fingerposts

these fingerposts are scattered through the parish. I am sure they exist elsewhere but they are very characteristic of this area. Beals Mill to the right, Bray shop and Stoke straight ahead; I can't make out the name at the bottom.

Returning to it later (22/8), I can see it says Calstock, which is surprising because it is by no means the closest village in that direction.

lesser stitchwort

the white flower is lesser stitchwort. It has very slender stems that are trailing through the more robust stems of knapweed. If you enlarge the photo you can see the characteristic cinnamon coloured pollen on the flower second from the top.

what sort of trash is this?

someone very kindly dumped these objets d'art at the end of Rowden lane. The lamp thing is very distinctive. Do you recognise it? Can we identify the villains?

yellow what?

I am not sure what this is, I think it is a female yellowhammer, but could it be a female cirl bunting? I suspect not on the general principle that common things are common. Yellowhammers feed on the ground but like to sing from the top of trees. Notice swarm of horseflies about to descend on to photographer.

eyebright, surrounded by the eponymous rattle seed heads, and below, the brightest of bright red, the scarlet pimpernel flashing at the sun.

himalayan balsam

this invasive plant is spreading along streams and river banks, but looks very pretty in the evening light.