Briefly, as I'm all-in. Despite a Fresh NW wind, the Knepp Emperors amazed today, utterly. Very few of the male territories were occupied - too windy; they were oak edging, sallow searching and oak sap feeding instead.
But I still managed to see in excess of 125 individuals, including at least 6 females.
Sightings included one hapless (virgin) female being headily pursued by nine, repeat, nine males (cue the Benny Hill Show signature tune); and a blizzard of at least a dozen males plus one or two females, flying amongst the branches of the favoured feeder tree, after oak sap in the early evening (Patrick's Tree, for those who know Knepp).
To put this into context, to the best of my knowledge (and I should know), only five living people have seen ten or more Purple Emperors at at time in England: Ken Willmott at Bookham Common in 1983; Neil Hulme at Knepp in 2018 and again last Friday and today; Dennis Dell with me at Knepp in 2018; Kat Dahl with Neil at Knepp last Friday; and me, once at Knepp in 2018 and now twice today.
I don't think anyone's managed more than seven in a vista in Fermyn Woods, but am happy to be corrected.
Here's two of this evening's pics -
That's four males clustered together around a small sap bleed.
Other news. Dorset has at last declared itself Purple for the year (congrats to Dave Law for his persistence).
Now where's that drink?!
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