Birds and European Paper Wasps at Rainham Marshes nature reserve - 20th September 2025

Grey Heron wandering along in front of the Purfleet Hide

View of distant Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits in the lagoon

There's a Snipe hiding in there somewhere!

Chiffchaff hiding amongst the berries

Close view of a Peacock butterfly resting on a wooden handrail

Great Spotted Woodpecker perching in distant trees

There are lots of electricity pylons located in the nature reserve

and the top of one of them was covered with Starlings

Male Eurasian Teal trying to keep a low profile

Female Eurasian Teal cruising across the water in front of the Ken Barrett hide

View of the new window shutters attached to the outside of the Shooting Butts hide after some mindless vandalism closed it for months and months

Kestrel perching above a new shutter on the hide

Kestrel hovering

European Paper Wasps were making a nest inside one of the wooden handrails

Little Egret wading in front of the Purfleet hide

Female Northern Shoveler standing on mud

A couple of Lapwings standing in the lagoon on an overcast afternoon

 

Birds of Poole Harbour boat trip (with White-tailed Eagles) followed by short walk in Baiter and Poole Parks in mid-October 2024

The boat had just set off from Poole Quay when the bird expert on board spotted this Kingfisher on steps at the entrance to the harbour

The boat stopped near the wall outside the edge of Brownsea Lagoon and we could see Curlew, Godwits and Dunlin standing and feeding in the shallow water

There were lots of Oystercatchers and Spoonbills in the lagoon

View of Brownsea Lagoon from the boat with the houses and castle at the island's entrance in the distance

Houses near the quay on Brownsea Island

The castle near the entrance to Brownsea Island.  This is owned by John Lewis Partnership.

The bird expert on board the boat pointed out a female White-tailed Eagle perching on a tree in the distance!  All the Eagles are fitted with satellite tags so that they can be tracked.

She flew towards the boat and round part of the harbour

We were told that she is larger than the male and has an eight foot wingspan!

A Shag was perching on a post in the harbour

Rockley Holiday Park, where I was staying, filled a large space on the cliff

A Mute Swan flew above a reed bed

The RSPB  has bought this land near Wareham and is turning it into a new wetland area

The smaller male White-tailed Eagle was sitting on a small island in the harbour and some distance away from his female partner!

Hundreds of Sinensis Cormorants were covering the rocky escarpment at the edge of Poole

After the boat trip I walked to Baiter Park, where I found two Oystercatchers on the grass

Pied Wagtails were also hopping around on the grass in Baiter Park

Flamingo, Swan, Unicorn, Toucan and three white Geese waiting for better weather (and probably for the weekend) in Poole Park

Oystercatcher at the edge of the harbour - seen during my return journey to Poole

 

Visit to RSPB Pagham Harbour and Chichester - 23rd March 2024

On Saturday morning I went by bus from Pagham to Chichester and then by another bus from Chichester to the bus stop near RSPB Pagham Harbour visitor centre just outside Selsey. 

I saw a male Pheasant and Chaffinch while on the way to the bird hide at Ferry Pool

A Little Egret was standing in the mud at the edge of Ferry Pool at low tide

There was an Avocet in the water not far away from the Little Egret

Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets at Ferry Pool

It absolutely poured with rain while I was at the bird hide opposite Ferry Pool, so I decided to give up on my visit to Pagham Harbour.  Fortunately, it stopped raining during the time I was waiting at the bus stop.  I went back to Chichester and the sun came out - for a short while!

I wandered round the outside of Chichester cathedral

I just loved these gargoyles!

Sundial on the outside wall of the cathedral

It started raining again while I was exploring the area round the cathedral, so I ended up in the shopping area buying some supplies from M&S and also a pair of much-needed wellies!!