Peacock entertainment, one Red Squirrel, wildlife and water lilies on a sunny visit to Brownsea Island - 11th July 2024

View from the ferry of the castle and the partly-built new bird hide on Brownsea Island

The entrance to the castle which only John Lewis partners/other residents can go through

Large chickens were wandering around the field near the farm buildings

Well disguised female Chaffinch

Cinnabar moth caterpillars on Ragwort flowers

Several views of a Four-spotted Dragonfly on reeds at the aptly name Dragonfly pool

Peacock strutting his stuff with some tail feathers ready to moult

Unlike my previous wet visit to Brownsea earlier in the week, I saw a Red Squirrel - it had come out of hiding in order to look for the bribes that someone had put on the logs - peanuts and sunflower seeds!

Love the light-colour ear tufts!

View across the bay to Studland and Old Harry Rocks

It was good to see the Water Lilies in the Lily Pond in sunshine. On my last visit, I saw them in the rain!

Gatekeeper butterfly

Close-up portrait of the Peacock

He got a bit fluffed up.  I was told that there are now only two Peacocks on Brownsea Island and no females.  Apparently the birds were causing a lot of trouble with the other wildlife, so they were deported!  I was very disappointed as I was hoping to see some baby Peachicks while I was there.

Peacock feeding on the Red Squirrel's bribe was joined by the large black chicken

The Peacock got annoyed with the chicken joining his meal and started to show off by opening up his long moulting feathers and wiggling his backside at the chicken - who was not paying any attention!

This kept me amused while waiting for the Red Squirrels to NOT put in an appearance!

There was still no sign of any Red Squirrels and the Peacock moved onto a large fallen log

He went to visit another photographer, who was also hoping that some Red Squirrels would show up

 They didn't!

Walk round RSPB Arne nature reserve - 10th July 2024

I had deliberately chosen to visit the Poole area of Dorset in July because there was a shuttle bus service running between Wareham railway station and Arne nature reserve on Wednesdays and Sundays - financed jointly between the RSPB and Wareham Council.  I do not drive, so this was the only way I could travel the four miles between Wareham and the reserve without spending money I don't have on taxi journeys.  As this was a Wednesday, I travelled by train from Hamworthy to Wareham and arrived in time to get the first shuttle bus to the reserve at 9.40.

I set off along one of the trails and came across a field where a group of pigs' backsides were facing me!

A large group of Curlews suddenly flew into the air while I was sitting in the Shipstal bird hide

I walked between a lot of tall trees in the woodland area

View of Brownsea Island from Arne

...and Furze Island

...and Round Island

I stopped for a snack on a bench at the edge of Arne and discovered four Little Egrets standing amongst mauve flowers

Further along the trail I came across a Comma butterfly

...and a Meadow Brown

It was good to see the new wall painting from the recent BBC Springwatch programmes, which is situated near the visitor centre

I then went for a walk along one of the other trails to Combe Heath where the ground was covered with purple heather and conifers.

Unfortunately, the only birds around were metal!  Helicopters flew regularly over the vast expanse of water in the Poole Harbour area and kept me awake at night when they landed in the Marine camp in Hamworthy, base of the SBS and next door to Rockley holiday park.  They were so loud - they sounded like explosions - and I wasn't staying in one of the homes right next door to the camp!

Navy helicopter flying above the Arne Peninsular

Two helicopters flying above the heathland

I left Arne on the 16.20 shuttle bus back to Wareham railway statiion (thank you RSPB and Wareham Council) and then travelled by train back to Hamworthy.  

Later in the evening there were pink clouds in the sky around a crescent-shaped moon

Wildlife at Lytchett Bay and on soggy Brownsea Island - 8th and 9th July 2024

I arrived at Rockley Bay, near Poole, in the afternoon and it was too early to check-in, so I had to wander around the area for some time.  I decided to walk over to Lytchett Bay, which was not very far away from the holiday park.  Unfortunately, the weather was not great.

 Little Egret in drizzle

Another Little Egret, with a snack, in the rain!

The weather brightened up during for a short while as I walked past this Small Skipper butterfly on a thistle-like flower

The next day I went to Brownsea Island and saw a Common Tern with a Sand Eel from one of the bird hides at the lagoon

Redshank in the rain - also viewed from the bird hide

Shelducks, Terns and lots of distant Oystercatchers

Adult Common Terns and a juvenile Tern on an island in front of the bird hide

Unfortunately it rained all day, so I decided to leave the island early and go back in order to relax in the mobile home at the holiday park.