Today was warm with intermittent sunshine but a lot cooler than last month. Dragonflies and damselflies can find conditions too hot and will hide away in the shady undergrowth when the morning heats up and will resume foraging in the evening. Numbers of insects have increased after heavy rain showers and birds and dragonflies are out hunting. Chiffchaffs are still quite numerous along the river, together with many just-fledged blackbirds and song thrushes.
An adult male Southern Hawker was taking a rest from patrolling the wooded area of the river bank:
clinging, quite motionless, onto an old nettle stalk.
(Compare this one with the July photo - that was
an immature one which had not acquired its full colours).
It's body, although it looks bulky and heavy is really very light and is built for fast flying and quick manoeuvres, hovering and even flying backwards when foraging for insects, chasing or clashing with
opponents in territorial disputes.
Each male commands its own stretch of the river but butterflies don't recognise this and today I saw a Speckled Wood butterfly attempting to chase another Southern Hawker away.
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