In habitat site visit 2011 - Orchis mascula

[fredg]

Once again DaveP and myself donned our backpacks and kicked off the 2011 orchid site visits.
We were a week earlier on site P and all seems at the same stage with the Orchis mascula here as a week later last year.
Quite a variety in both flower and leaf markings.

[fredg]

contd.

[Maren]

Nice pictures, Fred, How did you stop the wind from shaking the plants about???

[SteveC2]

Having seen your post I ventured down to my local early purple venue to find them in full flower, at least two weeks earlier than last year and in a slightly different area.  I suspect that these had been dormant for one or more years due to lack of light, but several trees have been felled and hey presto the early purples have reappeared.  Last year's main area is being overrun with brambles and so far it appears that there are fewer orchids as a result.

[Neil]

Out for walk around Beachy Head this afternoon, their are in full flower, along with 100s of cowslips a lovely site, but I can't get the pictures to download from the SD card 

[Maren]

Oh Neil, is this a new camera? get one of those card reader sticks that plug into your USB drive. They are not expensive and well worth having. 

[WimB]

Wonderful pictures, Fred. Thanks for sharing.

Out for walk around Beachy Head this afternoon, their are in full flower, along with 100s of cowslips a lovely site, but I can't get the pictures to download from the SD card 

Neil, did you unlock your SD card?

[Neil]

The SD card is dead, I do have a program for rescuing the contest of the card but that shows there is nothing on it.  Trouble is I would go back there but it is now probably full of tourists wanting to look at the sea

Have just put up some shading over my potted orchids, where is the rain when you want it.

[fredg]

Nice pictures, Fred, How did you stop the wind from shaking the plants about???

Maren,
That is a good question.
I must admit that I can't remember having a problem with the plants moving in the wind on any of the orchid sites.
This particular one is well sheltered in the woods.
The problem does occur when I try to take photos of my potted plants.
Then it's a matter of taking a load of photos and using the in focus ones.
It is a lot easier these days with digital cameras as the shutter speeds are much faster than using film.

I just couldn't resist posting a close up 

[Maren]

Hi Fred, if you carry on like this I'll send you my plants to photograph. 

Lovely closeup.

[Nick_the_grief]

nice shots Fred & DaveP.  I went to my local reserve last week to see how they are coming on... Not a sniff of bloom yet

[SteveC2]

Nick, I've read that in some areas dactylorhizas are already in flower, but your local ones are well ahead of my local Lincolnshire ones.  Any idea of the species?

[Neil]

Couple of D. fuschii here have there spikes growing.

[mark smyth]

My plants bought a few weeks ago as mascula will be in bloom soon - time will tell if they are correct

I'm off to look at green-winged orchids soon

[Tim Harberd]

Hi There,
   Last week I back-packed round The Yorkshire Dales Centurion Walk. It’s roughly a 100mile circuit, so not much time for botanising, composing photos, waiting for light. However, I thought you might like to see some hastily taken photos of Early Purple from a variety of sites/habitats. Sadly it was missing from a few sites I remember. High sheep stocking rates appears to be the problem.

Tim DH