Nothing quite like a dip after dinner! Brownsea's newest residents enjoying a cooling bath this evening. These 4mth old Mangalitsa/Berkshire cross piglets are here with a job to do... clearing bracken and allowing reintroduction of wooded heath #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

We've had some great inverts the past few weeks... hornet clearwing moth, golden ringed dragonfly, smudged spot form four spot chaser and Brownsea's first Norfolk hawker (photo credit Ian Feast-Vine) #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Meanwhile many of the bh gull chicks are actively flying and can often be found looking like they're contemplating an important question in their own reflection... Although still some small fluffies too #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Common terns have had an odd year too with some noisy new neighbours! But they have quietly got on with it with some chicks near to fledging. Will be interesting to see the species interactions next year #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Variation in size of Sandwich tern chicks this year has been extreme, with some surviving raven egg predation whilst unlucky others laid again. Not the best year for our 'Sarnies' but they're resilient! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

#30DaysWild Day 1: baby beings everywhere! From sika deer to greylag, to black-headed gulls and Sandwich terns. New life is all around #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social

The first couple of common tern chicks have hatched. Plus Sandwich tern chicks growing fast #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

The first Sandwich tern chicks have arrived on Brownsea! At least 8 on the Avocet Hide islands this afternoon 🩵 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

This morning's moth trap held one unusual visitor...agrotera nemoralis one of few records for the island, but got away pre-photo! The rest... green silver-lines, beautiful hook-tip, scorched wing and diaperis boleti. Not a bad haul #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Lots of youngsters about at the moment... blue tit, greylag and gs woodpecker parents very busy! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

This year's mixed tern colony getting along ok on the Avocet Hide islands. Not sure what the tidy & organised common terns really think of their chaotic new neighbours though... 🤭 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

4 roseate terns on the Brownsea boomerang this afternoon (no proper pics as too far away) #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

A bad year for terns... first the gbbgs, now the ravens taking 2-3 eggs every 10 mins. It's all part of the natural ebb and flow of breeding seasons but it's still hard to watch 😫 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Group of 5 raven flying together over north shore. Could be that our nestling have fledged already? #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Very rough count of Sandwich tern nests on Avocet Hide islands gave 230+ Busy times! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Unusual behaviour on the lagoon. Disturbance from gbbg pushed many Sandwich terns onto common tern islands... with over 400 Sandwich there are still plenty to settle but interactions are interesting! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Common terns moving in, black-headed gulls on eggs, reed warbler and reed bunting singing and willow fluff floating... gorgeous start to the day ✨️ #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... such brilliant news! 👏🥳🦎🪶🦋🙏✨️ @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/upton-h... brilliant news! ✨️🩵🥳 @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Spending a bit of time at Knowlton Henge watching the world pass by. It's not just people coming and going...so far I've seen displaying lapwing, red kite, skylark and my first swallow of the year 🩵✨️ #KnowltonHenge #Dorset @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Reed bunting visiting the garden (pls excuse temp fencing!), ducklings out & about, some good moths (early grey) & large red damselflies emerging. Sunny days! 😎 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Another murky but mild start. Lots of bh gull activity, plenty of Med gull still present. 2 common tern & 2 Sandwich tern visible at the moment. C.100 blackwit and close views of redshank and greenshank #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A dull start to the day... yesterday saw the return of the first 2 common terns and the forst large red damselfly and holly blue butterfly.... summer is trying its best! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Huge numbers of bh gull on the lagoon this evening, plus close views of blackwit and barwit. Gulls Nesting islands looking very busy! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Or even NOT the best photo 😅

It the best photo but the first common lizard of the year for me on Brownsea yesterday. Lovely! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @arc-trust.bsky.social

First dark edged bee-fly of the season, a pretty good moth trap, 17 Sandwich terns (and 1 Forsters), 4 WT eagles, 2 crossbill and a red kite. What a day! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Reed bunting on bird feeders this afternoon took exception to this one blue tit... tolerated all the others. Even the other tit on the feeder was hostile towards it.... why just this one bird? #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Bumped into this gorgeous fella today. Isn't he handsome! 😍 #FoxOfTheDay @chrisgpackham.bsky.social

That's it...with the exception of a few wet paint signs we are ready to go... 2026 season commences tomorrow 😁 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

The windy weather is bringing in huge numbers of blackwit to Brownsea today. Right outside the Avocet Hide and spread right across the lagoon. Brilliant and very noisy! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

We've done a bit of clearing work the past few days... looks drastic but necessary as the garden wall needs rebuilding urgently (its retaining a lot of soil behind and the Villa itself so structurally very much needed!). Also adding a new access ramp... #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

A murky start but busy in the reedbed with bh gulls, Cettis and my first reed bunting of the year. Couldn't see much on the lagoon. Back at the Villa coal tit and blue tit having territorial battles... #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

My first Brownsea blackcap of the year singing near the Vinery this morning. No sign of Forsters but 2 Sandwich tern, plenty of bh and med gulls and a couple of common gulls nice to see #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Worth getting up early for... first breeding bird survey of the year and what a morning for it! Songsters included treecreeper, nuthatch, siskin, stock dove, plus plenty of blue tit, great tit, chaffinch and robin. Also GS woodpecker drumming. Lovely! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Forsters tern briefly popped into the lagoon just now and then vanished... good to see though! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

No Forsters tern spotted on the lagoon today but plenty of other characters to watch out for #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Fairly distant but good views of the 10 glossy ibis at Wareham Common today, plus two Egyptian geese and a single distant lapwing. Herring, med and black-headed gulls very busy. Water levels still very high! #WarehamCommon @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Going through more pics from #LytchettFields yesterday and had to share... never realised how grumpy greenfinches look from the front 😅💚

Lytchett Fields today... basking adders, marsh harrier, spot red, amongst many other lovely things. Worth wading through the almost-over-welly-depth Watery Lane for! #LytchettFields @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

@harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Glorious views of WTE pair G463 and G466 right overhead, gracefully soaring, and calling loudly. Worth getting a bad neck for 😅 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Ham Common Lookout this afternoon... Dartford warbler calling, plenty of greenfinch, vocal crows, close pass by red kite and huge flocks of gull gathering as the tide fell #HamCommonLookout

A brilliant busy day at #UptonHouse yesterday and a gorgeous Brownsea morning today... Cettis singing in reedbed, grey wagtail along boardwalk, bh gulls in full voice and checking out nesting islands, and sounds of water vole along the diagonal path #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Looking for things to do on a rainy half term day? I'll be heading over to #UptonCountryPark today with a Brownsea stand for this brilliant wildlife event... come and say hi! 😆 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Frogspawn appearing overnight, geese getting bolshy, wood ants doing renovations and primroses starting to show. Despite the rain, in the patches of sun things are starting to stir... ✨️🌀🩵🍃 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

What a day for waders! Huge numbers of blackwit (c1500) and dunlin (c800). Spectacular murmurations from both. Plus shelduck really liking the new tern islands @bsky.app won't let me share vids... sadly! #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Tern islands time! The reserves team came over to Brownsea today to help us start on the annual weeding and re-gravelling of the lagoon nesting islands. A chilly and very muddy but productive day 😃 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Huge flocks of blackwit on the lagoon today... perfectly timed for the first @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social winter members day! #WildBrownsea

Horizontal rain hammering in through the window, shaking hide, restless birds and waves on the lagoon... great day for a bird count! 😃😅 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social