21/09/2020 Seaford Head and the Cuckmere Valley with Paul James and the Group

Monday 21 September 2020

Seaford Head and the Cuckmere Valley

Paul James and Group

Outing number 3 in the current season saw us on the outskirts of Seaford.  4 of us met up at 07.30 at South Hill Barn on Seaford Head.  It was misty at the start but improved rapidly when the sun broke through, giving us a very pleasant 4 hour walk.

Our route took us west towards the golf course then down to the cliffs before turning east towards Hope Gap.  After ascending part of Hope Gap we returned to the cliff route and followed the path west, past the cottages and into the Cuckmere valley.  We then headed inland following the path on the west side of the river.  Just before we reached the Cuckmere Inn we turned south and followed the path towards the coast before heading up the hill, past Harry's Bush and back to the starting point.  

• On Seaford Head there was some evidence of migration, mainly blackcap and chiffchaff plus several meadow pipits and stonechats.
• In the skies we saw kestrel, raven, buzzard and sparrowhawk and several swallows and siskins.
• In the Cuckmere valley the early sightings included a couple of lovely greenshank, a knot, a turnstone  a kingfisher and a small group of teal.
• The later sightings included at least 6 dunlin, a redshank, rock pipit and 2 ringed plovers.
• We saved the best till last, seeing 4 yellow wagtails with the cows just before we headed up the hill to Harry's Bush

A much needed outing - roll on next week and our visit to Thorney Island!