|  | 
29-08-2008, 01:48 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 181
| | | Lesser Twayblade Site? One species I need to see is lesser twayblade - it has so far illuded me. I wondered if anyone had been to 'Roman Steps' in Wales as this is supposedly a good site for the species? It's also the closest site I know to the West Midlands, (where I live).
Anyone know any nearer sites to the West Midlands than this site?? I know it's an upland species so I'm going to have to travel pretty far to find one...
PM if you know a site please.
cheers..............mike
__________________ www.myspace.com/babarootsting | 
29-08-2008, 03:21 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 239
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Hi
The Elan Valley is a bit nearer and you can find it there!
If you want to see it in profusion, try the Pentland Hills south of Edinburgh, long way I know but.....
All the best
__________________ John
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk
Last edited by ceterach; 29-08-2008 at 03:24 PM.
| 
29-08-2008, 07:18 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 181
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Thanks for your reply but I went to Elan valley, (an area I know well) and they said it hadn't been seen for 15 years!!!
I think that's my best plan - go to a place where it is very common!  Thankyou for telling me about this site
Do you have good directions to an exact site within the hills by any chance? - finding orchids that are 3 inches high in some hills is quite hard
mike
__________________ www.myspace.com/babarootsting
Last edited by the young hunter; 29-08-2008 at 07:22 PM.
| 
29-08-2008, 08:17 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 239
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Listen young lad, if you are not willing to tramp for two days over hill and dale looking for a small plant, orchid or otherwise you can't be very interested  !!!
Seriously though, there are not many roads right into the hills but if you go down the northern side of the Pentland Hills (A70) there are one or two roads that go to picnic sites etc. Similarly from the south side (A702). Then start walking up the valleys and look in the bogs on the steep sides of the valleys. The numbers can be huge in some years (it is all relative for a southerner like me!!). They are at their peak at the end of July.
As far as the Elan Valley is concerned, well who knows! A lot of these places are drying out. One site I knew in Devon where it grew, as usual in Sphagnum tussocks in the middle of a bog, is now bone dry.
__________________ John
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk
Last edited by ceterach; 29-08-2008 at 08:20 PM.
| 
29-08-2008, 08:40 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 796
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Quote:
Originally Posted by ceterach They are at their peak at the end of July. | The ones I've found near Loch Garten are well gone over by late July.
Jim | 
29-08-2008, 08:56 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 796
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? As 'The Young Hunter' just wants to get out of a car and walk a few meters for his botany, how about this:
;^)
I wouldn't normally post detailed instructions for an orchid, but as Lesser Twayblades are difficult to find, rather than rare, I've done so here.
I found they've gone over by late July - I would think late June would be better, but I can never get up there then.
Culbin Forest near Forres is said to be good for Lesser Twayblades, but I've spent three full exhausting days there and not seen any. Mind you, there's more Creeping Ladys Tresses than you can shake a stick at!
Jim | 
29-08-2008, 10:35 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 181
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? [quote=ceterach;328005]Listen young lad, if you are not willing to tramp for two days over hill and dale looking for a small plant, orchid or otherwise you can't be very interested  !!!
Well I never! My mom can testify that virtually every bog, forest, meadow and hill in the country has been tramped across by my worn and tired feet during the last 10 years!
Thankyou for the info though, it will be very useful for me
As for flowering times, I thought lesser twayblade was at it's best in early June if I'm honest.
mike
__________________ www.myspace.com/babarootsting | 
30-08-2008, 09:02 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 239
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? [quote=the young hunter;328114] Quote:
Originally Posted by ceterach As for flowering times, I thought lesser twayblade was at it's best in early June if I'm honest.
mike | Mike and Jim
Lesser Twayblade has a long flowering period and that is why I mentioned it. I have seen them up there at least three times over twenty years and they have been in full bloom at the end of July.
Perhaps there is someone more local than me (!!!) who can comment.
Down south they flower in early June
All the best
__________________ John
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk | 
30-08-2008, 11:09 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 796
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? [quote=ceterach;328582] Quote:
Originally Posted by the young hunter
Mike and Jim
Lesser Twayblade has a long flowering period and that is why I mentioned it. I have seen them up there at least three times over twenty years and they have been in full bloom at the end of July. | If you look at the exif of this one you'll see it was taken on the 14th July. This is the top bloom and is well gone over and had set seed.
Jim | 
31-08-2008, 12:17 AM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 181
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? I have to say that I've never seen any photos of lesser twayblade in full bloom taken at any time in July, maybe you have some photos for evidence
I'm sure that even in one colony however, flowering is not synchronized but I didn't know there could be such a wide variation in flowering period
mike
__________________ www.myspace.com/babarootsting | 
31-08-2008, 12:37 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 239
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Quote:
Originally Posted by the young hunter I have to say that I've never seen any photos of lesser twayblade in full bloom taken at any time in July, maybe you have some photos for evidence 
mike | Yes I do have photos but since they are not digital that won't help.
You asked for locations I gave you two and when you questioned the flowering time I confirmed my observation!
I must admit I was only passing on my practical experience rather than reading a book but your comments moved me to check various textbooks and guess what, for lesser twayblade flowering times range from May - September (according to the books).
I also notice in another thread that Mark Tulley found them in flower in August.
Smilies do not make up for politeness  .
__________________ John
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk | 
31-08-2008, 01:08 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 796
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? 'The Harraps' state:
"Mid-May to mid-July, exceptionally from April, but generally peaking from late May. Once the flower has been pollinated the column quickly withers and blackens but the remainder of the flower sometimes persists until September."
So, it really depends on how you define 'in flower'. For my purpose, I'd rather have the flower fresher than the one I took on the 14th July, where the column is withered and blackened. I guess 'The Young Hunter' doesn't count this as in "in full bloom taken at any time in July", and I'm inclined to agree.
The images shown in 'The Harraps' were taken on the 7th June in Midlothian and are much fresher.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Ford; 31-08-2008 at 01:12 PM.
| 
31-08-2008, 01:19 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 239
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Jim
I'm not argueing any of that, I merely reported what I saw. I know it flowers elsewhere much earlier and that was why I made my comment on that particular site. Perhaps my visits coincided with particularly bad winters and a late season (??) but I am happy to go with what I see rather than what the book tells me. Harraps say one thing Lang says something different!
Perhaps I won't bother next time.
All the best
__________________ John
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk
Last edited by ceterach; 31-08-2008 at 01:22 PM.
| 
31-08-2008, 01:30 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 796
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Quote:
Originally Posted by ceterach Perhaps my visits coincided with particularly bad winters and a late season (??) but I am happy to go with what I see rather than what the book tells me. | The problem for me is that it's basically a 1000 mile round trip to see them in Scotland, so I'd like to get it right and 'hit' them at their best!
Local knowledge, such as you have, is always best. Perhaps I'll divert my journey to the Cairngorms next year for a couple of days, to take in the site (Pentland Hills) you've recommended.
Jim | 
31-08-2008, 01:38 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 181
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? I wasn't challenging your expertise I was simply interested to know if you had any photos of them in July. Apologies if offense was given; it was not intended.
What I meant was what Jim said; I prefer to see them fresh and not at all withered and I've got to hit it just right if I've convinced my mom to drive me 350 miles to see what she thinks is severely unimpressive. Hence, I was just querying whether I could see it in July as this would be more useful. Clearly I can so all is fine. Cheers.
mike
__________________ www.myspace.com/babarootsting | 
31-08-2008, 01:39 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 239
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Ford The problem for me is that it's basically a 1000 mile round trip to see them in Scotland, so I'd like to get it right and 'hit' them at their best!
Local knowledge, such as you have, is always best. Perhaps I'll divert my journey to the Cairngorms next year for a couple of days, to take in the site (Pentland Hills) you've recommended.
Jim |
Jim
That was the point of one of my earlier posts in this thread, I am not a local, I live on the North Downs, so perhaps there is a local out there who know the Pentland Hills. Strangely I can find nothing on the web about Lesser Twayblade there, so perhaps I dreamt it
All the best
__________________ John
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk | 
31-08-2008, 01:59 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 796
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Quote:
Originally Posted by the young hunter I've got to hit it just right if I've convinced my mom to drive me 350 miles to see what she thinks is severely unimpressive. | That's some mum you've got!
Jim | 
31-08-2008, 02:02 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 181
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? I know!
She is very nice  But she likes to see the orchids too
mike
__________________ www.myspace.com/babarootsting | 
31-08-2008, 06:33 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 1,444
| | | Re: Lesser Twayblade Site? Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Ford That's some mum you've got!
Jim | my mum and dad wouldn't drive me that far just to get a photo in a million years!!    I couldn't even persuade them to take me to princes risborough to see the violet helleborines this year   
__________________ Nature - its full of suprises |  | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | | | | 43 members and 173 guests | | >>> Click Here to become a member...it's completely free! | | 2dogs2000, AJH748, antdg, beckiscott, Belly77, coasty, cosmicma, cutecoot, dan-fisher, Deer Stalker, demicav, ellen h, Foxglove, Geoff F, Gerel, gess, GuyF, Hedge Witch, Jennie, JonSadler, Kayleigh, kiltoncomp, Meta menardi, Mungo, NickCantle, NicolaB, nutmeg, Ollie, oxycera, relayer901, SheffieldLass, Stewy, sunnydale, tameblackbirds, The Woodman, Toby, Tormentil, Tracey.A, tufftie, Vectisbirder, welsh.lensman, willing to learn, wrogers | | Most users ever online was 3,128, 24-07-2008 at 09:12 PM. | » WAB Development Posts | |
No Threads to Display.
| » New Wildlife Posts | | | | | | | | | | | | | |