Nature photography and field notes from Virginia.https://kimholloman.com/en-ushttps://kimholloman.com/photos/2026-06-dragonfly-huntley/https://kimholloman.com/photos/2026-06-dragonfly-huntley/Blue dashers perch on the same few stems for long stretches, returning to the same lookout after every short patrol flight over the water — which makes them one of the easier dragonflies to photograph well. Dragonflies are an early warning sign for water quality; their larvae live underwater for up to two years and can't tolerate pollution. I picked…Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kimholloman.com/photos/2026-05-overlook-shenandoah/https://kimholloman.com/photos/2026-05-overlook-shenandoah/Cold air pools in the valleys below Skyline Drive most spring mornings, leaving the ridgelines to float free of the ground until the sun burns the fog off, usually within an hour of sunrise. The fog layer shows the shape of the land underneath it — every ridge and draw becomes visible as a line of grey rather than a…Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kimholloman.com/photos/2026-04-great-blue-heron-huntley/https://kimholloman.com/photos/2026-04-great-blue-heron-huntley/Great blue herons hunt by standing motionless in shallow water and striking in a fraction of a second. This one held its pose for nearly ten minutes while the sun came up behind the cattails. Herons are a good indicator of wetland health: they need clean water, abundant fish, and undisturbed nesting trees. Cornell's All About Birds has more on…Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT