Orchids in February

A cold wet start helped encourage me to do a bit of work that I’d bought with me this morning and then when it stopped raining I pottered in the garden dead-heading.
Then I decided it looked like it would stay dry but passed over the swimming gear and grabbed my bobble hat. I was very glad of it as I walked along the bank at Overy and told myself it was lovely considering it was February. I was surprised to hear a cuckoo again (heard one at Titchwell yesterday) ... early for Feb, I thought. Then there were a few pairs of avocets sweeping the mud after the receding tide. With a cold northerly wind I deferred the gratification of the sea at first and opted to explore the dune slacks. Well, that was a splendid decision. At first I saw the marsh orchids amongst a sea of birds foot trefoil, then I started to spot some emerging pyramidal orchids, by the time I saw the bee orchids I was starting to feel almost sick with excitement. I sat and drank my thermos of tea with the sea to my left and the creek to my right and barely a soul to be seen.

Results in ... I knew they wouldn’t have the stomach for it.