Birds, nature and wildlife at Rockley Park and Brownsea Island, near Poole, Dorset - 5th and 6th October 2025

I spent 4 nights at Rockley Holiday Park in early October and, while walking to my accommodation, I discovered a beautiful Peacock butterfly feeding on Mock Orange flowers

After I had unpacked, I walked to Rockley beach where a Little Egret was searching for food

There were lots of orange Pyracantha berries in the hedgerows

I then wandered up to the Ham Common Viewpoint where I could see many moored yachts and a distant Brownsea Island

Oystercatcher on the beach below the Ham Common Viewpoint

Another view of the moored yachts and distant Brownsea Island

The closest I am ever going to get to a White-tailed Eagle

The next morning I got the ferry from Poole Harbour over to Brownsea Island

A Peacock was displaying his very short tail feathers while standing in front of the church

A few of over seventy Spoonbills in Brownsea lagoon

Close view of an Avocet standing in front of the aptly named Avocet bird hide

Greenshank - also in front of the Avocet hide

I was lucky enough to be in the hide when a female Kingfisher flew over and perched on a pole

I then went into the woodland where a Red Squirrel was posing nicely on top of a tree trunk

Female Common Darter dragonfly resting in a patch of sunlight

Grey Wagtail on a fallen branch in the waterlily pond

Wren perching on a twig on the dark side of the woodland path

Greenfinch on a feeder on the light side of the woodland path

Female Pheasant blending in with the fallen autumn leaves

Back at the lagoon, a Black-tailed Godwit was standing in front of a small island

Female Shoveler duck on the left, Greenshank in the centre and Redshank on the right

Redshank with reflection

A went for a last look in the woodland before leaving the island and came across a Red Squirrel sitting on the ground

 I loved my day on Brownsea Island and was planning to return there for a second time later in the week