Wildlife Walks - August/September 2008

To book a place on this walk please do so in advance by contacting Paul James on 01273 705367 or 07709 059181 or by emailing pauljamessos@ntlworld.com


A circular walk to Windover Hill and Lullington Heath NNR


Date and time: Saturday 16th August  (10.30am - 4pm)  

Where to meet: Meet in the South Downs Way car park at the base of Windover Hill at TQ 533033. Turn south off the A27 at Wilmington, pass the Long Man and park on your right on the brow of the hill).

Today's circular walk to Lullington Heath NNR via the South Downs Way and Windover Hill will concentrate on butterflies though we will also see a good selection of wildflowers characteristic of chalk downland and hopefully a few interesting birds.  A further bonus  is the view over the surrounding area as we climb up Windover Hill - one of the finest in Sussex.  This is a well known area for butterflies and we will concentrate on seeing some of the local specialities, notably grayling (Windover Hill is its' Sussex stronghold) and silver-spotted skipper.  We should also see chalkhill and adonis blues plus a good selection of more common species.  Birds are not an obvious feature of the area though buzzards and ravens are often seen while passerines may include passing wheatears and whinchats.

Cost: £7 per person (£12 per couple)

Additional information: The walk up the South Downs Way to the top of Windover Hill  is steep and bumpy in places though the remainder of  the 5 mile walk is much easier!  Bring walking shoes, a picnic lunch which we will take with us and plenty to drink.  In the event of hot weather, a hat and sunscreen are recommended.   There are several nice pubs in the area which we can retire to after the walk!


A day's birdwatching at Pagham Harbour


Date and time:  Friday 22nd August (9.30am - 3.00pm)

Where to meet: Meet in the Visitor Centre car park at Sidlesham Ferry just off the B2145  at SZ 857965.

Pagham Harbour needs no introduction. An excellent range of habitats and birds, with well-marked public rights of way that allow for easy exploration, make it one of the most popular destinations for birdwatchers in southern England. Early autumn is as good a time as any to visit Pagham Harbour and today we are certain to see a good selection of birds with the return migration in full swing.  The pool at Sidlesham Ferry is already attracting good numbers of wading birds; we should see avocet, black-tailed godwit, green and common sandpipers while more unusual visitors may include ruff, little stint, curlew and wood sandpipers  and spotted redshank.  From here we will walk down the west side of the harbour to Church Norton and the beach stopping at various points to scan the adjacent mudflats.  Here additional species of waders such as knot and grey plover will be present plus common and Sandwich terns and little egrets.  We shall also look out for passerines passing through such as yellow wagtail, wheatear, whinchat and redstart.  This is a good time of the year for something more unusual, perhaps a passing osprey or marsh harrier or a pied flycatcher in the churchyard.

Cost: £7 per person (£12 per couple)

Additional information: We will walk about 5 miles along good footpaths. Bring walking shoes or trainers, a windproof top and a packed lunch.


A morning's birdwatching at Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven


Date and time: Tuesday 2nd September (8.30am - 11.30am)


Where to meet: Meet in the car park at South Hill Barn at TV 504981. This is approached from Seaford via Chyngton Road and Chyngton Way.


The Cuckmere Valley is of considerable national importance: it is an SSSI, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Heritage Coast. The white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and the old meanders of the Cuckmere River, which falls within the Seven Sisters Country Park, are one of Britain's most familiar landscapes.  We will start our walk today looking for passerines in the areas of scrub around the golf course on Seaford Head.  Species to be expected include whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, blackcap and chiffchaff and, with a little luck, redstart and whinchat. We will then walk eastwards along the cliff top path hoping that a peregrine or raven may fly past before descending into Hope Gap where there is a colony of a rare umbellifer, the moon carrot.  From here it is a short walk to the Coastguard Cottages (from where there is a spectacular view of the Seven Sisters) and then the beach at Cuckmere Haven. A few waders especially ringed plover and redshank may be present foraging on the mud near the river mouth while other birds we can expect on this part of walk include little egret, grey heron and hopefully kingfisher.  Our walk continues north up the Cuckmere Valley followed by a steep climb back to the car park at South Hill Barn.


Cost: £6 per person (£10 per couple)


Additional information: We will walk about 3 miles along good paths.  Most of the walking is easy though there are a couple of steep sections.  Bring walking shoes and something to eat and drink when we stop to admire the views!



Details of the walk scheduled for Sunday 7th September and other walks later in the month to follow shortly...