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2012 UK Orchid season updates (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter heakl
- Start date
rmielcarek
Well-known member
HOS field trip to east Kent
On Saturday we attended the HOS field trip to east Kent, and very good it was too.
First stop was another Late Spider orchid colony, this one holding 53 plants, including one with white sepals and yellowy white petals and another with funny lip markings (bit like the seaside symbol).
Then we headed for the seaside.
Rich M
On Saturday we attended the HOS field trip to east Kent, and very good it was too.
First stop was another Late Spider orchid colony, this one holding 53 plants, including one with white sepals and yellowy white petals and another with funny lip markings (bit like the seaside symbol).
Then we headed for the seaside.
Rich M
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rmielcarek
Well-known member
HOS field trip to east Kent - part 2
At the seaside we found loads of Lizard orchids and plenty of Bedstraw (Clove-scented) Broomrape (and yes I know it's not an orchid).
Nearby there were plenty of Southern Marsh still in flower, including this rather pale example. We also found this plant with a sepaloid lip which we assumed was a Southern Marsh.
Rich M
At the seaside we found loads of Lizard orchids and plenty of Bedstraw (Clove-scented) Broomrape (and yes I know it's not an orchid).
Nearby there were plenty of Southern Marsh still in flower, including this rather pale example. We also found this plant with a sepaloid lip which we assumed was a Southern Marsh.
Rich M
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leptochila
Well-known member
Matthebirder
Well-known member
'Huntingdonshire' Cambs : Monks Wood, finally found a single Greater Butterfly but not the two plants located a month ago that haven't flowered, the wood is very wet at the moment and the Common Spotted's are especially abundant.
Also found Bee orchids at Grafham Water for the first time, probably due to less grass cutting this year.
M
Also found Bee orchids at Grafham Water for the first time, probably due to less grass cutting this year.
M
Trevor Collett
New member
Box Hill Area, Surrey
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjzSgciS
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjA6CYQS
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjA3SZFm
Flowering seems to be 2/3 weeks later than usual. I feel better numbers than last couple of years, but not vintage.
I hope sites not permanently damaged by 29th July cycle race.
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjzSgciS
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjA6CYQS
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjA3SZFm
Flowering seems to be 2/3 weeks later than usual. I feel better numbers than last couple of years, but not vintage.
I hope sites not permanently damaged by 29th July cycle race.
leptochila
Well-known member
Little Greenys
Couldn't resist another attempt at the Kenfig Fen orchids despite the mammoth drive. I thought stopping off at a well-known Musk site (the one with great views of the M5) would sweeten the deal. As expected, lots of them coming into flower, probably about ~200 and a couple of weeks later than last year but looking good. By pure chance, I met Alan (heakl) who was also enjoying them on the windswept slopes. Knew I'd bump into a birdforumer at some stage!
Then on to Kenfig where the entire path down and slack where the Fens grow was utterly flooded making searching and photography very difficult. Managed to find about 6 plants in the end, mostly submerged, very small and either gone over or lacking flowers (presumably grazed off by molluscs). Quite annoying since the visitor centre staff had assured me well in advance that they were perfectly in flower and looking good - just unlucky. Another poor year for them. Probably best to return in 15 years when the man-made slack is colonised!
Couldn't resist another attempt at the Kenfig Fen orchids despite the mammoth drive. I thought stopping off at a well-known Musk site (the one with great views of the M5) would sweeten the deal. As expected, lots of them coming into flower, probably about ~200 and a couple of weeks later than last year but looking good. By pure chance, I met Alan (heakl) who was also enjoying them on the windswept slopes. Knew I'd bump into a birdforumer at some stage!
Then on to Kenfig where the entire path down and slack where the Fens grow was utterly flooded making searching and photography very difficult. Managed to find about 6 plants in the end, mostly submerged, very small and either gone over or lacking flowers (presumably grazed off by molluscs). Quite annoying since the visitor centre staff had assured me well in advance that they were perfectly in flower and looking good - just unlucky. Another poor year for them. Probably best to return in 15 years when the man-made slack is colonised!
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Hello Mike,
Nice to see you yesterday, four Bee orchids (regular) and loads more Musk at t'other site.
Alan
Just by chance I found my first Gloucestershire flavescens today, saw ophrys rosettes on a road verge last autumn, remembered as I was going by today, stopped to have a look and found this lovely little thing.
Not often that a gone over orchid with a broken stem is of much interest but what about a variegated Twayblade?
A nice couple of local trollii from the weekend.
Alan
Not often that a gone over orchid with a broken stem is of much interest but what about a variegated Twayblade?
A nice couple of local trollii from the weekend.
Alan
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byronmachin
Moorland Twitcher
Epipactis Purpurata Achlorophyllous???
As a number of you know i have been doing a full orchid survey of the Peak District for the last three years. Whilst exploring new territory tonight i came across this bizzare flooking flower. I want to say that its Epipactis Purpurata Achlorophyllous, but there have never been any Violet Helleborines recorded in North Staffordshire, and the Chlorophyl lacking variety have never been recorded anywhere near this far north???
Byron.
As a number of you know i have been doing a full orchid survey of the Peak District for the last three years. Whilst exploring new territory tonight i came across this bizzare flooking flower. I want to say that its Epipactis Purpurata Achlorophyllous, but there have never been any Violet Helleborines recorded in North Staffordshire, and the Chlorophyl lacking variety have never been recorded anywhere near this far north???
Byron.
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leptochila
Well-known member
Hi Byron,
Looks more likely to be a Epipactis helleborine lacking chlorophyll (I can't remember the specific name). If it is it's, I think, far rarer than var. rosea (achlorophyllous) and worth getting some good photos of when in flower. What was the habitat like? It doesn't look like purpurata habitat with that level of ground cover.
Good find!
Mike.
Isurus
Well-known member
this has come up in my dad's garden, he has the madeiran garden Dact that is either foliosa or elata depending on who you ask but this is evidently different. Anyone got any thoughts as to what it might be?
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7434904960_ac08d80d39.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7434904960_ac08d80d39.jpg
byronmachin
Moorland Twitcher
Thanks Mike, i will head back to the site at the weekend, i didnt realise what i had found until i got back home - spotted another one close by, but did not do a full sweep. It was growing in dense mixed broadleaf woodland. Byron.
rmielcarek
Well-known member
Well maybe it isn't that uncommon in the south west. This afternoon I got a call asking me to come over and check some orchids in a private hay meadow and found 22 var flavescens amongst 100+ normal apifera, as well as an alba Pyramidal.
Rich M
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I was at Kenfig today, it was warm and sunny. It must have dried out as it was possible to see four nice flowering fen orchids. And about 20 that haven't been in flower. Also some massive Southern marsh, as big as I have ever seen, and the really nice early marsh "coccinea".
Fascinating Byron,
I'm wondering how true the colours in your photograph are, was it taken in poor light with flash?
If its Epipactis helleborine lacking chlorophyll (Var. monotropoides) I'm surprised at the stem colour! If its Epipactis Purpurata Var. rosea I'm surprised at the leaf colour. As Mike noted the habitat also looks wrong.
The surrounding area will almost certainly have normal plants of whatever this one is, keep an eye on it and keep us informed, thanks for sharing the photo.
Alan
byronmachin
Moorland Twitcher
Hi Alan, the photo was taken with a flash, as it was late evening and the woodland was very dark. Broad Leaved Helleborine are the only species growing in this woodland. No other Helleborines have ever been recorded in a wide distance of the area. I am heading back tommorow night and will take photo's of the neighbouring plant and check the area for others, then post on here. Byron
davidearlgray
davidearlgray
Leicester Bee Orchids
Hi all, here is a few photos of some Bee Orchids in a Leicester City park. I found at least 22 flowering spikes in the surrounding grassland. Also this is the most I have counted at this site, so maybe a good year for Bee Orchids?
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.co.uk/
Hi all, here is a few photos of some Bee Orchids in a Leicester City park. I found at least 22 flowering spikes in the surrounding grassland. Also this is the most I have counted at this site, so maybe a good year for Bee Orchids?
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.co.uk/
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