Haskayne Cutting, 1st June 2020 (SD 35685 08848)

A bit further afield today; just into Lancashire to be precise. I would have also included the dunes at Ainsdale as well, but the local news had reported that the beach car park and toilets were locked and bolted and the police were being vigilant concerning `unnecessary` trips there. Anyway, we have a great show of yet more Southern Marsh Orchids, perhaps because this is another site that is still waterlogged despite lack of rain; at least it is an easy walk from the road to where the orchids flower. There are a couple of plants where the stem hasn`t grown upwards, and so the leaves form a rosette. These are not truly in flower yet, so perhaps all is not what it seems at the moment. Still no sign of the Early Purple Orchids spotted on our first trip here back in 2016. That was in July, so that could be the reason.

Freemans Copse, 6th June 2020 (SJ 41052 76229)

I used to like this place as it seemed such an unlikely site for Bee Orchids. However the mile long canal walk there is distinctly seedier than previously, and the orchid spot is being used as the local dog poo bag and empty lager can repository. The number of plants in flower is less than two years ago; perhaps 10 in total, but we do find one remote specimen close to the Boat Museum, and two actually on the edge of the canal.

Eryrys, 9th June 2020 (SJ 20309 56903)

For those who do not know the site, this is the spoil heaps from the nearby sealed off quarry, accessed down a rough track from the road. I don`t quite know why I have come here because I am not expecting anything new or exciting. This prediction turns out to be correct, for the dry weather has blackened most of the Frog Orchids to some extent. That said, we do find about 25 or so, with some new ones not far from where the 30cm specimens used to grow - what happened to them then? No Bee orchid spotted, but I realise that last year`s spotting was actually in July! Plenty of Common Spotted Orchids, but those in flower are almost all smaller, younger specimens. The larger older ones are still just rosettes with a spike beginning to appear. Common Twayblades are out, but little evidence of any Fragrant Orchids yet.

Llynllys Common, 12th June 2020 (SJ 27352 23565)

The long trudge uphill from the parking layby to the common is well worth it when you are greeted by the Greater Butterfly Orchids here. 2020 looks to be a good year for them, though a cluster seen in 2018 is now only represented by a few plants in flower. Against that there are some nice examples here, some knee-high almost, and you can find examples with loosely or tightly packed inflorescences. Apart from that not much to mention, though I was impressed by a pair of Common Spotted Orchids that were identical twins.

Marford Quarry 13th June 2020 (SJ356560)

Arrived here not expecting too much, but at least it is somewhere different to have a walk whilst the Covid restrictions are still in place. No sign of any Bee Orchids, but the clump of Dune Helleborine that was three flower spikes a couple of years ago is now seven. I will be back to see these again soon. No sign either of the large Common twayblades I usually visit, but Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids are just waking up. The Green-flowered Helleborines are also coming along nicely, but for me the star of the day is another Epipactis plant. It stands out from the GFH growing nearby, and significantly the main leaves rotate around the stem rather than in opposite pairs. This marks it out as a potential Broad-leaved Helleborine, a species I have never seen here before.

 
Two shots of the Dune Helleborines, a clump of Green-flowered Helleborines and the putative Broad-leaved Helleborine.

Llay Industrial Estate, 13th June 2020 (SJ 32295 56601)

Just had to visit the Bee Orchids here yet again. Not as many as last year, and still no named varieties, but who cares! A vist here is a quick one as you can park right next to the verge in question.