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2018 Orchid Thread (1 Viewer)

Here in Surrey - Bee Orchids starting to go over, Fragrant gone over, GBO gone over, Pyramidal looking good.

I visited Mike's current namesakes as well, but unfortunately I don't think any will flower here this year, a combination of them being eaten, and it being too dry I think...
 
Hi Dylan

Between us, I don't think that's strictly true...

The plants on the north side of Pont ar Elan disappeared around 2007 but then I found another small colony much further up the valley.

Subsequently, a much larger population was found about 100m from the original Pont ar Elan colony where I have photographed them in recent years. I remember, Martin, that Sorcha showed these plants to you but wouldn't tell me where they were. However, I found them pretty easily with your directions. I suspect she is attempting to keep people away from the site.

I think she tends to be very closed about sites because, for example, she had a Small White orchid appear on her farm last year (up the valley). After several email exchanges attempting to prove my trustworthiness, she blanked me when I suggested we meet up and she show me the plant.

I'll send you some directions Dylan. Those Bog orchids are almost certainly still there. As for theft, I doubt that very much indeed!

Mike

Very pleased to have your contribution on this Mike. Yes, I well remember the contact with you over the Bog orchids and interestingly on the occasion that we went with Sorcha she took us to her land to show us LBO and GBOs etc. Of course no mention of a SWO then. I suspect that you are very likely right in your suspicion about the real state of play. In fact Elaine, my wife, actually queried the likelihood of a theft of the plants, and suggested that it might be a diversionary tactic, exactly as you have suggested. We hope that things are well with you!

Martin
 
Bog Orchid

Hi Dylan

Between us, I don't think that's strictly true...

The plants on the north side of Pont ar Elan disappeared around 2007 but then I found another small colony much further up the valley.

Subsequently, a much larger population was found about 100m from the original Pont ar Elan colony where I have photographed them in recent years. I remember, Martin, that Sorcha showed these plants to you but wouldn't tell me where they were. However, I found them pretty easily with your directions. I suspect she is attempting to keep people away from the site.

I think she tends to be very closed about sites because, for example, she had a Small White orchid appear on her farm last year (up the valley). After several email exchanges attempting to prove my trustworthiness, she blanked me when I suggested we meet up and she show me the plant.

I'll send you some directions Dylan. Those Bog orchids are almost certainly still there. As for theft, I doubt that very much indeed!

Mike


Hi Mike


I did put down the phone after speaking to the Ranger at Elan Waters and was cynical but i take people on their word . It is a 2-3 hour trip from my home ...so will probably leave them for this year . Appreciate though Mike
 
Marsh helleborines

Had a wonderful evening on Newborough Warren on Sunday evening 24th June hoping to find Marsh helleborines and Grass of Parnassus, I found small colonies of Marsh H , many still in bud. Also found at least 20-20 Maiden Pink on the entrance path .


Also seen here Early Marsh ( coccinea)' Southern M + CSO .

No Grass of parnassus however .


Several DG fritilaries and Small Skipper also seen
 
Very pleased to have your contribution on this Mike. Yes, I well remember the contact with you over the Bog orchids and interestingly on the occasion that we went with Sorcha she took us to her land to show us LBO and GBOs etc. Of course no mention of a SWO then. I suspect that you are very likely right in your suspicion about the real state of play. In fact Elaine, my wife, actually queried the likelihood of a theft of the plants, and suggested that it might be a diversionary tactic, exactly as you have suggested. We hope that things are well with you!

Martin

Hi Martin

She clearly thinks of you both as trustworthy people which is a big compliment! I guess I didn't have the advantage of meeting her face to face so it's always hard to build trust via writing. A big thank you nonetheless for offering to help me find them!
I'm doing well - hectic London life as always... Hope you're both well.

Mike
 
Hi Mike


I did put down the phone after speaking to the Ranger at Elan Waters and was cynical but i take people on their word . It is a 2-3 hour trip from my home ...so will probably leave them for this year . Appreciate though Mike

Hi Dylan

Where do you live? I could help you out with sites nearer to you...

Mike
 
Hi

Does anyone know if Epipactis sancta is out on Holy Island - I will visit on Sunday a rare opportunity for a visit to the north for me!

On a separate point, if anyone has the GPS for any of the following (non orchids!), a PM woud be very welcome: Crepis praemorsa (Orton), Juncus filiformis (Lakes), Ranunculus reptans (Lakes).

cheers, alan
 
Hi Martin

She clearly thinks of you both as trustworthy people which is a big compliment! I guess I didn't have the advantage of meeting her face to face so it's always hard to build trust via writing. A big thank you nonetheless for offering to help me find them!
I'm doing well - hectic London life as always... Hope you're both well.

Mike

Thanks, Mike. May I add that we really appreciate your keeping an eye on this Forum, in addition to your many other areas of involvement, and making the occasional apposite contribution. It is very helpful for those of us who have stayed with Birdforum - for whatever reason - to have someone as knowledgeable as yourself monitoring the postings and contributing helpfully from time to time.

Martin
 
Does anyone know if Epipactis sancta is out on Holy Island - I will visit on Sunday a rare opportunity for a visit to the north for me!


I see that there was a tweet this morning by DN (with photograph) stating that they were still not quite in flower.
 
Does anyone know if Epipactis sancta is out on Holy Island - I will visit on Sunday a rare opportunity for a visit to the north for me!


I see that there was a tweet this morning by DN (with photograph) stating that they were still not quite in flower.

Thanks, yes saw that - in addition, I think there is just one 'flowering' plant this year - not great. I'll give it a go on Sunday - perhaps someone could water it today or tomorrow ! ;)

cheers, alan
 
Thanks, yes saw that - in addition, I think there is just one 'flowering' plant this year - not great. I'll give it a go on Sunday - perhaps someone could water it today or tomorrow ! ;)

cheers, alan

There sees to be a scatter of plants - caged plant near access track was still only in bud; a group of four SW of the Snook House (which i saw) and another single in flower, seen by others later.

cheers, alan
 
Hello

I was unaware that a 2018 thread had started. I kicked off the 2017 thread, so reckoned it was someone else's turn. Looked in a few times, but obviously missed the start.
I admit to have followed the pack to social media. Not necessarily because it is a better platform for orchid news, but because so many others had. This forum in 2017 provided little news, but Facebook and Twitter was so active. The big problem with those platform is that it is nigh impossible to find a post from just a fortnight previously. Okay if you only want the 'now situation', but absolutely useless if you want to find a post from 2016 - as I just have, which alerted me to this thread. I found my 2016 post in about 1 minute!

So I would urge people here to keep posting and hopefully we can have several options available, including somewhere for those with an aversion to social media.
 
Ainsdale

Some of you may have seen that there was a wildfire at Ainsdale Woods. I went there today, and though it looked startling at first, the damage actually seemed to confined to the vegetative litter on the ground. No permanent damge likely, and perhaps it will give the orchids a reboot next year.
Hats off to those who contained and fought the fire.
 

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Hello

I was unaware that a 2018 thread had started. I kicked off the 2017 thread, so reckoned it was someone else's turn. Looked in a few times, but obviously missed the start.
I admit to have followed the pack to social media. Not necessarily because it is a better platform for orchid news, but because so many others had. This forum in 2017 provided little news, but Facebook and Twitter was so active. The big problem with those platform is that it is nigh impossible to find a post from just a fortnight previously. Okay if you only want the 'now situation', but absolutely useless if you want to find a post from 2016 - as I just have, which alerted me to this thread. I found my 2016 post in about 1 minute!

So I would urge people here to keep posting and hopefully we can have several options available, including somewhere for those with an aversion to social media.

Very pleased to see you contributing to the Forum, Steve. It has been getting a bit thin lately and we were on the point of giving up. So thank you for your comments. On a personal note, was it you whom we met at Eryrys back in May? If so, apologies for not making the connection with your Birdforum name!

Martin and Elaine
 
Very pleased to see you contributing to the Forum, Steve. It has been getting a bit thin lately and we were on the point of giving up. So thank you for your comments. On a personal note, was it you whom we met at Eryrys back in May? If so, apologies for not making the connection with your Birdforum name!

Martin and Elaine

Indeed it was me. Alaways nice to meet a fellow enthusiast for a chat.
 
I have been keeping my Orchid Blog reasonably up to date. However it is all in the past now, but it may provide you with ideas for next year. Trying to avoid returning to 'the same old places' but some are unavoidable. So a a splattering of new places in the 2018 outings. Also included is the five days we spent in central Crete during April. A must for any botanist!
 
I have been keeping my Orchid Blog reasonably up to date. However it is all in the past now, but it may provide you with ideas for next year. Trying to avoid returning to 'the same old places' but some are unavoidable. So a a splattering of new places in the 2018 outings. Also included is the five days we spent in central Crete during April. A must for any botanist!

It is great to have your comments and your excellent and informative blog. It encourages us to think that this forum may have a little life left in it yet.

Sometimes you get local "mini surprises". Elaine and I were out walking with the dog locally at Tanyfron, and we found a few (we assume) Broad-leaved helleborine growing in the margins of a lightly wooded area adjacent to the path. They look pretty desiccated and may abort before flowering this year, but it is always nice to find a new location.
 
New books

We concur with the comments in your blog about the two books which have appeared in the last year on "orchid missions". Both are very enjoyable reads, each offering a different angle on the quest for Britain's wild orchids. Both highly recommended, and of course Leif was a frequent contributor to Birdforum during his gap year.
 
Sometimes you get local "mini surprises". Elaine and I were out walking with the dog locally at Tanyfron, and we found a few (we assume) Broad-leaved helleborine growing in the margins of a lightly wooded area adjacent to the path. They look pretty desiccated and may abort before flowering this year, but it is always nice to find a new location.

That is quite a nice clump Martin. Shame the flowers have gone black, but probably worth a visit another year.
 
Orchids are always capable of giving surprises. Our big one this year was when roaming around in the west of Ardnamurchan we came across a previously unrecorded site for Sword-leaved Helleborine Cephalanthera longifolia which had me nearly doing hand-stands. And quite a few years ago on North Uist after several years of searching for Bog Orchid Hammarbya paludosa we had given up on this and were descending a slope on a series of muddy steps caused by the regular passage of Red Deer and when I turned around on a lower step to offer my hand to my wife to steady her descent I found myself eye to eye with half a dozen Bog Orchids! Amazing.

Lee
 
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