Villages, field fringes and verges...

Fortified by a full English breakfast, we started our second day of recording at 8.30am, with a thorough investigation of Metheringham. This rather sleepy Lincolnshire town proved more interesting than expected, the most unexpected plant being a stand of downy burdock, a rare and rather striking alien species. 

We grabbed a packed lunch from the local Co-op (where the service was leisurely, to put it politely) and then spent the rest of the day visiting the very pretty village of Scopwick with its bubbling springs and flower-lined beck (see extra), wandering along flower-filled verges and investigating arable field edges. This field margin (which was probably sown) must have been really pretty a few weeks ago, with a striking mix of blue cornflowers, red poppies and yellow corn marigolds. We even sneaked into a disused quarry, though didn't stay too long as I always feel uncomfortable when trespassing on private land (even though it was clearly well-visited by dog-walkers and had no 'Keep Out' signs).

By five o'clock we'd pretty much had our fill of botany, and decided to go home. It was good to be back though soon after we arrived I had an unfortunate accident - my phone flew out of my trouser pocket and down the toilet! I retrieved it, rinsed it thoroughly, dried it off and put it into a bag of rice, hoping against hope that it might just survive....