Goldfinches feeding on a domestic wildflower lawn, West Sussex, UK

 

Thirteen orchid species photographed in the last three days

 Thirteen species seen at three sites.  Click on the pic's to expand them.

Man orchids

White Helleborine going to seed.

Broad leaved helleborines yet to flower next to "gone over" white one.

A couple of Common spotted

Fly orchids

Greater Butterfly orchid

Common twayblades in shafts of sunlight

Lady orchid, above and right below.

The orchid on the left above has gone to seed.  Despite having unspotted leaves it is one of many Early purple orchids seen here.

Lizard orchids

Pyramidals 

Bee orchid

Curious division of the bottom part florets open in stark contrast to the top.

Southern Marsh orchids

There has been some unpleasant reports of orchids being stolen from sites in Sussex.

In the face of such behaviour these sites will not be revealed.

No mow May: domestic lawn hosts FOUR orchid species and is one big bird table and insect-rich habitat.

A pair of greenfinches feasting on cat's ear leaves, which is a favourite for goldfinches too. 

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

A fragrant orchid in flower for the second year.  Elsewhere, other first year fragrant orchid rosettes will hopefully flower next year.  A few seed heads were collected in earlier years where there were hundreds on the South Downs and the seeds scattered on the lawn.  Note also copious yellow rattle flowers and ox-eye daises.

Common spotted orchid, one of more than a dozen.

Above fragrant and below southern marsh orchids (SMO) protected from rampaging foxes by an improvised fireguard.  This year a second SMO plant and flower has grown and there is a third tiny flower emerged by one of the ponds protected now by holly branches brash.  The forth orchid species is Common Twayblade: two flower spikes hidden in the grass but obvious before the grass grew up after a winter cut.