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.

Lady Orchid

Next on the list, Lady Orchid, and a trip down into Kent to find it. An early start got us down close to Bonsai Bank before eight thirty. I say close to, as we then took the wrong footpath and ended up taking a bit of a tour around Denge Wood before we found the orchids. Lovely place, nice walk but we had lots of sites to visit that day and it wasn't the best of starts.

There were plenty of Early Purple Orchids around and a good few Lady Orchids coming into flower.

Lady Orchid

Floret from the orchid above

Unfortunately I will be the last person to see this flower. It was trampled by a dog running loose whilst I was in the middle of photographing it. There's a whole wood to walk the dogs in. Why bring them into the fenced off orchid area.

Lady Orchid

Our tour of the wood was actually of benefit. As well as working off a few extra calories we were still on site when the Duke of Burgundy butterflies started to appear. These are a late riser and we would probably have missed them without our delayed arrival. This was my first sighting of these butterflies for the year but it was also a reminder, that now is the time to look for them on the Sussex downs.

Duke of Burgundy

The temptation was to take more pictures of the Dukes but that would be mission drift against the day's targets and we would also risk damaging the site's rare flowers whilst pursuing the butterflies.

There was more to see at Bonsai but we needed to move on so we headed back to the car and made our way over to Yocklett's Bank. More Lady Orchids there plus some early Twayblades and we found a single Fly Orchid.

Lady Orchid

Common and Pink form but no Whites

Lady Orchid

Common Twayblade

Fly Orchid

Fly Orchid

Next stop Park Gate Down. A great site but this was more of a recce to find out where it was and where to park. The only orchids showing at the site were the Early Purple but it will be worth a visit later in the year.

Early Purple Orchid

Early Purple Orchid

The final destination for the day was Samphire Hoe. I had been there birding a few times but searching for orchids was a first for me. Actually it wasn't much of a search. The warden there is always very helpful, this time he pointed out the Early Spider Orchids in the middle of the car park. Not too far to walk, easy pictures and plenty of time for a cup of tea and a bacon roll before we headed for home.

Early Spider Orchid

Early Spider Orchid

Early Spider Orchid

We are going to need another visit to Kent in two or three weeks time to see a few of the later flowering Orchids. I guess I am getting towards the end of the easy orchid targets and with each one ticked off the challenge will get even harder.


It is perhaps worth recording our thanks to Kent Wildlife Trust and to all their volunteers. I always feel a twinge of guilt when I turn up, benefit from someone else's hard work, and then disappear without making any contribution. I console myself with the thought that Sussex Wildlife Trust benefits from my support instead!

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.