Wildlife on Brownsea Island, Dorset - 10th October 2025

I visited Ham Common at Rockley Park on my way to the bus stop and saw a Stonechat on a fir tree

This ragged Red Admiral butterfly was resting on a post near the entrance to Brownsea Island

Lots of Spoonbills were standing towards the back of the lagoon

The two Peacocks that live on Brownsea were perching on a bench in the churchyard

One told me off for taking photographs!!

A Chiffchaff flew down from a tree and was perching on a fallen branch in the waterlily pond

View of Round Island from the edge of Brownsea

Avocet with leg bracelets wading across the lagoon in front of the aptly-named Avocet hide

I was lucky enough to see the female Kingfisher again - posing on two different wooden poles in front of the Avocet hide

I was unlucky with the Red Squirrels during this second visit to Brownsea Island and just managed to photograph this one hiding behind a clump of grass before I had to catch the last ferry back to Poole

I stopped to photograph a Sika deer in the churchyard while on my way back to get the homeward ferry

 

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

Birds, insects and adders at Abberton and Fingrinhoe nature reserve at the end of April2025

 Towards the end of April I went on a coach trip to Abberton and Fingringhoe nature reserves

The Layer Breton Causeway at Abberton was our first stop where I saw a pair of Egyptian geese with four young goslings

Spoonbills were flying around in the trees

Some young Grey Herons were on a nest in the centre of a tree

It was great seeing the Spoonbills

Two male Tufted ducks were near the edge of the causeway

Another pair of Spoonbills were on the ground on the other side of the lagoon

After visiting Layer Breton Causeway, we moved on to Fingringhoe nature reserve

View of the lake at Fingringhoe

Male Pheasant crossing the grassy path

A green Shield bug landed on my coat as I was having lunch

Thames barge sailing along the river at Fingringhoe

Bird hide at the edge of the river

Female Adder curled up in the undergrowth by the side of the path leading to the bird hide

Male Adder working its way through the undergrowth

Wild Orchid in the grass

Barn Owl box on a tree at the edge of the river.  Owls were inside but did not come out.

Distant view of the backside of a Cuckoo!

Closer view of a Robin

Male Linnet perching on a tree near the visitor centre

Slightly closer, but still blurry, Cuckoo - it refused to come any nearer!

Comma butterfly on a shrub near the visitor centre