Seaford to East Dean walk 'n paddle.

From Splash Point at the end of Seaford promenade are views of the cliffs and nesting Kittiwakes.

Pete, from the RSPB, kindly briefed our Mid Sussex Ramblers' group all about Kittiwakes.

The RSPB had set up some high-powered telescopes, which gave us wonderful views of the young Kittiwakes and their parents.... much better than my little Panasonic DMC FZ8 could get.

Even so, these shots of young and mature birds are fun.

Click on any picture to expand it.

Cormorants

Approaching the Seven Sisters, it was noted that the tide was out.

Six-spot Burnet moths were mating away on this Ragwort flower-head.

There were other interesting insects too.

We enjoyed an extended banana/early lunch break to gaze at the Seven Sisters before the decision to follow.

Rather than walk all the way up to Exceat bridge and back and since the tide was way out, we decided to wade the river.  The leader, me, knowing that the stones are jolly painful, demonstrated the technique of "running through a river with your boots on".

Many preferred to keep their socks and boots dry and endure the pebbles.

The second little rivulet was easier.

Nearly everyone thought that this was a jolly good wheeze and that they would make a note of the next walks that I would lead.

A fortnight earlier, these cliffs were swarming with butterflies.  Marbled whites, Fritillaries, Blues and others were still around but in much reduced numbers.

Today there were thousands of grasshoppers.  Here a Meadow grasshopper.  They are difficult to photograph - hopping away when you poke a lens at them.  The above photo' is thanks to Rowena, whose feet, herded dozens of the little hoppers to my waiting camera lens.

This is a different one, perhaps a Common Field Grasshopper.

There really were thousands.  This one decided to get a better view of the cliffs from the safety of my knee.  I was having my lunch and decided that it was better to take its picture than to eat it as a source of concentrated protein, low in saturated fats.  It hopped off as I deliberated the dilemma.  Lucky little hopper!

The final descent into East Dean and a pint of bitter ale at The Tiger pub.

Bliss.

A walk with a difference!