On Wednesday 12th June we had the annual orchid count at Pudsham Meadows.

 

 

 

Twenty-two DPA and Devon Wildlife Trust Volunteers set off in pairs or small groups, each surveying one species in one of the four meadows. A total of 4184 flowers were found.

 

 

In some areas, the orchids are no so easy to find – the photograph above is from Pudsham Meadow …..

 

 

The situation was similar in the meadow known as Small Field.

 

 

Whereas other species (here Heath Spotted-orchids in Pudsham Meadow) present a different challenge – they are easy to find but not so straightforward to count!

 

 

The photograph above shows two teams in the lower part of Ralph’s Meadow.

 

 

Coffee break and lunch were enjoyed with – perhaps a record-breaking? – five varieties of cake!

 

 

After lunch we pulled bracken in Goat and Small Fields. This picture shows a patch in Goat Field which has previously been pulled in 2017 and 2018. Note the small size of the bracken.

 

 

The previous bracken pulling has had a marked effect in reducing growth this year ….. compare with the photograph from two years ago, below …..

 

 

Contrast this photo of the same area taken in 2017 – both the height of the bracken and the number of flowers in the grassland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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