Monday 15 August 2016

The Pond Dragon

Mid August is usually the time when a few Dragonflies visit the garden pond. Not to breed like the Damselflies, I think they come just to feed as there is plenty of small insect life. Today it was the turn of two male Common Darters. One had chosen a particular vantage point on the old branches I set up in the forlorn hope a Kingfisher may use them one day:

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As usual its head was in almost constant movement as those large eyes sought out the next meal. Nor did it stay still for very long, constantly taking off for a short flight and always returning to the same spot. I tried to get a flight shot but this was the nearest. I caught it just as it was landing.

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All were taken with the Canon 70D fitted with a 100-400mm zoom lens used at maximum zoom. As the minimum focal distance is around 6m I was usually about 20ft away which meant Mr Dragon didn't bother about me taking his likeness and the background was well out of focus. All photos are crops.

3 comments:

  1. It is exquisite - isn't nature wonderful?

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  2. I watched one behaving in exactly the same way yesterday. My camera finds them very hard to focus on.

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  3. You got some great shots John, as they don't hang around long do they.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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