John Bunker Sands Wetland Center

A couple of years ago, someone from the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center came to speak to the Heard Nature Photographers Club. I remember thinking, "Gee, that sounds like a neat place. I should go sometime!"

It took me a while, but today I finally made it!

I went expecting to see marsh birds, but the dragonflies were really the stars of the show.  I got my first Needham's Skimmer shots, and this one even includes a completely unrecognizable meal.

I also saw wildflowers I'd never shot before, such as this Sensitive Briar.

Butterflies and wildflowers together are like the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups of nature photography.  Except instead of chocolate and peanut butter, you get combinations like this Cloudless Sulphur on Pickerelweed...

...or a Fiery Skipper on Pickerelweed.

Oh, hi!

Like I said earlier, the dragonflies were definitely the stars.  I had hoped to get some bird shots, but I saw very few different species and the ones I did see were not interested in letting me get close enough for quality images.  Fortunately, I've honed my dragonfly technique over the past couple of years.  For example, I've learned that when they take off they often come right back and land in the exact same spot.

I walked through quite a bit of the ponds, but it was the area right around the entrance to the boardwalk that I ended up taking most of my pictures -- like this male Eastern Pondhawk who happened to rest right on the boardwalk.

The female of the species preferred a more natural backdrop.

From the look of the wings on this Eastern Pondhawk, it's had a bit of a rough go of things.  It seemed to fly just fine, though.

Another Needham's Skimmer, which I had originally thought was a Wandering Glider until I shared it on iNaturalist.  If you can handle being wrong, iNaturalist is a great site to get accurate identifications of wildlife you see.

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept correction, and in the end you will be wise.

And last but not least a Widow Skimmer.

Even with an early start, it was pretty warm out -- I think the temperature had hit 90 degrees by the time I left around 11:30.  So conditions were a bit uncomfortable.  Fortunately there was a bit of a breeze, but I wouldn't be a real nature photographer if I didn't whine a little about how the wind made it challenging to shoot small subjects.

In any case, the dragonflies made up for the lack of birds.  I'll have to check to see what time of year is better for birds, and plan my return visit!