2014-05-30 50 11

Location

In a field near Milda. Orchid territory!!

Participants

Plans

Since I have a lot to do before I can even think about geohashing tomorrow, I'm not sure that I will go. If I go, it will be by bike and either early in the morning or later in the afternoon. ScepticAnna (talk)

I will probably drop by on the way to my parents in the early afternoon. Will leave a Hashmark just in case anyone else visits, but probably can't write a report before Sunday. Paintedhell (talk) 04:41, 30 May 2014 (EDT)

Expedition

Anna

I left Jena by way of Lobeda and Maua, being careful of the broken bottles left from the partying yesterday. In Maua I was confused for a bit, because there is major roadwork going on and my GPS tried to send me the wrong (i.e. obsolete) way.

I knew there was a decent chance that I would find orchids on the way to the way to the hashpoint, so when I went up the way through Herrental valley, I kept my eyes open and on the sides of the path. At first I only saw a lot of other flowers (that were also beautiful) and some impressive bracket fungi. But then, in short succession, I encountered three different kinds of orchid: the Lesser Butterfly Orchid, the Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea, that is, or a closely related other kind of Orchis) and the Bird's-nest Orchid.

After much looking for and photographing of orchids, I finally reached the hashpoint. It was in a field with small plants growing. They looked kind of like corn, but corn is twice as tall already at this time of year, so I don't really know. but since the plants were so small and the space between rows pretty wide, I stepped over them to get to the hashpoint. At the point I took the proof photo and some photos to give an impression of the point, but I didn't stay long because a nearby field (luckily not the one I was standing in) smelled strongly of fresh liquid manure.

On the way back I went through the Leutra valley in the hope of seeing some more orchids. I wasn't disappointed. I found a lot more Lesser Butterfly and Lady's Orchids and also the Common Twayblade and the Lizard Orchid. All in all it was one of the more diverse orchid hunting trips I have done, and a geohash too!