Early Purple-orchid

Early this morning I left Peterborough in bright sunshine, but arrived at Barnack Hills and Holes NNR to find the reserve shrouded in morning mist, giving it a truly ethereal appearance. The Pasqueflowers, Cowslips and Early Purple-orchids were all beaded with dew. Gradually, as the temperature rose, the Pasqueflowers opened very slowly.

It was too cold for any butterflies to be moving, but my walk was accompanied by the melancholy call of Willow Warblers, the cronk of Ravens, the scratchy song of Whitethroats and Yellowhammers plaintively calling for 'a little bit of bread and no cheese...'