Moses Gate and Nob End 1st June 2019 (SD 74370 06763 SD 74592 06842 )

Moses Gate is a country park at Farnworth near Bolton, and boasts three lakes. It also boasts a grassy bank near the kiddie's playground with Southern Marsh Orchids. We have been here before and at first glance there seems to be fewer of them, but that grass is long, and a bit of a careful search reveal does a modest number of them.

Then it is onto Nob End, a bit of post-industrial waste land that was definitely in better shape orchid-wise last time we were here in 2014. There are some typical stunted highly pigmented Northern Marsh Orchids, and some less typical representatives of Dactylorhiza. I have to assume they are hybrids between the Northern Marsh and the Early Marsh Orchids we saw last time, D. xlatirella. They may not show recurvature of the labellum, but there is a tree-lobedness there and the lateral petals are quite perked up. There is possible some introgression but just how far this hybrid is fertile is unknown to me. We see no evidence of the Early Marsh Orchids this year; perhaps we are that bit too early, but a couple of Pyramidal Orchid spikes in bud are easy to spot.

Buckley Common 2nd June 2019 (SJ272649)

This orchid site changes from year to year, but that may be due to time of visits as much as anything. We are definitely a bit earlier this year. There is little to see at the roadside, possibly because of the long grass; mowing time may have been altered. On the common itself it is the D. xvenusta hybrids that catch the eye; but even those are only just coming into bloom. Nature, it seems has a way of dealing with pesky hybrids

Cors Bodeilio 3rd June 2019 ( SH 50659 77326 )

Another trip here hoping to catch the Fly Orchid that everyone else seems to be able to find.
Unusually, the flat area to the left of the boardwalk near the entrance is awash with orchids. Normally, there is just a scattering of them, but today I see Heath Spotted Orchids, Northern Marsh Orchids, and both pink and purple flowered Early Marsh Orchids. Note that these are NOT sub-species pulchella; wrong habitat. There are also some Dactylorhiza hybrids, probably D. x formosa, but possibly D. x carnea - Heath Spotted with Northern Marsh or Early Marsh. I can see no signs of these being the Welsh marsh Orchid, apparently a sub-species of the Northern Marsh. Meanwhile there was no evidence of the deep red cocinneas that I have seen here before, so perhaps we are bit early. The common name for this species is quite inappropriate in my opinion, with both Northern and Southern Marsh Orchids often being in flower earlier.

 
The Heath Spotted Orchids

 
Northern Mash Orchids

 
The pink flowering Early Marsh Orchids

 
Purple flowered Early Marsh Orchids

 
The assumed hybrids with fine speckles on labellums from Heath Spotted ancestry

Then its across the bridge and to the very damp area where the Fly Orchid is supposed to grow. I had an `incident' here four years ago, nearly losing camera and half a pair of wellies. This was not going to happen again! I studiously avoid any mud, crossing the area from grass tussock to grass tussock. I soon come across several Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids, but what a diverse population they are. They all have the characteristics of that species - anorexic appearance, a few basal narrow leaves, inflorescence with a front and rear, and the pointed central lobe on the labellum. But overall individual flower appearance, colour and patterning ensures no two are alike. One could be called a hypochromatic variant.

Alyn Waters 6th June 2019 (SJ 31995 54686)

Just a drop-in session to look at the Bee Orchids. Not a bad showing, but all bog standard. One day I hope to find a named variety here, but know that is really unlikely. The Common Spotteds are still in bud, but the Common Twayblades are just coming into flower.

Marford Quarry 6th June 2019 (SJ356560)

Just a hop, skip and a jump to here. Some nice stuff to see too. The first Pyramidal Orchids are coming into bloom, while a few Bee Orchids are seen in one of the enclosure. The large Common Twayblades at the bottom of the quarry are in flower, but the stars are the Dune Helleborines. There are three large multi-stem clumps all close to each other and in the open.

Minera Quarry 9th June 2016 (SJ 25156 52172)

A bit of a disappointing visit. Where I would expect loads of orchids there is no sign of the Fragrant or Pyramidal Orchids, and just a few rather emaciated Common Spotted Orchids. The object of the visit was the marsh orchids, but I see just one Dactylorhiza hybrid. However, there is a first Bee Orchid (for me at least) on the site. We go looking for the Frog Orchids and find eight, with some late flowering Early Purple Orchids. Those Frogs are so tricky to spot!