2014 has proved to be the year of the winged wonders for the UK's army of nature lovers.

Several species of exotic birds bred in the UK for the first time in decades and very rare migrant butterflies appeared unannounced across the East coast, sending wildlife obsessives sprawling over land and sea in pursuit.

A pair of Bee-eaters, which are usually found in the Mediterranean and are perhaps Europe’s most striking bird, successfully raised chicks on the Isle of Wight while Black-winged Stilts similarly bred in Lincolnshire, a first for the UK in 27 years.

Butterflies also got in on the act with 30 Scarce Tortoiseshells arriving in the East of England, with their last appearance being a solitary sighting in 1953.

Worcestershire however has missed out on much of the wildlife frenzy, with species arriving predominantly in the South and East and settling when they find suitable conditions.

Wendy Carter, communications manager at the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s been really great to hear of so many wildlife arrivals to the UK this year and Worcestershire’s wildlife-spotters were hoping they’d make it here.

“Sadly for us many of this year’s wildlife sea-hoppers didn’t make it as far as Worcestershire because they found plenty of food and suitable habitat closer to the coast - but that’s not to say we’ve been disappointed.

“The stable and settled weather over the summer and even into autumn and winter has been fantastic for insects.

“We’ve had lots of calls this summer about nesting tree bumblebees, which arrived in the UK in 2001 and moved into Worcestershire in 2009.

“The march northwards of crickets like long-winged coneheads and Roesel’s bush crickets has also continued – they only arrived in the county in the early 2000s.

“While their move northwards isn’t just down to one good summer. the weather this year has really helped their populations to expand.”