Spring Orchids

Green-winged Orchid Anacamptis morio

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Common Twayblade Listera ovata

White Helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium

Common Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia conopsea

Man Orchid Orchis anthropophorum

Greater Butterfly Orchids Platanthera chlorantha

Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera

Birdsnest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis

Pasque Flower

I spent Saturday morning in a cold, nagging wind hunting for Burnt-tip Orchids at Knocking Hoe Nature Reserve, over in Bedfordshire. Whilst wandering around trying to find the tiny Orchids I was surprised and delighted to come across a few small Pasque Flowers Pulsatilla vulgaris still in flower on the dry chalk slopes. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't made my usual spring visit to see the little colony growing at Incombe Hole near Ivinghoe Beacon. I suspect that it's too late now as the majority of the plants at Knocking Hoe had gone to seed and those in flower were small and stunted, probably suffering from the dry, windy weather. The Pasque Flower is one of Britains most beautiful plants with a large bell of violet velvety petals surrounding a circle of golden anthers. As the flower ages it begins to droop before straightening so the feathery seed heads can catch the wind. Pasque Flowers belong to the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family and flower in April and early May on sunny lime-rich grasslands in central and eastern England and often attract early bees. The word Pasque refers to Easter, the traditional flowering time of these lovely little plants.

Pasque Flower Pulsatilla vulgaris, Incombe Hole

Small Blue

It was all quite exciting. The sort of thing that would probably be described as "the drama of nature in the raw" on television. I was sitting in the hide at College Lake with a couple of friends watching a Greenshank and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers pottering about on the mud, when two more Greenshank flew in, their loud clear calls ringing out above the racket of the breeding Lapwings. Suddenly there was mayhem and at first it was hard to see what was going on. The Lapwing all rose as one, screaming furiously and then out of the chaos of tumbling, wheeling birds a Sparrowhawk emerged carrying an unfortunate Lapwing chick in it's claws. When the dust settled and the Lapwing had calmed down we realised that all the Greenshank had fled the scene of the crime in panic. After all that excitement we decided it was time to look for a few Butterflies and I had a feeling that it would be worth searching for Small Blues even though they are not usually out until mid May. Sure enough we found two of these inconspicuous and rather drab butterflies, sheltering from the cold nagging wind at the base of the bare chalk cliffs which are already festooned with dense clumps of bright yellow Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa. These two were males, dusted with silvery blue scales, spending their lives loafing on vegetation waiting to compete for passing females. Sadly these little butterflies are in decline in Britain with many of their colonies small and isolated.

Male Small Blue Cupido minmus at College Lake (30/04/2011)

Male Small Blue Cupido minmus at College Lake (30/04/2011)

Male Small Blue Cupido minmus on Birdsfoot Trefoil at College Lake

Comma

I still haven't seen a Comma Polygonia c-album this year, but rather annoyingly my wife Indra has already seen several! She took this photo of a beautiful freshly emerged Comma and a bee having a Mexican stand-off on an old Hogweed stalk earlier in the month near Wilstone Reservoir. I'm not sure who won the argument! No doubt when I do eventually see a Comma, like buses they will come along in droves! Incidentally, my previous attempts at bee identification have been pretty futile so it would be great to hear from anyone who can put a name to this one.

Comma Polygonia c-album, Wilstone, 17/04/2011 (Indra Jackson)