Military Orchids

Another perambulation in the English countryside, this time a trip into Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. I have seen Military Orchids abroad but not at home. So, having returned home from the Pyrenees, and having completed a fair amount of the outstanding chores I was allowed out. 

We made an early morning start for Holmfield Wood, a nature reserve just outside Marlow. Our best efforts to avoid the traffic failed and we endured what seemed to be an inordinately long journey. As with all orchid hunts we were acting on partial information, mostly from the internet and of course never quite complete. After a minor error we were in the correct location and with the help of another orchid hunter were amongst some fine specimens of Orchis militaris. Most of them were just past their best, showing some damage and browning of the blooms. However, one or two specimens were well worth a photograph or two.

Military Orchid

Military Orchid

Military Orchid

Military Orchid

Military Orchid

Fly Orchids were present but I was pleased to find a single specimen of the Bee Orchid in flower, there is something about an Ophrys that says "Photograph me" and I duly obliged.

Bee Orchid

Bee Orchid

Also there was a small group of pale Common Spotted Orchids that also begged to be recorded, judging by the flattened grass in front of them I wasn't alone in recording them.

Common Spotted Orchid

Plenty of Common Twayblades about.

Next visit was to Warburg Nature Reserve, Martin had some information that there was a Lesser Butterfly Orchid in bloom and as it is on our target list we just had to pay a call. The information board at the unattended visitor centre also gave locations for both Lesser and Greater but we could not find them. Despite searching widely, all we could find were sundry Common Spotted Orchids and a lone White Helleborine. I hasten to add that we didn't look for Bird's Nest Orchids, which, I was informed later, are quite numerous.

Then a change of county, disappointed, we headed off for Hartslock Nature reserve which is adjacent to Goring on Thames in Berkshire, just a tad further along the river from Goring railway bridge where we had a memorable encounter with an emerging Common Clubtail dragonfly. Luckily we met another orchideer who was returning to the railway station where we had parked and he gave us information on the location of some fresher specimens. I recorded the fading Lady x Monkey hybrids that the site is famous for and went in search of Monkey Orchids.  When I photographed them I had the distinct impression that they were pure Monkeys. However, processing the photographs at home nagging doubts set in that these just might have a touch of Lady in them. Such is the world of orchids, nothing is ever straightforward and you can never be quite sure of the parentage of some specimens.

Lady x Monkey hybrid

Lady x Monkey hybrid

Lady x Monkey hybrid

Monkey Orchid??

Monkey Orchid??

Monkey Orchid??

Monkey Orchid??