PICOS DE EUROPA - MAY 2011

[ranunculus]

Details of a holiday taken in Potes, Picos de Europa, northern Spain by John and Clare Dower and Sue and Cliff Booker from 22nd May 2011. Marked by sunny skies, very occasional showers and a truly splendid flora this holiday inspired countless photographs and many of these will be posted on these pages when time and tide allow.




Lizard orchids pictured in the Picos de Europa National Park in Northern Spain this week.  At the hotel in Potes at the moment and starting to download another 340 images captured today of serapias, dactylorhizas, gymnadenias, orchis, ophrys, etc, etc, in ABUNDANCE.
2200 images taken in nine days ... the weather and flowers have been magnificent.

[Peter Maguire]

another 340 images captured today of serapias, dactylorhizas, gymnadenias, orchis, ophrys, etc, etc, in ABUNDANCE.

You're just trying to make us jealous Cliff!

2200 images taken in nine days

Now that's what I call trying 

[Maggi Young]

Anyone care to make a reckoning of what that would have cost Cliff in money for film and processing? 

[Neil]

Steve very nice.

Cliff I await for them to all to be upload

[Neil]

Anyone care to make a reckoning of what that would have cost Cliff in money for film and processing? 

kodak gold 200, 36 shots,  is £3 processing 1 roll is £4 so that is approx 60 rolls at £7 which is £420 pound

[Maggi Young]

Anyone care to make a reckoning of what that would have cost Cliff in money for film and processing? 

kodak gold 200, 36 shots,  is £3 processing 1 roll is £4 so that is approx 60 rolls at £7 which is £420 pound

Crikey!

[ranunculus]

We have never encountered a serapias meadow like this ...

[Peter Maguire]

That is spectacular  , I was excited when I found two on Majorca several years ago.

[angie]

Cliff love that lizard orchid. 2200 images taken  hope we will get to see plenty more delights like the ones that you have already showed.

Angie

[Anthony Darby]

Were they all the same species Cliff?

[ranunculus]

This particular meadow was vast and contained thousands of serapias (all of which appeared to be the beautiful Serapias cordigera), many hundreds of the Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) in a range of hues, dactylorhizas and gymnadenias in abundance and, or so it appears, just one little Bee Orchid. See below.
There were four sets of eyes scouring the meadow for at least an hour and only one Bee Orchid was espied.  That doesn't, of course, mean that there weren't many others!  

[Anthony Darby]

Must have been an amazing experience?

[Maggi Young]

I thought I'd move Cliff's pictures from Steve's Suffolk thread ..... so here they are in this new location. 

[shelagh]

Wonderful pictures Cliff. How many did Sue take, is she catching you up

[JohnnyD]

While we wait for Cliffs vastly superior pics, here are a few shots of orchids taken during a simply great break in the Picos de Europa.
Clare and I have been there many times since 1994 and never seen quite such a range of great flowers.
Clare loved the Gentians but I think it was the orchids which won the day - from the first day to the last.
In no particular order - and a distinct shortage of labels.....