A Dorset Frog...

There's so much to do at this time of the year if you're into other branches of natural history and that's just as well as birding is very quiet at the moment. Luckily I like loads of other subject areas too and I find it hard to pick and choose what to do with any time I have. As the weekend looks set to be unsettled I made a snap decision to take a couple of hours off first thing and do a bit of botany. So early this morning I set off on a fairly short drive into Dorset to try and connect with the Frog Orchids Coeloglossum viride that are putting on a good display this year. I found 12 plants, including one that had sadly been trodden on. There were also hundreds of Pyramidal orchids, lots of Common Spotted orchids going over and a couple of Greater Butterfly Orchids well past their best but great to see so many wild flowers and insects thriving. Also lots of Corn Buntings singing away in the sunshine. Great start to the day.

Frog and (sad) Pyramid: R. Harris

Frog Orchid: R. Harris

Some were scrawnier than others

Flower close-up

Frog Orchid: R. Harris

Frog Orchid: R. Harris

Frog Orchid: R. Harris

Field Scabious: R. Harris

Pyramidal Orchid: R. Harris

And a few from yesterday:

Dwarf Spurge: R. Harris

Grass Vetchling: R. Harris

Grass Vetchling: R. Harris

This very obliging Pisaura miribilis or Nursery Webb Spider living up to its name, guarding the young spiderlings enclosed in their tent like web.

Pisaura mirabilis: R. Harris

Pisaura mirabilis: R. Harris

Pisaura mirabilis: R. Harris