Early Purple Orchids including a very light one

(0545-0700hrs) Early doors, It was very clear blue skies with little to no cloud, but this seem to deteriate and go into mixed cloud almost from the off. Did have Chiffs Claw and Archie having a good sing song.

(0900-1200hrs) Had a walk up through Dalton to the Common and then through into Crag Field SSE to find and count the numerous clusters of Early Purple Orchids. But first went to have yet another look around for the missing "Hairy Rockcress" and sure enough it definately is down to the one cluster over about a 10ft linear measure, and this includes at least 29 flowers.

The EPO's have done well and are throughout Dalton and Hutton Roof in general. But today I decided to go and check some clusters I had seen on the East side of Dalton (upper) and over the wall into the high limestone craggy field of Crag House (upper) to my SSE. Here I counted several large clusters with one of 125 and another of 100, but the total I had throughout was 537 individual flowers. I have taken some photos of them above, and note the variations, especially the top two photos, this is obviously a variant, which is well short of the pigmentation to the flower in general including very few spots to the leafage.

On way back through East side of Dalton, I noticed that at long last the Blackcap (or another) from the spot we had last year down in the corner (road side) had arrived back and singing so strong and clear, although there where a powerful noisy wind today, I could still hear him singing from about 300 yards away. Certainly outclassing any other nearby birds.

All Tree Pipits present and correct, but only 3 or 4 of them singing today. Most of the birds in general where quiet today, maybe the strong noisy high winds had something to do with it.