A load of young bullocks...

I've spent most of the day walking around writing down the names of flowers!! This morning I was working next to the East Coast mainline, surveying a large brownfield site. Parts of it were quite beautiful, with swathes of blue viper's bugloss contrasting with the yellow of St.John's-wort and the creamy spikes of white mullein.

As I was working I heard an unusual sound and turned round just in time to see a steam train heading north. It was 'The Dominion of New Zealand' which I've since discovered is very similar to world speed record holder the 'Mallard', and was one of five A4 Pacific class locos chosen for a special upgrade to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VIII in 1937. It made its maiden trip from King's Cross station in London on Saturday, 16 April 2011 and a donation of £10,000 was made to the Christchurch Earthquake appeal.  

This afternoon Pete and I went along to the Peterborough Biological Recorders group meeting at Sutton Heath and Bog, an area of limestone grassland and calcareous seepages and mire, with the only population of black bog-rush in the area. It's a wonderful place, but very hard to get around, with huge tussocks between muddy runnels. At one point I definitely got mired, and I'm not sure my knees will ever forgive me for the onslaught.

There were lots of interesting plants but the grey skies and brisk breeze made it all but impossible to get any good photographs. Just as we were nearing the end of our visit, this row of bullocks appeared at the fence, absolutely fascinated by our antics. I really love cattle and decided that they should have the honour of the day's blip! We only just got back to the car in time to avoid a hailstorm - such very peculiar weather.