How things change in a week. I went for a walk in my favourite local nature reserve today, the first time for over a week, and the area known as the Orchid Glade, which last week had been dead and flowerless was today covered with the flowers of the Southern Marsh Orchid, the first orchids I'd seen flowering this year. I always think when I see my first orchid in flower. Summer's here!!
Southern marsh orchids have a beautiful rich colour - we have only one on our sites so I will go and look for it. So far my orchid count for 2008 is just green-winged (see pic) , which are now going over.
This is one of several translocated to a new site last year.[
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The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust report the best year ever for the flowering of Southern Marsh Orchids on their Whisby Nature Park reserve, with 10,000 spikes having been counted this year. This is 1,300 more than last year's total, which was itself the highest count on the reserve since it opened.
The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust report the best year ever for the flowering of Southern Marsh Orchids on their Whisby Nature Park reserve, with 10,000 spikes having been counted this year. This is 1,300 more than last year's total, which was itself the highest count on the reserve since it opened.
Can anyone identify the 'orchid' in the attached image please? We saw it while walking at Hythe today and my friend tells me that it is an orchid but was unable to identify it's type.
I can't see the leaves but my best guess would be the Common Spotted Orchid. If so it would have dark spots on the leaves and be growing on a limey soil.
I can't see the leaves but my best guess would be the Common Spotted Orchid. If so it would have dark spots on the leaves and be growing on a limey soil.
Thanks Dogwood
could be heath spotted - found on more acidic soils as the name suggests and in flower at the moment - it tends to be a bit paler than common spotted but they are similar looking
could be heath spotted - found on more acidic soils as the name suggests and in flower at the moment - it tends to be a bit paler than common spotted but they are similar looking
Thanks SCR. It was quite pale but not sure about the soil in that area. It was on a piece of land left over from where they built the Marina with lots of bramble and nettles. I'll have a closer look at the photo now I have some clues as to what it might be.
The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust report the best year ever for the flowering of Southern Marsh Orchids on their Whisby Nature Park reserve, with 10,000 spikes having been counted this year. This is 1,300 more than last year's total, which was itself the highest count on the reserve since it opened.
That's really great news! Always good to hear that reserves are doing well.
some orchid pics from today
the pyramidal orchid is one of 4 remaining of 25 that were translocated from a new supermarket site
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this common spotted orchid (only 1 on whole site) is a composite image quickly hashed up on photoshop because the flower was blurred in the wide shot
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this is what I thought was a southern marsh orchid (also a loner) but is apparently early marsh orchid - can anyone help with ID?
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this is what I thought was a southern marsh orchid (also a loner) but is apparently early marsh orchid - can anyone help with ID?
Now that's a difficult one, but I think I go along with Early Marsh Orchid. Good pictures by the way.
I am reliably informed that it is a hybrid of Early Marsh Orchid ssp. pulchellum and probably Heath Spotted Orchid
I am reliably informed that it is a hybrid of Early Marsh Orchid ssp. pulchellum and probably Heath Spotted Orchid
Now your getting technical.
I am reliably informed that it is a hybrid of Early Marsh Orchid ssp. pulchellum and probably Heath Spotted Orchid
Now your getting technical.
It's summer here in Washington State, as well. The Calypso bulbosa are out in full force. They are not commonly seen around where I live, but we have seen large numbers of them on a couple of trips to Eastern Washington.
Kingfisher
[quote=South Coast Ranger]
I am reliably informed that it is a hybrid of Early Marsh Orchid ssp. pulchellum and probably Heath Spotted Orchid
Now your getting technical.
It's summer here in Washington State, as well. The Calypso bulbosa are out in full force. They are not commonly seen around where I live, but we have seen large numbers of them on a couple of trips to Eastern Washington.
Kingfisher
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Caught up with this at the weekend a first for me. A Birds Nest Orchid.