Mid-June is a good time to visit Ditchling Common when there are plenty of butterflies around including the rare Black Hairstreak. However getting good sightings and photos of this butterfly requires a certain amount of dedication and would likely use up most of my time. Instead I switched my focus to the colony of Heath Spotted Orchid that is present there. Compared to last year there seemed to be many more plants, maybe twice as many, and in very good condition. Here I met a like-minded orchid enthusiast who kindly gave me directions to a small colony of Heath Fragrant Orchid in Ashdown Forest and since it was only a reasonably short drive away I headed off there next. His directions were perfect and I quickly found several Heath Fragrant Orchids growing next to Heath Spotted Orchids. A great way and unexpected way to ended the day with a first!
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ditchling Common) |
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| Heath Fragrant Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Fragrant Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Fragrant Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Fragrant Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Fragrant Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Fragrant Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |
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| Heath Spotted Orchid (Ashdown Forest) |