Coed Cilicroesllwyd 13th June 2025 (SJ 12625 55303)

Hmm, its six years since we were here last, and not much has changed. For a change we walk the perimeter path and take in the occasional Greater Butterfly Orchid and Common Spotted Orchid, but alas yet again, no Birds-nest orchids

Maes y Pant 6th June 2024 (SJ 35397 55187)

First stop is the orchard area. This looks as if it was mowed on a slightly date this year as the grass between the paths is shorter than previous years. I worry that perhaps it was done too late for the Bee Orchids; but shouldn’t have. They are there, and there is the return of the slightly unusual forms we saw in 2023. One a bit Wasp Orchid like, another a bit belgarumish, and others just asymmetrically patterned and no blue speculum.

Elsewhere there are Common Twayblades and Common Spotteds in flower, plus a single Bee Orchid in the usual woodland haunt, plus more down in the lower part under birch. One CSO in the orchard is very heavily marked, but there is a large clump of these below. We do not recall seeing them other years, but must have passed along this path at this time of year. Dune helleborines are coming along well, and so are the Green-flowered Helleborines that I thought looked a little odd last year. I must return to these late in the season. And last autumn I noticed some Broad-leaved Helleborines in an area we has scarcely visited before. Well, those are coming up fine and dandy too.

Shugborough Hall 15th June 2025

Another National Trust country mansion, but this time no CSOs in the rewilded bit. Instead down by the pond that looks like a river I see some unremarkable Southern Marsh Orchids. There are probably more in the parkland beyond the water, but we have been here hours already, and feeling done in.

Minera Quarry 16th June 2025

Its the hottest day of the year so far, so why not head for the highest furthest point of the quarry where there is no shade? I am looking for the sepaloid Bee Orchids seen in 2023. Yet again there are none to be seen, just normal ones. A couple do have rather larger than usual petals.

The Frog Orchids are now rather apparent, but low in numbers, but there is the occasional oversized Common Spotted. There is also one of these with leaves that are quite, quite different to normal. However there is nothing about the flowers to suggest it is a hybrid .... but who knows what those will throw up?

Which leaves to what I consider to be Welsh Marsh Orchids, not xvenusta hybrids. Apologies for reitterating this, but there is this population of Dacts here which fit the psychical description of WMO and are remarkably uniform in appearance. Bearing in mind the large range of CSO and NMO present in this quarry one would expect any hybrids of them to be anything but uniform in appearance. Yes there are specimens here that must be xvenusta, but these below are not part of that. Furthermore, I would even consider the Welsh Marshes not to be a sub-species of Northern Marsh, but a species in their own right. There is nothing that limits the number of potential tetraploid Dactylorhiza in the UK, except dogged denial. Perhaps a certain professor could do some genetic magic on these.

Pennerley 18th June 2025

I am still keeping the exact location of this Shropshire site under wraps for now. Three flower meadows are great one their own, but to be stuffed with an estimated 10,000 Greater Butterfly and Common Spotted Orchids is just magical. I will let the photos do all the talking.

Snailbeach 18th June 2025 (SJ 37328 02291)

Whilst in the area it seems silly not to pop in to see the relics of the lead mining at Snalbeach, especially the old narrow gauge railway here. You have to park at the ove link and walk up the short hill to where all the action was a century ago. On the way I spot clumps of Common Spotted Orchids roadside, and more dotted around the old workings. I have been here before but never noticed these orchids.