More orchids

After an unsuccessful look for Fly Orchids in Dyscarr Wood this morning (at the spot they last grew about 5 years ago), I whiled-away a bit of time at Welbeck Raptor Watchpoint. Despite being there for the best part of two hours, I failed to see any Honey Buzzards, and had to settle for a Red Kite instead.

I then headed for Langford Lowflields, via Hunt's Meadow near Kersall, counting 13 Early Marsh Orchids, plus a few Southern Marsh and Common Spotted. This is a lovely little spot, full of Ragged Robin and buttercups (well, the eastern meadow is, the western one is very rushy), and a Turtle Dove purring just off to the west was a bonus.

Early Marsh Orchid at Kersall

Best at Langford were a Dunlin and 4 Yellow-legged Gulls (all  3CY's, amongst 100 or so Lesser Black-backs - the arrival of Yellow-legs for the summer seems to get earlier every year), with a supporting cast of the 'usual' stuff, including at least 6 Little Egrets, 2 singing Cetti's Warblers, and a purring Turtle Dove.