Eastbourne Regional Group - May 2026 activities

David Beer

Chiddingly Circular Walk

Our annual visit to Chiddingly started well with a Kestrel spotted on the steeple of the parish church which overlooks the village car park. The woodland sections of the walk were bursting with the birdsong of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Song Thrushes, Wrens and Blackbirds. However, two Garden Warblers stole the show with their rich, fluty, melodic song. Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies fluttered in the reed beds surrounding a pond and a Broad Bodied Chaser was the sole dragonfly seen by the group. Speckled Wood butterflies were active in the sunnier sections of the woodland. As we returned to the car park the Kestrel was spotted again hovering over the long grass of a field margin.

Abbots Wood Walk

This ancient woodland comes alive during spring and early summer with the return of summer visiting birds, emerging dragonflies and damselflies and numerous butterflies along the sunny rides. Impressive Foxgloves, Red Campions, Pignut and Common Spotted Orchids provided plenty of colour. Birds were difficult to spot in the dense woodland canopy but good views of a Treecreeper, Nuthatches and a Mistletoe Thrush were enjoyed by some of the group. The old carp pond was busy with seven Odonata species identified. The most impressive being an Emperor Dragonfly and two Common Hawkers. Many were delighted to see their first Painted Lady butterflies of the year and a single Green Hairstreak was spotted at the edge of one of the paths.

Evening Talk on Plants, Pests and Diseases

Andrew Gaunt from the UK Environment Plant Quarantine Department gave a fascinating talk on how this small team are responsible for keeping our food, gardens and landscapes free from pests and disease. He explained how imports of bedding plants, timber, fruit and vegetables are checked for possible pathogens before they reach wholesalers, retailers and farmers. He described a number of insect pests that are often discovered ‘hitching a lift’ on imported goods and he had a few impressive preserved specimens for us to look at during the interval. As climate change continues and the range for many insect vectors spreads further north the problem of limiting the spread of many plant diseases will become more difficult and the crucial work carried out by Andrew and his team will increase in importance.