I forgot to submit this one last year. I made it the header on my webpage to remind myself to do so this year.
I photographed these Phainopeplas busy catching insects from their perch atop an oak tree. When I tiled together the photo of another oak tree with the sun coming through it, it seemed like a perfect match. I added the dragonfly because I liked the title, “Phainopepla and the Dragon.”
2016 Audubon entry #8
Phainopepla and the Dragon
Well, the very same spider that ate the Damselfly in my previous post did not fare so well against a larger prey—as can be seen at the bottom of this photo. I didn’t witness this drama, so it remains a mystery why the Dragonfly did not live long enough to enjoy its conquest.
While the damsel was distressed by it
The dragon was not impressed by it
This tasty spider put a smile on the dragon’s face
But the poor dragon expired before it had finished saying grace
The Belly of the Dragon
Topside
Dragonflies are amazing and scary looking beasts from every angle. It is easy to see how they got the name “Dragonfly.” On the other hand, considering the insect has been around for 325 million years and fossilized dragonflies have been found with 30 inch wingspans, it may be that the mythological creature was named for and inspired by the insect.
Ok, so this is one photo I did not submit to the contest. Why?
Was it because I didn’t think it had as good a chance as the others? No.
In fact, I thought it might have a better chance because the Phainopepla is a bird less often photographed.
This image was not among those I submitted because……….I forgot. 
Yes, I am a birdbrain.
I have yet to employ a filing system—either on my computer or in my head—that adequately compensates for that. Oh, well.
It just dawned on me yesterday, as I was driving around town, that I had left it out of the mix.