A hot day was predicted and I was uncertain if I should even go out anywhere, expected lots of people out everywhere too.
I decided to check out Badger Weir and then go on to Maroondah Reservoir.
However when I got to my first destination at 9:30AM I was surprised by all the dragonfly activity
of uncommon species that I didn't leave until 6:00PM.
First thing I spotted were Southern TigertailsEusynthemis guttata, a common species found along forest creeks.
Next I spotted a Powdered FlatwingAustroargiolestes calcaris, an uncommon species.
I haven't seen many before and none of those were pruinose so I wasn't sure
if they were even A. calcaris or the common Austroargiolestes icteromelas.
At this site most of them pruinose, having a significant whitening of the thorax.
What's more, there were many of them here, many more than I've ever seen before.
The next species I saw quite a few of were the similarly uncommon
Mountain DarnerAustroaeschna atrata.
These were the hardest to photograph, and not just because they liked perching in the shade.
I've seen a few of these, usually near similar rocky creeks in forests.
Like the other two species I saw plenty of, most of these large dragonflies were males here at the water.
Interestingly, I did observe a female ovipositing
on the underside of a log about 2 metres above the water level.
While strolling around a track away from the creek I thought I spotted a large,
thin dragonfly disappearing in the corner of my eye.
I then saw another and got a better look at its light-brown body.
With great difficulty I was able to get some half decent photos of the
Southern Evening DarnerTelephlebia brevicauda.
The only previous time I'd seen one before was almost 2 years ago on Mt Buffalo.
