Marsh Helleborines

For several species of orchids, this seems to be an exceptional flowering year. I visited the two Marsh Helleborine sites near Killinallan yesterday and found over 300 and over 200 flowering spikes, respectively, both easily record numbers (about double past highest counts in both cases). Considering that, in some years, I have found fewer than 50 spikes all told, there's little doubt both sites are flourishing. Although reasonably widespread in southern Britain, there are only three other localities in Scotland for this species.
Malcolm

Flora and Fauna at Killinallan 25th July 2011

Six of us enjoyed our ramble at Killinallan this afternoon. What the bird list lacked in quantity, it gained in quality. I was delighted to see so many butterflies around and thrilled with our flower list - the highlight being the Marsh Helleborine, which is flourishing this year, along with all the other orchid species on Islay it seems. So encouraging to see. Thank you to all for making it such an enjoyable ramble.
Becky

BIRDS
Whinchat, Whimbrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Oystercatcher, Starling, Eider

INSECTS AND SPIDERS
Meadow Grasshopper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Carder Bee, Highland Darter (f), Spider sp

LICHENS AND FUNGI
Xanthoria parietina, Lecanora gangloides, Ramalina sp., Puffball, Shaggy Ink Cap

MAMMALS
Grey Seal

FLORA
Daisy, Meadow Buttercup, Grass of Parnassus, Black Bog Rush, Self-heal, Cross-leaved heath, Heath Milkwort, Bog Asphodel, Bog Myrtle, Tormentil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lesser Spearwort, Cat's-ear, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Lady's Bedstraw, White Clover, Red Clover, Bracken, Wild Thyme, Marsh Pennywort, Silverweed, Lesser Meadow Rue, Pyramidal Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Common Twayblade, Frog Orchid, Autumn Gentian, Purple Loosestrife, Forget-me-not sp., Cuckoo Flower, Marsh Marigold (leaves), Ragged Robin, Iris (leaves), Common Sorrel, Dock sp., Meadowsweet, Yorkshire Fog, Common Rush, Jointed Rush, Sweet Vernal Grass, Lesser Sea Spurrey, Thrift (only just), Harebell, Tufted Vetch, Pignut, Sea Milkwort, Fairy Flax, Water Mint, Hawkweed sp., Marram Grass, Goat Willow, Marsh Bedstraw, Yarrow, Common Scurvy Grass, Ray's Knotgrass, Black Knapweed, Devil's-bit Scabious

Autumn Gentian - Gentianella amarella

Common Carder Bee - Bombus pascourum

Female Highland Darter - Sympetrum nigrescens



Marsh Helleborine - Epipactis palustris

Killinallan ramblers - whatever are we so absorbed in looking at?