Siskins, butterflies and yachts - second visit to RSPB Arne nature reserve on 14th July 2024

I took further advantage of the summer shuttle bus between Wareham railway station and Arne and visited the nature reserve for a second time during my week in Dorset during July.

Great Tit and Siskin on a bird feeder at the entrance to the reserve

Female Siskin with seed

Male Siskin

Gatekeeper butterfly on Ragwort

I was thrilled to see a Marbled White butterfly - first time I have managed to photograph one

Seven-spot Ladybird on seed head amongst the Ragwort flowers

Second Marbled White butterfly - this one has tattered wings

Two Curlews viewed from the top deck of the Shipstal bird hide

Lots of yachts sailing round Brownsea Island

Then lots of yachts with coloured sails

View of Hyde Heath - part of Arne nature reserve

Stonechat on a bush in Hyde Heath

Silver-studded blue butterfly on the heath

Female wild pig in the woodland - there were piglets somewhere hidden away from view!  I did not have time to find them before I had to go back to the entrance in order to get the bus back to Wareham.

 

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