Seaford Head 03/10/2026

 Yesterday I had an early morning wander around Seaford Head, I parked at Splash Point, now I know what you are thinking, tight git didn't want to pay 8 quid to park at the Barn and you'd be right!!😁Not sure if having to to walk up the near vertical path up was worth it mind, but it gave me a chance to check the sea defence rocks for Black Redstarts, there weren't any although there were 3 friendly Rock Pipits !

 Today turned out to be a day of Pipits and Chiffies. There were also loads of Stonechats, either they have had an excellent breeding year or there were some migrants as well. Just from the Dungheap to the Golf Course I had at least 20!! Mainly in the crop field and around the fence of the heap. There were plenty all around the area as well an amazing number! There were a few Blackcaps down Hope Gap and on the track to the Beacon. Several Song Thrushes and Blackbirds about but I couldn't find any Ring Ouzels, a possible seen at very long range couldn't be refound!  There was a bit of quality as well with 2 Corn Buntings on the roundabout and a Kingfisher down the Cuckmere where there was also a few Bar-tailed Godwits. But in reality it was all about the Pipits and the Chiffies! Also quiet a few Swallows still flying about the cliffs and in the Cuckmere Valley. There were also a large number of Robins and Dunnocks!

The view from Halfway up, where I stopped to admire the view, not as you may have thought to try and start breathing again!

Herring Gull

Rock Pipit

Linnet on the track to the Beacon, Big flock of Goldfinch and Linnets on the crop field

Meadow Pipit along the cliff top

Rock Pipit also on the cliff top

Chiifchaff

Early morning Seven Sisters

Early morning Belle Tout

Another Chiffchaff

Stonechat

Meadow Pipit, showing a nice pair of hindclaws

Corn Bunting

Blackcap, they really didn't want to pose

Told you they didn't want to pose

Greenfinch weren't much better sitting right in the Sun!

Linnet

Goldfinch

Rock Pipit on the beach showed well

Bar-tailed Godwit up the Cuckmere

Sparrowhawk, bit distant and despite me going full Ninja, I couldn't get close

Little Egret

Barwit

Meadow Pipit, most were flighty, going along the cliff in small groups but a few posed ok!

Flock of Teal

Kingfisher, had seen her earlier fly down the small channel next to the main river but missed the shot, luckily she flew on to the main river about 20 minutes later and posed ok, saw her catch three fish in about 5 minutes so doing ok! 

With one of her victims

Do like a Kingfisher

Clouded Yellow Butterfly, think I've seen more of these this year than I have previously in my whole life, they seem to be everywhere

Final sighting on the way back to the car, two Peregrines lounging on the cliff face 

Though I couldn't get closer without falling off!

So not a bad 6 hours, the best thing about parking at Splash is the return is downhill, though what the way up does for your Lungs the way down does to your calf muscles! I stopped at Southease on the way home to attempt the reported Wryneck, on arrival I was informed that it had flown high across the road, no surprise, I had spent the best part of two hours in Cornwall looking for one without success so wasn't a great shock to dip one in Sussex.!