Stalking the Wild Dragonflies

It's not that I haven't noticed nor appreciated them before..but I have not actively studied them, stalked them, photographed them nor tried to ID them..Now, camera, binoculars & ID books on standby, I stalk the wild dragonflies.. (please feel free to correct ID!!)

                                                    

                                                   Indian Island County Park

Female Painted Skimmer..ain't she sweet..
a Salt Marsh treat!

Dragonflies belong to the insect class: Odonata  from the Greek "odonto-", tooth, refering to the strong teeth found on the mandibles of most adults. These little beauties are predators, feeding on large numbers of smaller, flying insects..yum..mosquitoes!

The lifespan of an adult dragonfly is short, they live just long enough to mate and reproduce..several months at the most, and are more likely to die of predation than old age.

                                                              Hubbard County Park

Seaside Dragonlet, this is a female in "male form"
..a cross-dresser I guess

This is a female properly attired..
these little beauties swarmed the salt marsh

Seaside Dragonlets are the only dragonflies in the
Western Hemisphere that can breed in undiluted seawater

From the seaside to a pond..found deep within the newly opened Brookhaven State Park

Calico Pennant..enjoying the sedges pondside

They perch facing away from the water,
to search for mates..after all..there isn't much time..

Eastern Pondhawks..

Shared the ponds edge

As did a Damselfly.. Atlantic Bluet, I think

Damselflies are a different suborder of Odonata, (Zygoptera) with a more slender abdomen and wings held close to the body.

Today I saw the dragon-fly

Come from the well where he did lie...

Thro' crofts and pasteurs wet with dew..

A living flash of light he flew ~ Tennyson  (More will surely flit thro' this blog!)

How to Wash Windows..

First, gather all your equipment..point & shoot, DSLR, binoculars..Since you're on the deck to wash upstairs windows, might as well take a shot of the vegetable garden from the deck..

Those are self-planted Asian Raspberries on fence, left..I had thought they were native 'til a year ago. They're for the birds. Rubus odoratus (native Thimble Berry)  will eventually replace them..


Wait, what is that in the woods...??

A young Baltimore Oriole in the rose bush..

waiting for a chance at the berries...

 And look at the butterflies in the flowers...Camera in hand,  down to the garden..

 

Pink Edged Sulphur



Monarch in for a landing



Dreamy Dusky Wing (Skipper)





Northern Pearl Crescent, opened

And shut

Oh right, the windows..back up onto the deck, wax on, wax off..but look, young robins are searcing for berries!

They crouch, then fling themselves into the berries

A fledgling waiting on the fence



Makes it into the berries..

The window does get washed..one, one window..but this morning I don't even pretend..

 

Breakfast with a Bluejay

And a Robin

A Tiger Swallowtail drops by to say hi



American Painted Lady, case opened

And shut..the windows can wait!

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else ~Emily Dickinson

Feeling Crabby

A sad post for a crab..a happy post for a Great White Egret, and an instructive observance for this naturalist.. How to eat live crab..

I have a crab.. I shall not let this kayaker have it..

I must dunk it & crush it to subdue it..over & over again

Yum!

Nature red, in tooth and claw~ Tennyson.. And beak...