A 2-year-old boy drowned Tuesday night in Katy after wandering into a retention pond, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. 

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/harris-county/2025/07/16/526506/2-year-old-drowns-in-katy-retention-pond/

#HarrisCounty #LawEnforcement #Local #News #CityOfKaty #DrowningDeaths #HarrisCountyPrecinct5ConstableSOffice #HarrisCountySheriffSOffice #RetentionBasin #RetentionPond

Eastern Amberwing at Ven Horne Park

After I had my fill of photographing the Blue Dashers at the retention pond in Van Horne Park, I was ready to leave when I noticed a dragonfly fluttering nearby. Its brown colour caught my eye, quite different from the Blue Dashers I'd been photographing. At that moment, I had no idea it was an Eastern Amberwing.

Unlike the Blue Dashers, which seemed to pose patiently for my camera, this dragonfly was quite active. It moved around a lot, making it a challenge to capture a good shot. I must [...]

https://islandinthenet.com/eastern-amberwing/

Blue Dashers at Van Horne Retention Pond

20 July 2024

After the disappointing visit to Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve, I decided to stop at the retention pond at Van Horne Park. On the 45-minute drive home, my mind drifted, and I had a brief conversation with myself about bacon.

[caption id="attachment_116518" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) · 20 July 2024 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR[/caption]

When I say bacon to someone from the United States, they usually think [...]

https://islandinthenet.com/blue-dasher/

Retention Pond

On July 18, I decided to visit the retention pond near Van Horne Park around 8 AM to stretch my legs and enjoy some fresh air. Of course, I brough along my X-T3 and Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS W. I think it had rained earlier that morning because the leaves of the tall grass were still wet.

I had hoped to photograph dragonflies but found none. Instead, I turned my camera toward the water and the plants around the pond. The surface of the water was dotted with tiny duckweed (Lemna [...]

https://islandinthenet.com/retention-pond/

Variable Dancer

Today (June 12), I visited the stormwater retention pond near the Audi dealership on Route 206. It's a beautiful spot that has evolved into a thriving natural habitat, filled with marsh plants like Broad-leaved Cattail. This time, I was on a mission to photograph dragonflies and damselflies.

Lately, I’ve felt a need to shift my focus from birds to other subjects. My trusty Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens has been my constant companion, and I wondered what else I could capture [...]

https://islandinthenet.com/variable-dancer-argia-fumipennis/

Black-shouldered Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spinosus)

https://islandinthenet.com/black-shouldered-spinyleg-dromogomphus-spinosus/

#BlackShoulderedSpinyleg #Dragonfly #Dromogomphus #DromogomphusSpinosus #MontgomeryTownship #Odonata #RetentionPond #RockyHill #VanHornePark #Wildlife

Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)

https://islandinthenet.com/common-whitetail-plathemis-lydia/

#CommonWhitetail #Dragonfly #MontgomeryTownship #Odonata #Plathemis #PlathemisLydia #RetentionPond #RockyHill #VanHornePark

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

https://islandinthenet.com/black-capped-chickadee/

#BirdPhotography #BirdWatching #Birding #Birds #BlackCappedChickadee #MontgomeryTownship #Nature #PoecileAtricapillus #PrincetonAvenue #RetentionPond #VanHornePark #Wildlife