Orchids in Kent

Birders look away now - this blog is all about plants! 

Most of my trips out with the camera are about birds or butterflies, occasionally other insects get some attention but a day hunting for orchids is a bit of a rarity. So, when Greenwings advertised a day out with Jon Dunn, he of Orchid Summer fame, then I grasped the opportunity and signed up straight away.

I rose early on a fine day and made my way via extremely quiet motorways to deepest, darkest Kent.The Royal Wedding was distracting everyone and I guessed it would be quiet everywhere, a double bonus as a long day in the field meant that I would avoid all the television coverage - bliss.

I arrived in the charming village of Wye, just east of Ashford, parked up and went for a stroll around the churchyard. Hopes of a Redstart or Spotted Flycatcher amongst the forest of headstones were dashed so I occupied the visitor's bench and waited for the others to arrive.  Andy and Sally arrived to keep me company and we chewed the fat about nature matters until Jon herded us all together into the mini bus and we were off.

All the venues we visited have public access, most are well known and we made no visits to private land. Of course what we did have was Jon, whose knowledge is immeasurable and Alfie, the man with the deep local gen.

What follows is my photo-diary of the day, all in chronological order, probably far too many photos for a blog.



First stop was Denge Wood and the aptly named " Bonsai Bank" so named due to an unsuccessful attempt to grow conifers. No matter it is now a stunning location for Lady Orchids, here there are hundreds. With a supporting cast of Early Purple, Common Twayblade, Greater Butterfly and White Helleborine it could keep the enthusiast occupied for a day - or more.

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea, a light "champagne" coloured specimen

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea, a really dark specimen

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea, a really dark specimen

It seemed that those growing in shade developed more "spots"

The spots are composed of tufts of papillae

Supposedly like "Angels"

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea, var albida

Lady Orchid,  Orchis purpurea, var albida - using Andy's black trousers as a background.

Finally - the largest spike I could find.

A tad early for the Greater Butterfly Orchids, Platanthera chlorantha

  

Similarly for the White Helleborine, Cephalanthera damasonium

Though I managed to record one open bloom.

Common Twayblades,  Neottia ovata  were everywhere - spiders love them.

Common Twayblade

Common Twayblade

Common Twayblade

Butterflies added an extra dimension, Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak and Brimstones all on the wing.

Duke of Burgundy

Green Hairstreak

For balance, having seen so many Lady Orchids it was time to record some Man Orchids, Orchis anthroprophora.

Man Orchid, Orchis anthroprophora

Man Orchid, Orchis anthroprophora

Man Orchid, Orchis anthroprophora

Man Orchid, Orchis anthroprophora

After all the excitement it was nice to have a lunch break at the Tickled Trout in Wye, then it was back out on the trail.

The first venue in the afternoon kicked off the excitement all over again, a single specimen of the rare Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora   conveniently in bloom early.

Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora

Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora

Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora

Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora

Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora

Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora

Queuing patiently to record a rarity.

After that we just had to find Early Spider Orchid, Ophrys sphegodes  most of the specimens we found were just past their best, top blooms only in reasonable condition.

Early Spider Orchid, Ophrys sphegodes

Early Spider Orchid, Ophrys sphegodes

Early Spider Orchid, Ophrys sphegodes

The final venue gave us Monkey Orchids, Orchis simia, Fly Orchids, Orchis insectifera and some fresher Early Purples, Orchis mascula.

Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia

Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia

Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia

Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia

Early Purple Orchid, Orchis mascula

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Fly Orchid, Orchis insectifera 

Then we had run out of time, arriving back in Wye after 18:00, the end of a great day. Though I have a suspicion that most of us would have carried on until dark.

Two Sussex Beauties

The time when the accent switches from birds to butterflies fast approaches. Right now we are on the cusp, torn between dashing to the coast to watch the passage of seabirds or to venture into the Sussex countryside in search of freshly emerged butterflies. Today, with such fine weather and high temperatures predicted, the butterflies won. We started, rather later than usual, at Kithurst meadow, the closest site for Duke of Burgundy and usually reliable. Two earlier visits had resulted in nothing being found but with high temperatures over the Bank Holiday weekend there was a good chance that they would be on the wing. And so it proved, as we parked a returning butterfly enthusiast confirmed that they were about and we didn't hang about as we made our way down the hill.

With one target in the bag we decided to give Rewell Wood the once over for some fresh Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. Last week when we visited we had encountered some serious mud where heavy plant had churned up the tracks. The reasoning was that we should approach from Fairmile Bottom, much drier tracks that way. Only a third of the way up the hill I was beginning to regret that decision, perhaps the other way in was muddy but at least it was flat. Still, as we spotted our first PbF all the pain disappeared and we set about trying to get reasonable records of some fairly fast flying subjects. Finally one specimen posed for us and we were happy. The walk back to the car was a doddle, virtually down hill all the way.

Earlier butterfly forays had given me a Grizzled Skipper at Mill Hill though precious little else was flying in the cool south westerly breeze. At Anchor Bottom I recorded the first blooms of Green-winged Orchid.