www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Everyone makes resolutions for the New Year, but in butterflying terms, what things score highly on the 2012 wish list for everyone? It's easy to be greedy, but realism must remain a constant factor and there simply isn't enough time to do everything we want in a single year.

From a personal perspective, I'd like to do the following realistically achievable things:

1. See the four remaining British species I've never yet encountered in the wild - Chequered Skipper, Black Hairstreak, Scotch Argus & Purple Emperor (plus the artaxerxes form of Northern Brown Argus).

2. Spend a day (preferably a hot one which has thus far been the limiting factor) amongst the Silver Studded Blue colonies at Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire.

3. Spend a week studying montane species in the Pyrenees (whilst revitalising my French which I am in danger of forgetting if I continue to neglect it).

4. Find Green Hairstreak and Marsh Fritillary in the Neath Valley (there ARE colonies, and I am determined to sniff them out).

5. Hunt down White Admirals in the Gwent woodlands.

What's on everyone else's wish list?

My new year resolution is to get out farther afield and get to photograph more varied butterfly species to add to the Blues, Skippers, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Whites I managed this year.

since i was lucky this year and shot alot of the hardest to see .
i guess chequered ,silver spot and grizzled skippers, duke of b, glanville ,marsh and pearl bordered frits are my targets.
and a decent white letter hairstreak shot i think its a realistic target hopefully!

phil

I shall be thinking about a new thread at the end of the season: "Favourite Photo of 2012".

I think Chris C's brilliant idea this year will give an extra fillip to my photography next year.

Mike

I'd like to break Guy's multiple species record with 8+ butterflies to show that Annoying Czech has much higher level of annoyness than Annoying Swiss

Okay, I'm hoping for 100 species snapped per year, or at least 75.

And to join some local convservation/counting projects, currently in "to be discussed" status.

And to avoid a car accident.

The Annoying Czech wrote:I'd like to break Guy's multiple species record with 8+ butterflies to show that Annoying Czech has much higher level of annoyness than Annoying Swiss

The 'annoyingness' has to be considered in context - UK residents know that continental folk are regularly able to see far more species than we are.

And to avoid a car accident.

LOL! Surely there isn't too much traffic knocking about in Moravia?

1. taking 3 friends (1 who does butterflies, and 2 who need more convincing) Swallowtail hunting by boat (non drivers have to be creative when butterflying and you can moor at Hickling Broad!).

2. Heddon Valley for High Brown Fritillaries, I started following butterflies after a National Trust holiday surveying High Browns, at the time I didn't really appreciate what I was seeing, time to go back.

3. Marsh Fritillaries - should be able to find these in a day trip

4. and this will be the year that my friend and I see a Large Blue.

David M: not really, but I'm so young & stupid and the mountain roads and serpentines I'm driving through are so alluring
(Butterflying is a drug)

Ah, good summer times...

I am trying to see and photograph all the Cornish species,so i will be hoping to fill in a few gaps. A decent photo of Marbled White and Silver-washed Fritillary are a target.
A nice shot of Purple Emperor would be nice!
Also i am hoping to go to Croatia in June,where i would like to photograph a Cleopatra amongs others.
Cheers all,
Mark.

essexbuzzard wrote:Also i am hoping to go to Croatia in June

I will look forward with some anticipation to a report from Croatia.

It's a place I'm seriously thinking of visiting soon and would welcome any feedback.

I don't have any 'must do's for next year but there are a few new things it would be nice to see if circumstances avail themselves serendipitously.

Large blue, black hairstreak and glanvilles on the IOW would do for a start. Apart from that just more of the same from the last few years would be grand.

Oh, and the first orange tip and purple emperor of 2012 would be pleasing.

I'm going to be doing an awful lot of exploring!

Species wise, to spend some time with a few Marsh Fritillary and White Letter Hairstreak would be lovely.

I'd also like to revisit some of the other species I saw for the first time over the last couple of years; Black Hairstreak, PBF and SPBF particularly.

Finally, to meet a few more UKB members!

Cheers

Lee

Lee Hurrell wrote:
Finally, to meet a few more UKB members!

Indeed. I'm too far away really for these 'meets' and although I briefly met Pete and Gary at the AGM the only others from this site I am acquainted with are Michael Field and Jenks.

If anyone wants to see PBFs or High Browns next year I'd be happy to meet up.

I would like to see the Marsh and Heath Fritillaries next summer, so if anyone can tell me the nearest location for these in a day trip from the Isle of Wight by car i would be grateful,please.

I will join you if I can.Marsh fritillaries at Hod Hill Dorset, is a day trip. Heath fritillary in Kent is also a day trip.

Ian Pratt wrote:Heath fritillary in Kent is also a day trip.

The sad fact is that France might be nearer!

I had the great pleasure of seeing both Marsh and Heath frits in good numbers in the same week Cornwall this year,4th- 8th June. Can you get there and back in a day from IOW? If not Cerne giant hill,Cerne Abbas, Dorset, we saw Marsh by the hundred there in mid May. Essex near Southend, and Blean woods,east Kent,have strong colonies of Heath Frits.
The relevant branches BC can provide details of these sites.
Regards, Mark

Thanks David and Mark for taking the time to advise on locations.
i think France,Kent and Cornwall are beyond me for a leisurely day outing so Marsh Fritillaries in Dorset it is.
Cheers.

Don't forget, there are Heath Frits at Wrecclesham which is very do-able from IOW - straight up the A3 from Portsmouth (although whether or not you feel comfortable "counting" individuals at this colony is another topic entirely!) Same with the bumper numbers of Glanvilles at that site. Luckily you are in the prime location for these anyway!

All the best,

Gibster.

I have about 4 British species I've yet to see in Britain, Large Heath and Chequered Skipper being the most notable for me. So I do intend to go on a trip to Scotland from Mid-to the end of May to see the Chequered Skipper. I also would like to get some new views of the Large Blue, even though I have seen them at Collard Hill, but about 4 or 5 years ago. I hope I can see the Large Heath in Mid-Wales rather than North Wales but nobody here seems to be familiar with the Mid-Wales habitats of the Large Heath, so seeing as guesswork is never a good start for a butterfly that can be rare, North Wales might yet be another visit.

Apart from that - I plan to go back to Bulgaria next year to properly finish off my first trip from this year - Blurb book following. There's one or two European species I especially want to see there but also, I need to get a few more landscape shots and general birds or people interest shots!

I also have been saving up for a trip to South Africa in the spring so expect a long monologue / diatribe plus photos following that excursion (presuming I don't die, get trodden on or robbed out there - always an optimist...)

Not really resolutions, just plans. But hey-ho. I don't have smoking or drinking to give up!

Michael