I Went Back

to the Needle today, to see if the dragonfly would be there again.  And yes! it was there again (at least I think it was the same one), and not only that, it had brought a couple of its fellows.  I wonder what's there at the tip of the needle to attract dragonfly-kind.

Dragonfly On A Needle

Today I went to see the "needle" (actually an iconic sculpture symbolic of the future of Goyang, the Seoul suburb I live in;  I've posted it before).  I took a shot,

then I noticed something -- something at the very tip of the monument that looked like a tassel or a bit of fuzz or anyway some piece of shmutz that wasn't supposed to be there.  I looked hard, but it was so small and indistinct (presbyopia setting in, sigh...) and I was unable to make it out against the backdrop of the bright sky.  Then I got the bright (ha!) idea to check it out with the phone camera at maximum zoom, and...

it was a dragonfly!

I took a couple more shots, then I went over to sit on a bench in the shade and take a break while I checked out the day's photos.  After several minutes I went back to the monument to see if the dragonfly was still there, but it had gone away.  Ah well, I thought.  Then, just as I was about to turn back, I saw it coming back,

to take up its commanding post at the tip of the needle again!

Sort Of Zen-ish

 

Now, It's Dragonflies

First one I've seen this summer.

 

O.K., This Really, Really, Has Got To Be

the last of the last stragglers this year.

Today I was out shooting some really dramatic clouds

when this dragonfly swooped into view.

It then landed on the railing not three feet away from me (at the time I was standing on the landing halfway up the stairs to the overpass [visible in the photo] -- that's as high as I normally dare to go, because in addition to being obsessive-compulsive and possibly mildly autistic, I'm also acrophobic and it's been getting worse lately).

I was very glad to see it, and frankly a little amazed, too;  summer had long since yielded to fall, and recent days and nights have been rainy and even fairly cold at times.  This dragonfly was a genuine surprise.  It then flew over to the opposite railing and landed facing me, providing an excellent photo-op.  But just then these two high school jock-ish idiots came up, each immersed in his phone, not even looking where they were going, and certainly not noticing the dragonfly.  They passed between me and the dragonfly, right next to the railing it was sitting on, and of course the dragonfly flew off.  I was so so annoyed!  I waited a while to see if it would come back, but it never did.

Related posts:  Another Well-Timed Shot

                         Last Stragglers

Another Well-Timed Shot

WOW!

Today I was lucky enough to spot a really late straggler while out for an evening walk.  I just had time to take one quick shot before it sped off.  But what a shot!

Detail:

 

It also reminded me of this shot from October, 2016:

Last Stragglers

Dragonflies from earlier today.  Actually, I hadn't seen any dragonflies for a while and was not expecting to see any, not today, and certainly not a swarm -- not even a small one like this.  It won't be much longer before the weather cools down beyond their tolerance and they will be gone, until their progeny return in their place next year.  I wanted to commemorate them in these "aged" photos that suggest their old lineage.

I Think I'll Call It...

Dun dun dun...

Dragonfly Scroll

Dragonfly Flying Over The Sun

Letting the sun burn my eyeballs out -- again...

More Bug Fancy

[By all means do click to expand!]

Despite The Heat,

I made the long trip to Siheung to view the lotus gardens there.  I think I must have lost a couple liters of water as sweat.  But it seems I was a bit early in the season.  There were nothing but buds, and even they were few and far between.

Still, I did manage to get a few nice shots out of the trip.

Especially of one of my favorite kinds of insect.

I'll have to go back in a few weeks, when the lotuses will be in full bloom.

A Dragonfly Flying To The Moon, Watched By A Crow

2 Of My Favorite Subjects

Caught in 1 of my favorite situations.

Really Late Stragglers

From yesterday.  I was surprised and glad to see them.  I'd thought they would have been gone by now.

 

The Rest Of The Best Of The Season

Gee, a person could get the impression that Sam is really fond of dragonflies.

 

Perfectly Timed, Again

Today I needed to go to Hongdae to buy some art supplies.  This time I took exit 6 out of the subway instead of the usual exit 9, and as I emerged I was immediately treated to the sight of a bunch of late-comer dragonflies swarming about just overhead.  And of course, I quickly took out my phone camera and started clicking away, randomly at first but then I realized the sun among the clouds made a perfect backdrop.  Even with sunglasses on it was hard to keep staring into the light, but I kept at it, hoping some individuals would slow down long enough for me to catch them against the sun.  And... voila!

My reward.  I just hope I haven't done permanent damage to my eyes.

Related posts:  'Tis The Season, Dragonfly Flying Over The Moon