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 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