Ash

A fine late spring day with blue skies, warm temperatures and a cooling breeze which just kept it comfortable. I spent the morning entering yesterday's plant data, and the afternoon filming with the Wildlife Trust in a nearby hay meadows.

It was the first time any of us had done anything quite like this, but once we'd relaxed into it we had a wonderful time, and eventually managed to find all the plants that we wanted to show off, including Adder's-tongue fern, a single late Green-winged orchid and the first of the marsh orchids - some definite Southern Marsh-orchid and some hybrids, including one which is almost certainly a cross between Early Marsh-orchid and Common Spotted-orchid (see extra).

Luckily I didn't rush off as soon as we'd finished, as I wanted to ake a few photographs. RAchel took the opportunity to review the footage, and then came rather sheepishly over to me to ask if we could do one section again. When she showed it to Jules and me, we both burst out laughing. I was busy talking about the Green-winged Orchid and Rachel had carefully focused on some Common Knapweed leaves - not having put on her glasses at this point!

Once we'd done a retake of that section, I went to Ring Haw to record some woodland quadrats, and was taken by the glorious colour of the new Ash leaves against the sky. It was very peaceful in the wood, and after I'd finished I just sat for a while enjoying the early evening sunshine and watching damselflies gathering on a some sun-kissed shrubs. I briefly heard a Turtle Dove purring, the first time I've ever heard one here. A fine end to a wonderful day.