South Foreland to Dover

This is one of my favourite walks and only a couple of hours drive from home.  The views are immense - across The Channel to France - and the mighty white cliffs are as dramatic as they are rich in wildlife.  For me, it is one of Britain's best-kept secrets - a stretch of beautiful coastline right next to Dover's busy ferry terminal.

My visit wasn't wildlife-focussed but instead a pleasant walk with good friends, however, nevertheless I encountered a new (for me) species of butterfly - my first ever Chalk Hill Blue.  I stressed to my friends that these were scarce butterflies but it was hard to believe as they were everywhere!  Clearly the chalk downland above the cliffs suited them perfectly.

Chalk Hill Blue Polyommatus coridon

The males are a beautiful pale blue - a chalky-blue in my mind - lacking the rich depth in colour of Common or Adonis Blues.  Their wings are surrounding by a darker border while the females, as is typical with the blue butterflies, are a more discreet brown. They were by far the commonest butterfly on the cliffs and, at times, I almost trod on them as they settled on the path by my feet. ​

Just past South Foreland lighthouse another wildflower-rich meadow held another gem in the form of the also-scarce Adonis Blue butterfly. Unlike the faded-looking Chalk Hill Blue the Adonis Blue jumps out at you with a stunning deep, rich blue.

Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus

My photo doesn't quite capture the intensity of the blue and this is a battle-worn individual having lost a chunk from its left wing - perhaps from a bird.  The little black marks that cross the white wing-border separate this species from other blues and confirm it as an Adonis Blue.  Both the Chalk Hill and Adonis Blues are butterflies that I am very unlikely to encounter on my rambles at home so seeing them in abundance was very special.

Of course, being August and being on a headland just across from France meant that my 'bird antennae' were also up.  However, I didn't encounter too much save a lone Wheatear on passage. There also seemed to be a steady passage of birds out to sea but without a scope I could only identify a few Gannets and Mediterranean Gulls by way of interest.  A dark bird headed west looked tantalisingly like a Brown Booby but at such distance it had to be relegated to the 'in your dreams' category of 'ones that go away'!

A passage Wheatear - evidence of autumn migration

Aside from the fact that this walk is book-ended by two National Trust cafés, this short stretch of coastline is well worth a visit.  The area has precedence for good birds and if you want inspiration for a visit check out - Perdix Birding - a blog by local birder Jamie Partridge.