Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven: Insects, a Kestrel and Knots 17.12.21

This post focusses on insects at Seaford Head; but there some birds too, particularly at Cuckmere Haven.

I walked this route from 15.00 to 19.00

Seaford Head

Vineyard Snail, Cernuella virgata, on Wild Carrot, Daucus Carota

Knaoweed

Fly. Genus Winthermia

Sphegina genus of Hoverfly, probably Sphegina elegans

The darker flower in the middle of Wild Carrot blossom that imitates an insect to attract pollinators (flies and hoverflies)

Yellow Dung Fly, Scathophaga stercoraria eating a small fly

Two Hoverflies, probably genus Prosena on Spear Thistle

Fly, probably family Anthomyiidae on Wild Carrot

Crane Fly. Tipula paludosa

Red Clover

Possibly Lasioglossum calceatum (Common Furrow Bee) on Knapweed

Small Heath Butterfly, Coenonympha pamphilus on Knapweed

A Small Heath on Ragwort.

A Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus

Viper's-Bugloss

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus

A species of the Bell Flower, Camoalula genus.

A juvenile Kestrel in Hope Bottom

Rosebay Willowherb, Chamaenerion angustifolium

Hlea-All, Prunella vulgaris

Comma Butterfly, Polygonia c-album

Cuckmere Haven

Bar Tailed Godwit

Knot Calidris canutus (juvenile plumage)

Bar Tailed Godwit

Knots

The knot is a dumpy, short-legged, stocky wading bird. In winter, it is grey above and white below - in summer the chest, belly and face are brick-red. In flight, it shows a pale rump and a faint wing-stripe. It forms huge flocks in winter which wheel and turn in flight, flashing their pale underwings as they twist and turn.

Many knots use UK estuaries as feeding grounds, both on migration and in winter, and therefore the population is vulnerable to any changes such as barrages, sea-level rises and human disturbance. Large numbers of birds visit the UK in winter from their Arctic breeding grounds. Knot Bird Facts | Calidris Canutus - The RSPB

Redshanks

Sea Aster

A House Sparrow at dusk