British orchids (may be pic heavy)

[Harvestman]

Set myself a challenge this year - to beat my personal record of 11 species of native orchid (not including hybrids) from my home county of Monmouthshire.

Talking to the county botanical recorder today we thought 13, maybe 14 species was the best that can be managed, so this is quite a challenge, although a quick check in the county flora suggests that there are 16 species known to be present in the county, 1 suspected as a possibility (Narrow-leaved helleborine) and a further 4-5 species recorded previously which are suspected now to be extinct in Monmouthshire (not listed)

So far I've managed 6 species

Here's the target list:
1. Common spotted orchid - seen
2. Early purple orchid - seen
3. Green winged orchid - seen
4. Twayblade - seen
5. Greater butterfly orchid - seen
6. Southern marsh orchid - seen
7. Bee orchid - seen
8. Broad leaved helleborine - seen - not yet in flower
9. Marsh helleborine - seen
10. Pyramidal orchid - seen
11. Fragrant orchid - very rare, but I know where to find it - seen
12. Autumn lady's tresses
13. Lesser Butterfly orchid - seen
14. Heath spotted orchid - seen
15. Narrow-leaved helleborine - may not occur in Monmouthshire
16. Bird's nest orchid - I've never seen this
17. Early marsh orchid - seen

Anyway, I thought I'd post up some pics of what I find as I go, as motivation, so hopefully I will complete my challenge this year
- update - challenge of seeing more than 11 species completed on 23.6.12

Common Spotted orchid
IMGP1432.jpgIMGP1434.jpg

Early Purple orchid
IMGP0852.jpg

Green Winged Orchid (bad picture from a camera phone, but apparently the only one I have)
Green-winged Orchid.jpg

Twayblade
Twayblade.jpgIMGP1440.jpg

Greater Butterfly orchid
IMGP1439.jpg


I'd welcome pictures of orchids from other people, especially of things not on my list. I've seen Lady orchid, White Helleborine, and Monkey Orchid down in Oxfordshire, but none of the other species.

[Harvestman]

By the way, does anyone know why sometimes pics seem to attach themselves as thumbnails? It is very annoying. Can the thumbnails be removed?

[Barn Owl]

Great idea for a thread.

[Harvestman]

Thought I'd put up a schedule for what I hope to find when. Some will be easy, as I know exactly where to find them. Others are more of a challenge.

Early marsh orchid - may persist to June or July

Narrow-leaved helleborine - June (if it occurs)

Bird's nest orchid - June/July
Lesser Butterfly orchid - June/July
Fragrant orchid - June/July
Southern marsh orchid - June/July
Bee orchid - June/July

Pyramidal orchid - June to August
Heath spotted orchid - June to August

Marsh helleborine - July/August
Broad leaved helleborine - July to September

Autumn lady's tresses - August/September

Looks like I will be using the long summer evenings then

[treelore]

thanks for share those pics Harvestman

[Harvestman]

Had to update my list, as the county recorder apparently mis-remembered Narrow-leaved helleborine as White helleborine.

Gives me less time to try to find it.

[xylaria]

I know where what I thought was a narrow leaved hellborine grew, it in rugby in midlands. I havent been there is in 3 years.

[Harvestman]

Added another species this evening, from a site very close to my home.

Southern Marsh Orchid, hereafter to be known as the sudden marsh orchid, on account of the way apparently solid ground suddenly isn't solid when you approach them. Maybe hunting for marsh orchids after a period of heavy rain wasn't the brightest of ideas. Boots now drying out.
IMGP1443.jpgIMGP1444.jpgIMGP1445.jpg

[hunter1703]

Hi ! Thought I'd share a couple of pictures I took recently of a Greater Butterfly Orchid, and a Late Spider Orchid. Both ' Firsts ' for me !


Butterfly Orchid Lo.jpg

Late Spider Lo.jpg

Just found a picture I took of an Early Spider Orchid................


Early Spider Orchid.jpg

[ged]

...I'd welcome pictures of orchids from other people...

The wife has a few shots of local bee orchids somewhere, funnily enough we were only looking at them this afternoon while out walking.

I'll ask her if you can have copies if you'd like them?

[Harvestman]

Lovely orchids Hunter, and Ged, any pictures are welcome. I'm off hunting for any many more species as I can find today, and I should add that I saw my first Broad Leaved helleborine of the year yesterday, although it isn't in flower yet.

I also checked out my Fragrant Orchid and Marsh helleborine site but neither of them are in flower yet either.

[ged]

... and Ged, any pictures are welcome. ...

Here you go:

http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/mi...on_spotted.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/early_purple.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/mi...dal_orchid.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/bee_orchid_1.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/bee_orchid_2.jpg

[Harvestman]

Back from my orchid foray. it went really well. Saw seven species today, of which 5 are new for the list this year. I must have seen hundreds of Common Spotted Orchids, and also many Southern Marsh Orchids. The new ones were:

Pyramidal orchid - probably 30 or 40 of these, most just starting to open
IMGP1472.jpgIMGP1474.jpg
Bee Orchid - only 7 spikes
IMGP1475.jpgIMGP1478.jpgIMGP1479.jpg
Early Marsh Orchid - I finally found how to get to the marsh where these are known from. It was where I saw all the southern marsh orchids as well.
IMGP1511.jpgIMGP1512.jpg
Heath Spotted Orchid - from the same marsh
IMGP1500.jpgIMGP1504.jpg
and finally, probably the rarest orchid in the county, Lesser Butterfly Orchid. Last year there were 3 plants in this woodland, or so I'm told. I could only find one.
IMGP1489.jpgIMGP1484.jpg

That means that with my non-flowering Broad Leaved Helleborine from yesterday I have now seen 12 orchid species so far this year, and I know where I can find at least another 3 species later in the year. The goal is now to see all 16 species known to currently grow in the county.

[Harvestman]

Here you go:

http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/mi...on_spotted.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/early_purple.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/mi...dal_orchid.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/bee_orchid_1.jpg
http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/bee_orchid_2.jpg

Those are really nice pictures Ged. Thanks for sharing.

[ged]

Back from my orchid foray. it went really well. ... I have now seen 12 orchid species so far this year, and I know where I can find at least another 3 species later in the year. ...

Quite a haul! Some great shots there too.

[Mad Mike]

Found 1 Bee Orchid yesterday - by the pond with the swimming grass snake
Lovely detail on the flowers





Mike

[Harvestman]

Damn, I wish my camera woud take shots that are that good.

I need a new camera.

And some skill at photography

[Mad Mike]

You want a camera with a macro setting

& take enough shots to be reasonably confident there will be at least 1 decent picture

Most of your pictures are plenty good enough

Mike

[Harvestman]

My pocket digi is all I have. No macro setting, and to make things worse a damaged screen means I can only partially see the shot before I take it. I do ok, but yours are much nicer.

Total failure on finding Bird's Nest orchid today. Going to have to get someone to show me.

[hunter1703]

]This is the first time I've seen a pure white Fragrant Orchid !

White Fragrant.jpg

The Pyramidal Orchids, along with many other species, are really prolific on the North Downs this year.

Pyramidal.jpg

Some of the Bee Orchid Colonies ( Hives ?? ) number over a hundred flower spikes.....

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11130[/ATTACH

[Harvestman]

]This is the first time I've seen a pure white Fragrant Orchid !

White Fragrant.jpg

That's stunning! I've never seen a white one either.

[Harvestman]

Two more orchids ticked off the list today. I went down to a Gwent Wildlife Trust nature reserve that I know - I used to be the warden there. Inaccessible little spot, but the best fen habitat in the County by a mile, and one of only two places in the county where Fragrant orchid grows. They were out in force today.

IMGP1616.jpgIMGP1613.jpg

The Marsh Helleborine were even more numerous
IMGP1617.jpgIMGP1618.jpgIMGP1621.jpgIMGP1609.jpg

It looks like Birdsnest orchid is going to defeat me this year as I again failed to find it at a site where it is known.

[Mad Mike]

Snapped last week. I hope this is a Northern Marsh Orchid





In north Yorkshire

Mike

[Harvestman]

I've never seen a Northern Marsh Orchid, but from my books that looks like a plausible identification. Thanks for the pics.

[Mad Mike]

This was at an RSBP reserve they had a notice saying there were northern marsh orchids in flower. They were probably correct.

Mike

[Harvestman]

I've been given permission to add the following excellent pics taken by The Big Lebowski

[Harvestman]

I forgot to update this thread.

In fact, I nearly forgot to get pics of the Broad Leaved helleborine in flower, and they had almost gone over when I remembered.
IMGP2013.jpgIMGP2014.jpgIMGP2016.jpg

[Mad Mike]

Well done you are better than I am at remembering.

These can be found in Kent & SE







Orchis anthropophora Ballerina or Man Orchid (At least I hope so)

I found them high up in Italy along with a 'Parasitic' species - no leaves or chlorophyll
This was pointed out on a guided walk. I would have missed it or thought it was a dead plant.
Can anyone ID?



Hoping it might be in the UK as well.

Mike

[Harvestman]

Thanks Mike, that's a man orchid. The other one I'll have to spend a little time on.

[southey]

Hey chaps, is this an Orchid?

found on chalky south facing path between a wheat field and a chalk pit, so sorry i took the pic with my phone a didnt realise the flower head was out of focus,