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Southern Hawker


Southern Hawker
Photo Information
Copyright: Joe Kellard (joey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1999 W: 226 N: 6845] (24733)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-18
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi), Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital ISO-400, Hoya 77mm UV Filter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-08-19 3:58
Viewed: 862
Points: 44
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This was taken while in the Lake District back in July. I was very suprised to find a Southern Hawker so far North but apparently there are frequent sitings of these insects all the way up to the north of Scotland!
This is my first post of this species and is also the first macro taken with my 100-400mm too :-)

I still need to download my Spain photos but I promise to post some this week.

I hope you like this one!

The Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea), known as the Blue Darner in the Western Hemisphere, is a 70 mm long species of hawker dragonfly.

It is large, with a long body. It has green markings on the black bodies, and the male also has blue spots on the abdomen.

The Southern Hawker breeds in still or slow-flowing water, but will wander widely, and is often seen in gardens and open woodland. This is an inquisitive species and will approach people.

The adult eats various insects, caught on the wing. The nymphs feed on aquatic insects, tadpoles and small fish ambushed in the pond they frequent until they emerge as adults in July and August after three years’ development.

Behaviour
This is a large, brightly coloured Dragonfly. The males are often seen patrolling by a ponds edge or river, where they fight away intruders, crashing into rival males and spiralling through the air. The females are quite inconspicuous when they lay their eggs, but they sometimes give away their spot by clattering up from the reeds. If you look carefully you can sometimes find them ovipositing (laying eggs) into some moss, reeds or rotten wood. The males are sometimes very curious and come flying up to you and allowing a close view.


Larvae
The eggs are laid by jabbing the abdomen into rotting vegetation or wood. The eggs hatch in the spring, after being the laid in the previous summer or autumn. The larvae live on small tadpoles and invertebrates. They emerge after 2-3 years.

Thanks!
red45, mayuresh, ramthakur, Argus, jusninasirun, eqshannon, jaycee, Vinster, nglen, boreocypriensis, pekkavalo1, CatherineD, Jamesp, cataclysta, gannu, LordPotty, haraprasan, uleko has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To red45: BGjoey 1 08-19 04:12
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2732 W: 74 N: 8956] (30561)
  • [2008-08-19 4:09]
  • [+]

Hi Joe!

Beautifull, big dragonfly. Good dorsal view, perfect details and sharpness. The only problem with these species is that they're always sitting in places with poor BG :-)

Hello Joe,
wonderful closeup shot of dragonfly,superb focusing and good lighting,
well done,
tfs

This is quite an attractive species of dragonflies, Joe.
As usual, the image is well captured with fine details and very natural colours.
Thanks and all the best.

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1901 W: 36 N: 5581] (18522)
  • [2008-08-19 6:35]

Hi Joe,
Outstanding shot of this great looking dragonfly with amazing details and colours on its body and abdomen. Great pose captured and you have handled the natural lighting very well here. Excellent DOF and the composition is top-class. Thanks for sharing.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4079 W: 190 N: 12063] (37165)
  • [2008-08-19 6:38]

Hello Joe,
Welcome back!
An excellent sharp capture of an immature male Southern Hawker taken from a fine dorsal POV against a great OOF natural BG.
This is a fine illustration not only of the species before maturing but of how great long lenses are for taking dragonflies.
TFS this beauty,
Ivan

Hi Joe!

I'm so glad to see you back! It's a pleasure to see well known names as yours again. And you come back with a marvellous picture. It distinguishes itself by the richness of details and the great depth of view. I'm looking forward to seeing your postings from Spain!

Kind regards

Markus

Hello Joe. Awesome sharp detail of the shot. Very good tight framing in vivid detail. Top quality image and very well done. Regards. Jusni

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3762] (13407)
  • [2008-08-19 8:12]

Cracking shot Joe, well composed with some very nice catchlight in the wings too. Very good DOF.
well done!
Paul

Doesn't take you long to get back into the groove Joey...A fine specimen. You will also have fun with Gregorz and Horia. They sure having a challenge..but perhaps you have already seen? this is just super..I still yet have to manage anything good out of this arena...but I shall keep on trekking!
Bob

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2204 W: 8 N: 6094] (21500)
  • [2008-08-19 9:11]

Hi Joe,isn't easy to found this great dragonflies in my country,just one in 5 years! Excellent pic,the details of eyes are impressive,i think that the body is a little overexposed,i remember blue and yellow stripes behind the blacks.Details and point of view beautifulls,my best compliments,LUCIANO

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2683 W: 11 N: 7301] (23103)
  • [2008-08-19 9:23]

Hi Joe,

A very sharp looking dragonfly with those wonderful colors and patterns. Great view of the head, body and wings - in great detail, of course. A marvelous macro of this one in a diagonal position. Beautiful against the green background.

Jane

  •      
  • Vinster Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 90 W: 5 N: 177] (721)
  • [2008-08-19 9:38]

Hi Joe
Good shot of this species. Looks like an immature specimen (no obvious wing damage, body markings not particularly blue or green) so it probably hatched in the local area. You've captured this one well, good details and spot-on focus. Hopefully we'll see a few more at Stocker's Lake on Saturday! ;p
Vinny

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3120 W: 34 N: 9199] (34122)
  • [2008-08-19 11:15]

Hi Joe. Good picture of the Southern hawker , which you were able to take away from the leaves. so we can see the full detail af the wings and colourful body. with good detail and use of the light wel ldone TFS.
Nick..

Hi My friend, OwlMan:-)
What a perfect macro of a Southern Hawker.
Great details and superb DOF/POV.
Nice to see your excellent shots again:)
Many thanks for sharing this beauty my friend!
Greetings from TRNC,
Bayram

Hi Joe,
Very good macro work with the faithful 100-400. This just shows how good lens it is. POV and composition are good and excellent DOF distinguishes the dragonfly very well from the BG. Details are pin sharp and colours very beautiful and natural.
TFS
Cheers
Pekka

Hello Joe,
Marvelous shot! The DOF, the colours and the sharpness are really perfect. The composition is great too. A top class photo. TFS,
Catherine

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1513 W: 9 N: 6007] (17866)
  • [2008-08-19 22:40]

Hi Joe

Great shot - excellent detail, pose and colour. Great work.

I have loads of dragonflies in my garden at the moment - they rest in my 'jungle' (tree ferns, bamboo and banana trees) near the office - every time I go by they take off 'en-masse' - yuk!

James

Hi Joe
Beautiful dragonfly. Great sharpness, perfet OOF background - the wings are clearly visible. Also nice almost square crop
Very good job
Best wishes
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1206 W: 1 N: 5305] (17901)
  • [2008-08-20 19:36]

Hello Joe,
Magnificent camera work as aways Joe. The details and colors captured are amazing, Glad you are back my friend.
Rick

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2008-08-20 21:17]

Hello Joey, Namaste from India. Just beautiful. The shot is so perfect and focus is absolute. The wings pattern and the stripes in the body and also the eye on the top view is so pleasing. Many a times when they sit in such a position, I find them difficult to shoot due to approach. You have done a great job here. Well done and namaste again. Ganesh

Hi Joe,
A nice capture of this beautiful southern hawker. Very well composed with sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hola Joe: Primero enhorabuena por la galería que estás creando dado la calidad de esta.
Tu fotografía es real, no te has complicado y has creado una toma simple y muy efectiva, con un preciso enfoque y destacando a mi gusto en la luz y los colores.
Un abrazo desde España y buen Domingo.
Josep Ignasi Tejedor.

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3179 W: 162 N: 1471] (4331)
  • [2008-08-25 7:28]

Hello Joe,
I envy you havíng captured this beauty - there are so few dragonflies here! It's a brilliant image, all in focus showing sharp details and very nice natural colours. Well done!
TFS and cheers, Ulla

Hi Joe, great dragonfly... stunning colours and detail.. excellent background,

have a look at www.waterscape.com... photo competition with British Waterways for dragonfly/damselfly images.... have a go... P/S...pass it on to necipp.....regards h

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