A wobbly kind of day

Silene dioica

My plan for today was to get on with the gardening.  I therefore skipped the reserve and blipped this red/pink campion down by the stream.  I say red/pink because it's lighter in colour than true red campion, which sometimes hybridises with the white version and produces this!  Technically, though, it's still called 'red'.

Exactly why it has that wobble in the stalk is a mystery, though indicative of my day.

The really horrid news is that some teenagers set a fire in the reserve yesterday evening.  They've burned approximately an acre, apparently.  I haven't seen the damage yet.  By the time I found out I'd already flogged myself in the garden and still had Hazel to walk.  We went over the the park gate which I expected to be locked, but it wasn't.  I didn't go in - doggies aren't allowed - but did go round to the Durngate entrance which was locked.  I've been told where the fire was - right by the deer hideout, though I believe they got away.  It would also have affected the firecrests, goldcrests, woodpeckers and many others in what was the richest corner for birdlife.  Not, however, the warblers or sparrowhawks.

I shall go in tomorrow and find out more then.

If you will forgive me, I too am feeling a bit battered and wonky, like this campion, so will postpone annoucing the WFW23_04 results till tomorrow.

Have a good evening, all  xx