A friend of a friend named Daryl Cavallaro took this stunning shot of a Merlin snagging a snack recently at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. Bonus points to anyone who can identify the dragonfly. The photo is copyrighted to Daryl and, no, you can’t use it without permission.
Merlin with dragonfly by Daryl Cavallaro (click for a bigger version)
This post has been submitted to Bird Photography Weekly #161. Go check it out!
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Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
If “recently” means within the last couple weeks, I’m going to call the dragonfly a meadowhawk (Sympetrum sp.) I’m far from an ode expert, but I’ll take the bonus points until someone that knows what they’re talking about shows up.
Looks like a Darner. Common Green?
It’s the Common Green Darner, Anax junius. Typical food for small raptors, as both share migration routes.
You got it, Nate–Common Green Darner Anax junius, for sure.
That image has had some really weird photoshopping done to it.
I had my bonus points for a whole two minutes before being crushed. I need an Odonate book.
@KirbyAdams An excellent book on Odonates is “Dragonflies through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America” by Sidney Dunkle. Oxford University Press (ISBN 978-0195112689). The dragonfly in the photo is in the genus Anax, but could be one of several species. Possibly Anax junius, but that’s not a slam dunk. I do work on dragonflies in California, so I’m not sure about New York species (and don’t have my books near me). Nice photo Daryl!
This photograph is stunning, absolutely gorgeous! I think this would look great in the visitor center at Floyd Bennett. Awesome photo.
excellent catch for you both!
Hi there – understood that we can’t use the photo, but may I link to it on our dragonfly research facebook page (listed at lef, https://www.facebook.com/SixLeggedScoutsInTheNationalParks?ref=hlt)? Can’t help but notice the NPS sign in the pic – and we are doing research in parks. What an amazing shot!