Still very few dragonflies in the garden this summer, but another regular friend turned up today: a female black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).
There's an emperor dragonfly out there too, leading me a merry chase as it flits around hunting.
But every time I catch a side view of dragonflies - when they're nearly vertical like this - I can't help thinking they must really be fairies.
Like the whole dragonfly thing is just a magical disguise. And these little moments are when the illusion shimmers & I get a glimpse of their true nature.
Bc there's just something so eerily human about them. It kind of freaks me out a bit. In a 'beautiful but slightly unnerving' kind of way.
A Sapphire Flutterer (Rhyothemis triangularis) spotted at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore, on 4 June 2023. Good to see this uncommon dragonfly, with the unmistakable, dramatic blue patches on its wings.
Small wildlife seen on a hike near a stream. The main trail mostly ran along the chaparral-covered hillside just outside the riparian zone, but a few branches went down through the trees to the stream.
The lizard was well-camouflaged as it skittered around the tree trunk, in contrast to the two #dragonflies (a vivid blue dancer and a flame skimmer -- you can probably guess which is which!) There were quite a few small blue dancers (like half this length!) flying around the trail uphill from the stream bed. This one was resting on a wooden beam placed across the stream as a bridge. Finally, a checkered white #butterfly in front of the invasive mustard plants that were all over the lower parts of the chaparral.
My first odonata of the year, a teneral blue-tailed damselfly (I think), I momentarily looked away as I heard toads, and when I turned round a Carrion Crow had picked it up, probably for its chicks! #dragonflies#UrbanBiodiversity#Hull#EastPark
Wonderful male firecracker skimmer, female eight-spotted skimmer, and what I think is a fluffy sachem (probably male, as e looks to be waiting on the ground to find a mate?) from this summer. #InverteFest#dragonflies#Oregon