Wildlife, birds and nature on Brownsea Island during my second visit in mid-October 2024

Before I set off for Poole Quay, I wandered around Ham Common for a short while where I saw a couple of Reed Buntings on a twiggy shrub in the early morning sunshine 

The weather was very different from my earlier visit to Brownsea a couple of days before.  Now the sun was shining on this handsome male Pheasant that was searching for food amongst the fallen leaves

A damp Red Squirrel was finding and looking for chestnuts on the dew-covered grass

Wandering around near a bird hide at the edge of the lagoon was a Redshank

and an Avocet

A large group of Avocets were gathered together in a long line on the other side of the lagoon

When wandering through the woodland I came across this yellow fungi

and a whole heap of Honey Fungus, which had obviously killed the tree next to it

A Red Admiral butterfly was resting on the ground in the sunshine

Here is another type of fungus - I'm not a fungus expert so I don't know what it is

A beautiful Jay was perching on a tree branch in the woodland

Well-disguised Red Squirrels appeared in the woodland

A Nuthatch was sitting on top of a tree trunk

A Meadow Pipit was perching on the fence along the approach to the second bird hide at the edge of the lagoon

Kingfisher perching on a pole some distance away from the bird hide

Some of the many Spoonbills had left their little island and were standing in the water

When I was walking back to the quay on Brownsea Island, a female pheasant suddenly flew out of the castle grounds and landed high up on a tree at the edge of the footpath

The next morning I had to leave Rockley Park.  It was very foggy, but I did manage to get photographs of these lovely spider's webs in the hedge

 

Butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies and birds - walk round Whitlingham Country Park in mid August 2024

My sister and I had just been ferried across the river from Thorpe St Andrew to Whitlingham Country Park in the low rowing boat as the motor boat would not start.

View of the ferry, boats and cafe

Female Ruddy Darter dragonfly on a leaf

Male Common Blue damselfly clinging to a dried grass stem

Black-tailed Skimmer dragonfly resting on the path

Great Crested Grebe swimming in the water of the Great Broad

Distant Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan and flying Cormorant

Arrowhead aquatic plant and a pair of mating Common Blue damselflies

Piebald Carrion Crow panting in the heat at the top of a tree

There were lots of butterflies on the plants near the edge of the Great Broad

Comma Butterfly on a leaf

White butterfly on a flower

Red Admiral butterfly on Hemp Agrimony flowers

Holly Blue butterfly

Gatekeeper butterfly

Thorpe St Andrew's church tower and the new bird hide on the other side of the Great Broad

Thorpe Tower showing above the trees on the other side of the water

Group of Egyptian geese

Dark-coloured Mallard resting on grass at the edge of the river

Mute Swan family on Little Broad

Female Common Blue damselfly partly hidden by a large leaf

Purple Loosestrife flowers in front of the new bird hide

Very well-disguised dragonfly!

Back at the ferry point at the edge of the river in Whitlingham Country Park and waiting for the ferry man to collect us - this time in the motor boat, thank goodness!

We stopped at the cafe for a cold drink and a chicken joined us on the table!

The chicken had a friend!  They went to visit another table where cake was on offer!