I'd not had a particularly prolonged encounter with a Purple Emperor for a couple of years so it was high on the agenda this year - subject to weather and availability of course!
My first encounter of the year wasn't overly surprising, but then again slightly unexpected! Knowing they were on the wing and hopeful I may bump into one, we went for a family walk in Hazelborough Forest (south block) on 01/07. While walking along, chatting away, a male flew up from the path right in front of us! It circled all 3 of us, revealing that wonderful flash of purple and then cruised up to the top of a nearby oak. I was cursing that I hadn't spotted it sat there, but still was quietly happy for us to have had the encounter. Rivalling that, on the way back to the car was catching sight of a Hornet taking out a Speckled Wood butterfly, before preceding to quite literally tear it to shreds on nearby Bracken! An amazing encounter!
The next day (02/07) I had the morning to myself to have a bit more of a concerted attempt at some woodlands butterflies. I decided to keep with tradition and have a proper scour of Bucknell Wood, near Silverstone.
Having pleasingly seen around 5 White-Letter Hairstreaks high up in their favourite Elm, I continued with my circuit, seeing White Admiral, Wood White and and 2-3 of my first Silver-Washed Fritillaries of the year. No Emperors by that point, whereby the sun was now firmly hidden by thick cloud. My wife then let me know she had left her car keys in my car and she was wanting about to go out with Luca - oh dear!
Back home I went to sort that out, then looked at the forecast. There was a potential for a little more sun so thought sod it, will give Bucknell another go!
On my return, I walked from the car park - it was super mild, but light cloud still lingered, with just the occasional flash of sun. I got to where the path dog-legs right, often a good spot. A Silver-washed Fritillary zipped up from the brambles onto a nearby Hazel. In looking for it with my bins, I came across a resting Purple Hairstreak and then further scanning a couple of branches up, amazingly a Purple Emperor! All three sat there for sometime, before the Emperor suddenly swooped down and promptly tried to unsuccessfully land on my leg. It continued to circle around low, buzzing a passing dog, before landing again up in one of the Yews. Eventually, there was a longer spell of sunshine which again lured the Emperor down. It swiftly zipped off down the path, but thankfully landed and finally I was able to enjoy some lovely prolonged views, close up!
After sometime I left it and went back up the path, coming across another PH briefly down by the path dog-leg. But it wasn't all about the Emperors. I managed to encounter 17 species in total, a very decent haul for a day of intermittent sunshine!
I returned to Bucknell on Friday 07/07 after work on a hot sunny day, with the backdrop of the Silverstone Grand Prix practice session! The main feature was the shear numbers of Purple Hairstreaks down from their usual treetop home. I can confidently say it was the most I'd seen down, encountering them frequently as I walked round, either on brambles, on the path or fluttering low down around path-side vegetation. One particularly fresh specimen spent quite some time on the path, in pretty much the same location as my close-up Emperor encounter a few days previous.
It was also great to come across a lovely fresh Valesina female Silver-Washed Frit, around the old car park brambles - my first of the year. Never get tired of seeing these stunning, metalic beauties!
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