2010 UK Orchid season updates (1 Viewer)

[lizard orchid]

Just noticed this thread so I thought I would post a shot I got today of what I believe to be a Pyramidal orchid. I guess these are fairly common in most parts of the UK.

Dear Roy C,
Yes your ID is correct.

Brian Laney.

 

[lizard orchid]

Anyone seen the tongue orchid in Cornwall this year?

Not sure if Sean has asked this but any of you been to see if the Small flowered tongue orchid came up this year in Cornwall?
Two of my friends tried but failed. One cannot read maps or grid references so landed up in some ploughed fields somewhere, maybe in the next county. The other did better finding the place but the info was out of date and when he rang me I was out plant recording.

Brian Laney.

 

[rmielcarek]

Dear Rich M,
Many thanks for the update. That has beaten the number of flowering plants of last year at the site. I heard it was around about seven last year.

Brian Laney.

Hi Brian

yes I found seven flower stems last year.

Rich

 

[lizard orchid]

Hi Brian

yes I found seven flower stems last year.

Rich

Thanks Rich. I did find in 2007 a rosette on the opposite side of the road to the main colony. It did flower in 2007 but there was no sign of the rosette this year of that plant so I think that plant has died out even though I cut back a small section of vegetation there incase it took off and another colony started up.

Brian Laney.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Was planning to go out and look for frog orchid at an east anglian site today but put off by the weather. Not sure if seen at the site this year. Could not find frog orchids there in the past.

Did find the species three years ago in Yorkshire.

Is that the Suffolk site, Wink's meadow? I found one there on 1st July a couple of years ago. I doubt if I'd have found it without very precise directions. It was next to a stick. The site is public knowledge in case anyone thinks I divulging a secret site.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Is that the Suffolk site, Wink's meadow? I found one there on 1st July a couple of years ago. I doubt if I'd have found it without very precise directions. It was next to a stick. The site is public knowledge in case anyone thinks I divulging a secret site.

Yes. I have dipped every time!

 

[Kumba]

Lizard Orchid

Lizard Orchid in flower Suffolk

 

[lizard orchid]

Lizard Orchid in flower Suffolk

That must be at the second largest site for the species in the UK. Not been there for a few years but you have tempted me back into looking for Lizard orchid in flower this year Kumba. Not seen Lizard orchid in flower for two years so its time for me to look for the plant further south.

Brian Laney Northamptonshire

 

[Matt Prince]

Ok - deep breath...

Ardnamurchan 18th June Lesser Butters out, Heath Spots good.

19th June Lesser Twayblades just past best near Quirang on Skye.

N. Uist - 19th/20th June - Hebridean Marsh Orchid just past the best with leaf markings starting to fade. NMO's at best, Frogs coming out, EMO coccinea at their best, EMO incarnata past their best. Heath Spots looking good.

21st June - NW Scotland EMO cruenta and pulchella at their best. Lesser Butterfly and Heath Spot just emerging. Heath fragrant orchid just coming out. Lesser Twayblades just past best at Bridge of Grudie. Gruinard NMO fully out, Lesser Butter and Heath Fragrant just emerging.

22nd June - Small White Orchid fully out, most past best at the site near Pitlochry. Good selection of orchids at this site (and ferns!) birds nest fully out, greater butterfly and common spot and fragrant just emerging.

23rd Cumbria - Frog Orchids out. NMO fully out.

Today - Matt - past his best

Apologies in advance - I won't give out site details for any of the above - but hopefully it helps with timings.

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Updates as follows:

Small white orchid; well known site in Cumbria, two flowering plants, one has been churned up by cows, the other well past best last Sun

Red helleborine:five plants in Bucks, only one currently open. There is now a high and impenetrable fence arouund the plants preventing access after they were damaged last year. In summary, those wishing to photograph RH in the UK will have to take a very long lens.

Lesser twayblade: I am told of possibly the first record in England of var tirfoliata, the type with htree leaves, currently in flower.

Frog x Common spotted orchid: this wonderful looking hybrid is currently in flower in southern England, two plants having come up again.

The Epipactis season is nearly upon us, so the excitement is really about to begin!

Sean

 

[Matthebirder]

Plenty of Musk Orchids at Noar Hill on Friday 25th June.

 

[Living Rocks]

Updates as follows:

Small white orchid; well known site in Cumbria, two flowering plants, one has been churned up by cows, the other well past best last Sun

Sean

By churned up by cows, do you mean one of the 2 flowering plants or the 3rd plant that was there. I was there last Saturday, 1 plant was caged, a second had had the cage kicked off by cows but was OK, I recaged this and left a dirty great rock by it for anyone else to use as a hammer if the cage was kicked off again. The 3rd plant which I had attempted to give a bit of protection to last year with dead branches had a hoof print right on top of it. Those cows really need removing in the flowering season or I don't think the Small Whites will survive there, but apparently it's common land & nothing can be done about them.

Cumbria seems to be suffering this year, I found only 4 butterfly at Latterbarrow, and no fly. Common spotted, twayblade & fly near Arnside were all completely cooked.

John

 

[Ceejay2000]

Epipactis sancta

Five plants seen today, all still in bud. About another week to flowering ?
Will update later this week hopefully.
C

 

[Desertlark]

New Forest

Just back from the New Forest.

Bog Orchid - was surprised (and pleased) to find a few in flower at the site with the concrete slab in the middle of the bog! If you know the site you will know what I mean!
Lesser Butterfly Orchid - many thousands at their best.
Heath Fragrant Orchid - at their best
Heath Spotted Orchid - abundant, at their best
Early Marsh Orchid (pulchella) - just slightly going over but still sev good plants

And (alright not an Orchid I know!) good numbers of Wild Gladiolus, most non flowering, some still tight in bud, but 3 plants in full flower. Stunning.

Grahame

 

[Kumba]

Bee Orchids in Oxfordshire

Over a hundred bee orchids in flower including these three varieties.
Var.belgarum - Var,trollii - Var.flavescens

 

[davidearlgray]

Nice one John, will check this site at the weekend!

 

[Matt Prince]

Those are very neat examples of some pretty variants Kumba.

The belgarum - is that slightly atypical with a long chin?

 

[rmielcarek]

Those are very neat examples of some pretty variants Kumba.

The belgarum - is that slightly atypical with a long chin?

I agree the belgarum is a funny shape, and also it has elongated sepals like a friburgensis! How many were there Kumba and were they all like that?

Also isn't the flavescens just a washed out Bee - isn't flavescens paler, more greeny/yellow than that and has green petals - if I recall there is a site in Dorset where all the plants are like Kumba's photo?

Nice.

Rich M

 

[Kumba]

Bee Orchids

Another picture of the bee orchids
Plus a bi-color, sorry about sunlight

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Hi all

Having visited John's site at the weekend I can confirm a couple of things

1. The flavescens is indeed that var. It had almost white sepals.
2. There were lots of belgarum types, many of which had the weird side-leaning, long lip, but some of which were perfect for that var.

Whether the site had been sprayed or affected in some way I'm not sure, but standard Bee is the least common var there!

Regards

Sean