Orchids in the Midlands (1 Viewer)

[Adey Baker]

Greater Butterfly Orchids just coming to their best at Elmesthorpe, Leics., this afternoon. Few shafts of sunlight are getting to the main group nowadays - all illumination from the in-built flash on the camera.

 

[Adam M]

Greater Butterfly Orchid are in bud currently at RSPB Coombes Valley in North Staffordshire. I think we had just short of 100 last year. We did show them to people last year, but only a few to help prevent trampling. Just enquire at the office if you pay us a visit and we'll try to sort you out.

We also get Common Spotted Orchids, but I haven't seen any so far this year, I will have a look for them tomorrow.

Adam

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Greater butterfly orchids in nice flower at Cloud wood (Leics) yesterday, and Common spotteds just coming out.

Sean

 

[davidearlgray]

Greater Butterfly Orchids just coming to their best at Elmesthorpe, Leics., this afternoon. Few shafts of sunlight are getting to the main group nowadays - all illumination from the in-built flash on the camera.

Hi Adey, looking at your photo are there more GBOs in flower this year at Elmesthorpe?

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Adey Baker]

Hi Adey, looking at your photo are there more GBOs in flower this year at Elmesthorpe?

Cheers,
Dave.

Probably about average numbers, I'd say, Dave. The ones that are flowering do seem to have a decent-size spike of blooms, though, but as you can see in the shot, about half of the plants haven't sent up a stem...yet.

The one in the photo below is right next to the pathway near to the main Early Purple group and often gets accidentally/deliberately damaged, but it seems to have survived OK so far this year! Also, the other shot shows that a Common Twayblade will actually have a halfway decent spike of flowers for a change - normally, the few plants at this site only have a very short flower stem, if any, but this one will have 20+ 'little green men' when it's fully open.

Again, nearly all of the illumination comes from the camera's flash - it's a matter of luck or timing whether you can get a few sunbeams to fall onto the flowers...

 

[davidearlgray]

Checked out a couple of sites on the Northants/Leics border this evening and afternoon and saw good numbers of White Helleborines, a couple of Fly Orchids and a single Greater Butterfly Orchid.
If you would like details of the sites can you PM please!
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

 

[Kumba]

Derbyshire Orchids

A Great day out in Derbyshire with Sean
Fly, Frog, Burnt, Common Spotted, Common Fragrant, Early-purple and Southern Marsh Orchids

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Hi John

Good to meet you yesterday. Nice pics, especially of that giant Frog orchid!

Sorry to report that I was mistaken about the Northern marsh - it is clearly a Southern Marsh from the photo.

id hints: too pale in colour, bottom flower has side lobes to the lip, pattern is concentrated on the vertical centre of the lip and is a series of fine dots and streaks.

Disappointing number of Burnts - only 21 counted, most ofthem already looking a bit scabby, but good number of Fly and Frog, and the Early purples would have been fantastic three weeks ago. Shame not a single Bee orchid found at the normally excellent site above the Via Gellia.

All the best Sean

 

[Adey Baker]

Having concentrated on Elmesthorpe Plantation recently, I thought I'd have a poke around the adjacent Burbage Wood to see if there was anything of note. I've only ever seen Helleborines in there previously, though there have been other species present formally including a report of Birdsnest Orchid from the 1970s.

I was pleasantly surprised to find several Greater Butterfly Orchids present including three in bloom and several in a more open area which will, hopefully, flower another year. It'll be interesting to see how they progress as the coppice area grows up and 'fills in.'

One of the flowers even stood in its own personal sunbeam

 

[Kumba]

Warwickshire Orchids

Pyramidal Orchids starting to flower

 

[Zeffer]

Lovely walk with the family in Kingsbury and found the following. I think they are Southern Marsh orchids but some are a little odd. Can anyone help me ID them?

 

[ladybee]

Please, please, please can anyone tell me when they see the Marsh Helleborines looking good in Lincolnshire - I'd really like to see them this year, it will be a first for me.

 

[Desertlark]

Please, please, please can anyone tell me when they see the Marsh Helleborines looking good in Lincolnshire - I'd really like to see them this year, it will be a first for me.

Now I assume you mean the Lincs coastal site, so just in case no one responds, I've just checked my notes and somewhere between the end of the first week and the start of the second week in July should see you right.

Good luck

Grahame

 

[davidearlgray]

Lovely walk with the family in Kingsbury and found the following. I think they are Southern Marsh orchids but some are a little odd. Can anyone help me ID them?

Hi Zeffer, yes the orchids are Southern Marsh Orchids but what is strange is the colour of the flowers. I have never seen Southern Marsh Orchid that colour!?
Do you know what the soil type for this site?
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

 

[davidearlgray]

Checked a few sites on the Leics/Rutland/Lincs border yesterday and saw good numbers of Pyramidal Orchids and 50+ Southern Marsh Orchids at Pickworth A1 triangle.
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

 

[ladybee]

Now I assume you mean the Lincs coastal site, so just in case no one responds, I've just checked my notes and somewhere between the end of the first week and the start of the second week in July should see you right.

Good luck

Grahame

Thanks Grahame, yes, I mean the coastal site, although I've never been before (and the one inland from there too, makes a circular trip from here). Fingers crossed, they look beautiful and I will only get one chance at seeing them this year.

Thanks again,
Ladybee

 

[Adey Baker]

The single Common Spotted Orchid at Elmesthorpe (with which I started this thread back in 2005) is still surviving in even deeper shade now.

 

[davidearlgray]

Been out today Orchid Hunting in Leicestershire& Rutland and saw Common Spotted, Heath Spotted, Frog, Bee and Pyramidal.
I did notice that the majority of the Bee and Pyramidal Orchids were still in bud and probably two weeks late from last year?
If you want info about the sites for the orchids can you PM please.
Cheers,
Dave.
http://davidearlgray.blogspot.com/

 

[Kumba]

Warwickshire Orchids

Warwickshire Orchids from the South of the County

 

[Kumba]

Warwickshire Orchids

Warwickshire Orchids