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2011 UK Orchid season updates (1 Viewer)

heakl

Well-known member
I note we now have a Southern as well as a Midlands orchids thread, living in Gloucestershire I’m rather betwixt and between these threads, what is happening in the rest of the UK is also of interest to many of us. Last year we had a very useful and well-used 2010 UK orchids thread started by Sean, I think a 2011 thread along the same lines would be equally useful.

This year I have already seen where an orchid rosette has been dug up, with this in mind I have copied in the advice that Sean’s started last years thread with, I haven’t checked but I’m sure he won’t object.

May I offer a word of caution over sites: please when posting updates could you be general about the sites, in accordance with the sensitivity or rarity of the species.

Species with which we should be extra careful, and only use counties, are:

Lady's slipper
Red helleborine
Military, Monkey orchid
Fen orchid
Ghost orchid (I wish)
Irish lady's tresses
Dense flowered orchid
Lizard orchid
Tongue orchid
Late spider orchid.

Other less rare species perhaps we could use "south cumbria" or other generic description.

To get the thread started, new this week in my part of Gloucestershire:-
One Early Purple just coming into flower but a week or more in front of all the rest.
Flower spikes just appearing in the Green Winged.
Greater Butterfly and Common Spotted rosettes starting to appear.

Here’s hoping for a good orchid year, good luck to all,
Alan
 
Dear Alan,
What species got dug up Alan?

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

Hello Brian,
The first Early Purple rosette that I saw this year had turned into a hole in the ground when I went back with my wife a few days later, it was at one of our nature reserves on the Cotswolds.

Alan
 
Green Winged & Early Purple

Green Winged in flower South East Hants coast. If you know the site take care as many are still rosettes and easily trampled.

Early Purple just coming into flower South East Hants, woodland setting. None on the South Downs yet
Regards

Nick
 
Today I went back to the site where I saw the first couple of local Green-winged Orchids on April 1st - there are now a few hundred in flower. A couple of nice salmon-pink ones in amongst the normal darker flowered plants and quite a few Early Purples scattered amongst them.

Green-wings also emerging at another local site (I counted 48) with Heath Spotted rosettes there.

I also found what I think are Southern Marsh rosettes - I need to keep an eye on those but they are in the right location.

Rich M
 
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Three Early Purple Orchids on the North Downs in Kent today at a well known NNR site.
 

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Today I went back to the site where I saw the first couple of local Green-winged Orchids on April 1st - there are now a few hundred in flower. A couple of nice salmon-pink ones in amongst the normal darker flowered plants and quite a few Early Purples scattered amongst them.
Rich M

Yesterdays Green-winged, a dark one and a pink one.

Rich M
 

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I'm quite happy to abandon the 'Southern' thread and post on this one Alan...
Nice to keep all the sightings together
Regards
Simon
 
I am so happy that the season is upon us again - I hope to go out in the next few days and look for the Early Purples, and looking forward to the Green Winged near the coast but thought it was still a bit early for them.
 
I am so happy that the season is upon us again - I hope to go out in the next few days and look for the Early Purples, and looking forward to the Green Winged near the coast but thought it was still a bit early for them.

A morio have been out since 9/4 in North Lincs

Mark
 
I checked out the Green-wings at Blagdon Pump House this afternoon - large numbers out but still someway off their best. Mainly darker plants so far, I couldn't find any var albas and only a few pink ones.

However I did find one plant with an unmarked white lip, these seem to be quite regular here. I also found one with an all dark, unmarked lip, can't recall seeing one like that before.

Access to this Bristol Water site is restricted, it is only open on Sunday afternoons, 2 - 5pm.

Rich M
 

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Early Spider Orchids were in flower at Durlston Country Park last weekend.

A very helpful ranger directed us to a very accessable group on the southern side of the small quarry workings in the second field to the west of the ranger's station (a rusty farm machinery implement is marooned there)

There were also a good number of Early Purple Orchids in flower at the same location.
 
I also found what I think are Southern Marsh rosettes - I need to keep an eye on those but they are in the right location.

Ridiculously early I know but the first local Southern Marsh just coming into flower today.


Rich M
 

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Lots of updates since I last logged on, many thanks to you all.

Saw rosettes near Corfe that I though were probably Heath Spotted, I'm now sure they are, thanks Rich.

Lots of Early Spider near the Dorset coast including what I'm sure is Var. flavescens with a very greenish lip on a just opened flower with viscidium and pollinia still in place. Also one with red edged pinkish petals. Photos attached.

Early Purple and Green-winged now starting to flower in Dorset including white Green-winged.

All the above seen between the 17th & 19th April, I think the flowering period will continue for a while yet with all of them.

Back home in Gloucestershire today, loads of Early Purple now in flower, just seen one with half the spike (all up one side) almost pure white, just a tiny pink fleck in the upper sepal, and the other side of the spike more heavily speckled pink. Sorry haven't got a decent photo. Green Winged also starting to flower but only found a couple so far.

Regards to all
Alan
 

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Lots of updates since I last logged on, many thanks to you all.

Saw rosettes near Corfe that I though were probably Heath Spotted, I'm now sure they are, thanks Rich.

Lots of Early Spider near the Dorset coast including what I'm sure is Var. flavescens with a very greenish lip on a just opened flower with viscidium and pollinia still in place. Also one with red edged pinkish petals. Photos attached.

Early Purple and Green-winged now starting to flower in Dorset including white Green-winged.

All the above seen between the 17th & 19th April, I think the flowering period will continue for a while yet with all of them.

Back home in Gloucestershire today, loads of Early Purple now in flower, just seen one with half the spike (all up one side) almost pure white, just a tiny pink fleck in the upper sepal, and the other side of the spike more heavily speckled pink. Sorry haven't got a decent photo. Green Winged also starting to flower but only found a couple so far.

Regards to all
Alan

Strange how things go. Currently over 1000 A morio spikes at my local North Lincs site. The 2 alba have not yet appeared, however they are always among the later ones.

Mark
 
More rosettes and spikes

I found myself checking on a site near Bath today - a few budded spikes of Fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera) in a woodland glade , which I even half expected to see in flower after such an early start to the season. Should be another two weeks with these.
Nearby White Helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium) spikes in the darker areas of the wood , Common Spotted (Dactylorhiza fuschii) and Common Twayblade (Neottia ovata) rosettes on the sunny pathsides.
Also refound a previous years Oxslip.
Simon
 

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Sword-leaved Helleborine news

I am planning to go and see this helleborine for the first time at the well known site in Hampshire with some people who have never seen it before either. As most things are early this year could someone post when these are out so I do not mis-time the trip from Bucks.
 
I'd be grateful if any one could tell me the status of the South Lincs Green Winged Orchids as hoping to visit there as well as North Lincs.
 
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