Female blue dasher on a sunny afternoon

This female blue dasher (pachydiplax longipennis) isn't blue at all, but its male counterpart is. I was lucky to have a 300mm lens with me, because this one wouldn't let me get very close before taking off. Fortunately, when dragonflies find a perch they like, they will return to it time and time again, usually less than a minute after leaving it.

Nikon D7000 DSLR, Sigma 100-300mm lens (at 300mm). 1/1000 sec, f/6.7, ISO 560.

GIMP