martins

rebuilding the summer house, which the previous owners have left in a very ramshackle state. A lot of mud and spit is required.

view from Kit Hill

Kelly Bray mine workings (now a world heritage site) in foreground, and Linkinhorne parish church in background, and Bodmin moor in far distance.

crab apples

crab apple blossom, growing on Kit Hill where today I heard a cuckoo for the first time this year. Early purple orchids are growing in abundance on the road to Launceston, and the swallows and martins are building their nests. Once again, and with some relief, one can feel the strong pulse of the deepest rhythms of Nature.

lousewort

the unkindly named lousewort. It is a parasitical plant that uses grass roots to obtain nutrients, and was blamed for causing attacks of lice in livestock. It thrives in marshy boggy places and may therefore have been associated with liver flukes, and fluke infested sheep often have lice.
The flower looks very similar in shape to purple toothwort (qv) another parasitical plant. I wonder if they are related species or if there has been some independent evolution towards a similar shape.

wood warblers

the top of the trees were full today of noisy male wood warblers who have just arrived. They are fairly nondescript birds at a distance but have a beautiful song. They are very shy.

white red and blue

as promised the lanes are turning white, blue and red. This is the very best time of year to visit Cornwall if you want to enjoy the wildflowers.