Cuckoo Flower

The subject of this photo is Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis), also known as Lady's Smock. This flower likes damp areas of grassland and woodland, or even the edges of ponds; although common throughout the UK it has seen some reduction in range due to drainage of wetlands (see naturescalendar.org.uk). This plant should become obvious soon as it starts flowering in April, showing four pale, pink (or sometimes white) petals that are slightly cupped. The Cuckoo Flower is an important foodplant for the Orange Tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines - spot the link between the two in their scientific name!).

It was believed these flowers were sacred to fairies, and therefore it was unlucky to bring them indoors or include them in May Day garlands (nature's calendar, wikipedia).

Rainbow Over Roding

Even the rainy days have their rainbows. This photo was taken in the Roding Valley, and shows a double rainbow over the wet meadows and fen of the Nature Reserve that runs along the River Roding near Loughton and Chigwell, Essex, England. The reserve follows the river for roughly a mile and a half, and in addition to providing a place for the Roding to flood (thus alleviating some of the flooding pressure downstream) the reserve also contains a number of important plant and animal species. The nature reserve contains the the largest remaining area of water meadows in Essex, according to Essex Wildlife Trust. I like the warmth of the late light here bathing the bare trees and shrubs, and picking out the sere grasses in the background.