Friends of Groyne No.4: Rhodes Orchid Odyssey (III)

Monday 2 May 2022

Rhodes Orchid Odyssey (III)

As I lay in bed. serenaded by a Scops Owl, I could hear the wind rising and by dawn it was rattling the window shutters and howling through the trees. Our planned venue was "Windmill Hill" the site of a wind farm high up in the south eastern part of the island. A change of plan was hatched at breakfast and we headed off for lowland sites on the east coast. First stop was on the beach road near the River Gaidouras where we explored some olive groves.

As we got out of the bus the first Serapias were just in front of us, but it was a large pink object that caught my eye. The first Orchis italica, all on its own and needing to be recorded. Sometimes called the 'Naked Man' orchid for fairly obvious reasons. Duly recorded with the promise from our guides that there would be plenty more to be seen and in better condition.

Orchis italica

I started to record the Serapias blissfully unaware of the discussions that would take place over the following days as to their true identity. We were expecting parviflora or maybe bergonii. However, diligent research by our guides revealed that they were actually politissi, the effects of late spring had struck again.

Serapias politissii

With so many orchids present it wasn't surprising to record Ophrys polyxo, Ophrys mammosa and Ophrys colossaea. We even managed to find Ophrys tenthredinifera albeit in a parlous state.

Ophrys colossaea

Ophrys mammosa

Ophrys polyxo

Ophrys polyxo

Further down the lane we reached the beach, not many orchids but I did record the ever present Ophrys regis-fernandii. The birding picked up as we saw Pallid Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Woodchat Shrike and Stone Curlews plus the usual suspects.

Then on to another venue for a lunch break, the most obvious plants being the Persian Buttercup, Ranunculus asiaticus - oddly for a buttercup it's bright red. However, I did manage to find an orange one.

Ranunculus asiaticus

Serapias carica

Orchis anthropophorum

Ophrys sicula

We moved on, further down the track to another olive grove. Here the Anacamptis papilionacea were stunning, in large groups and every hue of pink. One extremely dark specimen caught the eye of Ian and from the whoop he gave I think he was delighted to see it.