Waiting for the rain...

A bit of a disastrous day! Rain was forecast so Pete and I decided to postpone one of our site visits, particularly as better weather was forecast for the following few days. By mid-afternoon the rain still hadn't arrived, so I decided to risk a short trip to Brampton Wood to survey a small area of grassland in the south-west part of the site.

I'd forgotten quite how muddy the woodland rides and paths were, and made the mistake of trying to take a shorter route along the southern edge of the wood, which proved particularly treacherous. I slid over on a slight slope, and landed gracefully in some tall grass. I got up, thinking there was no damage done, then quickly realised that I must have twisted my knee on the way down, and couldn't bend it properly without excrutiating pain.

Somehow I managed to carry on and eventually, after missing one turn, the dogs found the glade for me. I had planned to just make a species list, but it was an unusual community and I ended up recording five quadrats. I noticed that it was getting progressively darker, and that all the damselflies were roosting - a bit worrying! I hastily looked for a blip and this was the best shot I could manage in the gathering gloomwithout crouching - a common blue damselfly roosting on a spike of tor-grass.

I decided that the main rides would provide a safer route back to the car, and I used my monopod as a walking stick to steady me on the slippery ground. About five minutes after we'd set off, the heavens opened and the dogs and I got thoroughly drenched. It seemed a very long way back to the car, and then I had to drive up the A1 with a malfunctioning right knee - I was very glad when I arrived home safely, to find Pete had prepared a wonderful meal!