 |
| My nine year old son was so inspired by Rare (see July 11th) that we decided we need to start putting together our own "photo ark" of unique species for the property; he helped me capture this image of a Wandering Glider |
Despite 85+ degrees and plenty of intense and sustained sunshine, my faithful companion did not miss a beat. He had the option of staying in town for a pool party with a good group of friends, or putting on jeans and work cloths for a day at the marsh. He didn't hesitate -- when given the option to come, or when shown what the day's project would entail. He was all in.
Anderson is what I call a "critter getter," meaning he is always game to chase whatever there is to pursue. Whether it be frogs (perhaps his favorite pursuit), turtles, minnows, butterflies, or lizards (on trips south), Anderson tends to have a bit of a one-track mind. Like father, like son, I guess.
Yesterday, we both had the distinct pleasure of witnessing an explosion of life from a fascinating group I've had my mind on a lot lately -- Odonata. Odonates are an order of carnivorous insects, encompassing the dragonflies and the damselflies. With informal grouping names like dancers, skimmers, cruisers, darners, bluets, spreadwings, forktails and clubtails, meadowhawks and pondhawks, it's hard not to be intrigued.
I am a complete rookie when it comes to identifying this general taxon. I'm already anticipating a new passion/obsession because chasing these guys with a decent camera is kind of like pursuing songbirds for the first time with a good pair of binocs. The Canon was a window into a whole new world, and Anderson and I found ourselves routinely interrupted from our landscape monitoring in pursuit of the perfect insect photo. Many "got away," but as the images here demonstrate, we "caught" a fair number on camera, too. Anderson routinely corralled the fast-fliers toward me, served as my spotter as they jumped from stem to leaf, and then highfived me in congratulations each time I got the shot.
We ended up with about sixty wildlife images to go with the 59 monitoring photos we needed. I obviously don't have space to show them all (even the best of them all) here, so I'll try to post again later this week with some more cool plants and insects. I postulate that our drawdown coupled with recent high temps has lead to a proliferation of "dragons" and damselflies, so I'll try to get back out soon to capture more. Based on preliminary reading, it looks like 160+ species live in or migrate through Ohio . . . and not surprisingly, wetlands along the Lake Erie coast tend to be a hotbed. I'm pretty familiar with their complex life cycles (mostly spent in water), but I have a lot to learn in terms of diversity. I'm hoping it's something the kids and I can learn together.
 |
| We enjoyed watching these Eastern Pondhawks all day long |
 |
| Thanks to Linda Gilbert of the Geauga Park District for properly identifying this female Widow Skimmer; the yellow in this photo appeared even more gold in person |
 |
| Thanks again to Linda Gilbert (Geauga Park District) for clarifying that this is an orange-form female Eastern Forktail; they may be small, but their color packs a punch |
I spent a good deal of time yesterday trying to get classic poses for identification and reference, but in some (rare) cases, the subjects were so cooperative, that I had to try to get in for a closer look. Make sure you click on the images below to appreciate some of the detail. And trust me, there are images out there that make these look like finger paintings. Still, these macro shots really have me curious to observe, photograph, and learn more.
 |
| Note remnant of an insect meal on the front, left leg -- hopefully what's left of a mosquito! |
 |
| Anderson at work in the East Marsh |
