Broad Bodied Chasers

Well with the recent find of a Broad Bodied Chaser at Big Waters that I went along to see I was determined to find my own and after much searching I did on a small flash which had already dried to a third size I had a Broad Bodied Chaser fly right past me after a bit of patrolling it flitted up and caught something bringing it to a perch to devour, no idea as to what it was because most of it was hidden by the Dragons wing so I moved around as best I could for a couple more shots . Suddenly it was off and chasing another Male and a few minutes later it chased something else and grabbed it but this was a Female they locked in a wheel as they flew and I frantically tried to lock the camera on to them but everything was a blur , damn I thought what a missed opportunity, another few minutes later the Female was back and again the Male chased after her and again grabbed her in a frenzied whirl I tried again to lock on getting some blurry images but at least I got something . Female appears  across the water this time ovipositing  by dipping the rear end  in the water so I spent the time trying to get some shots of this , it's very frustrating you just locate it focus and before your addled brain can send a signal down to the finger poised over the shutter button it's changed direction and you start over again , you might think you have quick reactions if you have ever played Wack A Mole (there was also a Thatcher and cronies version which I really liked ) but try photographing Dragons in flight. Well as the morning wore on with the occasional appearance of another Male , which in the end became annoying because the more dominate male would be perched  and I would try and get closer only to have it chase off after the interloper so I called it a day and headed off elsewhere well satisfied with what I had. 

 No idea what it's eating ,it's right rear leg at first seems missing but checking all the shots it's actually perfectly aligned behind the left leg and is visible on other shots but the prey item is not.

 Male and Female coupled in a wheel frantic and brief this is the best I got.

 Female starts to egg lay along the water edge

 Dipping her rear end in the water as she danced across the surface

 Eventually picked her out as she landed briefly

 And back to the task of egg laying legs well tucked up

 I just kept trying and trying to get some shots occasionally the Male would chase after her and they would disappear perhaps in another wheel which I did not see .

Fascinating flight action used to slow down the rate of forward flight and hold for a fraction of a second while she dipped into the water.

 Eventually turned my attention to the Male for some flight shots much harder to follow than the slower Female but I was moderately pleased with this one

 Again back onto the Female and again moderately pleased with this one ,good job it's Digital and not the old slide film .

And the last one as the Male starts to perch more but now tending to go much higher in the bushes and even out of sight . I did look back the next day the water is drying up fast,a single Male present  and only for about an hour and a further visit revealed no sightings as the water has all gone  but there must be more to be found