flowing

a water picture shown solely because I like water pictures, especially from the Tamar

more spotted orchids

the first (from the left) is pink spotty and spiky










the second is paler, and less spotty














the third is very pale, much blunter spike and only a few spots. None of them have the characteristic wavy lower lip of heath spotted orchid, but all have only a very small middle lobe. I like to imagine (but doubt it) that these flowers are a new variety evolving before my very eyes in this very odd but special field.

heath orchids

three very different looking orchids, within 2 feet of each other; in fact they are probably all variants or crosses of heath spotted orchids, common spotted orchids and southern marsh orchids. See the next page for a closer look at each orchid.

orchids

this is (probably) a southern marsh orchid, growing next to some germander speedwell, in the meadows. There is only this single small patch in the whole area, under a hawthorn bush in the middle of a meadow.

dragon flies

it has been very grey and dreary for almost two weeks, but with the sun came this beautiful female libellula or darter dragon fly. Last year I blogged a similar male

mock green

this young and slightly bedraggled greenfinch is sitting in the mock orange waiting for a turn on the peanuts. I like mock orange and the scent is lovely but for some reason whenever it comes into flower it starts raining and then rains for weeks on end.