Off to Exmoor to help train this year’s volunteer peatland surveyors, organised by the wonderful quadumvirate (is that even a word?) of Andy Glendinning, Morag Angus, Maddy Davey and David Smith. The journey from Colchester to Taunton enjoyed glorious weather all the way, with the odd interesting dark cloud once we were west of Pewsey:
Once up on the Exmoor plateau, the views were wonderful:
In addition to the ever-present skylarks, giving such a characteristic backdrop soundtrack to the bog landscape, there were curious stonechats, and the swallows were taking possession of all available telephone wires:
Then the cloud rolled in for a while but never seriously threatened rain – it was more a mysterious hill fog that provided all the Sphagnum with a welcome drink of fog droplets, while the garden chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) pretended that it was a Namib Desert fogstand beetle (Stenocara gracilipes), attempting – rather badly it has to be said – to trap the fog and thus obtain a welcome drink of condensed water:
The journey home provided a wonderful series of views, but these are for another blog.
Thanks to all in the Exmoor Mires Partnership…!!!!
