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Common Darter, Farmoor, Oxon 7 November 2019 I was surprised to find two sunning themselves on this branch in pretty cool temperatures. Even more surprising was a Migrant Hawker that flew overhead and appeared to land high up in the hedge. Can't be many more sightings this year to come! |
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Migrant Hawker, Wytham Woods, Oxon 21 September 2019 Unfortunately again no sign of the Willow Emerald Damselflies reported |
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Migrant Hawker, Buckthorn Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 7 September 2019 Another late summer Migrant Hawker flight photo - this one was from almost directly above, taken from the footbridge over the Buckthorn Meadow pool. |
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Black Darter, Timble Ings, North Yorkshire 24 August 2019 A focus stacked image which worked even with considerable subject movement. This individual was very obliging, returning to the same perch time after time, even with a little encouragement after an intervention by a passing dog! |
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Black Darter, Timble Ings, North Yorkshire 24 August 2019 Another focus stacked image which was easier as the movement was much less than in the photo above. |
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Emerald Damselfly, Timble Ings, North Yorkshire 24 August 2019 Many present in the fine sunny conditions today, unlike the ones and twos found in Oxfordshire! Not focus stacked. |
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Migrant Hawker, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 17 August 2019 My customary late summer Migrant Hawker flight photo - taken during another fruitless wait for the Kingfisher! |
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Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Faringdon Folly Park Pond, Oxon 8 August 2019 Despite the dull but warm conditions, there were 100+ at this site today, which confirms its status as by far the best place in the county for this species. As well as plenty on the 'offshire' algal mats, there were a few on the shore-line vegetation which were much more accessible for photography. This is another focus stacked image which again has worked quite well despite the almost constant motion of the leaf in the gentle breeze. Click to enlarge |
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Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Faringdon Folly Park Pond, Oxon 8 August 2019 As above - another focus stacked image. |
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Brown Hawker, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 3 August 2019 Another failed attempt to photo the Kingfisher, but I put some of the time to good use, trying for more Brown Hawker flight shots as it kept cruising past the hide! Not easy though.... Click to enlarge |
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Brown Hawker, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 3 August 2019 Another more distant flight shot. |
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Emperor, Orchard Lake, Radley, Oxon 25 July 2019 Very hot in the full midday sun, but even so this Emperor was settling quite frequently on this emergent vegetation, which was somewhat into the sun. |
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Southern Hawker, Radley Lakes, Oxon 25 July 2019 In the very hot conditions today, this lovely hawker settled briefly in a shaded spot. I only had a few seconds for this shot before a recycling lorry re-appeared along this narrow, quiet track and thundered past, flushed it! |
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Brown Hawker, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 20 July 2019 My first flight shots of Brown Hawker, which tends to be a difficult species to get onto. Taken from the hide, but with a 100-400 lens, not the 500f4! |
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Brown Hawker, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 20 July 2019 See above. |
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Emperor, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 20 July 2019 Again taken from the hide with the 500f4 & x2 converter! |
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Four spotted Chaser, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor, Oxon 18 July 2019 Taken from the hide with the 500f4 & x2 converter! Never tried that combination for distant dragonflies before. |
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Emperor, Faringdon Folly Park Pond, Oxon 11 July 2019 This Emperor was conveniently flying up and down the far end shore, but I only managed to get onto to it once. |
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Common Darter, Faringdon Folly Park Pond, Oxon 11 July 2019 Another focus stacked image. Easier than some as it was down in the vegetation with almost no wind causing movement. |
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Common Blue Damselfly, Standlake Common, Oxon 11 July 2019 Another example of focus stacking and how it allows different shots to be attempted. |
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Keeled Skimmer, Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon 4 July 2019 I spent some time trying to get focus stacking sequences of this Keeled Skimmer but this wasn't easy as it kept moving during the 4 sec or more needed to capture all the images required. This one did however work out without too much manual "retouching". Click to enlarge |
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Keeled Skimmer, Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon 4 July 2019 As above, but the view from behind. |
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Ruddy Darter, Trap Grounds, Oxon 4 July 2019 Something of a quiet Odonata day at this site today, with only this immature Ruddy Darter posing briefly for photos. There was however also a Silver-washed Fritillary around. Thanks to N Devine for showing me round. |
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Large Red Damselfly, Rodley NR, Leeds, West Yorkshire 29 June 2019 Some very nice purpose-built dragonfly ponds at this site, but activity was disappointingly low given the good weather conditions. This is another focus stacked image, showing large depth of field. |
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Southern Damselfly, Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon 14 June 2019 Keen to continue my focus stacking (FS) experiments, I tried this site in a brief brighter interlude. The conditions were however hardly ideal for FS, with a gusty wind blowing the vegetation around. I took several sequences of these tiny subjects, and for some the movement was too great for the the software, but for a few it was amazing how well it coped with considerable shifts from one image to the next. |
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Southern Damselfly, Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon 14 June 2019 This is a more extreme example of the power FS, where over 20 different shots were needed to cover the whole damselfly. I wonder, on a still sunny day, what can be achieved? |
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Hairy Dragonfly, Roman Road, Otmoor, Oxon 8 June 2019 In the strong wind, only the Roman Road provided some shelter. Note the large depth of field on this photo - my first experiment at focus stacking, using my newly acquired Helicon FB tube. Looking at the full res image at 1:1 magnification, it seems to have worked remarkably well with both wing tips sharp, despite the slight movements that occurred during the taking of this sequence. |
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Hairy Dragonfly, Roman Road, Otmoor, Oxon 8 June 2019 The view from above using the same Focus Stacking method. |
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Four spotted Chaser, Faringdon Folly Park Pond, Oxon
30 May 2019 This male briefly obliged in the reeds on the near side of the pond. |
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Clubtail, Barton Field, Abingdon, Oxon
16 May 2019 The season off to a good start! Imagine my surprise when I saw this just ahead of me by the side of the narrow path by the fishing pool! It even stayed put for a reasonable length of time, to allow several photos to be taken. A side view on a level with it. Click to enlarge |
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Clubtail, Barton Field, Abingdon, Oxon
16 May 2019 See above. The view from above. |
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Azure Damselfly, Barton Field, Abingdon, Oxon
16 May 2019 Near to the fishing pond, which had both Hairy Dragonfly and Downy Emerald over it, but they never settled for a photo. |
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Clubtail exuvia, Goring, Oxon
16 May 2019 No sign of any adults here, but there were 6 exuviae on the concrete river wall under the railway bridge. This was the most accessible for photography. No exuviae anywhere else between here and Goring village, that I could find. |
© All pictures copyright Stephen Burch |