Wildlife

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Spring

Spring daffodils and peacock on Brownsea Island © NTPL/Ian Shaw

Peacock strolling through spring time daffodils on Brownsea Island

Everything begins to come to life during the spring. Listen out for the noisy call of the black-headed gull and watch the peackocks showing off on Church Field.

What to look out for

  • The first mallard ducklings
  • Terns and gulls nesting on the lagoon
  • Brimstone butterflies on warmer days
  • Red squirrels with a spring in their step
  • Reed warblers and water rails in the reed beds

Summer

Girl in heather on Brownsea Island © NTPL/John Millar

Exploring Brownsea's heathland

During the summer look out for dragonflies, butterflies and other insects on the heathland. Our red squirrels like to keep cool and snooze.

What to look out for

  • Common and Sandwich terns feeding their chicks on the lagoon
  • White admirals, purple hairstreaks and other butterflies on the heath
  • Common spotted and marsh orchids flowering in damper areas
  • Common lizards basking

Autumn

A red squirrel eats a nut at the base of a tree at Formby Point. © NTPL/Joe Cornish

A red squirrel munching on nuts

Autumn is the best time to spot red squirrels as they busily hunt for seeds and nuts on the woodland floor. 

What to look out for

  • Red squirrels in the woodland
  • Autumn fungi on the woodland floor
  • The busy wood ants
  • Sika deer grazing on the grasslands
  • Listen out for the call of the green woodpeckers