Yellow Sedge and Epipactis (7th June 2017)

Yellow Sedge found in Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT) today June 7th 2017 (Click over to enlarge)
Also the next photo shows better the low creeping sedge.

Yellow Sedge - showing the low creeping sedge (Click over to enlarge)

Today Wednesday 7th June 2017 - Hutton Roof - Checking out Orchids etc. 1300hrs to 1430hrs

It was great to have a day without the rain, but it was blowing very strong and not so good on the photos but did manage to get one or two bits.

Found a new very large Common Twayblade in the middle of a copse.  I went in the small copse to look especially for the Helleborine var Chlorantha (well almost!) and sure enough it is really doing well (see photo below), also its nice to report that it looks as though there could well be several offspring coming through.

E. Helleborine var Chlorantha 2017 (Click over to enlarge)
this is the state of play today 7th June 2017

This is a lovely plant (as you can see in last year's photo shown below), and on checking it out today it's doing exceptionally well, and also good to see there are several plants coming through close by which look like they may well be offspring to this plant.  They certainly are showing a lack of colour much like the adult.

E. Helleborine var Chlorantha 2016 (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: taken 8th August 2016

Lots of atrorubens are doing really well this year so far, I just found one casualty today which had obviously been predated by one of our two Hares, but so far so good! Our new trio is looking great (Schmals 15,16 and now 16a) Here is todays offering:

Schmal 15,16 and 16a (Click over to enlarge)

This was a cracker I found fairly close to canopy. Although I can't say I have ever noted previous that canopy plays a part with darker appearance of Atrorubens unlike you can find with Helleborine's.  I guess it will be interesting just to see how this plant turns out.

A very dark "atrorubens" found today (Click over to enlarge)
Can't remember ever finding a "atrorubens" so dark before

I decided to go and check on the "variagated" No.2 which again this year was only a large pair of leaves just like last year.  I don't think it is going to do anything again this year.

I did stumble on a nice little five group of atrorubens which have not been recorded before.

A quintet of Atrorubens (Click over to enlarge)
also look at the lovely photo below showing the red edging etc 

The same quinet - showing the red edging and red stalks (Click over to enlarge

I checked on Schmalhausenii specimen 67 which is coming out from a Juniper bush and last year there were two plants.  You will notice when you see last years photo of the mature plant that the stem is light green throughout.  On this years young ones the stem looks dark although I would think that this will probably change within the next week or so.

Schmalhausenii Specimen 67 plus another (Click over to enlarge)
This photo was taken today 7th June 2017 and check photo below
which shows last year's mature plant

Schmalhausenii 67 taken on 12th July 2016 (Click over to enlarge)

Here now is Schmalhausenii Specimen 69 which I decided to check out today and it seems to be doing well. Here is todays photo:

Schmal specimen 69 as of today 7th June 2017 (Click over to enlarge) 

Schmal specimen 69 taken on 13th July 2016

Last year this was confirmed as a Schmal with a good light green stem, atrorubens flowers and a good fingerprint especially with the "Helleborine" leaves.

A Quality Helleborine today

Hypericum Montanum Site 1 flowerheads appeared 7th June 2017

Checking out the Montanum at site No.1 I noticed two of the large 14" specimens are now already starting to show closed flowerheads.

Also today found a cracking 14 plant Helleborine colony with some superbed examples coming through. Found a new Odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal) site. New Lily Of The Valley site and also Yellow Sedge in a strange place to find this on limestone in a sloping hillside. Its a good 1 metre diameter patch not sure what sort of yellow sedge but think it is probably Common (but not common in this area).


Yesterday Tuesday 6th June 2017 - Hutton Roof - Stuff I forgot to mention yesterday. 

First of all I must say that yesterday I must have got carried away with the Orchids and forgot  to mention about other stuff.

For most of the time it was continual rain, but did get a sort of one hour gap when things were not too bad.  I managed to record a new Chiffchaff and also a very "songful" Blackcap which was singing out so loud and clear and well worth spending a little time just listening to him.   Also found a colony of 11 Common Twayblades which were sort of hidden under the gorse (which is very regular up on Hutton Roof - If its not gorse it may be Juniper) None of the plants looked stunning! they had all been well nibbled on their main two large basal leaves, probably small rodents I would have thought! Also managed to record a further Blackcap in song!  I am surprised they must be singing well today because they have had to put up with continuous rainfall and now that it has come fine they are making the most of it.  I also found a new Beech Fern colony of about one metre diameter.  Although new it is not that far away from other established colonies (probably at nearest some 300 yards). A really good year for Sanicle, noticed one or two more colonies which I had not previously recorded.  A fitting end was having a Tawny Owl calling closeby.