= Sim Elliott =

Writing and Photography on
Nature and Conservation

Butterflies & Birds at Hutchinson Bank, New Addington & Reigate Hill. 06.08.22

2 days ago
5 min

Butterflies & Birds at Hutchinson Bank, New Addington & Reigate Hill. 06.08.22

On Saturday 06.08.22 I visited two locations that were new to me. They are both areas of North Downs escarpment; and they are both know...

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Butterflies, Wild Flowers & Birds at the Steyning Downland Scheme 04.08.22

Sim Elliott

4 days ago
3 min

Butterflies, Wild Flowers & Birds at the Steyning Downland Scheme 04.08.22

On Thursday 04.08.22 I visited the wonderful Steyning Downland Scheme. It is very easy to get there by public transport. I got the 2 bus,...

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The Landscape, Flora & Fauna of Lower Greensand and Chalk; Leith Hill to Ranmoor Common. 02.08.22

Sim Elliott

Aug 3
4 min

The Landscape, Flora & Fauna of Lower Greensand and Chalk; Leith Hill to Ranmoor Common. 02.08.22

On Tuesday 2nd August I visited Leith Hill for the first time since I was a teenager, when I issued to go with my parents and...

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Mill Hill, Anchor Bottom and Devil's Dyke. Butterflies. Silver-Spotted Skippers. 30.07.22

Sim Elliott

Aug 2
1 min

Mill Hill, Anchor Bottom and Devil's Dyke. Butterflies. Silver-Spotted Skippers. 30.07.22

On Saturday I took the 2 bus to Shoreham and walked up to Mill Hill, and then on to Anchor Bottom. I took the 2 bus back from Dace...

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Steyning Downland Scheme. 17 species of Butterflies, 3 Moths, 1 Grasshopper, and a Leaf! 28.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 31
1 min

Steyning Downland Scheme. 17 species of Butterflies, 3 Moths, 1 Grasshopper, and a Leaf! 28.07.22

Steyning Downland Scheme is a marvellous project at promoting Butterfly diversity. For further information see Home | Steyning Downland...

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Bumblebee Surveying & Birding at Rye Harbour. Nesting Common Terns & a Curlew Sandpiper. 26.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 27
3 min

Bumblebee Surveying & Birding at Rye Harbour. Nesting Common Terns & a Curlew Sandpiper. 26.07.22

The primary purpose of this visit to Dungeness was bumblebee surveying, aa part of my role as a volunteer with the Bumblebee Conservation...

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Birds and Butterflies. Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven. 22.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 23
3 min

Birds and Butterflies. Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven. 22.07.22

The walk from Seaford via Seaford Head Nature Reserve (Sussex Wildlife Trust) and Cuckmere Haven (Cuckmere Valley) (National Trust) to...

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Park Corner Heath/Roland Wood & Lewes Railway Land NRs. The hottest UK day on record. 19.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 20
3 min

Park Corner Heath/Roland Wood & Lewes Railway Land NRs. The hottest UK day on record. 19.07.22

On what was predicted to be the hottest day on reduced, and was, I decided to visit two reserves that were mostly woodland so that I...

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Friston Forest, Friston Gallops and Lullington Heath. Butterflies. 18.09.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 20
4 min

Friston Forest, Friston Gallops and Lullington Heath. Butterflies. 18.09.22

As on Monday the weather forecast was for extremely hot weather, I decided to make a nature journey that was mostly in the woods; to...

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Ranmore Common, Polesden Lacey & Denbies Hillside (Surrey Hills AONB). 16.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 17
9 min

Ranmore Common, Polesden Lacey & Denbies Hillside (Surrey Hills AONB). 16.07.22

I returned to Ranmore Common and Denbies common, which I had visited the Saturday before, see Butterflies at Denbies Hillside and Ranmore...

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Headley Heath (Surrey Hills AONB). Landscape and Butterflies. 15.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 16
2 min

Headley Heath (Surrey Hills AONB). Landscape and Butterflies. 15.07.22

Headley Heath is next to Box Hill near Dorking. It Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with a large variety of invertebrates and...

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Birds and Butterflies at Arlington Reservoir and Abbot's Wood. 12.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 13
6 min

Birds and Butterflies at Arlington Reservoir and Abbot's Wood. 12.07.22

I hadn't visited Arlington Reservoir for a long time, and I had never visited Abbot's Wood nearby, so I decide to visit both on Tuesday...

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Lancing Ring Nature Reserve. Butterflies & Birds. 11.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 12
1 min

Lancing Ring Nature Reserve. Butterflies & Birds. 11.07.22

Lancing Ring Nature Reserve, is north of Lancing. I reached it by catching a bus to Shoreham, and then walking up the Adur estuary,...

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Butterflies at Denbies Hillside and Ranmore Common (Surrey Hills AONB). 09.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 11
7 min

Butterflies at Denbies Hillside and Ranmore Common (Surrey Hills AONB). 09.07.22

I caught the train to Box Hill and Westhumble Station from Brighton (changing at Gatwick Airport and Horsham), a journey of 90 minutes,...

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An early evening walk. Butterflies and Wild Flowers at Mill Hill. 08.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 9
1 min

An early evening walk. Butterflies and Wild Flowers at Mill Hill. 08.07.22

I went to Mill Hill, Shoreham for an evening walk. I got to the Shoreham on the 700 bus from central Brighton, and walked from the foot...

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An early evening walk. Butterflies and Birds at Devils Dyke. 07.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 8
1 min

An early evening walk. Butterflies and Birds at Devils Dyke. 07.07.22

I went to the Devil's Dyke for an evening walk. I got to the Devil's Dyke on the 77 bus from central Brighton. The sun was low in the sky...

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Steyning Downland Scheme: a Marsh Tit, a Dingy Skipper and a Grey Wagtail. 05.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 5
5 min

Steyning Downland Scheme: a Marsh Tit, a Dingy Skipper and a Grey Wagtail. 05.07.22

I had wanted to visit the Steyning Downland Scheme for some time; and it was easy to reach by bus number 2 from Brighton (an hourly...

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A short walk at the Coombe, Malling Down NR. Butterflies & the first Rampion of 2022. 04.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 4
2 min

A short walk at the Coombe, Malling Down NR. Butterflies & the first Rampion of 2022. 04.07.22

I was working (as a volunteer) most of the day in Brighton on Monday 04.07.22, but I finished at 15.00 so I took the opportunity of the...

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The "usual" Birds and Butterflies and well-being. Cissbury Ring. 02.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 3
3 min

The "usual" Birds and Butterflies and well-being. Cissbury Ring. 02.07.22

I did a morning walk to Cissbury Ring on Saturday 02.07.22. I reached Cissbury by train and bus (Brighton to Worthing by train and bus 1...

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Into the Woods! Stedham Common and The Severals. 01.07.22.

Sim Elliott

Jul 3
2 min

Into the Woods! Stedham Common and The Severals. 01.07.22.

After visiting Iping Common on 01.07.22, I visited Stedham Common, just to the east of Iping Common, forming part of a wider area of...

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Silver-Studded Blue Butterflies, Birds & Bees at Iping Common. 01.07.22

Sim Elliott

Jul 2
5 min

Silver-Studded Blue Butterflies, Birds & Bees at Iping Common. 01.07.22

I went to Iping Common especially to see Silver-Studded Blues, and I was not disappointed, I saw ca. 50. Iping Common is an area of...

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Butterflies and Birds at the Devil's Dyke and Newtimber Hill. 29.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 30
2 min

Butterflies and Birds at the Devil's Dyke and Newtimber Hill. 29.06.22

I went to the Devils Dyke and New Timber in the afternoon on the 77 bus, and spent four hours looking at butterflies, moths, other...

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Colour, Form, Flora and Fauna on the South Downs on a June Afternoon: a Visual Poem. 29.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 29
1 min

Colour, Form, Flora and Fauna on the South Downs on a June Afternoon: a Visual Poem. 29.06.22

I visual poem. A chronological sequence of photographs from my walk this afternoon: down the Devil's Dyke, through the woods, round...

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Bookham Commons. Birds, Wild Plants & Butterflies. White Admiral. 27.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 28
9 min

Bookham Commons. Birds, Wild Plants & Butterflies. White Admiral. 27.06.22

Bookham Commons, National Trust (Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its flora...

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Skippers! Another brief stroll round Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve, Rottingdean. 26.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 26
3 min

Skippers! Another brief stroll round Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve, Rottingdean. 26.06.22

At the moment I am staying at my mother's house, following her having surgery, so it is not currently possible for me to make longer...

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Skylarks! A brief stroll round Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve, Rottingdean. 23.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 24
1 min

Skylarks! A brief stroll round Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve, Rottingdean. 23.06.22

At the moment I am staying at my other's house, following her having surgery, so it is not currently possible for me to make longer...

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Butterflies, Trees and Landscapes. Box Hill, Dorking, Surrey. 22.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 23
6 min

Butterflies, Trees and Landscapes. Box Hill, Dorking, Surrey. 22.06.22

Box Hill is under the stewardship of the National Trust Box Hill | National Trust, and is an extraordinarily beautiful landscape of chalk...

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Mill Hill NR and Anchor Bottom (Beeding Hill). A profusion of Marbled White Butterflies. 20.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 22
3 min

Mill Hill NR and Anchor Bottom (Beeding Hill). A profusion of Marbled White Butterflies. 20.06.22

I took the 2 bus from my home to Shoreham. I walked up the Adur and then up the footpath to Mill Hill that crosses on the road bridge the...

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Dark Green Fritillaries at the Devil's Dyke. 18.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 20
7 min

Dark Green Fritillaries at the Devil's Dyke. 18.06.22

After seeing a couple of Dark Green Fritillary on Friday 17.06.22 on the path that leads into the bottom of the Devil's Dyke, I decided...

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Birds and Butterflies. Devil's Dyke & Castle Hill National Nature Reserve. 17.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 18
1 min

Birds and Butterflies. Devil's Dyke & Castle Hill National Nature Reserve. 17.06.22

This is a record of the photos I took on two locations on 17.96.22. First I went to the bottom of the Devil's Dyke with friends, and got...

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Friston Forest, Friston Gallops and Lullington Heath. Butterflies & Birds. 14.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 17
2 min

Friston Forest, Friston Gallops and Lullington Heath. Butterflies & Birds. 14.06.22

I travelled to Exceat (Seven Sisters Country Park) by 12 bus, see 12 - Eastbourne-Brighton | Brighton & Hove Buses. From there, I walked...

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Butterflies in Stanmer Park & Malling Down NNR. 13.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 17
1 min

Butterflies in Stanmer Park & Malling Down NNR. 13.06.22

I took the 25 bus to Stammer, which runs very frequently, see: 25 - Universities-Old Steine | Brighton & Hove Buses Stanmer Park Silver Y...

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Castle Hill National Nature Reserve and the Rottingdean Undercliff. A GBC trip. 11.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 12
1 min

Castle Hill National Nature Reserve and the Rottingdean Undercliff. A GBC trip. 11.06.22

This trip to Castle Hill National Nature Reserve and the Rottingdean Undercliff was a South-East area Gay Birders Club outing. I made a...

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Wild Plants, Insects and Birds. Birling Gap, Beachy Head and Lullington Heath NNR. 09.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 12
5 min

Wild Plants, Insects and Birds. Birling Gap, Beachy Head and Lullington Heath NNR. 09.06.22

I visited the Downs to the west of Birling Gap, and the east, specifically the area around Horseshoe Plantation, and north of Shooter...

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Hayling Island Oyster Beds & Langstone Mill Pond. Common Terns and Little Egrets 07.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 8
2 min

Hayling Island Oyster Beds & Langstone Mill Pond. Common Terns and Little Egrets 07.06.22

I went to the Oyster Beds Hayling Island/Langstone Harbour on 07.06.22 to see the nesting terns for which the site is well known, see:...

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Southern Marsh Orchids. Sussex. June 2022.

Sim Elliott

Jun 7
1 min

Southern Marsh Orchids. Sussex. June 2022.

The Southern Marsh-orchid is tolerant of a wide range of predominantly alkaline habitats, but occasionally it strays into mildly acidic...

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Butterflies, Moths, Birds and Wild Flowers in the Castle Hill National Nature Reserve. 06.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 7
4 min

Butterflies, Moths, Birds and Wild Flowers in the Castle Hill National Nature Reserve. 06.06.22

Castle Hill National Nature Reserve is one of my favourite reserves in Sussex, the abundance and diversity of wildflowers and insects,...

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Birds, Butterflies and Wild Flowers. The Devil's Dyke. 04.06.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 5
3 min

Birds, Butterflies and Wild Flowers. The Devil's Dyke. 04.06.22

I visited the Devil's Dyke on Saturday 4th June 2022 in the morning. I caught the 77 Brighton and Hove bus at 9.52 (runs every 45...

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Wild Flowers. Ditchling Beacon & Mount Caburn. 31.05.22

Sim Elliott

Jun 4
1 min

Wild Flowers. Ditchling Beacon & Mount Caburn. 31.05.22

Ditchling Beacon The north-facing scrape of Ditchling Beacon is a very good location for wild flowers. This area is part of the Ditchling...

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Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Avocet, Black-Headed Gull and Shelduck Chicks. 30.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 30
1 min

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Avocet, Black-Headed Gull and Shelduck Chicks. 30.05.22

I went to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve on Monday 30th March as I wanted to see the Avocet chicks that had been born there this year. I took...

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Butterflies. Mill Hill NR, Anchor Bottom NR & Many Adonis Blues, Cissbury NR, 28.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 30
6 min

Butterflies. Mill Hill NR, Anchor Bottom NR & Many Adonis Blues, Cissbury NR, 28.05.22

On Saturday 28th February I took the 700 bus 700 Bus Route & Timetable: Brighton - Wick | Stagecoach (stagecoachbus.com) to Shoreham and...

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Wild Flowers. Wolstonbury Hill NR, Ditchling Beacon NR & Mount Caburn NR. 25.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 29
11 min

Wild Flowers. Wolstonbury Hill NR, Ditchling Beacon NR & Mount Caburn NR. 25.05.22

On Wednesday 25th February the weather was overcast and very windy; not at all like late spring like weather. In such weather conditions...

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Knepp Castle Estate: White Storks, Tamworth Pigs & Dragonflies. 24.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 26
1 min

Knepp Castle Estate: White Storks, Tamworth Pigs & Dragonflies. 24.05.22

Much has been written about rewilding and Knepp, so I will not rehearse these topics. If you wish to read about Knepp's vision see: Home...

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Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve. Ancient Yews, Iron-Age Monuments & Butterflies. 21.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 25
12 min

Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve. Ancient Yews, Iron-Age Monuments & Butterflies. 21.05.22

This must be where the Ents live, where dryads play and fairies sleep under toadstools — yet it is only three miles from the coastal city...

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A Late Afternoon Afternoon Walk around The Coombe & Chalkpits of Malling Down LNR. 20.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 20
2 min

A Late Afternoon Afternoon Walk around The Coombe & Chalkpits of Malling Down LNR. 20.05.22

I took the 28 bus to Lewes, getting off at Lewes Waitrose, and walked into the reserve via Wheatsheaf Gardens (reserve not signposted)...

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Bevendean LNR. Afternoon Short Walk. Common Blues, an Orange Tip & a Broad-Bodied Chaser. 19.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 20
1 min

Bevendean LNR. Afternoon Short Walk. Common Blues, an Orange Tip & a Broad-Bodied Chaser. 19.05.22

After I finished my voluntary work I took the bus again to Bevendean LNR; the sun was out and there were butterflies to be seen. A photo...

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Whitehawk Hill. Morning Short Walk. Whitethroats, Blackcaps and a Kestrel. 19.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 20
1 min

Whitehawk Hill. Morning Short Walk. Whitethroats, Blackcaps and a Kestrel. 19.05.22

9.05 I visited Bevendean Local Nature Reserve initially (taking the 7 and 48 buses), but because of the overnight storm, and the...

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Butterflies at High & Over and Kittiwakes at Splash Point, Seaford. 17.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 18
4 min

Butterflies at High & Over and Kittiwakes at Splash Point, Seaford. 17.05.22

On Tuesday, I went to High and Over, situated on Cradle Hill, above the Cuckmere Valley, to the west, between Seaford and Alfriston. The...

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Butterflies at Rowland Wood/Park Corner Heath butterfly reserve (Butterfly Conservation). 16.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 18
6 min

Butterflies at Rowland Wood/Park Corner Heath butterfly reserve (Butterfly Conservation). 16.05.22

Rowland Woof/Park Corner Heath is a little way south of East Hoathly in East Sussex. It can be reached by public transport and walking. I...

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RSPB Rye Meads & Amwell (Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust) Nature Reserves 13.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 17
3 min

RSPB Rye Meads & Amwell (Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust) Nature Reserves 13.05.22

RSPB Rye Meads and Amwell Nature Reserves are located in the northern part Lea Valley (in Herefordshire) Rye Meads is an RSPB-managed...

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= Sim Elliott =

Writing and Photography on Nature and Conservation

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Writing and Photography on
Nature and Conservation