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Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 10
Image Taken on 17 Jul 2020
at 10:49 Image of day on 28 Aug 2020
We think we have seen one of these Brown Hawker Dragonflies several times,
but not sure enough to report. So here is our first confirmed sighting this year.
The cropped 'Anal Appendage' is also missing on the original grabbed shot.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20200828_df3_20200717_1049_161 brown hawker dragonfly (1st of 2020)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Jul 2024
at 12:55 Image of day on 26 Aug 2024
The first appearance of a Hawker Dragonfly this year.
Our initial ID 'by eye' was for a Brown Hawker Dragonfly, and a few hours
later our waiting about was rewarded by this individual flying along
the top edge of the house walls. This is an accurate montage at about 8 fps.
The insert is a magnified version of the top right image where the diagnostic
brown wings are clearly visible.
Don't worry about the wonky looking roof - the camera tilting while panning and
other effects made exact alignment difficult.
 flying along roof edge + insert (approx montage @8fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20240826_r70_20240719_1255_125-1256_130 brown hawker dragonfly (1st of 2024) flying along roof edge + insert (approx montage @8fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2023
at 16:13 Image of day on 23 Aug 2023
Brown Hawker Dragonflies really live up to their name - brown bodies and brown wings
really do look 'brown' in flight even at a glimpse.
(r+mb id@432).jpg)
Ref: 20230823_d71_20230625_1613_181 brown hawker dragonfly female - 1st of 2023 (id only)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 26 Jul 2012
at 12:43 Image of day on 01 Sep 2012
A few days later we caught this female Brown Hawker Dragonfly, but events transpired
that prevented us photographing her in flight. She needed a chance to warm herself up
for flight, so we hung her in the hedge. The blurred tips of the wings is her vibrating
them to raise the temperature of her flight muscles
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120901_p10_20120726_1243_888 brown hawker dragonfly female hanging in hedge (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Jul 2009
at 11:03 Image of day on 21 Aug 2009
After the indoor shoot we took her out for release and took some more
studies in sunlight until she flew off. This detail is looking
from the top of the head (eyes at the bottom) down the face at the
top.
We estimated the number of eye segments at 30,000, couldn't
believe it, but then found a reference to an exact count for the
'American Common Green Darner' at 28,672 in an excellent UK book
by Steve Brooks ISBN 0-953-13990-5 page 8.
The cells do not form images (unlike the ridiculous Hollywood and
nature documentary illustrations) so that IS the resolution -
about 10% of a 'VGA' (640x480) colour monitor but of course
wonderfully sensitive to movement, colour vision including UV,
and very robust. According to the book, 3 additional eyes in a
triangle at the top are very sensitive to light and are directly
used for orientation in flight.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090821_db1_20090716_1103_005 brown hawker dragonfly female head detail (web crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Jun 2018
at 13:52 Image of day on 22 Aug 2018
A female Brown Hawker Dragonfly flying above.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20180822_df3_20180630_1352_522 brown hawker dragonfly female in flight (1st of 2018)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 28 Jul 2011
at 18:06 Image of day on 09 Sep 2011
This Brown Hawker Dragonfly female was having great time feeding on midges -
you can see one here hanging out of the bottom of her mouth.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20110909_df1_20110728_1806_086 brown hawker dragonfly female in flight with midge in mouth (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Jul 2009
at 11:01 Image of day on 21 Aug 2009
This is a Brown Hawker dragonfly female flapping her wings as
she clambered up a hawthorn twig during a photo-shoot to
photograph her in flight (but the flight images didn't
capture the 3-D feel).
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090821_da1_20090716_1101_128 ft1 brown hawker dragonfly female on hawthorn twig (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 26 Jul 2012
at 12:44 Image of day on 01 Sep 2012
Another view, this time from the side, before she departed.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120901_p10_20120726_1244_918 brown hawker dragonfly female side view hanging in hedge (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 31 Aug 2012
at 13:35 Image of day on 11 Oct 2012
A bit of sunshine on not too-cold days bring the dragonflies out -
mostly on feeding hunts over the long grass.
(r+mb id@432).jpg)
Ref: 20121011_df1_20120831_1335_355 brown hawker dragonfly in flight (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 31 Aug 2012
at 13:37 Image of day on 11 Oct 2012
A bit of sunshine on not too-cold days bring the dragonflies out -
mostly on feeding hunts over the long grass.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20121011_df1_20120831_1337_434 brown hawker dragonfly in flight (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Aug 2012
at 14:25 Image of day on 14 Sep 2012
The Brown Hawker Dragonflies come out and hunt over the meadow
as soon as the afternoon sun shows his face.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120914_df1_20120805_1425_114 brown hawker dragonfly in flight (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Jul 2015
at 15:34 Image of day on 19 Sep 2015
Flying across the wind keeping approximately the same distance from us
before turning towards us. Here is part 1 of the sequence.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20150919_df3_20150719_1534_137-142 brown hawker dragonfly in flight 01-06 of 11 (accurate montage @ 7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Jul 2015
at 15:34 Image of day on 19 Sep 2015
Flying across the wind keeping approximately the same distance from us
before turning towards us. Here is part 2 of the sequence.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20150919_df3_20150719_1534_143-147 brown hawker dragonfly in flight 07-11 of 11 (accurate montage @ 7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 06 Aug 2020
at 17:58 Image of day on 10 Sep 2020
The middle image in more detail.
The damaged wing is very typical of the insect after a few days
in the sunshine. Damage can get much worse than this before it has
any impact on ability to fly well.
(r+mb id@432).jpg)
Ref: 20200910_df3_20200806_1758_306 brown hawker dragonfly in flight 2 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 06 Aug 2020
at 17:58 Image of day on 10 Sep 2020
The Brown Hawker Dragonfly is well named - even their wings are tinged brown.
Here is one flying by taken at about 7 fps.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20200910_df3_20200806_1758_305-307 brown hawker dragonfly in flight @7fps 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2023
at 16:11 Image of day on 23 Aug 2023
A Brown Hawker Dragonfly veering upwards to avoid the cap wearer
This camera-lens pairing is a little faster at 8 fps.
The black at the bottom left isn't a privacy thing - following the insect just didn't
catch the cap-wearers head!
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20230823_d71_20230625_1611_071-075 brown hawker dragonfly in flight @8fps (accurate montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Jul 2015
at 15:43 Image of day on 19 Sep 2015
This Brown Hawker Dragonfly was flying into the strong wind
giving us a much closer spacing in this accurate montage. The
flight appeared level to the eye, but you can see it wasn't!
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20150919_df3_20150719_1543_393-399 brown hawker dragonfly in flight into headwind 1-7 of 7 (accurate montage @ 7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Jul 2012
at 13:05 Image of day on 01 Sep 2012
This male Brown Hawker Dragonfly has just launched into flight.
The strange pod on the left is the seed head of a Flag Iris.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20120901_da1_20120723_1305_056+1547_175_ft1 brown hawker dragonfly in flight with flag iris seed head (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Aug 2012
at 14:31 Image of day on 14 Sep 2012
Hawker Dragonflies often hang in bushes where they are very difficult to find
unless you see them land. Every time the camera lost position it
was a struggle to find the insect again from only a couple of
metres away.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120914_df1_20120805_1431_178 brown hawker dragonfly male camouflaged on dead leaf (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
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