Dragonfly Watching Adventure

Visited Georgia for a couple of days for wildlife watching. Trip objectives: find, identify, photograph what nature I can (focus on dragonfly species) given total unfamiliarity with the land...basically live large and passionate (going for it...like you?).

Took over 600 photos/video using two Canon cameras/7" Nexus tablet visiting one National Wildlife Refuge, four State Parks/two Wildlife Management Areas. Weather was a major feature - a slow-moving storm front with tornado's and twenty-one inches of rain in places. Avoided harm by channeling my intuitive Weather Channel persona :-)

Encountered 46 species of birds that I had not listed in years; comedic nasal cawing of the Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) and the Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) singing "monte monte video" from the dense forest understory stand out. Landscape features, well they were green, really green and verdant. Closing my eyes I can still see the Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) draping the Cypress swamp trees at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting back to things that fly, believe I found five "lifer" butterfly species (2 Satyr, 1 Sootywing, 1 Skipper and 1 Swallowtail). However, observing different Skimmers (Libellulidae dragonfly family), made my trip...big and showy species (for the most part:-) that most folks mentally associate as "dragonflies". They are spectacular!

Call to Action - Your neighborhood wetland might even have these species present for your own discovery, try it. Below is a sampling of species discovered:

Bar-winged Skimmer

Golden-winged Skimmer

Painted Skimmer

Spangled Skimmer

Wading for Dragonflies...Not Required, but Still Fun

Still learning about dragonflies; however have come a long way since my last dragonfly-centric post Watching Dragonflies...Learning How. My Flickr site is my visual checklist for species I've found/identified. Made a quick trip this afternoon to Chief Looking Glass Fishing Access Site/Campground (Florence, MT) to photograph Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)...simply want a better quality photo to post online. So, this dragonfly, true to its name likes shadowy areas, especially the Bitterroot River "braids" that have slower moving water...Chief Looking Glass has been a reliable spot. Brought along the Nexus 7 along with my Canon DSLR to capture the action.

Clouds and rain cut my adventure down to about fifteen minutes but, in that time found, photographed and video'd a female Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata) laying eggs in the river bottom. Dennis Paulson has authored two excellent field guides to assist/mentor you in your wildlife watching of these ephemeral, colorful animals. There is still enough summer to find some dragonflies near your home...go out and find something good!