orchids

The jury is now out on the new patch of orchids. Some look like heath spotted others like common spotted. Anyway, this patch much more variable than the earlier ones in other field.

When went to photograph them today field full of bugs, meadow browns and cuckoo spit. What a year for it, think the cuckoos have been doing too much spitting and not enough cuckooing! Only heard the cuckoo passing through this year, which is better than last year when I never heard it at all. I never expected that one day I'd miss their irritating cuckooing.

hay meadow

Last night our visitors found more orchids in a different field. These appear to be Common Spotted rather than Heath Spotted, which is odd as I would have thought that where they are growing is more acid than where the Heath Spotted are. I have also noticed Ragged Robin dotted here and there. It is appearing well away, and uphill, from its original site in a boggy patch by the stream. It is fascinating to see how the flora is responding to the change in management from summer grazing to hay meadow.

Like many places we have had lots of Painted Lady butterflies this year, and now the Meadow Browns are just beginning to appear, just in time for the thistles which are coming to bud. I spent quite a while recently trying to creep up on Painted Ladies, (insect variety), in an attempt to get a picture. How jumpy they are, so no pics!

Previous blogs and more about us on our website, http/www.radnorfarmer.co.uk