Flowers – tonydavisonphotography.com

A Trip for a New Orchid

Nov 012023

On 17th June, I travelled to North Yorkshire in the hope of seeing Small White Orchid, an orchid I had not seen before. I knew I was leaving it a little late, as it only blooms for just two weeks in June. I travelled to Ingleborough National Nature Reserve, in the Yorkshire Dales, which is probably the best place to try and find this species.

Fortunately, a few were still in flower, along with Heath Spotted Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid, Heath Fragrant Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid and another speciality at this reserve, the Globe Flower.

Local Orchid Hunting

Flowers, Orchids No Responses »

Jun 112023

10th June 2023 – The weather forecast predicted temperatures would reach 30 degrees in the local area, so an early start to look for a few orchids. I soon discovered Common Spotted and Southern Marsh at my local patch. A visit to a nearby Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve produced Common Twayblade and Common Spotted, with several superb Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies. Finally, along a roadside in nearby NE Leicestershire, Lizard Orchid and Bee Orchid were doing well. With a little more effort I could have seen Greater Butterfly and Broad-leaved Helleborine rosettes. Not a bad collection within a 10-15 minute drive from home.

Bee Orchid – 10th June 2023 – these flowers seemed to show white sepals.

Local Patch Recent Highlights

2023, Birds of 2023, Flowers, Trips No Responses »

Apr 262023

Since returning from Mull, birding the local patch at Staunton Harold Reservoir has been hard work. The 22nd April produced the first returning Common Tern, House Martin, and Common Whitethroat. On the 24th April there was a good fall of hirundines, the most I’ve seen this spring, with c20 Sand Martin, c 30 Swallow and c15 House Martin. On 26th April a real good bird for the site was 6 flyover Whimbrel, calling their diagnostic whistle as they flew south, also 2 Common Tern, 4 singing Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler and 6 Chiffchaff. Very little else and very few numbers of waterbirds on the reservoir.

There are some significant numbers of Cowslips across the site this year, a real picture. I also noticed a fare few rosettes of Southern Marsh Orchid appearing.

Whimbrel – The six birds which flew south over the reservoir on 26th April

A Few of Kent’s Rare Orchids

Flowers, Orchids No Responses »

Feb 012023

I had planned a weekend in Kent during the end of May in order to see some of the county’s rare orchids. The trip coincided with the arrival of a rare Eleonora’s Falcon, so I had success on both accounts. Thanks go to John for his hospitality and guidance during the weekend.

Not an orchid, but the rare Clove-scented Broomrape

Further June Highlights

2021, Orchids, Year No Responses »

Jun 272021

On the 6th June some stunning flowers at Staunton Harold – Ragged Robin; Southern Marsh-orchid; Common Spotted Orchid; Bush Vetch, Lesser Stitchwort and Common Vetch. Bird wise in recent days been very quiet. A Red Kite flew over the reservoir on 11th June and there was an obvious westerly movement of Common Swift with 40 in 10 minutes. By the 15th June there were hundreds of Southern Marsh Orchids in flower, a really impressive sight.

Just Flowers

2021, Orchids, Trips, Year No Responses »

May 312021

Spent the last couple of mornings photographing a few of the common flowers around the local meadows and one not so common orchid at a site near to where I live.

I’ve been using my Canon 100-400m lens with my new Canon R5 mirrorless camera. This combination allows me to obtain my photographs without having to get close up to the flowers and causing unnecessary disturbance. This is especially important when photographing orchids, as if one is not careful, they can so easily get trodden on and trampled. Not good..

The “Spinney Orchid”

2020, Orchids, Year No Responses »

Jun 252020

Last year (May 2019) I discovered a tiny flower head of an orchid that had naturally established itself in my front lawn. It didn’t take me long to identify it as a Common Spotted Orchid. By mid June it was in flower.

I put up a small group of sticks and string around the plant to give it at least some protection and too my surprise it flowered successfully and seemed quite at home.

Amazingly, the plant has grown again this year and it is even better, so I’ve been keeping it well watered and even breaking up eggshell and placing it round the base and general area where it is growing. I’m hoping this year I might get some seeds from it and a few more plants may appear next year.

The same plant in its first year June 16th 2019

Orchid Mania

Birds, Flowers, Orchids No Responses »

Jul 082019

During the past few weeks I’ve been photographing a few species of available orchids. The best one being Marsh Helleborine, where I had to travel over to Lincolnshire in order to see it.

The Chalk Fragrant Orchids have been re-identified by local experts as Marsh Fragrant Orchid.

The rest of the orchids I’ve managed to see and photograph within fifteen minutes of home. These were Common Spotted, Marsh Fragrant and Common Twayblade.

A beautiful group of plants, the majority of which are very rare and difficult to see. In some cases almost impossible without some knowledge of location.

I have lived at my property for some 35 years and for the very first time this year, I’ve had a Common Spotted Orchid naturally growing in my front lawn. I real treat and pleasing event. I’m letting it go to seed in the hope that a few more may appear next year. (see the last image)

**Common Spotted Orchid growing in my front lawn**

Magical Orchids

2019, Birds, Flowers, Orchids, Trips, Year No Responses »

Jun 172019

During the past few days I have spent sometime with local Orchids and have seen 1 new species and 1 new variant of Bee Orchid, Wasp Orchid. All with a few miles or so of my house. I even found a Common Spotted Orchid growing in one of the lawns at the front of my house. Totally unexpected but what a great thrill to find this self setter. Goodness knows where it has come from, but they can take up to 4 years to germinate. It seems to me to be a good year for orchids right across the country. It just goes to show that if you leave your lawn and let nature do the work, you can soon end up with a miniature biosphere on your doorstep and a lawn covered in a multitude of insect loving plants.

My Orchid hunting began at my local patch at Staunton Harold, where I found a number of Common Spotted and Southern Marsh Orchid. Some of the Southern Marsh appear to be hybrids, as they have spotted leaves. I also found a number of spikes of Bee Orchid in the wild flower meadows. So it is a particularly good Orchid year here at Staunton Harold.

Over the weekend I went to see a Lizard Orchid that has been discovered growing on a roadside verge in nearby Leicestershire. This was a new orchid species for me and what a stunning plant. In nearby Staffordshire I made a visit to see a Wasp Orchid, a very rare variant of Bee Orchid. Again growing in a public place on the village green. An extremely attractive Orchid that rounded off a superb few days of plant twitching.

**Common Spotted Orchid growing on the lawn in front of my house**

**Common Spotted Orchid – Staunton Harold, Derbyshire**

**Southern Marsh Orchid – Staunton Harold, Derbyshire**

**Bee Orchid – Staunton Harold, Derbyshire**

Rare Plants on Local Patch

2018, Flowers, Year No Responses »

Oct 282018

I recently received a social media message advising me of the discovery of a rare plant on my local patch at Staunton Harold Reservoir.

The Marsh Dock (Rumex palustris) the plant in question, hasn’t been seen in Derbyshire since 1976. So I checked out the plant on the internet, in order to know exactly what I was looking for and decided to go and search for it on Saturday 27th October 2018. All I had to go on was a rough grid reference. After searching the exposed gravel beaches at the reservoir for at least an hour, I eventually found the Marsh Dock. I discovered three separate plants all together. Two fairly close to each other and the third specimen, which was more isolated and some distance from the first two.

The extremely low water levels must be a reason for this plants discovery. I suspect that the seeds have been in the ground for all this time and the exposed gravel shores, drying out, have influenced the germination of the seeds. Whilst searching for the Marsh Dock, I also discovered Marsh Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum) another plant that I have never seen before.

Staunton Harold Reservoir – Extremely low water levels has exposed plant rich gravels that have not been seen for many years. Looking North East towards the dam

Staunton Harold Reservoir – Looking South towards Calke Park and Spring Wood

Staunton Harold Reservoir – 54% full October 27th 2018

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