18th January: Dorset Wildlife Trust Visit to Brownsea Island

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Saturday 18th January - Dorset Wildlife Trust Visit to Brownsea Island

Keith, Nicky and I had a lovely day on Brownsea Island with Alfie and Nigel. The weather was good, sunny and dry and the sea calm. We saw 33 different species of birds with lots of avocets, dunlin and oystercatchers on or at the edge of the Lagoon. There were also quite a few redshank about and a spotted redshank as well as a couple of greenshank, one of which was pretty close so we had good views of it.
Ducks seen included shelduck, shoveler, teal, wigeon and gadwall. We also saw both black-tailed and  bar-tailed godwits with an impressive bar-tailed godwit looking resplendent in its colourful summer plumage.
Nicky turned out to be a good red squirrel spotter. A peacock joined us while we were having lunch at a picnic table in the Nature Reserve.
I was rather disappointed not to see any spoonbill there this year. Apparently, they seem to prefer Shipstall Point currently. We shall have to go on a visit to Arne soon to try and see them!

Nicky’s picture of a Peacock

Comments

Jen Holter said…
Momentarily confused there - I thought the peacock meant the butterfly, but that was Nick's previous photo - she is clearly fond of peacocks in every form!
19 January 2020 at 14:34
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