Common spotted orchid

This lone orchid was growing on the edge of a chalk cliff in Houghton Regis quarry. Elsewhere on the site there were hundreds more, along with a scatter of pyramidal orchids and twayblades. Pete and I spent a very hot few hours working on our respective surveys, though by 3pm I was definitely wilting in temperatures of 25C.

Visiting on a Sunday wasn't ideal, as in the afternoon hordes of young motor cycle scramblers convene on the nature reserve. The site is so large that they don't have a huge impact on the vegetation, and may even be helping to retain a varied structure, but the noise and smell definitely spoil other people's pleasure.

Off to bed in a minute - Chris and I are back to the Norfolk Broads tomorrow. And I still haven't seen a bearded reedling! I'm so glad that you all enjoyed yesterday's swallowtail - they somehow look far too exotic for England.