OUR KIDS
That's what I used to think my Granny was saying whenever she saw a particular flower. “I love our kids”. Well thanks Gran, of course you did. It took me years – I was a slow learner – to realise that what she was actually declaring her love for was flowers of the Orchidaceae family. That's common or garden orchids to you and me, although they're not very common and you won't usually find them in many Barnsley gardens.
There are around 28,000 species of orchids in the world, of which around fifty can be found wild in the UK. We don't have that many growing in the Dearne Valley, but the few species that we do have are lovely and, quite rightly, protected by law. So much so that our local Council has put up signs along the main road leading to Old Moor saying...
“We know t'grass is ower-long. Wiv left it on purpose. Thi's some cracking orchids in it. Don't stress yersen, it'll be reyt.”
I paraphrased a little but that's basically what it says. And they're right; there are indeed some cracking orchids just outside the Old Moor gates, and there are even more within the reserve itself. Take a walk up Green Lane or around the pond dipping platform area and you might see some of the following.
Marsh Orchid – These are the one you're most likely to see at the moment on the reserve. We are a wetland site after all, so it's unsurprising that marsh orchids like our environment. In ancient records all of these kind of orchids were lumped together as one species – the Marsh Orchid – but over the years they've been split into several distinct kinds of plant. The one you're most like to see at Old Moor is the Southern Marsh Orchid. It's purple with a pink tinge and it's flowers grow into a tall column. There are even some of these to be found around our Welcome Shed. They hybridise quite easily with the Northern Marsh, and we have some of the Northern and the hybrids on the reserve too. If you can tell the difference, you're a better orchidologist than I. Truthfully, that's not a difficult thing to be.
Common Spotted Orchid – As its name suggests, this is one of the commonest orchids around but that doesn't make it any less beautiful. It has a delicate, pale purple flower with graffiti scribbles on each lobe or petal. The Victorians held that purple orchids signified nobility and dignity. If that's the case then any nobles or dignitaries visiting Old Moor better head to Green Lane straight away, as there are several of these plants along there.
Pyramidal Orchid – A few of these can be found on Green Lane too. As you'd expect from the name, all of this orchid's coloured petals are formed into a tight, if slightly rounded, pyramid shape. It's a mid-purple colour and has a musty aroma. It's also the County Flower of the Isle of Wight, fact fans. Every day's a school day.
Bee Orchid – This one is my favourite because it's one of those species whose name describes it perfectly. Even I can identify it, because the flower looks just like a female bee. That's the secret to their pollination technique. The male bee sees what he takes to be a selection of females but is actually a clump of Bee Orchids. What he lacks in common sense and eyesight, he makes up for in stamina. He visits them in turn, hoping to mate with each, and in doing so spreads the pollen from one to the other. The orchids even come in several variations, each one mimicking the appearance of a different insect so as to be attractive to that particular bee species. Evolution works in mysterious ways, and that way seems to be working well.
All of these beautiful orchids are visible right now at Old Moor. They can also be seen at our sister site, Gypsy Marsh, less than a mile away along the Trans-Pennine Trail. It's a lovely little piece of RSPB land, so out of the way that you'll usually have the place to yourself. Give it a try if you fancy a bit of peace and quiet. Just be aware that it really is a marsh. Even the concrete paths have been known to be a bit squelchy.
So please, visit our RSPB reserves to see not just the birds but the orchids too. And, as my Granny might say, bring Your Kids.