Looking back at 2012 - The final Tally.
My weeks in Norfolk and Dorset and the trip up to Arnside Knott had added a number of firsts for me this year including Swallowtail, High Brown Fritillary, Scotch Argus and Lulworth Skipper.
I also saw a couple of Species that I had not seen for years, namely Wall Brown and Clouded Yellow.
I had not been keeping a running total of the number of species I had seen and didn’t actually do a count until after I had seen Brown Hairstreaks at Grafton Wood in September.
I had thought that I had probably seen something like 40 or so species and was surprised to find that the Brown Hairstreak had made it a nice round 50 which, considering the year that we have had, I am well pleased with.
My final tally for the year is below, along with a few notes from my own observations and from some conversations with people that I met whilst out and about.
1. Small Skipper – First seen 14th July. Good numbers at most local sites
2. Essex Skipper – A few found at Castle hills and Babbs Mill near Solihull from mid-July. At Castle hills found in different part of meadows to Small Skippers.
3. Lulworth Skipper – A first for me. I was surprised to find fair numbers still flying at Durlston Country Park first week of September.
![Durlston 03.09.2012 625resize.JPG (350.68 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Lulworth Skipper - Durlston Country Park 03.09.2012](./files/thumb_10101_98f6703abea6b7bf8ca68d2bc0231a5d)
- Lulworth Skipper - Durlston Country Park 03.09.2012
4. Silver-spotted Skipper – Loads seen at Aston Rowant on 16th August along slopes north side of M40.
![Aston Rowant 16.08.2012 033resize.JPG (342.01 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Silver-spotted Skipper - Aston Rowant 16.08.2012](./files/thumb_10101_a76e2e55fa6ed3015d5ec58b27245c04)
- Silver-spotted Skipper - Aston Rowant 16.08.2012
5. Large Skipper – First seen 20th June at Salcey Forest.. Found at most local sites but numbers seemed lower than last year.
![Large Skipper - Salcey Forest 20.06.2012 181resize.JPG (321.12 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Large Skipper - Salcey Forest 20.06.2012](./files/thumb_10101_7d82e502627780d1fa5d088761828bac)
- Large Skipper - Salcey Forest 20.06.2012
6. Dingy Skipper – First seen 13th May at Prestbury Hill, Gloucestershire during Warkwickshire BC walk. Good numbers at Bishops Hill Warks. in late May.
7. Grizzled Skipper – First seen 20th May at Harbury Warks. Also at Ryton Meadows 25th May but numbers seemed down on last year.
![Harbury 20.05.2012 006resize.jpg (377.45 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Grizzled Skipper - Harbury 20.05.2012](./files/thumb_10101_5703b775f70c35ef6e01af285b0c6b9d)
- Grizzled Skipper - Harbury 20.05.2012
8. Swallowtail – Another personal first. 4 seen at Strumpshaw Fen 28th May and 1 at How Hill on 30th May. According to locals very late and apparently had a bad year.
![Strumpshaw Fen - 28.05.2012 001resize.JPG (398.59 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Swallowtail - Strumpshaw Fen 28.05.2012](./files/thumb_10101_80ce504fead5c1ce9e40d1b429034f40)
- Swallowtail - Strumpshaw Fen 28.05.2012
9. Wood White – Half a dozen seen at Salcey forest, Northamptonshire 20th June. I believe they have done well here with good numbers seen earlier in June.
10. Clouded Yellow – 2 seen in Dorset, 1 on Bindon Hill, Lulworth 5th Sept. and 1 on Ballard Down 6th Sept. These were the first ones I have seen for years.
11. Brimstone – First seen 13th May at Prestbury Hill. Then occasionally from July until September when I found half a dozen together at Grafton Wood.
12. Large White - First seen in May then not again until August. Loads in Dorset first week of Sept.
13. Small White – First seen 23rd March in garden, then nothing until July when started to see almost everywhere until early October.
![Sandford 05.09.2012 1144resize.JPG (342.15 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Small White - Sandford Heath](./files/thumb_10101_b44cd22de363a31371a8acbc88d04ddb)
- Small White - Sandford Heath
14. Green-veined White – First Spring Brood seen 26th April in garden. Summer brood not in numbers until late July onwards then seen everywhere.
![Coverdale 11.05.2012 026resize.jpg (333.13 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Green-veined White Coverdale 11.05.2012](./files/thumb_10101_d864d33908ccdce8aa335462289070ca)
- Green-veined White Coverdale 11.05.2012
15. Orange Tip – First seen 13th April at Castle Hills, Solihull. Good numbers around but not quite as many as last year. Last one seen was a female at Salcey Forest 20th June.
![Castle Hills - 13.04.2012 021resize.jpg (334.58 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Orange Tip - Castle Hills 13.05.2012](./files/thumb_10101_8c924794444a9bde109d09181bc673dc)
- Orange Tip - Castle Hills 13.05.2012
16. Green Hairstreak – First sighting at Prestbury Hill 13th May. Half a dozen at Ryton Meadows 23rd May, a couple of weeks later than last year.
17. Brown Hairstreak – Half a dozen at Grafton Wood on 8th September. A late emergence here but apparently showing well through September.
18. Purple Hairstreak – First seen 14th July at Ryton Wood during open day. Also seen at Oversley and Fermyn but definitely not as many as last year.
![Oversley 21.07.2012 002.jpg070.jpg (425.69 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Purple Hairstreak - Oversley Wood 21.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_965e25ffb91e77948673c02e70b8a487)
- Purple Hairstreak - Oversley Wood 21.07.2012
19. White-letter Hairstreak – Just 1 seen at Fermyn woods on 24th July on Elm in main ride. Possibly the most photographed WLH in the country this year
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
but I did not get a good shot.
20. Small Copper – Seen at 4 sites in Norfolk last week in May. Summer brood only found at 1 local site from 11th August. Half a dozen seen at Aston Rowant 16th August including a nice ab. radiata.
![Aston Rowant 16.08.2012 037resize.JPG (386 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Small Copper ab. radiata - Aston Rowant 16.08.2012](./files/thumb_10101_a1c2f27bb144a16a4d5764694872bd24)
- Small Copper ab. radiata - Aston Rowant 16.08.2012
21. Small Blue – 1 seen at Prestbury Hill 13th May. A dozen or so at Bishops Hill Warwickshire during 2 visits late May and first week of June.
![Bishops Hill 09.06.2012 058resize.JPG (352.92 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Small Blue - Bishops Hill 09.06.2012](./files/thumb_10101_be84c289c531a4646d4cb3355d8586b9)
- Small Blue - Bishops Hill 09.06.2012
22. Silver-studded Blue – Loads seen at Prees Heath 4th July in 3 main concentrations along old runway.
![SSB - Prees Heath 04.07.2012 261resize.JPG (346.27 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Silver-studded Blue - Prees Heath 04.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_8ee15b8a5bfe6bb6bbf2c32a2691554f)
- Silver-studded Blue - Prees Heath 04.07.2012
23. Brown Argus – Small Colony found at Burgh Castle in Norfolk 26th May. A dozen or so at Aston Rowant 16th August. None seen on my local patch this year.
24. Common Blue – Loads in dunes north of GT Yarmouth 30th May. Good numbers at Bishops Hill Warks. 9th June.
Summer brood very late around local patch, not seen until 18th August at Shadowbrook Meadows and numbers low.
25. Chalkhill Blue – Loads at Aston Rowant on August 16th on slopes north side of M40. A few faded individuals still on Bindon Hill, Lulworth 5th Sept.
26. Adonis Blue – Hundreds seen in Dorset first week of Sept. at Ballard Down, Durlston CP and Bindon Hill. Apparently not such a good year for these elsewhere.
27. Holly Blue – First Spring brood seen 12th April in garden, Summer brood from 3rd week in July. Good numbers seen in garden, possibly slightly down on last year.
![Coverdale 09.08.2012 006resize.jpg (438.68 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Holly Blue - Coverdale 09.08.2012](./files/thumb_10101_a030f4c71f180a7f1e167ac586b2d888)
- Holly Blue - Coverdale 09.08.2012
28. Duke of Burgundy – Half a dozen at Prestbury Hill 13th May, apparently the most seen here up until then. Definitely later than last year when I saw them here in April. Not a good year for this species.
![Prestbury Hill 13.05.2012 014resize.jpg (362.01 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Duke of Burgundy - Prestbury Hill 13.05.2012](./files/thumb_10101_ecf033ab111c9c0da374d1287ab312f8)
- Duke of Burgundy - Prestbury Hill 13.05.2012
29. White Admiral – A few seen at Oversley Wood, Ryton wood and Snitterfield Bushes during mid-July. Looks like another bad year for WAs in Warwickshire following on from a bad year last year.
30. Purple Emperor – First one seen at Oversley Wood, Warks. 21st July. Good numbers seen at Fermyn Woods 24th July, just after the main emergence which was late but good this year.
Apparently also seen in Salcey Forest after being absent for a number of years.
![Fermyn 24.07.2012 056resize.jpg (410.25 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Purple Emperor - Fermyn Woods](./files/thumb_10101_f53d2c4c76b0d23b8d7d89b0f5b90bfe)
- Purple Emperor - Fermyn Woods
31. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary – Good numbers seen at the Wyre Forest 4th June, most nice and fresh. I had timed my visit here to try and see both PBF and SPBF.
![SPBF - Wyre Forest 04.06.2012 008resize.JPG (347.84 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Small-pearl Bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 04.06.2012](./files/thumb_10101_4560ad2a1d9ced22d1746cab517c494e)
- Small-pearl Bordered Fritillary - Wyre Forest 04.06.2012
32. Pearl-bordered Fritillary – Good numbers in the Wyre Forest 4th June, most getting a bit faded. Apparently had a good year here.
33. High Brown Fritillary – Another first for me, half a dozen seen at Arnside Knott 29/30th July. According to local info numbers were down this year.
![Arnside 30.07.2012 236resize.jpg (432.35 KiB) Viewed 1831 times High Brown Fritillary - Arnside Knott 30.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_997c56f1ce82639a514090b4a55358e9)
- High Brown Fritillary - Arnside Knott 30.07.2012
34. Dark Green Fritillary – Good numbers at Arnside Knott 29/30th July. Most getting tatty by now but some nice females still around.
![Arnside 30.07.2012 298resize.jpg (386.68 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Dark Green Fritillary - Arnside Knott 30.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_6db5115d8007392b450937d57ea2a37c)
- Dark Green Fritillary - Arnside Knott 30.07.2012
35. Silver-washed Fritillary – Good numbers, similar to last year, seen at Ryton Wood, Oversley Wood and Snitterfield Bushes mid to Late July.
36. Red Admiral – First seen 20th June, then regular individuals until first week of September when I saw hundreds in Dorset. Then loads around local patch until first week of October.
37. Painted Lady – 1 faded specimen seen locally 23rd June. Approx. a dozen seen in Dorset first week of September with all the Red Admirals.
![Studland 03.09.2012 801resize.JPG (374.17 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Painted Lady - Studland 03.09.2012](./files/thumb_10101_a3df1ba7f31339508a1c3c926ad7e3ad)
- Painted Lady - Studland 03.09.2012
38. Small Tortoiseshell – First local sighting 25th March, a couple more in June then nothing until first week of September in Dorset when good numbers seen.
39. Peacock – Good numbers around locally last week of March. Summer brood very late and not seen until late August, when good numbers around for a couple of weeks.
40. Comma – Also around in good numbers locally in late March, I remember at the time, whilst others were seeing Brimstones, commenting that it was all Peacocks and Commas for me.
Individuals seen regularly at most sites from mid-July then loads from mid-September to early October.
41. Speckled Wood – First one in the garden 25th March, a few days earlier than last year. Then present in garden all year apart from a normal 2 week gap.
This year the gap was in late June which was a couple of weeks later than last year. Also seen regularly at most local sites. Numbers appeared similar to last year.
42. Wall Brown - 1 seen at Horsey Dunes in Norfolk 30th May. Half a dozen seen on Bindon Hill, Lulworth first week of September.
Another species that I have not seen for years, apparently it is extinct in Warwickshire.
![Lulworth - 05.09.2012 1082resize.JPG (444.07 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Wall Brown - Bindon Hill 05.09.2012](./files/thumb_10101_d00f7fdb1a9dfb117c99918ff107345d)
- Wall Brown - Bindon Hill 05.09.2012
43. Scotch Argus – My final first this year, there were loads at Arnside Knott 29th/30th July. They had only been flying for a few days when I was there and I only saw males.
![Arnside 30.07.2012 280resize.jpg (457.19 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Scotch Argus - Arnside Knott 30.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_30679d3c1dd62c4ed872423b450b920e)
- Scotch Argus - Arnside Knott 30.07.2012
44. Marbled White – First seen in good numbers at Ryton Meadows 14th July. Also Hundreds at Snitterfield 18th and 21st July. Found at 2 local sites for the first time this year.
![Snitterfield 18.07.2012 168resize.jpg (413.91 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Marbled White - Snitterfield Bushes 18.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_f5062215b586fec17c2792b1f5db46b7)
- Marbled White - Snitterfield Bushes 18.07.2012
45. Grayling – Abundant at Arnside Knott 29th/30th July. Loads seen in Dorset first week of September, particularly on Bindon Hill and Sandford Heath.
![Sandford - 05.09.2012 1140resize.JPG (481.85 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Grayling pair - Sandford Heath 05.09.2012](./files/thumb_10101_d0d166ee74aaa67642d4264c0e6a569e)
- Grayling pair - Sandford Heath 05.09.2012
46. Gatekeeper – First few seen at Ryton 14th July. Good numbers around local sites through July and August but not in the same profusion as last year.
47. Meadow Brown - First seen locally on 23rd June, numbers built to the point where they were abundant everywhere I went.
I was still finding fairly fresh females in Dorset during the first week of September and my last local sighting was 15th Sept. This species seemed to have a very good year in the midlands.
48. Ringlet – First seen locally 30th June, this was another species that appeared to have a very good year, appearing in huge numbers at some sites during July.
49. Small Heath – First seen at Prestbury Hill on 13th May. I saw Small Heaths at a number of sites from July and at a number of sites in Dorset but only ever in ones and twos.
My impression is that locally they have not had a very good year.
![Small Heath - Prees Heath 04.07.2012 398resize.JPG (338.24 KiB) Viewed 1831 times Small Heath - Prees Heath 04.07.2012](./files/thumb_10101_9fd1060c8971b3a8337fd86face9e3c2)
- Small Heath - Prees Heath 04.07.2012
And last but definitely not least,
50. Large Heath – Seen in good numbers at Whixall Moss on 4th July.
Considering that I made no attempt to see Chequered Skipper, Large Blue, Black Hairstreak, Mountain Ringlet nor Marsh, Heath or Glanville Fritillaries, this means that I saw just about everything that I set out to see plus a few that I did not expect.
I just missed out on Northern Brown Argus at Arnside Knott, apparently a few were still flying just before I went. I also missed the Monarch on Portland by a day, I read about the sighting on the night that I returned home from Dorset, oh well, musn't get too greedy
This means that it was a good year for me despite the weather which was ‘challenging’ at times if not downright atrocious. Amongst the gloom there were sunny days, of which some were glorious, 24th July at Fermyn Woods and the first week of September in Dorset springing to mind. Others were mostly cloudy and wet but still managed enough brightness to produce butterflies, my visits to Prees Heath / Whixall Moss on 4th July and Oversley / Snitterfield on 18th July being prime examples.
Here’s looking forward to 2013, whatever it brings.
Neil.