Birds, salamanders and flowers

After our walk along the fields of Losdorp, we arrived near a house with many trees and other plants around it.

The owners of this private nature reserve were so kind to show us around.

They have a nest box for kestrels; which these birds use regularly.

They have a big nest box for tawny owls as well. So far, jackdaws use it.

This summer, a nest of young greenfinches fledged around here.

There are many orchids here; including Gymnadenia species. Unfortunately, at this time of the year, most of their flowers were finished. So were rattle flowers. Greater yellow-rattles and Rhinanthus alectorolophus both grow here.

As this photo shows, there were still field cow-wheat flowers.

And autumn crocus flowers.

Bumblebees visit the still flowering flowers.

Not lesser butterfly-orchid, or common broomrape or field scabious flowers: it is too late for them.

There are still harebell flowers.

And flowers of their relatives, rampion bellflowers.

A small white butterfly on a snapdragon flower.

We arrive at the pond. On its banks, beautiful bog-star flowers. Also on the pond banks, a relatively small species of the ancient horsetail family: common horsetails. In the water, a bigger relative of them: marsh horsetails.

Marsh helleborine and marsh lousewort: again, they grow here; but no flowers any more.

There is a small metal fence around the musk orchids; to prevent snails from eating them.

Euphrasia flowers still in bloom.

In the pond, edible frogs and common newts live.

There are various insect hotels.

Near the fence in a dry ditch, remains of a dead hare. Apparently, two buzzards which flew away, had been feeding on it.

Finally, a brimstone butterfly.

Related articles

• Hares and buzzards (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Dragonflies and other insects (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• History and Meaning of Orchids (mastergarden.wordpress.com)
• How To Take Care Of Orchids Plants (onlinesendgiftstohyderabad.wordpress.com)
• A flower hints at the appearance of an extinct bee (whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com)
• Lesser Butterfly Orchids all present and accounted for. (lochlevennnr.wordpress.com)
• Catching up… (solariahues.wordpress.com)
• Spectacular Orchids at the Orchid Spectacular (allankleiman.com)
• Salamander Emerging (47whitebuffalo.wordpress.com)