Yesterday a local birder reported he'd seen one of the first purple emperors of the year at Bernwood Forest in Oxfordshire. They are usually reported early July although I saw one once on 23rd June, so it seems that the early emergence of this season's butterflies is continuing.
I would normally try and arrive early at the forest as PEs tend to like to come down to the floor earlier in the day before returning to the treetops but a family commitment prevented me, nevertheless I drove over to the Forest afterwards arriving shortly before 12.30. It was a bit risky seeing as only one had been reported but I also wanted to log silver washed fritillaries and white admirals which are also found at this site.
At the car park I spoke to a gentleman who said he'd seen an emperor along the ride leading to the meadows, which seemed to keep returning to the same spot so I went to look there first, seeing some silver washed fritillaries on the way, along with skippers and meadow browns. No emperor but I did spot one white admiral which, like the SWF, didn't settle in the heat.
The next person I met directed me to a pond where he had also spotted an Emperor this morning, but after quite a long walk, there was again nothing to be seen. In fact there were fewer butterflies than in other areas.
I continued until I reached a wide track, turning left, as I hoped this would eventually lead back to the car park. I could see a couple of figures in the distance, who were standing talking, one with a camera, who I decided could tell me if I was heading in the right direction. As I reached them I asked them if the track led to the car park.
'Yes' they said,' but there's a purple emperor down here!' I looked down where they were standing, a small muddy area of water and some stones and logs, and amongst them, wings closed was a Purple Emperor, tasting something on the ground! It had apparently been there for quite a while, once flying round then returning. The sun was behind a cloud and they were waiting for it to reappear, and hopefully coax the emperor to reveal its upper wings.
After chatting to them (and finding that one of them was in fact the person who had written the blog I mentioned earlier!) eventually the sun came through and the butterfly began to open its wings, the iridescent blue showing on one of its wings when you looked it from a certain angle.
It remained there just for three of us to admire, until eventually it took flight and disappeared around the corner. A satisfying outcome to the day.
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