Avez-Vous un Cuppa?

Following information from Colin Towe and Chris Lythall of an unusual Bee Orchid at Stoughton airfield. I checked the site  out a few days later in the company of Colin and Chris. Finding the plant on one of the former roads around the airfield, the Bee Orchid quite clearly looked like the form Var.belgarum. To put this flower into context, I believed it was the first time this form has been recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland!! (Unless of course somebody knows differently). Over the last couple of weeks I have checked the site again and have found at least 4 spikes of this form. I have sent the details to Michael Jeeves (Vc55 plant recorder) and just waiting to see if he has any more information on this form. Fingers crossed it will be a new record for the county? Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera Var.belgarum)

I checked out a new site last week for me just over the county border into Lincolnshire for Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) . Parking up on a nearby road verge at Copper Hill LWT , it wasn't long before I saw the target species by the road side verge. Over the next hour I noted at least 25 Man Orchids on the verges and also a new plant for me in the UK in the form of  Common Star of  Bethlehem ( Ornithogalum umbellatum)   . Here is the link for this excellent little reserve:  http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/Dukes-Covert-Copper-Hill Close up of the Man Orchid flowers. Side view of one of the Man Orchids. Seen on the road side verge! Common Star of Bethlehem.

  Here is a short video of the summer plumaged Pied-billed Grebe at Rutland Water last year and thanks to Steve Lewis for finding me a county tick!

Here is a short video of the an Interesting Gull which showed characteristics of a third winter Caspian Gull at Watermead CP South, Leicester a couple of weeks ago.

Here is a quick video of the mobile Glossy Ibis at Wanlip Meadows LRWT in May 2014.