Dragonflies

Don't know how it happen but it suddenly just a week before Labor Day.  Was it just mid-June when I got back from Alaska?  Where did the summer go?  I think my problem was that I didn't get the opportunity to do that much birding this summer;  although, I did spend a lot of evenings sorting through the 1950 photos I took in Alaska (I'll post more Alaska Photos later).  While up in Alaska, I started playing with my camera's macro setting by photographing a variety of small Tundra flowers.  I learned that I could just trust my macro autofocus and just "blindly" snap photos. Turned out to be a great lesson, for when I was able to get out this summer, it was usually in the afternoon when it was sunny and hot - not great for birding but a great time of day for observing insects like Dragonflies and Butterflies. Dragonflies are a challenging group to photograph; however, I've learned that a perched dragonfly usually did not view my camera and out-stretched arm as a threat, allowing me to get my camera to within inches of it.  Knowing that I could shoot "blind", I was able to get the following photos.  Enjoy.

Bar-winged Skimmer

Widow Skimmer

Halloween Pennant

Blue Dasher