Landscape

Whitehawk Hill and then a walk from Crowlink to Beachy Head; Birds, Butterflies & Views. 20.08.22

Aug 23
2 min

Whitehawk Hill and then a walk from Crowlink to Beachy Head; Birds, Butterflies & Views. 20.08.22

My plan for the day was to pop up to Whitehawk Hill to see if I could see the Long Tail Blues there, and then walk to the seafront and...

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Box Hill - Juniper Top. Silver-Spotted Skippers & Silver-Washed Fritillaries. 08.08.22

Sim Elliott

Aug 10
3 min

Box Hill - Juniper Top. Silver-Spotted Skippers & Silver-Washed Fritillaries. 08.08.22

I got to Box Hill by train; travelling from Brighton to Box Hill and Westhumble station (changing at Three Bridges and Horsham). I...

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

Sim Elliott

Aug 7
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Butterflies in Caburn Bottom and The Coombe (Malling Down). 12.05.22

Sim Elliott

May 13
2 min

Butterflies in Caburn Bottom and The Coombe (Malling Down). 12.05.22

This was a mid afternoon/early evening walk. I took the bus to Lewes from Brighton, and then took the train to Glynde. From Glynde...

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09.05.22/3. Lewes Railway Land Nature Reserve. Grey Wagtail and reed habitat.

Sim Elliott

May 11
5 min

09.05.22/3. Lewes Railway Land Nature Reserve. Grey Wagtail and reed habitat.

After visiting Malling Down Nature Reserve (Sussex Wildlife Trust, I walked down the path by Lewes Golf club that ends further down...

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South Downs National Park, fauna & flora from Seaford Head to Findon Gallops. 26.04.22

Sim Elliott

Apr 27
5 min

South Downs National Park, fauna & flora from Seaford Head to Findon Gallops. 26.04.22

When I go for walks in nature, I try to be open to experience and enjoy every aspect of nature that presents itself, whether that be a...

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RSPB The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire: heath and woodland birds. 16.04.22

Sim Elliott

Apr 17
5 min

RSPB The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire: heath and woodland birds. 16.04.22

I took the train from Brighton to Sandy; a Thameslink train to London Blackfriars, where I changed to a Thameslink train to Peterborough....

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Dorset 4 - Durlston Nature Reserve, Swanage: Stonechats and Wheatears. 01.04.22

Sim Elliott

Apr 2
2 min

Dorset 4 - Durlston Nature Reserve, Swanage: Stonechats and Wheatears. 01.04.22

I travelled to Swanage by the Purbeck Breezer bus from my hotel in Poole Swanage Bay Old Harry Rocks from Swanage I came to Swanage to...

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Dorset 3 - RSPB Arne: waders & the landscapes of the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve 31.03.21

Sim Elliott

Apr 1
2 min

Dorset 3 - RSPB Arne: waders & the landscapes of the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve 31.03.21

I got to RSPB Arne from my hotel in Poole by train (to Wareham), by bus (to Stoborough Green ) and by foot (4 miles walk) to Arne is part...

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Dorset 1 - RSPB Radipole Lake & RSPB Lodmoor, Weymouth. 29.03.22

Sim Elliott

Mar 30
1 min

Dorset 1 - RSPB Radipole Lake & RSPB Lodmoor, Weymouth. 29.03.22

I arrived in my Poole hotel, for my four day Dorset nature holiday at lunchtime. I got to Poole by train from Brighton. I had time in the...

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RSPB Medmerry & Fishbourne Channel (Chichester Harbour). Little Ringed Plovers & Avocets. 19.03.22

Sim Elliott

Mar 20
3 min

RSPB Medmerry & Fishbourne Channel (Chichester Harbour). Little Ringed Plovers & Avocets. 19.03.22

I went to RSPB Medmerry yesterday because I had read on the Birding the Selsey Peninsula (selseybirder.blogspot.com) blog that there were...

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Urban Birding: Walthamstow Wetlands. Cormorants, Kingfishers, Tufted Ducks & Golden Eyes. 05.03.21

Sim Elliott

Mar 7
13 min

Urban Birding: Walthamstow Wetlands. Cormorants, Kingfishers, Tufted Ducks & Golden Eyes. 05.03.21

Conservation, auto-rewilding and development Walthamstow Wetlands consists of a group of reservoirs in Walthamstow/South Tottenham, owned...

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Iford Brooks, Lewes & The Burgh, Burpham. Geese, Grey Partridges and raptors. 28.02.21

Sim Elliott

Mar 1
2 min

Iford Brooks, Lewes & The Burgh, Burpham. Geese, Grey Partridges and raptors. 28.02.21

I went birding with a friend on Monday 28.02.21. I returned to Iford, to show him the Tundra Bean Geese, Russian White-Fronted Geese and...

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RSPB Pagham Harbour. The female Kingfisher, again. 22.02.22

Sim Elliott

Feb 24
2 min

RSPB Pagham Harbour. The female Kingfisher, again. 22.02.22

When I visited Pagham Harbour on Tuesday I visited the full revere; walking first from the visitors centre to the Ferry Pool and then...

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A sufficiency of Brent Geese & Pintails in Langstone Harbour on a dark, rainy February day. 15.02.22

Sim Elliott

Feb 16
7 min

A sufficiency of Brent Geese & Pintails in Langstone Harbour on a dark, rainy February day. 15.02.22

I visit the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust's Farlington Marshes (top of Langstone Harbour) Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve...

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08.02.22/2 Birds, Landscape, Architecture & Industrial Archaeology. Ouse Valley, Iford-Newhaven.

Sim Elliott

Feb 10
11 min

08.02.22/2 Birds, Landscape, Architecture & Industrial Archaeology. Ouse Valley, Iford-Newhaven.

After watching the geese at Iford, I walked down the Ouse Valley from Iford to Newhaven. This post is as much concerned with the...

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08.02.22/1 Tundra Bean Geese, Russian White-Fronted Geese & a Pink-Footed Goose, Iford Brooks.

Sim Elliott

Feb 9
6 min

08.02.22/1 Tundra Bean Geese, Russian White-Fronted Geese & a Pink-Footed Goose, Iford Brooks.

This very unusual combination of geese had been sighted at Iford Brooks, just south of Lewes in the Ouse Valley, since 28.01.22 and...

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Pett Level and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve: a Black-Necked Grebe & a Spoonbill. 25.01.22

Sim Elliott

Jan 26
5 min

Pett Level and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve: a Black-Necked Grebe & a Spoonbill. 25.01.22

I went to Pett Level, in part to see if I could see the Russian White-Fronted Geese that had been seen there of late; I didn't see them....

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Birds in Langstone Harbour: the old Oyster Beds & Farlington Marshes Reserves. 23.01.22

Sim Elliott

Jan 23
2 min

Birds in Langstone Harbour: the old Oyster Beds & Farlington Marshes Reserves. 23.01.22

Unlike my trip to Langstone Harbour on Monday, see: Birds in Langstone Harbour: the old Oyster Beds & Kench Reserves. 17.01.22 when is...

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Sim Elliott

Jan 18
3 min

Birds in Langstone Harbour: the old Oyster Beds & Kench Reserves. 17.01.22

I visited Langstone Harbour/Hayling Island on a beautiful, sunny and cold day; and saw a large range of overwintering birds; along with...

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A first visit to Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, on the Solent, Hampshire. 15.01.22

Sim Elliott

Jan 17
4 min

A first visit to Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, on the Solent, Hampshire. 15.01.22

Titchfield Haven is located on the coast of the Solent, almost directly opposite Cowes on the Isle of White, and just to the north east...

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Pett Level and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve: a Great White Egret & a Spoonbill. 04.01.22

Sim Elliott

Jan 7
8 min

Pett Level and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve: a Great White Egret & a Spoonbill. 04.01.22

I started this walk at Cliff End (where Fairlight meets Pett Level), and walked to Winchelsea Beach, into the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve...

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A Spoonbill, a Goldeneye, Lapwings, Redshanks and Snipe. Rye Harbour. 21.12.21

Sim Elliott

Dec 23, 2021
7 min

A Spoonbill, a Goldeneye, Lapwings, Redshanks and Snipe. Rye Harbour. 21.12.21

I have travelled hopefully, looking for reported-on-by-Bird-Guide's Spoonbills, on four occasions over the last few weeks; twice at...

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Farlington Marshes; Barnacle Geese and overwintering ducks, geese and waders. 29.11.21

Sim Elliott

Nov 30, 2021
9 min

Farlington Marshes; Barnacle Geese and overwintering ducks, geese and waders. 29.11.21

For more information about the history and landscape of the Farlington Marshes reserve see my post Farlington Marshes; a winter home for...

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A chilly afternoon at Cuckmere Haven. 26.11.26

Sim Elliott

Nov 27, 2021
2 min

A chilly afternoon at Cuckmere Haven. 26.11.26

On Friday 26,11,21 I made my now usual trip to Cuckmere Haven, getting the 12X from Brighton to Exceat. It was a very chilly afternoon,...

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Amberley Wildbrooks: Fieldfare & Redwing and Autumn Scenes. 22.11.21

Sim Elliott

Nov 23, 2021
6 min

Amberley Wildbrooks: Fieldfare & Redwing and Autumn Scenes. 22.11.21

Amberley Wildbrooks is a wonderful joint RSPB/Sussex Wildlife Trust reserve; but is not so easy to find! At the end of this post is a map...

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Birding in the Thames Estuary on the site of a former Rifle Range: RSPB Rainham Marshes. 20.11.21

Sim Elliott

Nov 22, 2021
20 min

Birding in the Thames Estuary on the site of a former Rifle Range: RSPB Rainham Marshes. 20.11.21

I travelled to RSPB Rainham Marshes by train on Saturday 21.11.21, from Brighton to Purfleet; (for full details of how to get to RSPB...

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Autumn Landscapes and Colours: Hastings Country Park NR; Hastings to Fairlight. 03.11.21

Sim Elliott

Nov 3, 2021
3 min

Autumn Landscapes and Colours: Hastings Country Park NR; Hastings to Fairlight. 03.11.21

This post records, in images only, the walk I made from Hastings to Fairlight through the Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve. The...

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A second trip to RSPB Pagham Harbour: the glory of Cattle Egrets and some Yellow Wagtails 25.09.21

Sim Elliott

Sep 26, 2021
4 min

A second trip to RSPB Pagham Harbour: the glory of Cattle Egrets and some Yellow Wagtails 25.09.21

On Saturday 25.09.21 I returned to Pagham Harbour as I so enjoyed seeing the Cattle Egrets on Tuesday 22.09.21. This time I took my...

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Tring Natural History Museum & College Lake NR: Taxidermy, Ivy Bees & a Red Kite 22.09.21

Sim Elliott

Sep 26, 2021
8 min

Tring Natural History Museum & College Lake NR: Taxidermy, Ivy Bees & a Red Kite 22.09.21

On Tuesday 22nd September I visited Tring National History Museum, after reading The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson On a cool...

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Sim Elliott

Sep 13, 2021
4 min

Birds. Cuckmere Haven. 10.09.21.

After searching for Sea Aster Bees on Friday (click here t read about the Sea Asters I found) I had a look around for birds. I walked...

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Pollinators and Wild Flowers. Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven. 08.09.21. A Clouded Yellow

Sim Elliott

Sep 11, 2021
15 min

Pollinators and Wild Flowers. Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven. 08.09.21. A Clouded Yellow

This post is a record of a walk from Seaford Head to Cuckmere Haven (with a detour up the path at Hope Bottom, as Hope Bottom is well...

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Butterflies (and a family of Spotted Flycatchers) on Chantry Hill, West Sussex. 06.09.21

Sim Elliott

Sep 9, 2021
8 min

Butterflies (and a family of Spotted Flycatchers) on Chantry Hill, West Sussex. 06.09.21

I went for a walk with my friend to Chantry Hill, near Storrington; with the intention of spotting Butterflies, as it is highlight in The...

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