It's spiders, but not as you know them!

The day started with a trip to the recycling centre, used to be just the dump. at Whitfield.

When I got arrived there was a short wait while they moved a few lorries and containers around, giving me time to watch the breeding Herring Gulls on the roof.

This afternoon, fearing the worst, I left Wimbledon on the telly and went for an Orchid twitch. This rather ordinary piece of Kent downland is the home of one of the most stunning of Kent fantastic array of native orchids.

They are not difficult to find, because they are wardened and, presumably to protect them from the nibbling rabbits they have neat little cages over them. I'm sure it's not to stop them running away!

Fortunately this protective cages are easy to lift up, and the orchid is then in its full glory to photograph.

Personally, I don't see much resemblance to spiders, but they are several weeks after our Early Spider Orchids around here, so Late Spider it is.

Each spike has up to four or five individual flowers and although the flowers on each spike are very similar they are quite distinct from those on their neighbours.

I though that this paler flower was particularly striking.

 I don't know how well they've done this year, it a few years since I visited the site and I'm not sure how many spikes is the norm. Certainly there are a good show at the moment and they are a real gem of a flower.

Mystery Photo, it is easy really, answer tomorrow.

Pam and I sat and watched our Badger this evening as it devoured its supper of left over chicken with a liberal topping of peanuts. I seems to have sustained some damage to its left ear, but we couldn't see any wound or blood. It didn't affect it appetite. A second one turned up, but sadly too late for supper..