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 catch the bus to Friston Pond for walk along the coast to Beachy Head. I didn't see any Long Tailed Blues, but I was a little early for them! But I did see some other common butterflies and moths and on the walk down Whitehawk Hill Road to the seafront I saw some Humming-bird Hawk-Moths on Valerian which were a pleasure to watch
I reached Friston Pond by taking a 12X from Brighton. (The 12, 12A and 12X go to Friston Pond very frequently. I walked from Friston Pond via Crowlink to the coast. I then walked along the east via Birling Gap and Horseshoe Plantation to Beachy Head. I returned to Brighton from Beachy Head on a 13X. The 13X is a very infrequent bus, so it is necessary to plan well. There are only 3 buses a day (in both directions) 13X - Eastbourne-Brighton | Brighton & Hove Buses It is possible to walk further on and catch the 12, 12A or 12X back from the South Downs Way stop which is close to where Warren Road meats the East Dean Road (A259), but this is about 3k further on from the Beachy Head stop. The first part of this walk, East Dean Pond to Birling Gap is part of the National Trust Between the South Downland the Sea Circular walk: Between the South Downs and the sea walk | National Trust
Whitehawk Hill
Rush Vaneer moth
When at rest, this moth has a very elongated and narrow shape, which makes it easily recognisable. A well-known migrant, it can often be found in large numbers at coastal watch-points, and tends to occur in the adult stage between May and September. The larvae feed on clover (Trifolium spp.) and various grasses. Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella | UKmoths
Meadow Brown
Small White
Whitethroat
Small White
Speckled Wood
Buff/White (?) tailed worker Bumblebee
Small White (?)
Whitehawk Hill Road
Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth
It's been a record year for Humming-Bird Hawk-Moths in the UK: Record summer for ‘hummingbirds’ in UK gardens | BTO - British Trust for Ornithology
Crowlink walk - From Friston Pond to the Coast
Starling
Small White
Small White on bramble
Large White with damaged wing
Small White
Small Heath
Dew Pond
Robbin
Common Darter Dragonfly
Dew Pond
Meadow Pipit
Small Heath
Scarlet Pimpernel
Bottom of Crowlink path
Along the Coast from Crowlink to Birling Gap
Sand Bordered Bloom Moth
Meadow Brown
Small Heath
Toward Beachy Head
Stonechat
Meadow Brown
Meadow Brown
Looking toward Seaford Head
Female Common Blue with damaged wing
Common Blue
The meadow in which the following butterflies were in
Chalkhill Blue
Small White
Male Common Blue
Meadow Pipit
Viper's Bugloss
Toward Seaford Head (Hope Bottom)
Belle Tout Lighthouse
Birling Gap to Beachy Head via Horseshoe Plantation
Common Blue
Common Blues on Sweat Pea
Common Blue
Meadow Pipet
Horseshoe Plantation
Speckled Wood
Common Blue
Meadow Brown
Meadow to the east of Horseshoe Plantation - rich in butterflies
Female Chalkhill Blue
Female Common Blue
Female Common Blue on Field Scabious
Adonis Blue on Field Scabious
Female Common Blue
Common Blue on Field Scabious
Male and Female Common Blue
Female Common Blue
Female Common Blue
Clouded Yellow
upper wing
Common Blue
Male Common Blue
Melanistic Female Common Blue
Female Common Blue on Field Scabious
