Having found my Late Spider Orchid and it still being only eight in the morning I had the opportunity to explore a bit more of Kent. My secondary target for the day was the White Helleborine, which would also be a life tick for me, and being only a few miles from Bonsai Bank I headed over there to begin my search. At least on this visit I would know the shortest route from the car park to the bank.
The Lady Orchids - Orchis purpurea were still putting on a good show although many were starting to go over and we have probably passed the peak flowering period.
 |
| No shortage of Lady Orchids |
 |
| Lady Orchid |
White dresses and straw bonnets were a great find but unfortunately I was just a few days too late and they were past their best.
 |
| Lady Orchid probably Var. albida - lacking anthocyanin pigments |
Plenty of Common Twayblades - Neottia ovata around and a few Greater Butterfly Orchids - Platanthera chlorantha.
 |
| Common Twayblade |
 |
| Greater Butterfly Orchid |
 |
| Greater Butterfly Orchid |
 |
| Greater Butterfly Orchid Floret |
After much searching I finally found the White Helleborines - Cephalanthera damasonium that I had been looking for. Perhaps a bit smaller than I had expected and tending to grow in areas of longer grass, they could be easily missed. However, having seen my first and knowing what to look for I was soon up to about a dozen plants.
 |
| White Helleborine |
 |
| White Helleborine |
 |
| White Helleborine |
 |
| White Helleborine |
And there was still more to see on the bank. Common Spotted Orchids - Dactylothiza fuchsii were just coming into flower in a few of the more open locations.
 |
| Common Spotted Orchid |
 |
| Common Spotted Orchid |
 |
| Common Spotted Orchid |
Bonsai Bank had delivered once again. I checked the time of my last photograph 09.22. I had driven a hundred miles from home, visited two sites, found and photographed six different orchids, including two life ticks and it wasn't even half past nine. A fantastic morning but what to do next. Lizard Orchids over at Sandwich Bay were a possibility but I was probably a couple of weeks too early. Heath Fritillary butterflies at Blean Wood seemed a better option and with the sky starting to darken I would have to get there quickly. See the next blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment