2014 UK Orchids (1 Viewer)

[jeffnsue]

Good luck, Steve
Jeff

 

[a_j_steele]

Bowyers Water orchid site looking good despite the weather with Early Marsh out and a good showing of Southern Marsh along with with some Twayblades though the nearby met pit still a way from flowering so i guess there more late june\july orchids

 

[Trevor Collett]

GBO in flower near to Box Hill last Sunday, 19th May:

www.flickr.com/photos/trevorcollett/14224960964/

 

[AdrianW]

Apparently Bee Orchids and Southern Marsh are both in flower at Barnes WWT at the moment!

Does anyone have any idea where I could find Lesser Twayblade in flower in the Derbyshire area, or within an hour or two's drive of Derby? I'm there on Wednesday and would love to see some, as they've eluded me so far...

Bodhyfryd: Possibly too early, but at the sites I usually see it at, there are far fewer in flower than I'd expect.

 

[lizard orchid]

four man orchids in perfect condition today at the Warwickshire site. Sadly due to late frosts this year a number of developing flowering spikes have been damaged and might not produce flowers. Also one spike eaten right through at the base by slugs.
But at least there are four good spikes one of which is quite tall.

Brian Laney.

 

[lizard orchid]

A friend has asked me for more exact details of where to find Man orchid at Barnack Hills and Holes. Even though it is in my county (well the old vice county of Northants) I have not been for some years and I don't have exact description of where to go for them on the reserve. Any help is much appreciated. I am not sure if my friend has a GPS. Every plant hunter should have one!

Brian Laney.

 

[Harrap's Wild Flowers]

A friend has asked me for more exact details of where to find Man orchid at Barnack Hills and Holes. Even though it is in my county (well the old vice county of Northants) I have not been for some years and I don't have exact description of where to go for them on the reserve. Any help is much appreciated. I am not sure if my friend has a GPS. Every plant hunter should have one!

Brian Laney.

I think they are scattered through the reserve - some in roped-off areas, but some in the open. It's not a big place, so just wander round and look!

Simon

 

[Harrap's Wild Flowers]

Couldn't find a single plant yesterday at the most reliable site on the I.W.

Rog

At the main (only?) Norfolk site for Birdsnest Orchid I counted 38 spikes a couple of days ago. This compares with 84 last year, but that total was not reached until late June. I find that they do not all come up at once; a 'new' cluster may appear a month after the first (which have by then gone to seed or been knocked over by dogs!). As the species is entirely mycoheterotrophic and dependent on fungi (which in turn are dependent on trees, especially Beech), the mild winter may have been good for them, but the dry spring (in Norfolk, where we did not have a very wet winter) bad; on the other hand, lots of plants are triggered into flowering by spells of very cold weather over the winter and my not flower so well after a very mild winter ... in other words, who knows what determines their numbers!

PS Does anyone have an update on the Late Spider Orchids in Kent - I hope to have a look in ten days, which should be fine, but they may be very early this year?

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Apparently Bee Orchids and Southern Marsh are both in flower at Barnes WWT at the moment!

Does anyone have any idea where I could find Lesser Twayblade in flower in the Derbyshire area, or within an hour or two's drive of Derby? I'm there on Wednesday and would love to see some, as they've eluded me so far...

Bodhyfryd: Possibly too early, but at the sites I usually see it at, there are far fewer in flower than I'd expect.

Hi Adrian

There is only one record of Lesser Twayblade in Derbyshire, of a small number of plants found in 2011 (I think that is the correct year).

The site was not publicised and is not in the public domain.

Apart from that, I believe the nearest sites would be in North Yorkshire, unless anyone can correct me.

Regards

Sean

 

[Ghostly Vision]

At the main (only?) Norfolk site for Birdsnest Orchid I counted 38 spikes a couple of days ago. This compares with 84 last year, but that total was not reached until late June. I find that they do not all come up at once; a 'new' cluster may appear a month after the first (which have by then gone to seed or been knocked over by dogs!). As the species is entirely mycoheterotrophic and dependent on fungi (which in turn are dependent on trees, especially Beech), the mild winter may have been good for them, but the dry spring (in Norfolk, where we did not have a very wet winter) bad; on the other hand, lots of plants are triggered into flowering by spells of very cold weather over the winter and my not flower so well after a very mild winter ... in other words, who knows what determines their numbers!

PS Does anyone have an update on the Late Spider Orchids in Kent - I hope to have a look in ten days, which should be fine, but they may be very early this year?

Hi Simon

LSO's are out now, but ten days should be fine.

I've always wondered why cold snaps in winter cause Orchids like BNO, Ghost etc to produce flowers the following season?

Sean

 

[Rafeabrook]

Just looking at the dates I took some shots last year, only indicates what a difference the flowering times are compared to 2014. I have shots of healthy Man, Fly and White Hell plants from the last week of June last year, all of which are being reported to be on the way out already this year a month earlier! Having only gotten back into this since 2013, is it fairer to say that 2013 was late, or that 2014 is early??

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Just looking at the dates I took some shots last year, only indicates what a difference the flowering times are compared to 2014. I have shots of healthy Man, Fly and White Hell plants from the last week of June last year, all of which are being reported to be on the way out already this year a month earlier! Having only gotten back into this since 2013, is it fairer to say that 2013 was late, or that 2014 is early??

Both!

Sean

 

[RPFH]

Went out looking for Burnt Orchids Sunday found plenty in flower at one site in Wiltshire including two Albino Flora (white) examples right next to each other in fine condition. Will post pics up on my flickr page RPFH later.

Richard

 

[Bodhyfryd]

Alyn Waters update

We did our first significant reccy of the season at Alyn Waters this afternoon.

1. First Bees just coming into flower but lowish numbers on first impression.
   
2. Common Spotted - plenty of basal leaves but only 1 plant in flower so far. No signs alas of the Rhodochila. This suffered what looked like vandalism in 2012 and did not, as far as i am aware, reappear in 2013.
   
3. Multitudes of Common Twayblade - many already flowering, some on the way - including the occasional trifoliate plant. The smaller plants were in the more open ground, the more statuesque specimens in the wooded areas.
   
4. For further down the line, the Epipactis species were in healthy leaf, and I would guess that they will be significantly earlier in flowering this season. A little difficult to differentiate within the genus at this stage (difficult enough when they are flowering!)

(No signs of YBN in the woods as yet).

Realising that AWCP is a long way from many of you, we will try to give a fairly regular update on the situation at this (to us) local site. Should any of you require fuller details or directions, please feel free to PM.

Martin

 

[Dylan Edwards]

Cors Bodelio ( update )

Hi

Went to look for the Fly Orchid at this classic Anglesey fen site this afternoon ..plenty of Early Marsh the odd Common Spotted and 1 or 2 ( tentative ) Narrow-leaved ...I say tentative as it is a species i am not 100% familiar with . I will post images later and more experienced hands can comment ..


There were no Fly showing at their usual 'place' and also as a word of caution it is extremely wet on site !


As a foot-note Bee orchid and several Southern Marsh showing now at the RSPB site at Glan Conwy too

 

[Matt Eade]

Frog Orchids at a site in Eastbourne, East Sussex will be perfect next week in my opinion. 9 counted today. Surely more will emerge at the end of this week.

 

[MarkHows]

Lesser Twayblade Lesser Butterfly Orchid - Yorks

Lesser Twayblade - does anyone have any detailed information I have been recommended a couple of sites but no specifics.

Lesser Butterfly - I have no info so anything would help.

Any specific info greatly appreciated. I am going there in a day or so.

PM please

Thanks

Mark

 

[muba]

Hi

Went to look for the Fly Orchid at this classic Anglesey fen site this afternoon ..plenty of Early Marsh the odd Common Spotted and 1 or 2 ( tentative ) Narrow-leaved ...I say tentative as it is a species i am not 100% familiar with . I will post images later and more experienced hands can comment ..
There were no Fly showing at their usual 'place' and also as a word of caution it is extremely wet on site !

We have plans to visit Friday. Can we see much from the boardwalk, or do we need to venture further in?

 

[Rafeabrook]

Butterflies

Quick day visit to Isle Of Wight to visit parents yielded Greater Butterflys (thanks to Roger). A small colony in Walters Copse I first saw nearly 30 years ago as a child when I lived there! Plants at their peak right now it would seem. Plenty of Common Spotted now in full bloom there too.

 

[slatts]

I will driving through Kent from M25 down to Dover on June 10th and will have the best part of an afternoon and evening free before an early ferry next day.

I will probably be too late for Ladies and White Hells, but has anybody got any suggestions for Musk and Burnt orchids (with directions by pm if possible) I would be appreciative. If any of the LOs and WHs are likely to persist, those too. I am hoping to catch some Fly up here before then, but a site down there would be a good back-up.

thanks

Steve

You'll be falling over musk orchids at Noar Hill late June. There's a nice colony of smaller plants at Box Hill too.