Backyard Dragonfly

Dragonfly Entertainment

I spent much of yesterday afternoon photographing dragonflies on my back patio.

Backyard Dragonfly
Backyard Dragonfly on Crepe Myrtle seed pod, dried from last year, f14, 1/640 sec, ISO 2000

This particular dragonfly, identifiable by the missing section of his right hindwing, landed on several plant stakes but kept coming back to a Melissa Balm flower head.

Backyard Dragonfly
Backyard Dragonfly, Melissa Balm flower stalk, f14, 1/160 sec, ISO 800

I was able to move around the plant, effectively changing the background.

Backyard Dragonfly
Backyard Dragonfly, Melissa Balm flower stalk, f14, 1/125 sec, ISO 250

And I got a head nod.

Backyard Dragonfly
Backyard Dragonfly, Melissa Balm flower stalk, f14, 1/125 sec, ISO 320

9 thoughts on “Dragonfly Entertainment”

  1. Nice shots, Ellen. I love the way you were able to get some color in the background–that red is striking. FYI, that appears to me to be a female Great Blue Skimmer, based primarily on the white face (several other species have similar coloration, but not the white face).

    1. Thanks, Mike! That’s a very deep red petunia that is unexplainably very happy there, now wishing I’d gotten more of them. It’s interesting the choices the dragonflies make for perches. I have a wrought iron hook for a bird feeder that they often land on—the hottest spot available in the full sun.
      Thank you for the ID, and reminder about the white face.

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