"Persistent Aerial Predator" Paddle-Tailed Darner In-Flight at the Richmond Nature Park BC 25Sep2010
This late in the dragonfly flight season, not as many species are about. The shortening days, longer, colder nights and cool rains of strengthening Paciifc storms are not favorable to the survival of adult dragonflies. Many of the familiar "perchers" are gone, including the Eight-spotted Skimmers, Four-spotted Skimmers and Common Whitetails. A number of the darner species have vanished as well. A few species, however, persist into autumn. This includes the aptly named Autumn Meadowhawk, the Variegated Meadowhawk and the beautiful odonate depicted in the photo above: the Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata).
I was hoping that some dragons would be around as I tried out my new 60D, and the Richmond Nature Park provided. It will be a long wait till the 2011 flight. I had a lot of fun photographing the darners in flight, though I can not say it was any easier with a 60D verses a Rebel T1i (500D). Maybe the AF is somewhat more sure, but the difference is a matter of degree, not kind.
"Persistent Aerial Predator" Paddle-Tailed Darner In-Flight at the Richmond Nature Park BC 25Sep2010
This late in the dragonfly flight season, not as many species are about. The shortening days, longer, colder nights and cool rains of strengthening Paciifc storms are not favorable to the survival of adult dragonflies. Many of the familiar "perchers" are gone, including the Eight-spotted Skimmers, Four-spotted Skimmers and Common Whitetails. A number of the darner species have vanished as well. A few species, however, persist into autumn. This includes the aptly named Autumn Meadowhawk, the Variegated Meadowhawk and the beautiful odonate depicted in the photo above: the Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata).
I was hoping that some dragons would be around as I tried out my new 60D, and the Richmond Nature Park provided. It will be a long wait till the 2011 flight. I had a lot of fun photographing the darners in flight, though I can not say it was any easier with a 60D verses a Rebel T1i (500D). Maybe the AF is somewhat more sure, but the difference is a matter of degree, not kind.