familiar summer dragonflies have started to appear, including this female Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) that I spotted earlier this month during a visit to Occoquan Regional Park in nearby Lorton, Virginia. Common Whitetail dragonflies have a long flight period that begins in the spring and extends well into the autumn months.

Females of this species, despite their name, are brownish in color with the markings that you can see in the photo below. Immature males start off with a similar coloration, but relatively quickly their bodies become white. How do I know that this one is a female? Males and females have different markings on their wings. Males have a larger dark patch in the middle of each wing and the tips of the wings remain clear, while the females have a smaller patch in the middle of each wing and a second dark patch at the tip of each wing.

Common Whitetails are in fact quite common in this area and can be found in a variety of habitats. I nonetheless enjoy taking photos of them that highlight various aspects of this behavior. This photo, for example, shows how light in weight these dragonflies are, capable of perching on the edge of a dry, fallen leaf.

Common Whitetail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Zebra Swallowtail in May

Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on May 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I love trying to get photographs of Zebra Swallowtail butterflies (Eurytides marcellus). There is an understated elegance to their monochromatic coloration (with pops of blue and red) and they are so hyperactive that I have to chase after them to have a chance to get a shot when they perch momentarily. Earlier this month I captured this image of one that highlights its long tails and colorful antennae.

There is something almost magical about chasing butterflies that makes me feel like a child again. I hope I never lose that energy, enthusiasm, and boundless curiosity.

Zebra Swallowtail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Black Vulture in May

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on May 9, 2026| 1 Comment »

As I was exploring Occoquan Regional Park in nearby Lorton, Virginia last week, a large dark bird caught my attention. I tracked the bird in the air and watched as it landed atop a broken-off tree in the distance. I could see the bird’s grayish-black head and immediately identified it as  a Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). In my area, Turkey Vultures, which have a reddish head, are much more common, but from time to time I also see Black Vultures, sometimes in a mixed group.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Turkey Vultures have an excellent sense of smell, but Black Vultures aren’t nearly as accomplished sniffers. To find food they soar high in the sky and keep an eye on the lower-soaring Turkey Vultures. When a Turkey Vulture’s nose detects the delicious aroma of decaying flesh and descends on a carcass, the Black Vulture follows close behind.”

On this day, the Black Vulture seems to be on its own, content to bask for a little while in the warmth of the sun. After capturing a few images, I quietly departed, leaving the culture on its solitary perch.Black Vulture

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Prothonotary Warbler in May

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on May 6, 2026| 4 Comments »

Each spring (and fall) migrating warblers move through our area. This period is particularly frustrating for me, because I can often hear the warblers singing and calling, but I only rarely catch a glimpse of one.

Last week, though, I heard a warbler and was able to track it as it moved feverishly in and out of the foliage at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I was definitely helped by the bright yellow plumage of the bird, that turned out to be a Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea). Prothonotary Warblers are almost completely covered in yellow feathers and therefore can’t completely hide themselves. In case you are curious, the bird’s names comes from its plumage that resembles the yellow robes once worn by papal clerks in the Roman Catholic Church, known as prothonotaries.

Prothonotary Warbler

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Blue-eyed ratsnake

Posted in Nature, Photography, Reptiles, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on May 4, 2026| 4 Comments »

As I was walking down a trail last Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I noticed a large black snake preparing to cross the trail. I know that there are very few poisonous snakes in my area, so I was not worried about being bitten. Instead I stopped walking and focused my camera on an open area that the snake would be moving through.

The snake was moving quite slowly and was flicking its tongue a lot, which I thought was a little strange. Later, when I was reviewing the images on my computer, I noticed that the eyes of the snake were cloudy and bluish, a definite sign that the snake was getting ready to shed its skin, a process that generally takes about a week. Perhaps the snake’s vision was impaired and it was using its tongue to assist in navigation.

I believe that this is a Central  Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis), a large snake that is quite common in Virginia. After I captured a few images and the snake finished crossing the trail and I continued along it, with my eyes and ears on alert to find my next subject to photograph.

Eastern Ratsnake

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Posted in Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , on April 29, 2026| 9 Comments »

Earlier this week I spotted this striking Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) while I was exploring a local nature park. When the sun is shining, the metallic bodies of these beetles absolutely sparkle and look like pieces of high-fashion jewelry. This particular beetle was quite cooperative and did not move as I circled it in pursuit of a good shooting angle.

I was particularly happy with this shot, because of the way that it shows the shadow, the mouth parts, and the detailed wood grain of the stump on which the beetle was crawling. Normally these beetles, as their name suggests, have six spots, but I think that this one had eight little white spots. Apparently the number of spots is somewhat variable.Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Stream Cruiser in April

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday I went for a “walk on the wild side” with my camera at one of my local nature parks and captured this shot of a handsome male Stream Cruiser dragonfly (Didymops transversa), my first spotting of this species in 2026. I was actually looking for spiketail dragonflies and encountered several other dragonfly enthusiasts who were similarly searching for those elusive species. I recall asking one of them if it was too early to see Stream Cruisers, because I vaguely remember photographing them at this location in the past, and amazingly I spotted one later in the day after we had gone our separate ways.

Although I did not findt any spiketails yesterday despite my efforts, this image testifies to the value of persistence. In my area, the density of these early spring species is pretty low, so you have to be patient, persistent, and quick-reacting when you do encounter one if you want to get a photo.

I love how this dragonfly seems to be looking right up at me with his stunning two-toned eyes and I am equally delighted by the “milk mustache” that he seems to have on his “upper lip.” Got milk?

Stream Cruiser

Stream Cruiser

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Brown Spiketail in April

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on April 24, 2026| 7 Comments »

Yesterday, 23 April, I spotted my first spiketail dragonfly of the season while I was exploring a regional park in my county. Dragonflies are divided up into a number of different families and some of the less common ones are named for their “tails,” including spiketails, petaltails, and clubtails. Most of the familiar dragonflies that we see during the summer are from the skimmer family.

Spiketail dragonflies are relatively uncommon where I live and I was delighted to spot capture this shot of what I believe is a Brown Spiketail (Cordulegaster bilineata). As described on the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website, “These uncommon, elusive dragonflies have, in my opinion a magical, almost elven quality and are usually found in isolated corners of mature woodlands.”

I never know for sure what creatures I will encounter when I go out in the wild with my camera, but this was not exactly a random encounter. In the past I have sometimes found spiketails at this time of the year in this location. In wildlife photography there are no guarantees, but a bit of knowledge and skill and a lot of persistence can increase the odds in my favor of encountering some of these beautiful creatures—it is more than just pure luck.

Brown Spiketail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly

Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on April 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Not all of the spring butterflies are colorful. During a recent hike in a forested area of Prince William County in Northern Virginia, I spotted numerous duskywing butterflies. These small butterflies are part of the skipper family (Hesperiidae) and are considered to be “spread-wing” skippers, because they typically perch with their wings held flat open rather than closed over their backs.

There are several different duskywing species that are differentiated by the patterns on their wings. I am not certain of this identification, but I believe that this may be a Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis juvenalis). I encourage you to click on the image to get a closer look at this small butterfly’s beautiful colors and patterns,

Juvenal's Duskywing

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Bee Fly in early April

Posted in Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on April 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Is it a bee? Is it a fly? Well, it has a fuzzy body like a bumblebee and has a long, rigid proboscis that looks like a stinger, but its patterned wings and long legs look more like those of a fly. In actuality, it is a Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major), a parasitic bee mimic that is one of the earliest spring pollinators of wildflowers. In this case, I think the little flower was some kind of wild violet, a vital early spring nectar source for many pollinators, like bee flies.

I photographed this bee fly in early April while searching for dragonflies in Prince William County in Northern Virginia. I was quite happy to be able to capture so many of the details of this curious creature, including its long proboscis, spindly legs, patterned wings, and fuzzy body. In case you are curious, the body of one of these bee flies is about six-tenths of an inch (15mm) in length and its wing span is about one inch (25mm).

If you would like to learn more about these fascinating little bee flies, including their parasitic behavior, check out this article on the US Forest Service website by Beatriz Moisset entitled “A Pollinator with a Bad Reputation.”

bee fly

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly

Posted in Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , on April 13, 2026| 1 Comment »

Last week I spotted multiple Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) as I was hiking along forested trails in Prince William County, Virginia, searching primarily for dragonflies. For some reason, I tend to associate these butterflies, which happen to be the state insect for Virginia, with gardens more than forests.

However, according to the Prince William Conservation Alliance website, “Tiger Swallowtails are commonly found in deciduous woodlands and along their borders, including parks and neighborhoods, where they feed on the nectar of wild and garden flowers from Spring through Fall.”

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are quite common in my area, but I am always delighted to see their bright colors as they flutter through the air. April is a kind of transitional month here weatherwise, with wildly variable temperatures. Later this week, for example, the forecast predicts high temperatures of up to 93 degrees (34 degrees C). Yikes!

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Chipping Sparrow

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , on April 12, 2026| 2 Comments »

While I was out searching for dragonflies last week, I was delighted to spot this colorful Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) and was even more thrilled to get a shot of it. Compared with many other birds, sparrows tend to be somewhat drab in coloration. I think it was the bright red on the top of this bird’s head that caught my eye.

This is the season when colorful warblers pass through my area on their way northward, so my first thought was that this bird might be some kind of warbler. When I got home and looked through my bird identification guide, I realized that it was a sparrow species that I had not previously encountered.

This shot is not quite as sharp as I would have preferred, because I was shooting with a shorter telephoto lens (a Tamron 18-400mm) that I tend to use during the winter months (a Tamron 150-600mm). I can shoot at a lot closer range with the shorter lens, which has a minimum focusing distance of about 18 inches (45 cm) versus almost 9 feet (2.7 m) for the 150-600mm lens. For that reason, I prefer using the shorter telephoto lens or my 180mm macro lens when attempting to photograph insects like dragonflies.

Chipping Sparrow

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Zebra Swallowtail in spring

Posted in Butterflies, Flowers, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 9, 2026| 3 Comments »

This early in the season, not many flowers are in bloom, so this Zebra Swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus) was content on Monday to feed on the tiny Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) wildflowers on the forest floor.

I had to get really low to capture this image and was delighted by the way that it shows the colors of this beautiful butterfly that was in pristine condition. Later in the season, many of the Zebra Swallowtails that I see have portions of their really long “tails” missing.

Zebra Swallowtail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Uhler’s Sundragon dragonflies

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on April 8, 2026| 6 Comments »

Each spring I head out in search of Uhler’s Sundragons (Helocordulia uhleri), one of the earliest dragonflies in my area to emerge. Unlike many of the dragonflies that I commonly see during the summer days, this species is  a “scarce and seldom seen member of the emerald family” and is a “habitat specialist with a brief and early flight period,” according to the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website. The species requires a clean, sandy or gravelly forest stream with mix of riffles and pools.

Fortunately, I know of a creek where I have regularly seen them over the last few years, and I visited that location on Monday and spotted multiple Uhler’s Sundragons. As you can see in the photos below, this species likes to hang vertically or at an angle. The amber markings at the base of the wings help to distinguish Uhler’s Sundragons from the similar Selys’s Sundragons that have no such markings.

Uhler's Sundragon

Uhler's Sundragon

Uhler's Sundragon

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Springtime Darner dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged , , , , , on April 7, 2026| 6 Comments »

I was delighted to photograph this beautiful Springtime Darner dragonfly (Basiaeschna janata) yesterday (6 April) while I was exploring a creek in the forests of Prince William County, Virginia. I had seen some recent postings on Facebook showing dragonflies that others had seen in other parts of Virginia, so I decided to search for them.

I found several other dragonfly species too and plan to post some photos of them in the next few days, but I really wanted to post this one immediately. It’s been several years since I have seen a Springtime Darner and I was really excited when I looked through my telephoto zoom lens and realized what it was. The dragonfly was flying back and forth low over a patch of vegetation and I tracked it for a little while until if perched, hanging vertically low to the ground. It was so low that the tip of its abdomen was almost touching the dried leaves on the forest floor.

I was pretty far away and had to manually focus the lens–the cluttered background kept wanting to grab the focus when I tried to use auto focus and the dragonfly’s body was pretty thin. I was really happy to be able to capture the wonderful pattern on the body of this dragonfly, whose coloration helped it to blend in so well with its surroundings.

Springtime Darner

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Goldfinch and Orange-crowned Warbler

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on November 14, 2025| 3 Comments »

As I was walking along one of the trails at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge this past Monday (10 November) I saw and heard a group of small birds moving about in the vegetation. Many of them flew away immediately, but a few of them remained in place a little while longer. I thought I recognized the prominent pattern as belonging to an American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). I tracked one of the birds and captured the second shot, which confirmed my initial identification.

When I started to review my photos on my computer, I noticed that there was a second bird in the first photo below that I had not noticed when I took the photo. I naively assumed it must be another goldfinch. I posted the photo to a Facebook birding group and one of the more experienced birders there pointed out that the bill on the bird on the right was completely different. He identified the bird as an Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata), a species that he noted was “hard to find.” After reading that comment, I looked over my photos once again and decided to post the final photo of the warbler in a slightly different pose.

American Goldfinch Orange-crowned Warbler

American Goldfinch

Orange-crowned Warbler

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Autumn Meadowhawks in November

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on November 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I think that we may well be down to our last surviving dragonfly species. On 10 November I ventured out to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to look for any remaining dragonflies or butterflies. I did not find any butterflies, but was delighted to spot close to a dozen Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum).

Our temperatures this past week have dropped down close to the freezing level, which most dragonflies cannot tolerate. Autumn Meadowhawks, however,  are hardy enough to survive a few light frosts as long as daytime temperatures remain relatively warm and sunny. Once we start receiving a few heavy frosts the remaining population starts to die off.

I was happy to capture some photos of Autumn Meadowhawks as they perched on the colorful leaves that litter many of the trails at the wildlife refuge. The dragonflies appeared to be content to remain in place soaking up the warmth of the sun as I approached and some even posed for me.

Autumn Meadowhawk

Autumn Meadowhawk

Autumn Meadowhawk

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

White-throated Sparrow in November

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on November 12, 2025| 1 Comment »

This past Monday (10 November) I was delighted to spot my first White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) of the season. White-throated Sparrows overwinter in my area of Northern Virginia and seem to have arrived fairly recently.

I love the distinctive markings of these little birds, with their white “beards” that remind me of Santa Claus and their bright yellow lores, i.e. the region between the eye and the bill. They are the only species of sparrows that I can reliably identify—for other sparrows I have to look closely at guide books in order to guess their species.

White-throated Sparrow

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on November 11, 2025| 2 Comments »

Sometimes it pays to be lucky (and persistent). Yesterday I visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge for this first time in over a week. It was cool (about 45 degrees (7 degrees C) and breezy, so I knew that my focus would be primarily on birds rather than insects.

Midway through the morning, I spotted a bird moving about high in the trees and I tried to track it. Eventually I realized that it was a Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa), one of the smallest birds in our area at  only about 3-4 inches in length (8-11 cm). Golden-crowned Kinglets are skittish and do not stay still for very long, so I frantically tried to track this bird as it moved from branch to branch.

I took lots of photos, but in many of them the kinglet was partially hidden by the branches or was out of the frame. My favorite photo of the kinglet is the first one below. The kinglet paused for a moment and lifted it head, allowing me to get a little eye contact with the bird. As I was focusing in on the kinglet’s perch, the kinglet took off and I captured the second photo, a lucky midair shot. The final photo shows the kinglet in one of its many acrobatic poses that it used as it foraged for food.

In case some of you are curious, I did find a few dragonflies yesterday, but I’ll leave those photos for another blog post.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Another Blue-faced Meadowhawk

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on November 9, 2025| 2 Comments »

For a variety of reasons I did not manage to go out with my camera this past week, so I went through my photos from the previous week and was delighted to find this photo of a Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum). As I have noted in previous postings, Blue-faced Meadowhawks have such a wonderful combination of colors that make them one of my favorite dragonfly species.

I was quite fortunate that this particular individual landed on some leaves right next to one of my feet, so I was able to capture this cool image by shooting almost directly downwards. In fact, I had to digitally remove a bit of the boot I was wearing from the lower left edge of the photo to keep the viewer from getting distracted.

Several days ago we had some frost warnings, so I fear that more of the dragonflies will have disappeared for the season. Still, I hope to return to my local wildlife refuge in the next few days to see what I can find.

Blue-faced Meadowhawk

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Autumn colors

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on November 6, 2025| 4 Comments »

It’s always fun to try to capture a shot of an Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum) with beautiful fall colors in the background, as I did last Friday (31 October) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Autumn Meadowhawks are invariably the last surviving species of the dragonfly season. In past years I have spotted them as late as the middle of December, and fellow dragonfly enthusiasts have reportedly seen them in our area in early January.

Autumn Meadowhawk

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Cabbage White in late October

Posted in Autumn, Butterflies, Insects, Nature, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on November 4, 2025| 2 Comments »

I spotted this pretty little Cabbage White butterfly (Pieris rapae) on 31 October at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This is a relatively common butterfly that has a natural range across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. According to Wikipedia, it was accidentally introduced to Quebec, Canada, around 1860 and spread rapidly throughout North America.

Most of the time Cabbage Whites flit about so much as they forage that it is hard to get a good photo of one. This Cabbage White, however, paused for a moment to feed on a flowering plant and I was able to capture an action shot. If you click on the image, you can get even see the extended proboscis that the tiny butterfly was using to suck nectar from the center of the flower.

Cabbage Whites are one of the earliest butterflies to appear in the spring and generally are still in flight in the fall until we have a hard freeze. The weather has cooled considerably, but so far the temperatures have not fallen below the freezing level.

Cabbage White

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Halloween Day Dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 3, 2025| 7 Comments »

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.

Blue-faced Meadowhawl

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Orange Bluet damselfly

Posted in Autumn, damselfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on November 1, 2025| 2 Comments »

When I spotted this damselfly on 17 October at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I initially couldn’t figure out what species it was. I asked for help in a dragonfly/damselfly group in Facebook and was informed that it was an Orange Bluet damselfly (Enallagma signatum).

The name Orange Bluet seems to be an oxymoron. As the name “bluet” suggests, most of the 35 members of the genus American Bluet (Enallagma), the largest damselfly genus in North America, are blue. However, certain species come in other colors including red, orange, and green and the Rainbow Bluet combines red, yellow, and green.

I have actually photographed Orange Bluets before, but they have been a much brighter orange in color, as you can see in the second photo below from July 2022. The damselfly in the first photo was much duller in color, which may well be the reason for my uncertainty. However, it seems to be a perfect visual representation of the current autumn season.

Orange Bluet

orange bluet

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Eastern Pondhawk in late October

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on October 27, 2025| 5 Comments »

There are only a few remaining dragonflies as we move deeper into the autumn season. I was therefore delighted to spot this female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Eastern Pondhawks appear in early May and generally hang around until the end of October.

The females of this species are quite distinctive in their appearance, with their brilliant green color and striped abdomens, so they are relatively easy to identify. Immature males, however, have the same coloration when young, so I usually check the terminal appendages before making a call on the gender of an Eastern Pondhawk.

Eastern Pondhawk

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Autumn spider

Posted in Arachnids, Nature, Photography, spiders, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on October 25, 2025| 9 Comments »

As I was hunting for dragonflies last week, I was surprised to come across this wonderfully patterned spider at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I had figured that spiders were gone for the season, so I was not expecting to see on crawling across a fallen log.

I realize that spiders are a divisive subject for photography—some people love and admire then, while others fear and hate them. As you might suspect, I am in the former camp. Although I had a 18-400mm zoom lens on my camera, I was able to capture quite a few details of this spider and encourage you to click on the image.

I am not really sure of the species of this spider, but suspect that it might be a wolf spider.

Somehow this spider gives off a Halloween vibe to me. Happy Halloween in advance to those of you who celebrate thing creepy and spooky on that day.

autumn spider

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on October 22, 2025| 2 Comments »

We have now reached a point in the dragonfly season where Autumn Meadowhawks (Sympetrum vicinum) are the dragonfly species that I see most frequently. Most other species have gradually disappeared and I seen only occasional survivors that are still hanging on. There is something about the physiology of Autumn Meadowhawks that allows them to tolerate the cold better than other dragonflies and in past years I have seen them as late as the middle of December.

Last Friday I spotted over a dozen Autumn Meadowhawks at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and was able to capture photos of several of them. Autumn Meadowhawks tend to perch flat on the ground, so it can be a bit difficult to spot them, especially when they choose to land on fallen leaves that camouflage them almost perfectly.

Female Autumn Meadowhawks are a mixture of red and brown colors, as you can see in the first photo below, while the males of the species are bright red, as you can see in the final photo. Both genders have beautiful brown eyes.

Autumn Meadowhawk

Autumn Meadowhawk

Autumn Meadowhawk

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on October 20, 2025| 2 Comments »

The Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum) is a late-season dragonfly that is somewhat similar in appearance to the more common Autumn Meadowhawk—males of both species have bright red bodies, but Autumn Meadowhawks have brown eyes.

The females of both species are more muted in their coloration than their male counterparts, as is often the case with many dragonflies and birds, so they have more natural camouflage and are frequently more difficult to find. I was therefore delighted to spot this female Blue-faced Meadowhawk last Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, my first sighting of the species this season.

I am hopeful that I will spot the more colorful male Blue-faced Meadowhawk before this dragonfly season comes to an end.

Blue-faced Meadowhawk

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Common Buckeye in October

Posted in Autumn, Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on October 14, 2025| 7 Comments »

During transitional periods throughout the year, I like to capture images that include elements of the season that is ending and of the season that is beginning. Last Friday I took this photo of a Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) that has some foliage in the background that was in the process of changing colors. Though the leaves on which the butterfly is perched are still green, the reds and oranges of the background provide a foretaste of the future, a foreshadowing sign of what is yet to come.

Common Buckeye

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

 

Read Full Post »

Russet-tipped Clubtail in October

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on October 13, 2025| 2 Comments »

I was absolutely thrilled last Friday to photograph a Russet-tipped Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a somewhat surprising find this late in the dragonfly season. As I was walking along one of the trails, I encountered a fellow dragonfly enthusiast who was part of a group conducting a survey of butterflies and dragonflies at the refuge. After a brief conversation, we both continued on our way, heading in opposite directions.

A short time later I heard a voice calling out from a distance. I could not understand what was being said, but hurried back down the trail and was delighted to see that my friend had spotted a Russet-tipped Clubtail perched in the vegetation. Russet-tipped Clubtails are a late season species and are seen most often in August and September in my area. Unlike many of the dragonflies that I see regularly that seem to prefer pole-like perches or perch flat on the ground, Russet-tipped Clubtails like to hang from the leaves of vegetation at an angle or almost vertically—members of the genus Stylurus are sometimes called “Hanging Clubtails.”

The dragonfly was cooperative and remained perched as I took photos from several different angles. Before long, the dragonfly took off and our brief encounter ended. I continued on my way, content to know that the end of the dragonfly season, although near, is not here yet.

Russet-tipped Clubtail

Russet-tipped Clubtail

Russet-tipped Clubtail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Continuing the countdown

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on October 9, 2025| 4 Comments »

The countdown continues as we gradually move towards the end of the dragonfly season in my area. The Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) is one of the first dragonflies to appear in the spring and one of the last dragonflies to disappear in the autumn.

I spotted this tattered male Blue Dasher dragonfly during a recent visit to Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. This was one of only a handful of dragonflies that I saw that day. The end is nearing, but I am not ready to call it quits quite yet for my dragonfly photography.

Blue Dasher

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »