A walk along the river bank

I went for a walk along the bank of the River Nene, near where I grew up and close to the Ox Hovel that I wrote about recently.  This time I was looking for dragonflies and almost as soon as I crossed the coach bridge I saw several hawkers flying along the bank and across the meadow.  I could see at least three brown hawkers but the first one I saw at rest was this male southern hawker (Aeshna cyanea).

Then I spotted a male brown hawker (Aeshna grandis) low down in the foliage at the edge of the meadow.

I crept around to get a clearer view.

And he let me get quite close.

He was still there when I decided to go farther along the bank.  A few metres on I found another southern hawker.

And then another.

And another.

I walked as far as the Ox Hovel but this time there were no solitary bees to be seen - I expect their season is already over.  When I walked back the bank was in shadow and there were no dragonflies flying.  I think they had all gone over to the other bank to stay in the sunshine.