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Saturday 24 April 2010

Coin area and Refugio de Jaunar, Malaga Province.

First new Orchid species of the year.

Serapias vomeracea.
Jayne and I set off down to Malaga to pick my Mother and her partner John up from the airport, they were not arriving till late evening so I took the chance to visit some Orchid sites and Jayne visited a couple of the shopping centres. 
The first stop was at the very unimpressive centre at Coin (not just my feelings); from there we visited a site for a species of orchid that was new to me. Ian Phillips an Orchid buff from Malaga had given me some info on this colony of Serapias vomeracea just north of Coin. The plants were found easily with the direction I was given, at least 100 spikes with very fresh flowers. Spikes of Tongue (Serapias lingua) and Small-flowered Tongue (Serapias parviflora) were also seen. 
We then moved on to another of Ian’s sites which he had shown me last year where I was hoping for a late Atlas Orchid (Ophrys atlantica) but I only managed a couple of plants which were well past there best. I did see more Tongue and Small-flowered Tongue Orchids and added Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea) and Mirror Orchids (Ophrys speculum) to the day list. 
Serapias vomeracea.
The last of the wildlife stops was at Refugio de Jaunar just south east of Monda, once off the main Marbella road Orchids started to appear, two nice spikes of Champagne (Orchis champangeuxii) and a dozen or so of Dense-flowered (Neotinea maculata) were the first. Just before the tarmac road enters the hotel we parked on the track to the view point over Marbella and started to check the woodlands out. The first species seen was Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia) dozens of spikes were growing below the Sweet Chestnut and Pine Trees. 
Also here were 50 or so spikes of Barton’s Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis) all in perfect condition, as were the many Lange’s (Orchis langei) and Southern Early Purple Orchids (Orchis Olbiensis). I continued the search of the woodlands and found many more Barton’s, Lange’s and Sword-leaved Helleborines, but there was no sign of the Red Helleborines (Cephalanthera rubra) I was most interested in, a bit too early I think. 
Barton’s Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis).
At least two Nuthatch's (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) were calling and both Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos) were noted.
We then started our trip down to the centre at Marbella but picked up a group of four Man Orchids (Aceras anthropophorum) just at the exit back on to the road south. From the shopping centre we went to Malaga airport to meet Mother and John.