Bird's-nest Orchid

I had a job down in Newton Abbot this morning, so took the opportunity to pop into one of my favourite orchid sites, near Chudleigh. This Bird's-nest Orchid was my star find. It may well be nowhere near as colourful as other orchid species but it's golden hue, rarity, parasitic tendencies and difficulty to find puts it right up there as one of my favourites. It's a real thrill to find one in Devon at least. They're far more plentiful further east.

Bird news from 15/5 - Mudbank - 12 Mute Swans, 3 Black-headed Gulls, 12+ Curlew, 12+ Whimbrel, 250+ Oystercatchers, 1 Knot, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits and 8 Dunlin. 

Off the seafront - 6 Eiders (including 2 males) and 1 Sandwich Tern.

Orcombe Point - 3 Stock Doves, 9 Jackdaws (over west) and the singing male Sedge Warbler still.

Eiders - seafront 15/5.

Masses of Early Purple Orchids seen this morning...

Greater Butterfly-orchid.

One of masses of Common Twayblade seen this morning.

Small Copper.

At long last - an Exmouth Spotted Flycatcher back on a traditional territory.

Lots of Heath Spotted Orchids are now in flower on the pebbled heaths.

Whilst searching for Spotted Flycatchers, I came across this day-roosting Nightjar.

Heath Spotted Orchid.

Early Marsh Orchid. I can't describe how good it feels to see these in flower again...

My survey site in Newton Abbot held lots of beautiful Southern Marsh Orchids...