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2012 UK Orchid season updates (3 Viewers)

Dear All,
Green winged orchid and Man orchid are target species this year for the BSBI Threatened Plants Project. If you want to help record in your counties for the project then check the BSBI web site for more details.
 
For the BSBI Threatened Plants Project counted two Man orchid rosettes at one site and 31 Man orchid rosettes at another site recently. Both sites are in the north east of Northamptonshire.
Both Man orchid and Green winged orchid are Rare Plant Register species here in Northamptonshire.
At one of our few sites in the county for Green winged orchid there is just one rosette in geese grazed turf on the edge of a reservoir. Looks like it will flower with three flowering heads forming.

Brian Laney.
 
A word of warning

A salutory tale.

At a local site, which is an SSSI with no public access, somebody has seen fit to dig up a clump of flowering Early Purple orchids.

So be doubly beware when giving out info. Its not just the rarities which get nicked!

Rich M
 
Common Twayblade

First Common Twayblade flower already open!!!

Checked several sites on the Cotswolds in the last few days and everything looks very encouraging at the moment, healthy rosettes showing of White Helleborine, Early Purple, Greater (and I think Lesser) Butterfly, Common Fragrant, Common Spotted, Pyramidal, Green-winged, Fly and Bee Orchid. A couple of tiny Broad-leaved Helleborine shoots also just appearing.

Alan
 

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A salutory tale.

At a local site, which is an SSSI with no public access, somebody has seen fit to dig up a clump of flowering Early Purple orchids.

So be doubly beware when giving out info. Its not just the rarities which get nicked!

Rich M

hear, hear! I've seen the same thing at an SSSI on the Cotswolds.

Alan
 
A few Green-winged coming into flower on the Isle of Wight.

Rog
 

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I think Mid-May is definitely the best bet for the Hampshire site.

They just seem to flower ridiculously early here to the extent that I went to check whether the plants had appeared above ground in April last year and found some in full flower!

Mike.

Just a note for anyone who does visit this Hampshire site, have a look for the C.longifola X C. damasonium hybrids there. Although I haven’t been for a couple of years now they were usually there. Go left (west) of the photo site, check for Fly by the path then down near the roadside & right this is the area to see them.

Lorne
 
Check out my favourite site yesterday(Cloud Wood LRWT) and found at least 300+ Early Purple Orchids coming into flower.

Checked some Early Purples in Suffolk at the weekend - a little way to go yet here still before they look like flowering. The beginnings of a spike on a Greater Butterfly Orchid also....

Chris
 
The longifolia up here (Aberdyfi) are still nowhere near flowering, in contrast to this time last year. Things seem to be a bit more on track in terms of standard flowering times this year.

Mike.
 
If any of you visit the Man orchids in Warwickshire this year to photograph them can you please take a hammer if possible along with you to hammer back in the canes and pegs of the cages. I just want to make sure the rabbits don't get any developing seedheads later on. There are at the moment developing terminal shoots on some of the rosettes and there should be some flowering spikes. I just hope we don't get a late frost that can damage the developing flowering spikes.
Many thanks.

Brian Laney.
 
A few Green-winged flowering in Cambs at Upwood Meadow. Very small plants though presumably due to the dry weather recently.
Matthew
 
Good numbers of Dorset Early Spiders looking good on 22nd April - not looking so good a few days later after heavy rain and gale force winds but I expect they will have picked up if they have had some sun and drier conditions since.
 
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How does it compare to the previous years Rich? I thought last year was an early season..
Simon

I thought this year was going to be even earlier when I found some GWO at the end of March but it has obviously gone back somewhat since then, no doubt as a result of the weather.

As for Southern Marsh emergence locally;
7th May 2010
29th April 2008
2nd May 2007
5th May 2006

so this year now seems to be about 'normal'.

Rich M
 
The Monks Wood, 'Huntingdonshire' Early Purples (c.25) in perfect condition at the moment. Also a Greater Butterfly seems to be on the cards this year, a couple of leaves at least so far.
M
 
yep - the season has ground to a halt in Kent

Yesterday I had 47 Lady Orchids near Queensdown Warren in various stages, White Helleborine yet to flower and Man Orchids still in bud - hooray when it gets warmer!

For those that know the Lady site I mention I was approached by police asking what I was up to - the site is used for gay dogging so please be cautious if you visit.

Cheers

James
 
For those that know the Lady site I mention I was approached by police asking what I was up to - the site is used for gay dogging so please be cautious if you visit.

Cheers

James

'Nope, I'm looking for flowering Ladies...'... Did they believe your answer, James?
 
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