I found some time on Sunday (1 July) and Tuesday (3 July) to get out and photograph.
On the day in between (that would be Monday, 2 July for those keeping careful track), I made a round trip to SE Massachusetts to install my “Life Cycle of Dragonflies and Damselflies” exhibit at the Pembroke Public Library. It will be there for the month of July.
Joe Kennedy, my friend (and stalwart commentator on this blog), helped me with the installation and we enjoyed lunch after the work was done. Thanks Joe!
Sunday’s crop:
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The insect in the second photo was hovering for long periods (tens’s of seconds) right about eye level. In between its hovers, it would make rapid forays in seemingly random directions. I assume that it was hunting for other insects. Thus I was able to “capture” it during one of it hovers. I got lucky with the light in this frame. The other three or four photos I made had the critter in deep shade.
I discovered the small (thumb-sized) toad because I noticed the vegetation moving in an odd way. Kneeling down, I spied the toad. The photo was taken lying down on my stomach.
The last two images in this series illustrate the power of digital photography. They were both made at ISO 3200 in very dim light; did they even make ISO 3200 film?. The photos were very noisy straight out of the camera but cleaned up well with the right software tool.
The vesper bluet photo also illustrates another big advantage of digital. Let me set the scene…
- The sun is very low (look at the shadow)… this is the only time these critters are active. Thus the “vesper” in their common name.
- The critter is on a “lily pad” in water too deep to wade and there is a significant breeze blowing. This is making the critter bob up and down.
- I am sitting in my kayak which is also bobbing and drifting… remember the water is too deep to wade and the wind is blowing!
In other words, I shot dozens of frames in order to get one that was acceptable! Who could have afforded to do that with film? Ain’t digital wonderful!!!
Tuesday’s crop:
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Tuesday afternoon I noticed two or three female common whitetails hanging around the edge of the yard in the clearing I use to process cord word. This caused me to head back to the house for the camera. After photographing the the whitetails, I meandered the yard and the road looking for other subjects. At one point I almost stepped on another small toad who was keeping very still and relying on its camouflage.