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Writer's pictureSim Elliott

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

Updated: Sep 26, 2021

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




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