It's all go at the Knapp!

This year the common spotted orchids have done really well - I reckon there are between 5/10,000 spikes!!

I also counted 33 southern marsh orchids and 7 hybrid flower spikes.

Our pied flycatchers did well this year too. I ringed 7 chicks and the adult male. I also caught the female who was ringed in 2006 as an adult, which makes her at least 5 years old. She was ringed by Dr David Boddington in Romer Wood, in the Teme valley and hasn't been seen since (until she turned up here).

Kingfishers have raised their first brood and youngsters can be seen flying up and down the brook.

On Sunday, I saw a red kite circling high above the warden's cottage.

Fergus, Knapp & Papermill

Orchids at Upton Warren?

It's true! We've seen new orchids at Upton Warren for the first time. We've had common spotted orchids for a while but the first new one we found was a pyramidal orchid at the Moors in early summer. And then, not too long after and quite close by, we found a bee orchid. Finding one orchid was a surprise - finding two was just spooky!

It's not just the orchids that are doing well this year either. We've also seen a couple of butterflies that we're quite proud of.

Essex skippers were first spotted at Upton Warren in 2006 and we think they've been present ever since. The individual in the photos was seen near the sailing pool. It's distinguished from the small skipper by the inky black antenna tips and the short, thin, scent mark on the wing, parallel to the wing edge.

We've also seen white-letter hairstreak butterflies. These have had a tenuous hold at Upton (and much decreased in the UK), with only a couple of specimens seen over the last few years. The photo is one seen in July this year. Compared with the early '90's when butterflies were seen on brambles and thistles, it is now only seen on its food plant, Wych Elm - which involves a lot of neck craning on our part!

If you're wandering around Upton Warren and come across anything else we should know about, why not comment below or tell a volunteer or member of staff.

Des, Upton Warren