Orchids in Wragg's Quarry

There are dozens of flowering spikes of orchids appearing in Wragg's Quarry at the moment. When they first appeared around 2011 I'm sure they were all Northern Marsh Orchids but now there appear to be a wide range of hybrids with what looks like Heath Spotted Orchid.
Many of the hybrids are tall flowering spikes which is a feature of hybridisation.
What ever they are there are some superb examples!

Northern Marsh Orchid with close-up lower petal insert

Heath Spotted Orchid with close-up lower petal insert

hybrid Northern Marsh x Heath Spotted Orchid with unmarked leaves

hybrid Northern Marsh x Heath Spotted Orchid

Orchids - Wragg's Quarry

Heath Spotted and Northern Marsh Orchids amongst the Birdsfoot Trefoil in Wragg's Quarry. It looks to me like the number of Heath Spotted are increasing and the Northern Marsh decreasing. There are also Common Spotted near the pond and one or two Common Twayblade so an impressive showing.

Orchids in Wragg's Quarry

Northern Marsh Orchid - Wragg's Quarry

A good showing of orchids again this year in Wragg's Quarry. I have these down as Northern Marsh, a small number have spotted leaves so suspect there is some hybridisation with the Heath Spotted Orchids which occur nearby. The shape of the lip varies quite a bit, the one photo is fairly typical but some have a more extended central lobe.

Northern Marsh Orchid

Northern Marsh Orchid - Wraggs Quarry

A couple of years ago Ken noted a single Northern Marsh Orchid, the first we had seen in Wraggs Quarry and it appeared again last year. This year there must be over fifty orchids just starting to bloom. They are intermingled with an orchid that looks like Heath Spotted Orchid. I'll have another look when the flowers have fully opened.

Northern Marsh Orchid