early marsh

Flushed with the major success of the greater butterfly, I moved on to Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR to try and find some early marsh orchids amongst the no-doubt numerous southern marsh orchids.

Eventually, I found three patches, but they really were heavily outnumbered by the southern marsh orchids. They appear to be the ssp incarnata.

Also found was a single common spotted orchid (although I feel a little uneasy about this - why only one amongst the masses of southern marsh orchid?), plus a few I really couldn't put a name to.....hybrids maybe.














early marsh orchid ssp incarnata

The fresh water marsh here really is a naturalists paradise, even if a little too busy for misanthropic me (other naturalists excepted of course...well, some of them anyhow)....and don't get me started with the dog walkers and dog poo. EVEN with all that it is still paradise.

Really must stay down here one evening for the natterjack toads. A mission for next year.