The year is rushing on!

I was giving a talk at Amersham Library this morning and the sun was shining brightly outside throughout. I was almost distracted by the thought that I could carry out my butterfly transect at the nature reserve on a day when the forecast was clearly saying otherwise. I left the Library as soon as it was decent to make an exit and drove through Chesham, Hawridge, Cholesbury and St Leonards to the reserve, the sun still shining all the way. As soon as I parked the clouds gathered over the highest point in the Chilterns! I completed the transect in less than ideal conditions and didn't record many butterflies. However, I did notice a number of flowers showing for the first time this year, including this lovely Common Milkwort, which seems quite early to me. Soon they will be everywhere, ranging from pure white to an intense blue and we will hardly notice them, but for today this tiny delicate pink flower was my exciting find.