Holme Dunes Orchids & a Bonus
Orchids in the Dunes and a Bonus Holmes Dunes is a reserve nestled away on the north Norfolk coast, boasting many different habitats including sand dune, shingle beach, mud flats and marshland. It's crammed with all sorts of wildlife not least the natterjack toad, marsh harriers, an array of wading birds, and insects galore. Amongst the abundant insects are the common blue butterfly, dark green fritillary and Roesal's bush cricket. But the most abundant and easily spotted of all nature on the reserve has to be the wildflowers in the dunes and scrapes. The pyramidal orchid was there in abundance today, with great deep colours: Pyramidal Orchid - Olympus E-5 Body, Sigma 105mm Macro, 1/200s, f/5.6, iso 125 For me though, the standout orchid to see was the bee orchid - a mimic of the wild flower world that attracts male bees to it to mate and ultimately pollinate the plant. We don't have the species of bee required for this in the UK, s...