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??

300 up!

When I started this blog never did I imagine that I would make this milestone. I have never kept a diary and couldn't see any reason for doing so, but a blog is different. There was a pause between my fourth and fifth postings of about nine months, why did I continue - probably because the photographs started to improve and I wanted to share them.

Late morning I had to make a visit to Phil, probably the best dentist in the world. It's an amazing fact that, having filled your mouth with dental paraphernalia and numbed half your head,  dentists then ask you a question and expect a coherent reply. Well today wasn't bad at all and Phil showed  a genuine interest in what I might be getting up to in the afternoon. I explained that I would be visiting Anchor Bottom to capture some orchid shots. Flowers are obliging in that they don't move much and that I would utilise some artificial backgrounds to improve the composition.

My backgrounds are made from Daler or Foam board of neutral hues held in place by a bulldog clip on a ground spike. Of course the distance between subject and background is important as none of the background should be in focus.

Fragrant Orchid taken "au naturel",  with some care to keep the background "quiet".

Much improved ...but you have to watch the colour shift - more photoshop attention required.

Possibilities are endless - do you aim for it to be aesthetically pleasing or visually correct?

Perhaps a few more wispy bits of grass lessen the "museum shot" effect.

 Pale form of the Fragrant Orchid

Fragrant Orchids  grow large here...



..as do Common Spotted Orchids.



 

As the afternoon progressed the temperature rose and Adonis Blues emerged but lack of sun meant they stayed in cover.



 

 Though some wasted no time.

  Technique also works for butterflies

Set the pose

Position the background.... perfect.



On the way back to the car park a nice specimen of Sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia

Dave's artificial background holder.

And a couple from Monday's visit to Kithurst and Chantry Hills

Back in Sussex

Just a gentle stroll on the Sussex Downs, Liz had remarked that there are no mountains in Sussex, but Heyshott Escarpment is a bit like mountain goat country but doesn't come close to the Cairngorms. The weather remained overcast so I reasoned that today would be a good day to capture some species that don't move round much. There had been a posting that Fly Orchids and White Helleborines were blooming on Heyshott, unfortunately the posting was nearly two weeks old and I wasn't sure what I might find.

I parked in the South Downs Way car park and followed the SDW to the top of Heyshott in the company of two walkers who were heading for Amberley, parting company at the OS trig point. The path down into the escarpment is pretty steep but as I crawled down I noticed  Common Spotted Orchids and Common Twayblade, both living up to their names as they really are plentiful here.

Finally I found both the White Helleborine and a single specimen of Fly Orchid, obviously past their sell by dates - but duly recorded.

By now the temperature was on the up and several butterflies were on the move, Small Heath being the most obvious, several Common Blues, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, and a pair of newly emerged Speckled Woods, one of which posed for me. Green Hairstreaks are still about, quite a long season for them as I photographed my first of the year on April 13th.

Lots of Six Spot Burnet moths emerging and taking to the air, with a rather odd looking mode of flight, accompanied by a host of unusual beetles which I have not noted before. Post walk analysis reveals that they are Garden Chafers. very common, I wonder why I haven't recorded them previously.

Very friendly Garden Chafers

Finally I noted that Neil's snake is still in the same place.

Mill Hill and Anchor Bottom (II)

Opportunities to visit the Downs with my able Cameraman's Assistant and Dark Background Holder don't manifest themselves very often. So with Liz driving we set off for Anchor Bottom - target Fragrant Orchid. Only two specimens found - perhaps just a bit early -  by the end of the week more will be showing. With a dark background I couldn't resist some shots of the Common Spotteds which were showing nicely.

 





With

 

Without

                

On to Mill Hill where the background holder became somewhat redundant. Liz just watched the antics as I manoeuvred to get even more butterfly shots. I was particularly pleased to capture a fresh Cinnabar Moth just as we were leaving.  And the Birds?  Well a couple of Kestrels, supported by Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats and a particularly good flyby of a Raven - too many leaves on the trees to see much else.