It is understandable that this website has lots of long and detailed reports from fermyn and knepp, but these places are certainly not representative for the vast majority of iris habitats.
Here, in the Upper Thames region, so far, it is either a poor season, or a late season, or a poor and late season.
Just 73 sightings over this period in 43 visits by lots of people to 14 localities. For previous years, the average sightings/visit has been between 2 and 3, so, so far, we are well below average.
Lookng at previous years, we have had two late seasons: 2012 and 2013. In 2012, it started on 4th July and peaked from 22nd to 28th July; in 2013 it started on 8th July, with a long peak between the 10th and the 26th. So, hopefully, it is a late season and things will get better.
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Knepp and Fermyn always give a false impression but I get the feeling with us nearly half way through July that its a poor season with 1 Emperor so far from Bentley Wood after two visits and nothing so far from Chase Wood in N.Dorset ☹ . Weather supposedly improving this weekend so Savernake is calling. I remain hopeful.
It may be that the (two) super league sites (Knepp & Fermyn) perform proportionally better in difficult seasons than sites supporting small populations...
The season in Herts/Essex is certainly late (though not by 20012/13 standards),and numbers lower than last two seasons,but a warm spell(not forecast here) may up the numbers,I saw my first 2 at Hatfield forest on the 12th (3 days late) some territory's seem empty,today I saw a male at Lingwood common Essex struggling up to the assembly area in the cool cloudy conditions at 3.20 pm,he may make it today if the sun comes out!.
East Hampshire is varied - reasonable numbers at Alice Holt 14 in one visit - normal at Havant Thicket three in one visit - West wood near Winchester revealed nothing but a dog walker showed me a picture of a fresh male taken on 7th July
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