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Great Pondhawk


Great Pondhawk
Photo Information
Copyright: Chris Chafer (sandpiper2) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1639 W: 111 N: 3444] (11163)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Pentax K100D Super, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro, Digital ISO-400, Matin 58mm UV
Exposure: f/16, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): My trip to Belize and Costa Rica [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-03-10 3:43
Viewed: 591
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) is a widespread species occurring from the southern USA south through Central America to Argentina in South America. It also occurs on some Caribbean islands. In the U.S. is not usually abundant, but occurs from Florida westward into Texas and occasionally New Mexico. It has been recorded as far north as Missouri and Kansas. The males are a vibrant green while the females are a plain broiwn.

The Great Pondhawk is a member of the common skimmer family (Libellulidae). They have a body length of 65mm and a wingspan of 90mm, so they are quite a big dragon. We only saw them in the vast wetlands of Parlo Verde National Park on the west coast of Costa Rica. Didn’t see them at all in Belize.

Like other pondhawks in the region, this species is a strong flyer and skillful hunter, taking other flying insects such as horseflies, butterflies and other dragonflies up to its size. It commonly rests on the ground or just above on objects or vegetation. Great Pondhawk is a strong flier and generally wary. Mating occurs while perched and females will lay eggs in nearly any standing or slow moving body of water.

General info from www.odonatacentral.org
ramthakur, mariki, vanderschelden, jcoowanitwong, horia, albert, ellis49, cicindela has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To cicindela: number of speciessandpiper2 2 03-17 12:03
To horia: re backgroundsandpiper2 2 03-11 07:56
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Critiques [Translate]

The green colour of the dragonfly creates a symphony with the green of the blurred BG, Chris.
You have done very good work during your Costa Rica trip. The image is sharp, crisp and very well composed.
TFS
Ram

Hello Chris,

Beautiful composition. Excellent POV and DOF. Good sharpness. Beautiful detail of the head of this dragonfly and great colours.
Well done,
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2008-03-10 6:30]

Hi Chris,
love the shots you brought back from Costa Rica, looks like you enjoyed the trip as much as me. I wished I had more time than a week, and promised myself to go back.
THis capture is fabulous, the details are amazing and the sharpness and DOF right on.
TFS..Sky

Hello Chris,
Beautiful colors; the Great Pondhawk's black and green; the same are coming back in the blurred background.
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hello Chris,
Never see a dragonfly this green before. Very nice picture. Sharp and well exposed. Wonderful composition.
JC

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 347 W: 0 N: 281] (2170)
  • [2008-03-10 17:24]

Ola Chris
Belissima foto desta libelula, a nitidez esta perfeita e as cores tambem .
Parabens
Nilson

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2038 W: 212 N: 3625] (12076)
  • [2008-03-11 2:22]
  • [+]

Hi Chris

Nice to see you brought back some dragonflies from there as well :)
This is a very beautiful macro shot and one which present this interesting species very well. I like the colors and the details on the skimmer here as well as the spot-on exposure you used here - with a very nice flash work (if i'm not mistaken).
The colors are also lovely and well saturated and the POV is great for the typical features of this species.
The DOF is always tricky when it comes to dragonflies; you sacrificed a bit of the BG here in order to get the entire body and wings in full focus and i think you did good.
Excellent result!

Bravo, TFS and congrats on reaching 400+ posts here :)
Horia

Hi Chris,

Lovely shot of this Pondhawk. Really good level of detail with good dof to get the wingtips in focus. Nice colours and light and great composition.

Mike

Hi Chris,
Excellent photo, good compo, sharpness and DOF
Well done
Albert

Hi Chris,
a well composed and nice picture, the sharpness are good
and the details are well seen.
I like the POV and DOF too, the DF is well isolated from the BG.
But I'm not sure about the colours, it's seems like the white-balance is not correct.
Well done, old friend.

Hello Chris!
First of all - I am sorry for delay with writting detailed comment :)
I like a lot dragonflies, this was the group thanks to which I started my adventure with entomology :) And this species looks very nice and interesting. Maybe only bicoloured, but presented with keeping in very good way all: DOF, POV, sharpness and light.
As I see it is identified to species level and it comes from Costa Rica, so I have one additional question. Do you know how many species of Odonata occur in this coutry?
Friendly yours,
Radomir

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