Local Orchids

The Man Orchids at our local Cambridgeshire site are in full flower at the moment but are very short in stature and numbers compared to recent years. This is an early date for them; 2010 was the other year that I recorded them in May and again they were short (Ann Miles Blog: Man Orchid (pin-sharp.blogspot.com)). I only found one Twayblade and this was very small and just a handful of small Common Spotted Orchids including a completely albino form

RPS Nature Group Outing to Cribb's Meadow

We spent yesterday morning photographing Green-winged Orchids, Cowslips, Water Avens and Adder's Tongue at a new reserve for me. The weather varied from bright sunshine to heavy cloud but did give a great variety of lighting opportunities in addition to the differences in the Orchids coloration and morphology.

Bluebells and Yellow Fields

Waresley wood was very busy this morning for our CCC Wednesday Workshop outing and, once we got parked and in the woods, we could see why:- the Bluebells are extra good this year. Fewer Oxlips, wood anemones or orchids but the smell and sight of the Bluebells made up for this. The blue of the flowers is so dependent on the light conditions - cyan out of the sun and almost purple in the sun. Not so keen on the smell of the Rape which is turning lots of fields yellow.

 

Harwick Wood Spring

With recent colder spell, there is a great variety of Spring flowers in and around Hardwick Wood at the moment with the Garlic and Bluebells just coming out but Oxlips and Wood Anemones still in bloom. I was accompanied in the Wood by various birds.

Pasque Flowers Beginning at Royston Heath

The Pasque flowers are just beginning to flower - a bit later than some years but will probably be best around Easter as their name suggests. They are very short so quite a challenge to photograph plus a stiff breeze today. Most are Focus stacks using Fuji X100V and Raynox 250 close-up lens. I find this a very useful high quality combination for flower photography. We found one very small bee - a Lasioglossum species