My summer of extensive travel resulted in a major loss of opportunity for pursuing my dragonfly interests. But the great "Indian Summer" of late has provided me with belated catchup opportunities. Last year, a hard early freeze the first few days of October put a quick end to my dragonfly pursuits. Now, the colors of fall
provide a great time to be be outside - and nice contrast for dragonfly photography. This Lake Darner shows well on the yellow Chokecherry leaf background.
And it is readily apparent how this Mountain Emerald got its name.
Paddle-tailed Darners are the most abundant of the larger, fall dragonflies. Blue sky and yellow aspen provide a nice backdrop.
This Black-tipped Darner was a first for me and pushed my total Montana dragonfly list to 60 out of a possible 85 or so species. Next year, my goal is to reach 70 species for the state.
Variable Darners are another of the more common species and seem to be found most commonly at lower elevations.
The red leaves of fall provided a nice contrast for this accommodating Paddle-tailed Darner.
Autumn
Meadowhawks were first documented as occurring in Montana last September. This mating pair was photographed last week in the same spring complex where we found only 2 individuals last year.
And this individual male was found nearby.
Damselflies are more difficult to ID than their dragonfly cousins so I will be concentrating more on them next year. Vivid Dancers like this one are usually found near stream and spring habitats and are a little easier to ID than some other species.
One of my favorite species is the Flame Skimmer. They are sometimes quite abundant near springs and frequently perch on vegetation that provides a nice setting.
The weather forecast for the next week promises several sunny days in the upper 60's, so there will be a few more opportunities to get out and pursue this new passion of mine. After that, a transition to birding will occur to fill the void until the first Dragons appear again next May!
provide a great time to be be outside - and nice contrast for dragonfly photography. This Lake Darner shows well on the yellow Chokecherry leaf background.
And it is readily apparent how this Mountain Emerald got its name. 
Paddle-tailed Darners are the most abundant of the larger, fall dragonflies. Blue sky and yellow aspen provide a nice backdrop. 
This Black-tipped Darner was a first for me and pushed my total Montana dragonfly list to 60 out of a possible 85 or so species. Next year, my goal is to reach 70 species for the state. 
Variable Darners are another of the more common species and seem to be found most commonly at lower elevations.
The red leaves of fall provided a nice contrast for this accommodating Paddle-tailed Darner.
Autumn Meadowhawks were first documented as occurring in Montana last September. This mating pair was photographed last week in the same spring complex where we found only 2 individuals last year.
And this individual male was found nearby.
Damselflies are more difficult to ID than their dragonfly cousins so I will be concentrating more on them next year. Vivid Dancers like this one are usually found near stream and spring habitats and are a little easier to ID than some other species.
One of my favorite species is the Flame Skimmer. They are sometimes quite abundant near springs and frequently perch on vegetation that provides a nice setting. 
The weather forecast for the next week promises several sunny days in the upper 60's, so there will be a few more opportunities to get out and pursue this new passion of mine. After that, a transition to birding will occur to fill the void until the first Dragons appear again next May!
Beautiful animals and gorgeous images. Thanks, Bob.
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