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Writer's pictureSim Elliott

Butterflies and Birds, Beachy Head & Birling Gap. 19.09.22

I took the 12 bus from Brighton to Eastbourne. You can catch the 12, 12A (slower) or 12X (fastest) to Eastbourne. They run frequently every day; see: 12 - Eastbourne-Brighton | Brighton & Hove Buses. I got off on the East Dean Road, then walked through the Royal Eastbourne Golf Course (on the public footpath) and through the Meads area of Eastbourne to Holywell Café on the seafront. I walked along the beach, then up the steps, past the Holy Well, that joins Holywell Road. I walked up King Edward's Way onto the open downland of Beachy Head. I took the southernmost footpath through Cow Gap, then up to the South Downs Way by the From Beachy Head I walked on the path that runs to Birling Gap through Horseshoe Plantation. I got the 13X bus back from Beachy Head to Brighton. The 13X runs only on Sundays and bank holidays 13X - Eastbourne-Brighton | Brighton & Hove Buses If you are doing this walk on a day the 13X doesn't run you would need to walk from Birling Gap to East Dean and get a



Route shown in red



Eastbourne Beach - Hastings/Fairlight Cliffs in the distance


Hastings Country Park


Cormorants


Gull


Jackdaw on the cliffs


Rock Samphire


Eastbourne Pier


Holy Well Cliffs


The Holy Well fresh water spring. See Eastbourne's Holy Well: The stunning natural spring most people have never heard of - SussexLive for folk lore on the Spring


The beach east of Holy Well


The steps up to Holy Well Road


The beginning of the South Downs Way on Beachy Head


Oregano ?


Knapweed


Ronin's Pinchushion


Another Robin's Pincushion


House Martens over Cow Gap


Viper's Bugloss


Blackbirds at Cow Gap


Robin


Dunnock


Woodpigeon


Bird's-Foot Trefoil


Bramble


Rosebay Willow-Herb and Rose


The view east from Beachy Head


Another Robin's Pincushion


Stonechats, Beachy Head


The Path from the summit of Beachy Head down to Shooter Hill bottom


Common Blue


A fresh Common Blue on Hark Bit


Small White


Mullein


View west - Belle Tout Lighthouse and Seaford Head


Carline Thistle Heads


Common Carder on clematis (non native)


Wall Butterfly.


I saw ca. 5 Walls, all fresh, possibly a third brood


Small White


Small White on Hawkbit


Common Carden on Devil's Bit Scabious


Wall Brown


Stonechat


Bell Tout lighthouse


Common Toadflax


Small Copper


Clouded Yellow


I saw a lot of fresh Common Blues on the path just east of Horseshow Plantation


Common Blue


Female Common Blue


Brown Argus - underwings


Same Brown Argus


Common Blue


The lath to Horseshoe Plantation


Devil's Bit Scabious


Robin


Female Common Blue


Horseshoe Plantation


The Lookout (between Horseshoe Plantation and Birling Gap)


Stonechat


House Sparrows


Stonechat




After my walk at Beachy Head and Birling Gap I took the 13A to Rottingdean, where I walked along the undercliff to Brighton Marina


Little Egret


Oystercatcher


Oystercatcher and Little Egret



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