Lesser Twayblade (1 Viewer)

Hope anyone can help........
My birdwatching hobby of many years has been relegated to second place (until I find a wallcreeper or similar!!!) as I've become totally obsessed with photographing wild orchids and helleborines of late.
I've done pretty well so far although I haven't travelled South yet (just Northumberland and the odd trip to Durham).

Can anyone help me with Lesser Twayblade - sites and/or tips on how to locate this very hard to find species?

Perhaps I could reciprecate with any species or pics of my own sightings.

thanks, Andy

Hi Andy,

The Flora of Northumberland records it as present in 62 5x5km squares, mostly in the North Pennines, Simonsides and Cheviots. If you've not got a copy of this, well worth getting one (from the Hancock). "Most often grows under old Calluna on an N-facing mossy bank which has not been burnt; but also among pine needles in woods, or on steep mossy banks in birchwoods".

Michael

Hi Andy, I know just what you mean! however you may need help with this one as it is a tiny plant. I'll attach 2 pics for you, the second will give you an idea of the size, I took these on Exmoor so the site is not much help to you.
Good luck with your orchid photos,
Regards Lorne

Thanks

Thanks for your help folks. You've been a real help. I've got my work cut out for me!!
If it was too easy we wouldn't be interested would we!
cheers, Andy

Andy, too late for this year, but I just want to support what Michael Frankis has posted.

I'd say that there are two very typical situations for it.
One is on a steep side of a moorland stream-bank, where you can pull aside the mature heather to find damp mossy ledges (Hylocomium splendens, etc) and Lesser Twayblade often quite abundant in the moss.
The other is in open moss and heather on banks along old forestry roads.

I rarely see it in open moorland, the banks seem to be important.

It can grow in other situations, of course. The only modern record in Wigtownshire, for example, is in a bomb crater in the middle of a military range! There are military ranges in Northumberland, are there not?

I have seen it in two national nature reserves, Glen Affric and Benn Eighe, both in Northern Scotland - I'd echo what Silver has typed - best bet is to look under patches of Calluna or Vaccinium but always where its wet, and usually in northern or western facing dips or banks.

It's fairly common in peat and raised bogs in the Outer Hebrides, I seem to recall, but I'm not sure that's much help.