The HOME PAGE will
now be used for
archived older stories.
Chose many images
down the years and
select a topic.
WildWest.ie is a
personal initiative
exploring where we live
with many photographs
and years of recording.
Home Page 2024
EAST
Bee Orchid
Birdsnest Orchid
WEST
Marsh Orchids
Fragrant Orchids
NORTH
Small White &
Greater Butterfly Orchid
Other Later flowering species… Spiranthes spiralis and others.
There are a few other species we want to promote. These are dispersed geographically and their season ends in August with Spiranthes romanzoffiana’s cousin, the Autumn’s Lady’s Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) which come and go
very easily and may appear in vast numbers if a location is right. These may be ’cousins’ but they have a different lifestyle with mass colonisation in habitats that suit them perfectly — dunes, golf courses, etc . S. romanzoffiana
habitually occurs within 50cm above low water level but this can be a considerable width if the shores are flat or gentle. Despite rumours, they are hardly ever found away from water. They may shed seeds locally but there is also
some evidence of aerial distribution from east Europe and Asia. It is all very fascinating and it is rewarding to add to the pool of knowledge of spiralis, as we have done for romanzoffiana! Getting to know S. romanzoffiana has been
a rewarding experience and has brought us contacts through Europe and America — it is an American species! Autumn’s Lady’s Tresses is not an American species BUT one which occurs coincidentally with romanzoffiana in
Ireland and it seems coincidental/amazing that they occur in such vast numbers on our western seaboard? Kew Gardens show their distribution as all southern Europe (up to Ireland and Britain) Turkey, Iran, Iraq, North West
Africa and the Himalayas. Another great Spiranthes traveller!
We have recently surveyed the area involved and due to careful management by the owner, the numbers of this increasingly threatened species are increasing in her area. But other hills in the region have lost similar clusters of this very attractive species. However,
on another part of the Kesh/ Bricklieve slopes is being protected by exclusion of animals at the time of flowering. Look at this landscape and, if you see big flamboyant white flowers (often quite tall) peering up through the rough grassland, then
you are looking at a site that is probably rich in rare lime loving plants and animals.
Research and Conservation
There are a variety of instruments used in the past that are now being planned, whereby protection of biodiversity and farming activity can go hand in hand. We believe that this is the
ideal way to go, as everybody wants to see the country remain healthy and attractive and we all need to survive especially in small rural areas where there may be no other
opportunities to make a living. We hope to find out what exactly these proposals entail and how we can contribute in terms of research and information so that landowners may be
able to encourage whatever biodiversity is on their property, rather than pursue a difficult path of reclamation which will quickly remove all biodiversity particular to that area.
Greater Butterfly Orchid, Plantathera chlorantha This plant can be tall, prominent and emotionally rewarding when seen on a mountain pasture (Bricklieve Mtns), or in large numbers as in farmland location (BELOW).
Summer species to be considered include:
•
Frog Orchid: in large numbers at Strandhill in July
•
Fragrant Orchids: found around L. Gara in July
•
Marsh Helleborine: widespread lakeshores in July
•
Bog Orchid: rare in tiny streams in pools on mountain slopes
•
Dark Red Helleborine: Declining; north Clare July
•
Green Flowered Helleborine: Rare and elusive/Dublin Leitrim July
MORE information on these species can be found on our Site Map.
WildWest.ie
Local Orchid Sites
The Compass links below bring you to outstanding
botanical Sites in, or near, Co. Roscommon. It is Home to
us now, and it has a greatly underestimated range of
Flora and Plant habitats. Go out an Explore! Just click on
any of the 4 Blue Compass points…
CLICK IMAGE
where you see
this Icon.
WildWest.ie
The Image above is just a gentle reminder of
where we find, and when we find, some rare
small orchids that festoon our countryside in
Spring. Spiranthes flowers somewhat later.
The Compass in the centre of our image above
represent where we live in north Roscommon,
Ireland.
We have listed around it the other orchid
species that flower from May to June.
We admit to delays in keeping pace with the
Seasons and this will change as soon as we can
start to see and record large numbers
(hopefully) of Irish Lady’s Tresses. In the
meantime enjoy some of our rarest smaller
species; just click on the points of the Compass
to go to various Orchid types.
WELCOME to our
HOMEPAGE
Use the 1.2.3. Guides to
focus on Orchids, other wild
Plants, and Rare Species.
OTHER important SITES are
listed in our SITE MAP (2)
where you will find a very
large collection of data and
info over many years.
The Irish Lady’s Tresses seed
capsule shown LEFT will be
enlargeable SHORTLY
because of the uniqueness of
these photographs..
The TABLE (Left) provides
Annual Reports of this
species around 3 north Mayo
Lakes reporting Numbers,
Survival and Reproduction.
(This Table will also be
retained. (Nov. 14th, 2023)
Dense Flowered Orchid
Small White Orchid
2023
WildWest.ie
Apologies for absence of available Lady’s Tresses; they are simply flooded or broken or
inaccessible! There is still a possibility the Orchid may re-emerge if there is a reduction in our
present very high level of rain. The mountain, Nephin, towers over the lakes and lowlands and
probably attracts wind borne seeds to this place over the years. In the meantime we show a
collection of recent images some from higher ground and some underwater. This species can
survive well under water but not in stormy conditions. At present our records show about 300
plants — half what we recorded last year and even lower than 2021. BELOW are two fine clumps
from Victoria Bay on east Lough Conn with BELOW LEFT a rare specimen away from the immediate
shore and growing happily on a stony drainage ditch beside a bog!
Raised Water Levels show up well in the 4
images Above and Left of this box. Several
of these images show specimen growing
under water and looking like survivors
when we visited. Most shores on the North
West corner of L. Cullin have continuous
specimens of Spiranthes but not in large
numbers.
The main population of this species in the
area lies along the top shore of L. Cullin
either side of the Pontoon Bridge. Both of
these areas have been hit with problems.
East of the Bridge a large population (90+)
Spiranthes romanzoffiana has been largely
wiped out by a small number of horses
grazing here, where they never used to
graze much before.
West of the Bridge is a smaller colony
occurring both on a headland and the
coast alongside the R310 connecting both
sides of these large lakes. L. Cullin is
shallow and stony and L. Conn is deep with
fewer visible boulders away from its
shores.
All these Photos are available at a larger
scale; just click on the Image!
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
21a
2022
22a
2023
Low numbers due to
July/Aug flooding.
See BOTTOM of this Page…
Part Survey, The Lagoon, N.
L. Conn. Flood placed seeds.
YEAR Description Count/Link
Seed maturation/release!
All DATA for 2022
Spiranthes numbers, places,
association, etc
Conservation , conclusion,
new plans. (1 of 2 pages)
New survey sites but number
down due to floods.
Settlement pattern analysis
FIRST nearly full Survey.
‘Coming from America?
Spiranthes romanzoffiana in
Ireland
We have a very large data source from the
biggest survey site of this species in
Europe.…
A very high tide floods the land as canoeists
enjoy the end of Summer as the Sun sinks in the West!
Our Site Map is now on a separate
page. Click on Text or IMAGE to go to
years of work in our Wild places.
3
2
1
Lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
Breeding Comeback: Here we a see a Lapwing in late Summer
near a possible breeding site. This and other waders (like the
Curlew) may be making a very welcome breeding return to Ireland.
Summer Snowflake,
Leucojum aestivum
Can be abundant around
secluded lake shores in
late April or May, this is a
very attractive local
marginal species that
forms dense clumps on
margins of open water
where reeds have not
dominated.
Autumn Lady’s Tresses
We take a traditional Natural History approach to observing and recording what we
see — and often this gels with what other people are doing. We see our role largely as
presenting data in an attractive format and getting excited about rare or unusual
species… and worried about losing others from our National Ecology.
for any further Information you seek.
The Scene Below reflects the Situation that brought the 2023 Spiranthes season to an end. From mid July until mid January 2024 Ireland has endured a deluge.
CLIMATE CHANGE seems to be playing with us! After a long Hot Spring the rest of the Summer became wet and has remained so until 2024
Apart from S.romanzoffiana 4 other rare white flowering
Orchids are prevalent in this part of NW Ireland. Why?
And WHY also are they all white flowered!
SnowDrop Galanthus nivalis
Associated with trees in January and February , this is a very
attractive species that forms small clumps in leaf litter under bare
Beech trees, typically. A smaller plant to the rarer Snowflake.
WINTER to SUMMER! Two bright white early flowering plants,
Early SUMMER
Early SPRING
SUMMER
Unfortunately the Flooding shown below marked the end of our 2023 survey for Irish Lady’s
Tresses. The few plants below were quickly submerged and remain under water! However they will
emerge 2024 rain permitting and allowing Lake shores to dry out next Summer (2024)