On Saturday, I went to help with a butterflies count up at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge. Being with Mike Chapman is a great way to learn. He is a fountain of information. I met the group and lucked out because both Fitz Clark and Lois Stacey knew their dragonflies. I found out I was right about the Eastern Pondhawk. 
Lois told me that they were the Cattle Egrets of the dragonfly world. They like to follow us because we are stirring up bugs for them to eat. Is that not cool? I had lots of these around all day. I actually photographed this female which looks very different from the male. 
They are big dragonflies so they are easy to spot as well.
Now to the other dragonfly I labeled Wandering Glider. I had Lois and Giff Beaton tell me that it is not a glider but a skimmer. They get it down to either a Gold-winged Skimmer or a Needham’s Skimmer. My photo is not good enough to firmly nail it down. So it is not a Wandering Glider but a Golden-winged Skimmer type. Any way you look at it, these dragonflies inspire the imagination. Gold-winged and gliders and skimmers, what wonderful names and they are fun to watch.
While at Harris Neck, we found a few more. Here is a Amanda's Pennant. Please give Fitz Clarke the credit for this image. Isn't it beautiful.
Here is a Duckweed Firetail. 
By the way Harris Neck NWR is a hotspot for birding as well.
Here is a picture from the dike at Woody Pond. You never know what you might find. You can drive around on the wildlife drive or you can hike or bike around it. This is our group hiking back to our cars.
Lois told me that they were the Cattle Egrets of the dragonfly world. They like to follow us because we are stirring up bugs for them to eat. Is that not cool? I had lots of these around all day. I actually photographed this female which looks very different from the male. They are big dragonflies so they are easy to spot as well.Now to the other dragonfly I labeled Wandering Glider. I had Lois and Giff Beaton tell me that it is not a glider but a skimmer. They get it down to either a Gold-winged Skimmer or a Needham’s Skimmer. My photo is not good enough to firmly nail it down. So it is not a Wandering Glider but a Golden-winged Skimmer type. Any way you look at it, these dragonflies inspire the imagination. Gold-winged and gliders and skimmers, what wonderful names and they are fun to watch.
While at Harris Neck, we found a few more. Here is a Amanda's Pennant. Please give Fitz Clarke the credit for this image. Isn't it beautiful.
Here is a Duckweed Firetail. By the way Harris Neck NWR is a hotspot for birding as well.
Here is a picture from the dike at Woody Pond. You never know what you might find. You can drive around on the wildlife drive or you can hike or bike around it. This is our group hiking back to our cars. 
2 comments:
so great to go out with those that are so knowledgeable! Great information..liked the info on the eastern pondhawk..
I was just lucky to out with this group and learn about butterflies and dragnonflies. I used it today when while I was surverying an area on Jekyll. There were butterflies and drangonflies every where.
Post a Comment