Orchids of Ordesa

We didn't see as many orchids as I expected, but still a nice selection.


Black Vanilla Orchid Nigritella nigra in Valle de Otal. I never tire of seeing this little beauty!


Butterfly Orchid Plathanthera bifolia and Elder-flowered Orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina.


Burnt Tip Orchid Orchis ustulata. Also, White Helleborine was quite common, and we saw lots of marsh and spotted orchids.

Other flowers of Ordesa

The Pyrenees are famous for their flora, many of which are endemic. Here is a small selection of what we saw.


Pyrenean Saxifrage Saxifraga longifolia and Yellow Saxifrage Saxifraga aretioides.


Vitalonia Vitalonia primuliflora and Entire-leaved Primrose Primula integrifolia. I found these two species of alpine primrose growing at 2200m on Punta Acuta.


Two species of Pyrenean lily, Dipcadi Dipcadi serotinum (photographed at Sierra de la Pena NOT Ordesa), and Pyrenean Hyacinth Hyacinthus amethystinus.


Another species of lily, Tofield's Asphodel Tofieldia calyculata, a very close relation of the Scottish Aspohodel T. pusilla which I found growing in Teesdale last year. Echinospartum Echinospartum horridum, is a close relation of Gorse Ulex europaeus.


Pyrenean Rockrose Helianthemum nummularium pyrenaicum. This beautiful plant is a sub species of the yellow Common Rockrose which grows in the UK.


Globeflower Trollius europaeus growing in profusion in the Valle de Otal, and Erect Clementis Clemantis recta. Valle de Otal was an excellent site, and well worth a visit with lush, wet alpine meadows, and lots of species which I didn't find in the Ordesa Valley


Two Pyrenean specialities, the insectivorous Long-leaved Butterwort Pinguicula longifolia and Ramonda Ramonda myconi.


Pyrenean Columbine Aquilegia pyrenaica and Pyrenean Rock-Jasmine Androsace pyrenaica.


Asphodel Asphodelus albus in the Valle de Otal and Rock Snapdragon Antirrhinum sempervirens on Punta Acuta.

A few other creatures from Ordesa

We saw Chamois in several places at high altitude, including this one at the head of the Ordessa valley.


There were loads of Little Blue butterflies, so many that they were swarming almost like midges in places, and it seemed not matter how hard we tried we would inevitably stand on one. Other butterflies seen but not photgraphed included lots of Clouded Yellows, several Swallowtails and most spectacularly, a single Camberwell Beauty.


We saw quite a few lizards, most of which appeared to be Pyrenean Rock Lizards. The individual on the left was photographed at 2000m on Punta Acuta. I think that the other lizard is a Common Wall Lizard.

We also saw lots of Marmots, a few Red Squirels and a single Wild Boar.

Birds of the Ordesa

Most of the time I was looking at the ground or the scenary, and in truth I did find the birding quite difficult. I wouldn't say that it was an easy place to bird. However, after an intial struggle, we did eventually see Lammergeier, the number one species on my and most other birders wish list. Four were in the Valle de Bujaruelo adjacent to Ordesa, but most spectacularly, two adults flew right over our heads as we approached the summit of Punta Acuta. They were probably only about the height of a two storey house above us. I suppose I could have taken a photo, but I was more interested in savouring the moment than messing about with the camera.

Other birding highlights included Black Woodpecker, a few Egyptian Vultures, lots of Griffon Vultures, several Black Kites, Ortolan Bunting, Golden Eagle, Citril Finches, Red-backed Shrike, Bonelli's Warblers, Bonelli's Eagle, Firecrests, Crag Martins, Alpine Swifts, Crossbills, Serins, Cirl Buntings, Alpine Choughs and Black Redstarts. Although we got to over 2200m, I don't think that we got high enough for Snow Finch and didn't get lucky with Alpine Accentor. As for Wallcreeper, well I had a look at several likely looking places, but Ordesa is a huge canyon with immense cliffs, and given that I spent a lot more time looking at the ground than at the cliffs it was always going to be a longshot.

A few flowers from St Helens

The following photos were taken at a private site in St Helens.

Heath Speedwell. This is the only site I know of in St Helens for this species.

Marsh orchids are notoriously difficult to identify, and it's not helped by their habit of hybridising. I think that this is Early Marsh Orchid. Look at the shape of the flower and compare it to the deeper purple Northern Marsh Orchid below.

However, now look at the leaves and you will see that they are spotted, which apparently makes it sub species cruenta, which is a very rare sub species in the UK. So perhaps it's actually Common Spotted Orchid, though the flowe shape doesn't look right, and the spots look too small and numerous to me.

Northern Marsh Orchid

Old Coach Road

Curlew 1
Tree Sparrow 10+

Upper Teesdale

Todays Breeding Bird Survey in the North Pennines produced Black Grouse and Short-eared Owl amongst other things, and following the survey I headed home via Upper Teesdale. It was a glorious day, but the Spring Gentians are now completely over. I climbed Cronkley Fell, Widdybank Fell and had a look along the banks of the Tees and could only find two Gentians, both shriveled remnants of their former glory. Birds on Cronkley Fell included two Ring Ouzels.

Cow Green reservoir - "Hindsight is a lazy vision, but successive generations will condemn in amazement the desecration of this natural area which is arguably the most imprtant botanical site in England." So wrote Sylvia Arnold in her book "Wild Flowers of the Yorkshire Dales". It's hard to disagree.....

The summit of Cronkley Fell.

The River Tees with Widdybank Fell.

The insectivorous Common Butterwort with Bird's-eye Primrose behind. Interesting to think that this plant uses insects for pollination and also eats them!

Spring Sandwort on Cronkley Fell

Hoary Rockrose on Cronkley Fell. This is a rare relation of the Common Rockrose, and is found mainly in North Wales, where I've seen it best on the Great Orme at Llandudno. It's a very rare plant in England, and on Cronkley Fell it is at its most northerly site in the UK.

I've seen more than my fair share of breeding Golden Plover recently, and here is another near the summit of Cronkley Fell.

I've seen a few of these as well - Red Grouse, this one also on Cronkley Fell.