Today was rather wet 🌧️, but we had our first visit to the fairly unique Kingley Vale NNR. I love the structure of the mature yew trees. Definitely going to return in drier weather to fully appreciate the chalk grassland too.

This is a historic moment: the first time the rights of Nature have entered the UK parliamentary process. The Bill recognises Nature as a legal subject, reorders the hierarchy of rights, creates a duty of care towards Nature and embeds Nature’s rights into UK decision-making across all sectors.

Dyers greenweed flowering this week in East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Field Fleawort still flowering this week on the South Downs #wildflowerhour

Lizard orchid still in bud in the South East of England this week - won't be long! #OrchidChallenge #wildflowerhour

Common Twayblade in flower this week in East Sussex #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

White Helleborine in West Sussex this week #OrchidChallenge #wildflowerhour

Chalk fragrant orchid in West Sussex this week #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

Fly orchid in West Sussex this week #OrchidChallenge #wildflowerhour

Man orchid in West Sussex this week #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

Greater butterfly orchid in East Sussex this week #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

Common spotted orchid in mid bloom in Kent today #OrchidChallenge #wildflowerhour

Pyramidal orchid starting to bloom in Kent today #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

Our first Monkey Orchid in 30 years today (Kent) #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

Had the delight of seeing our first ever Late Spider Orchid today in Kent! #OrchidChallenge #Wildflowerhour

31/5/26 - It has been a joy to lead our annual #OrchidsOfKent tour alongside @dunnjons.bsky.social. My highlight was catching #pseudocopulation in action for the second year running; this time a Eucera bee on a Late Spider #Orchid (Ophrys fuciflora). For the #wildflowerhour #OrchidChallenge

An orchid hunting venture to Kent has paid off today. Our first ever Late Spider Orchid and our first Monkey orchid for 30 years!

An 8 orchid species day today. Man, Fly, Greater Butterfly, Chalk fragrant plus White Helleborine, Common spotted, Common Twayblade and Early purple all on the South Downs! @southdownsnp.bsky.social

I did the Horseshoe Plantation/ Belle Toute butterfly transect this morning - 1e species seen in total including my first Adonis Blue, Small blue, Large Skipper and Meadow Brown of the year. Plus a Norfolk Hawker dragonfly which was a surprise given how far the site is from fresh water.

Lovely sunset tonight over Morecambe Bay. Also saw a lone Eider duck and a Grey seal @morecambebay.bsky.social

Bloody cranesbill flowering on Jack Scout in Lancashire this week #wildflowerhour

Fly orchid flowering in the Silverdale area of Lancashire this week #wildflowerhour

Bird's-eye primrose in flower around Hawes Water, Lancashire this week #wildflowerhour

Lily-of-the-valley seen flowering this week at Gait Barrows, Lancashire #wildflowerhour

Angular Soloman's-seal seen this week on Gait Barrows in Lancashire #wildflowerhour

A (pale pink) Green -winged orchid seen this week in The Lots, Silverdale in Lancashire #wildflowerhour

Great day at Gait Barrows NNR. A faded Duke of Burgundy, 2 Small Pearl Bordered Fritillay and some new-to-us plants in the limestone pavement - Angular Soloman's seal and Lily-of-the-valley, plus Rigid Buckler fern

The limestone walls around Silverdale village, Lancashire are wonderful for ferns. Lots of Rustyback, Maidenhair spleenwort, Wall rue, Harts tongue and one patch of Brittle Bladder-fern too!

A botanically fabulous day around the Silverdale & Arnside area today - Fly orchid, Bird's-eye primrose, Common Twayblade and Marsh valerian

Had a great day at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve today. Great views of Osprey, Little gull, Marsh harriers and lots of warblers singing.

Not sure which orchid this is (Southern or Northern marsh?) or it may be a hybrid. On Leighton Moss RSPB reserve today. Any help gratefully appreciated @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social

13/5/26 #Lancashire - A while since I saw a Bird's Nest #Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) on the Silverdale & Arnside AONB but a friendly heads-up made me aware of this stunning pair, that I couldn't resist visiting. It's a good year for them in the wider area too #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Nice to see plenty of Limestone fern amongst the scree within Monks Dale, Peak District

16/5/26 #Yorkshire - I could only find one Burnt Tip #Orchid (Neotinea ustulata) at the meadow I visited today, a species that feels like it is on the brink at just about every Northern site I know it from. I wonder how much longer it will cling on at this one #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Mountain pansy flowering on lead rake sites with the Peak District this week #wildflowerhour

The delicate Spring sandwort starting to flower on old lead mine sites within the Peak District this week #wildflowerhour

Plenty of Early-purple orchids flowering in the Peak District this week #wildflowerhour

Lady's mantle flowering this week in the White Peak part of Derbyshire #wildflowerhour

Lots of Meadow saxifrage flowering in the White Peak part of Derbyshire this week #wildflowerhour

Jacob's Ladder seen flowering this week in the Peak District #wildflowerhour

Water avens flowering in the White Peak part of Derbyshire this week #wildflowerhour

Ragged robin seen flowering around Rutland Water this week #wildflowerhour

Sweet woodruff seen flowering around Rutland Water #wildflowerhour

The perfectly named Globe flower, seen yesterday in the Peak District #wildflowerhour

So happy to find the perfectly named Globe flower in the White Peak today. A first for me!

Just so.......thank you Mr Ford

Cowslips, Mountain pansy, Early purple orchids and Meadow saxifrage looking fabulous on Millets Dale and Priestcliffe Lees today @derbyswildlife.bsky.social

Lovely to be back in the White Peak for a few days. So long since we saw a Dipper and nice to see Jacob's ladder again without feeling I have to count them for my research.

BBC News - Rare butterfly seen in record numbers at Monkwood - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A fabulous day at Rutland Water today - total of 70 bird species seen/ heard. A record for us in a single day! Best bird was the Osprey ( of course!) and two Little ringed plovers.