Cardinal Meadowhawk

 

Of the Dragonfly Family, the brightly colored male Cardinal Meadowhawk is the most striking.  I took this photo this afternoon on the Lagoon Loop Trail.  We have been enjoying these dragonflies all summer, but with our focus on birds I have not taken the time to concentrate on getting some photos of them. Our volunteer job in the Western Snowy Plover Conservation Program may seem ideal for us, however the hours we spend daily hiking the trails, dunes and beaches and interacting with the public we are actually finding quite taxing. Yesterday for example we talked to over 50 people. There are always issues about where people want to be on the beach and were they should be on the beach.

I really haven't had much of an opportunity or energy recently to get any good bird photos. So it was extra nice this afternoon after work to take some time and take Buster on a relaxing walk along Siltcoos Lagoon and spend some time enjoying the dragon flies.