Photo Highlights of 2017 (Part 2)

With so many photos taken this year, its been a challenge to work my way through them to choose some more favourites. I could in all honesty, have picked many more but the ones I have chosen have been picked for a variety of reasons. Some of them were just timed right, others were planned and thought about to achieve the desired shot while some produced some fantastic memories and encounters. During the year, I have made a number of trips to see specific species and a real highlight was watching over 20 Southern Migrant Hawkers in a single dyke in Essex. To just witness this spectacle was awesome but to also come away with a few pleasing photos was most welcome. To witness any dragonfly or damselfly emerge has to be up there for any odonata enthusiast so I have made it a mission of mine to try to photograph a few species emerging this year. To capture a Hairy Dragonfly emerging in the still of the night and knowing most around you are tucked up in bed whilst this miracle happens unbeknown to them is a superb sight to see and one I will never tire of. A first also this year was to get into the water to photograph a Willow Emerald Damselfly emerging in a stream at Nethergong. Resting my camera on a tray provided me with a superb view of the emergence and a few nice shots obtained. As readers of my blog will know, I have a soft spot for the Willow Emerald Damselfly and have probably spent more hours with this species than any other. This have provided me with a good knowledge of this species and also countless photographic experiences which I will never forget. I could carry on writing about experiences throughout the year and maybe that another post to do in the near future but I think at this point, the photos will speak better than any words I could write about them. Enjoy!

Banded Demoiselle (male) at Sunset 

Hairy Dragonfly (female) Emerging 

Hairy Dragonfly and Azure Damselfly Nymph with Friend 

'Dewy' Large Red Damselfly (male) 

Migrant Hawker (male) in Flight 

Emerald Damselfly (male) in tandem with a Willow Emerald Damselfly (female) 

Norfolk Hawker (male) 

Southern Migrant Hawker (male) in Flight 

Willow Emerald Damselflies (pair in tandem) 

Willow Emerald Damselfly Nymph 

Willow Emerald Damselflies (teneral male) 

'Dewy' Willow Emerald Damselfly