Bashing Of The Head Against The Wall

Because even the weather forecasters conspire against me.

No, really, they do.


You see, a clear forecast of 'cold start - due to being clear and SUNNY - then shower attacks, probably long and hard from midday to mid-afternoon or longer' seems quite clear. Thus it was last weekend, when I once again tried to defy the definition of madness [this will be the next blog title on this subject, btw].

The second part was spot on. It started raining at 1205 and oh boy did it mean it! I was prepared, thanks to a handy Beech and the careful forethought to bring a brolly, so my lunch was dry and reasonably cheerful. 'Cheerful' in that the worst - a cold overcast morning devoid of all but two butterflies - had already happened. And both butterflies were unable to avoid infamy, too;

Speckled Wood

Actually catching one of these little buggers posing nicely is, I suppose, almost as rare as a FritillaryThatShallNotBeNamed..

The other one was this - first photo of the year of one, too - which just about got on electrons;

Green-veined White

I found a lot of Devil's-bit Scabious - not obvious when they're not in flower - and despite carefully checking, not even signs of past FTSNBN..

Come back in a month or so...

Cuckoo spit

[thin on the ground this year]

Hoverfly sp.

on Lesser Spearwort

Greater Spearwort
[observe un-grooved stems, there]

Ground Beetle action shot!

June Bug inaction shot!

[it was raining a bit..]

Bluebottles!

Ok, enough insects.

The Bluebells were over, but the orchids were just getting into the swing of things, and doing rather well;

Some were very white

Some were very two-tone

Some were very pink

Some were ginormous!

But all were Spotted

[or horrific hybrid things]

Still gorgeous! :)

Ragged Robin

Cuckooflower

plus friend

Marsh Thistle

Lousewort

New Zealand Pygmyweed..!!

Tormentil

Turf Mottlegill

Shrooms are back, yeah!

Shaggy Bracket

[hard to tell at distance, though]

We ought to have at least something birdy;

Stonechats everywhere

Spot the Cuckoo

Hawthorn showing off

So, vexation once again, but at least a few nice pictures. And while being rained on hard

Told you

was less fun, at least I didn't get soggy.

And there's always next year.



Again.


Be Seeing You...