Orchid count 28 May

I do an annual count on 28 May of Common Spotted Orchids and for the first time the count is down on the previous year and it is significantly down as well. For context the CSO counts in 2017, 2018 and 2019 were all in the 60s. In 2020 it was way up at 208 and then more than doubled in 2021 to 442. This year it is back down to 259. Of course weather will play a part in timing but it is clear that the CSO numbers will be reduced on last year. There are areas which had dozens last year that have almost none this year - so far. At this stage I am counting rosettes rather than flowers and not all the rosettes will produce a flower. The end of year totals in 2020 and 2021 were 285 and 724 respectively so based on that I would expect we will end up with somewhere between 300 and 400 CSOs.