Apologies for straying off topic but the first House Martins and Swallows are now arriving back & Suffolk is bone dry. If you have an open area create a mud splat and keep it moist until we have rain if you can. Here is a big splat in Woolpit! Suffolk Bird Group House Martin Conservation UK & Ireland

The Bucks ESO - what a difference a year makes. Both photos taken on the 11th April. On the left this year & on the right in 2024 #orchid #ukorchid #earlyspiderorchid BBO Wildlife Trust European Orchids & Wildflowers BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Worldwide Orchids & Wildflowers

My first Bee Orchid rosette of the year at Tyttenhanger GP today #orchid #ukorchid #earlyspiderorchid BBO Wildlife Trust @Britainsorchids Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Worldwide Orchids & Wildflowers

Early Purple Orchids - Ferricks Wood (Hertfordshire) 22/4/25 #hertsorchids #wildflowerhour HNHS & Herts Bird Club Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers @Britainsorchids BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland wildflowerhour

Lizard Orchid - North Hertfordshire 22/4/25 #hertsorchids #wildflowerhour HNHS & Herts Bird Club Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers @Britainsorchids BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland wildflowerhour

My first Bee Orchids (x13) of the year while working just outside Newmarket #orchids #beeorchid #ophrysapifera Wild Orchids UK & Ireland BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers wildflowerhour

I urge the Government to back my Planning & Infrastructure Bill amendments. We were promised a win-win for nature and growth - we got a developer’s charter that will destroy nature. Let’s change course and deliver for workers and wildlife. theguardian.com/politics/2025/…

Heath Spotted & Lizard Orchids in Hertfordshire this afternoon 7/6/25 #hertsorchids Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust HNHS & Herts Bird Club Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland wildflowerhour

Not enough people are contacting their MPs. If you love swifts email your MP saying ‘Swift bricks need to be mandated. Guidelines and policy aren’t enough.’ Put ‘swift bricks’ in the subject. We must try harder. The tories CAN back the swift brick amendment now. Let’s make them.

Bi-coloured Bee Orchid in Cambridgeshire 16/6/25 #beeorchid #ophrysapifera #orchid #orchids Wild Orchids UK & Ireland #wildflowerhour BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers wildflowerhour Hardy Orchid Society 🀣

All of the Hertfordshire Lizard Orchids that I know off from 3 different sites today, 19/6/25 #hertsorchids #lizardorchid #wildflowerhour HNHS & Herts Bird Club Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland wildflowerhour Hardy Orchid Society 🀣

Unfortunately no Marsh Helleborines at Herts only known site? I’ve only ever had small numbers but couldn’t find any evidence of them today 😢 #hertsorchids Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust HNHS & Herts Bird Club wildflowerhour Hardy Orchid Society 🀣

Broad-leaved Helleborine var. monotropoides - Bedfordshire 6/7/25 #bedsorchids #orchids #broadleavedhelleborine #wildflowerhour #orchid Wild Orchids UK & Ireland The Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland wildflowerhour European Orchids & Wildflowers Hardy Orchid Society 🀣

After a fair bit of searching eventually found 3 Dark Red Helleborines at Scout Scar (Cumbria) 8/7/25 #orchid #orchids #cumbria #darkredhelleborine #wildflowerhour Wild Orchids UK & Ireland BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Hardy Orchid Society 🀣 European Orchids & Wildflowers CumbriaWildlifeTrust

Really pleased to find Green-flowered Helleborine in flower again (after finding none last year) at the only site in Hertfordshire that I know of #hertsorchids #orchids #wildflowerhour Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland HNHS & Herts Bird Club BNA – Herts branch Hardy Orchid Society 🀣 wildflowerhour

Another species, Narrow-lipped Helleborine, in flower again (after finding none last year) at the only site in Hertfordshire that I know of #hertsorchids #orchids #wildflowerhour Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland HNHS & Herts Bird Club BNA – Herts branch Hardy Orchid Society 🀣 wildflowerhour

Dark Red Helleborines were just about hanging on at Bishop Middleham Quarry on the 28th July #orchids #wildflowerhour #darkredhelleborine DurhamWildlifeTrust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Hardy Orchid Society 🀣 wildflowerhour

Violet Helleborines - Bricket Wood (Hertfordshire) 2/8/25 Most were already gone over but a few were still in good condition #orchids #wildflowerhour #violethelleborine #hertsorchids Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust Wild Orchids UK & Ireland BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland wildflowerhour European Orchids & Wildflowers Hardy Orchid Society 🀣

I have managed to put together all the videos of my Pallid Swifts 5 weeks. I cannot believe how small it was when I took on the project - its eyes were not even open. So glad it made it to fledging. Hope it makes in back 🤞 #birds #swift #swifts #birdsseenin2025 #BirdsOfTwitter

The vilest of people! Hare coursing scumbags!