Sword-leaved Helleborine

A trip across the border into Hampshire today to see the Sword-leaved Helleborine. Although described as rare and very local, it can be found in large numbers if you find the right spot. The glades in this small beech wood were showing hundreds of specimens, possibly thousands if we had searched further.

Display of Sword-leaved Helleborine.

Sword-leaved Helleborine

Sword-leaved Helleborine

Sword-leaved Helleborine

There were also a few Fly Orchids showing in a shaded glade. These were the first I had seen in a wooded environment and were much smaller than the ones found on open grass.

Fly Orchid

Fly Orchid

A quick stop  on the way back into Sussex gave us sight of fresh spikes of Birds Nest Orchids with one spike just coming into flower.

Birds Nest Orchid

Birds Nest Orchid

Then a trip over into East Sussex for unfinished business with the Burnt Orchids. We had been out at the end of last week finding more Early Purple Orchids and also a few Twayblades which were starting to show but had ended up searching the wrong area for the Burnt Orchids. Worst still, the area was crawling with Ticks, a good reason for sticking with the long trousers.

Early Purple Orchid

Twayblades

Today, back on the Burnt Orchids and following a bit more research, we found the right area and managed to see the orchids.

These were the first Burnt Orchids I had seen and they were a bit smaller than I had expected. Two below shown along side a Buttercup for comparison.

Burnt Orchids and Buttercup

A few of the flower spikes came up a bit bigger but probably nothing over 80 millimetres. There were hundreds of flower but they were mostly grouped into small areas of twenty to eighty plants. It is difficult to see why they do not spread over a much wider area but there must be something very specific about the conditions prevailing in the preferred areas.

Burnt Orchid

Burnt Orchid

Burnt Orchid

Burnt Orchid

The Orchid list is building nicely but I am getting a bit behind on birds. I must try to live up to the name of my blog and make some time to go bird watching. On the other hand, there are a couple more Orchids to see before the month is out.

More Green Stuff

It has all been very quiet on the birding front and even the butterflies have been slow as we wait for the summer species to appear. The solution, spend some more time looking for Orchids. Sussex can sometimes seem like a Bermuda Triangle for interesting birds, particularly at this time of year, but I can't complain about the variety of Orchids. You just need a lot of time to search for them.

Hollingsbury Hill and Wellcombe Bottom with twelve species of orchid recorded, looked like a good starting point. We didn't manage to the find the scarce Man Orchids but Fly, Greater Butterfly, Chalk Fragrant and especially Common Twayblades were found in good numbers.

Fly Orchid  -  Ophrys insectifera

Fly Orchid  -  Ophrys insectifera

Greater Butterfly Orchid  -  Platanthera chlorantha

Greater Butterfly Orchid  -  Platanthera chlorantha

Chalk Fragrant Orchid  -  Gymnadenia conopsea

Chalk Fragrant Orchid  -  Gymnadenia conopsea

Common Twayblade  -  Neottia ovata

Common Twayblade  -  Neottia ovata

Common Twayblade  -  Neottia ovata

As with the Twayblade above, not every orchid gives you a colourful flower to photograph and to help you locate them. Some are just dull greens and tend to blend into the background. The Twayblade being taller is easier to see. The Frog Orchid below, at another site, took a lot more searching and it looks as though this is as good as it gets flower wise.

Frog Orchid  -  Coeloglossum viride

The Birds Nest Orchid goes one step further. A dull brown colour, it survives by digesting fungi in the ground rather than by the process of photosynthesis. It only appears above ground as a flower spike. Fortunately in its favoured environment of deep leaf litter in shaded Beech woods there is little else growing to conceal it. This specimen just a bit past its best!

Birds Nest Orchid  -  Neottia nidus-avis

Back to more colourful varieties, Pyramidal Orchids are now starting to appear in good numbers all across the downs.

Pyramidal Orchid  -  Anacamptis pyramidalis

Pyramidal Orchid  -  Anacamptis pyramidalis

and below a very pale Chalk Fragrant

Chalk Fragrant Orchid  -  Gymnadenia conopsea v albiflora

At least I assume all the Fragrants were variety Chalk Fragrant. I am not sure that I have the skills yet to differentiate between Chalk, Heath and Marsh.