Endings

The above is one of the many highlights of the 2010 iris flight season, which is now ending. (Fermyn Woods, 4th July, old horse manure revitalised with Ask Not... ).

Yesterday, Sun Aug 1st, I managed to see 2 males in Savernake Forest, plus the briefest of sightings of a female: single males in two of the most favoured territories along Three Oak Hill Drive. I was rather thwarted by cloud. The odd male may last till the weekend.

Eggs are extremely hard to find in Wiltshire this year. I am not sure why but suspect that the windy weather around Swithin's Day knocked many females out, at least in this part of the country. Further north and east, the gale wasn't so severe. Brother Ken, for example reports a hugely successful flight season at Bookham Common, Surrey.

For some of us the Emperor Season is ending, but not for me (I have now seen iris in the wild for 15 consecutive months, which may constitute Obsessive Behaviour; at least I hope so). Watch this space...