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southern-hawker-female


southern-hawker-female
Photo Information
Copyright: Robert Brown (Robbrown) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1211 W: 90 N: 2159] (6062)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-08-22
Categories: Insects
Camera: SONY DSC F-707, Carl Zeiss 9.7-48.5, Digital ISO 100
Exposure: f/4, 1/125 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-08-24 18:05
Viewed: 980
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) this is the female with the body covered in green spots no blue tail spot like the male . In my experiance they are not as oftenseen as the males this is only the 3rd female I have seen, i think this is beause they only come near water when they have ripe eggs ready for fertilization , which is only every 3rd day, when she will arrive at the water which will normally be in a woodland type situation, so garden and urban parks are often a favoured sites too being very simular making the a fairley common Hawker from July onwards till the colder late autumn nights stops them. They also do not mind flying in the dark and can be best detected by the rustling of wings in the dark as they carry on the hunt till the night time air cools enough to slow them down.
When getting to the water they will fly up and down the waters edge looking for a teritory holding male who will also be flying up and down a set patch upto 50m long stopping to hover and inspect likely laying site for laying females they can possible intersept.having been grabbed by the male she manoeuvres into the wheeled position and they fly away from the water and continue matting of upto 2hrs.She will not return imeadiatley to lay her eggs like most species but will come back next morning before the males arrive around midday to find a mate. the idea being that she can lay in peace in dead plant material near or in water so last years reeds damp tree roots and trunks and even damp moss.The eggs do not hatch till spring then spend 2years maturing before emerging as the adult to spend a couple of days in teneral from becoming sexually mature.
taken at distance using all 5X mannual zoom in non macro mode as it was not possible to get any closer because it was in the middle of a nettle patch (Urtica dioca) "ouch" (((.
adujustments
saturation +8
sharpen edges and fade back in pinlight to 75%
crop to 28.22cm at 72dpi
save to web 195k
CaptiveLight, carper, japie, gerhardt, mogens-j, milloup, PDP, Callie, phlr has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Ouch, lol, don't you just love nettles. Well captured, and excellent notes with your images

Very good Robert.
Nice color and a great note.
Well done.

Robert, I love this one for the harmonic green colours both on the animal and from the plants (we in Holland call them brandnetels).
Greetings, Jan

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-08-25 4:48]

I hope your nestle wounds did not sting too much when you had your bath, but it was worthwile doing it - you managed to get an excellent capture. I love the composition. Thanks for enduring the nestles

very nice one Robbert,
Good capture, complete with great note, very good job.
points later.

Robert, Great note on your Hawker..In the last few weeks with TN I've learned more of the life cycle & habits of the dragonfly than I thought possible! Or imgined I would want to! ;-) You can't always get the shot you want to (close enough), but this one came out quite well regardless..

I love this capture. nice lush green BG. Very sharp detail. Brilliant note. Thanx Robert.

Very good picture of this hawker Robert. Everything is within focus range - unfortunately it goes for the background too. Well the background was not your choise.

Colours are very natural and clear and the composition is good. Very informative note - as usual.

Nice capture of green on green, good sharpness and DOF ;-)) I've only ever seen a female of this species once - also on nettles, maybe a favourite of theirs.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-08-26 5:01]

Nice shot, I get stung to bits on a daily basis getting my shots! Nice detail but I aggree with the others about the focussed background, also I think the green hues are a little too much. Still a great shot though. Good work.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1132 W: 105 N: 2609] (7531)
  • [2004-08-27 14:43]

So, are you scared of a few leaves? Wheres the wellies to tramp;e them down? Did you notice the abdomen resembles a totom pole with "faces"? The first "segment" just above the wings is a "bad boy" mask, the ist one below the wings is a gut with a bulbous nose and large mouser below it, so are the others, but not too clear. This must mean that the picture is sharp - well done. Now brong me a detail of just the masks.

  •      
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 129 N: 881] (2814)
  • [2005-07-25 13:19]

Another beauty!
Very good photo!
Great details and colours!

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