A Sunday Morning Well Spent
©jmillerphoto.com - Blue Dasher Dragonfly
I promised myself that once my academic quarter was over that I would spend some quality time making images. As my week started to wind down, I circled Sunday morning as my morning to get the deed done.
I was up early and when I looked out the window I noticed two things: cloudy skies but reasonably bright (hooray–diffused light) and wet sidewalks (*&%!). A quick check of the weather radar showed that there was another line of storms headed my way (further *&%!). But the good news was that it was pretty thin and quick moving with none behind it, so it meant just a departure delay rather than a cancellation.
On the day’s agenda was Spring Valley Wildlife Area. I had not been out to this particular reserve, but I had heard good things about it from some fellow photographers. In particular I was looking for dragonflies, and as it turned out I was not disappointed. Plenty of Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) and Ruby Meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum) dragonflies to be found of both genders. There were a couple others that I saw, but I was not able to make images of (and cannot identify–darn things move way too fast).
But dragonflies were not the only thing I saw out on my Sunday stroll. Plenty of birdlife, to include Great Blue Herons, Northern Cardinals, and Red-winged Blackbirds. The book ends to my trip were a Cottontail Rabbit at the beginning of my walk and a couple of snakes on my way out.
All in all it was an enjoyable morning and a place that I will have to visit again when I have the opportunity.
