Flying in the rain

After a morning at home,recovering from yesterday's fieldwork, I decided I felt up to visiting one of my local fieldwork sites for the afternoon. The forecast gave a 30% probability of light rain showers so I wore a waterproof coat (which was lucky!)

While driving along the A47 I changed plans and decided to drop in on one of the sites we'll be visiting with our Wildlife Travel guests next week. One of the highlights is a small population of Fly Orchid, and I was delighted to see that the first flowers had opened on two plants. It was touch and go as to whether this would happen...

It was already raining gently when I photographed the bloom, but I carried on round the wood, which in hindsight proved to be a mistake as the 'light showers' were, in fact, prolonged and with hail stones. However, this didn't stop me enjoying my first fully open flowers of Herb-paris of 2021, and listening to a nightingale with a background of drumming raindrops.

The heaviest shower caught me while I was walking back to the car, with nowhere much to shelter. By the time I reached it my waterproof jacket, shirt and trousers were all soaked! A good job I didn't try to do any fieldwork - my notes would have dissolved!