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PLEASE NOTE: Members of Dorset Wildlife Trust do NOT have to pay a landing fee on arrival at Brownsea Island if they are only visiting the Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserve. However, a valid membership card will need to be shown to National Trust staff on arrival. If you would like to visit the rest of the Island you must pay the National Trust landing charges for this. |
General Information
Size: 101 hectares
Diverse habitats & wildlife, including a red squirrel population. The reserve is leased from the National Trust, situated in Poole Harbour with a large sheltered lagoon; particularly important for overwintering & summer breeding birds. A day spent exploring its flooded woodland, lakes, reedbed & pine woods is unlikely to disappoint.
There are five bird hides overlooking the lagoon, lakes and reedbed.
The Villa Wildlife Centre has toilets, an exhibition and gift shop.
Wildlife interest:
- Large flocks of waders, particularly avocets, black-tailed godwits & visiting wildfowl over winter.
- In the summer breeding common and sandwich terns, gulls & little egrets.
- The reedbeds & alder carr are home to water voles & sika deer, with kingfishers & water rails providing avian interest.
- Approx. 200 Red Squirrels!
Best time to visit:
- Boats travel to the island from March to November.
- Come early in the year for winter bird visitors, or in summer for breeding terns.
- Autumn is best for red squirrel watching.
Access:
Good viewing from hides and a system of paths & boardwalk give access to most of the habitats .
Location:
Map ref. SZ 028878. No road access.
Public ferries run daily to the island from Sandbanks from 10am March - November, check for details. Also, ferries from Poole Quay & Bournemouth Pier.
Access to the reserve is 150m from the National Trust Quay on the island.
Audio Podcast
Click the arrow to listen to Brownsea Island podcast:
Brownsea Course
in January 2012
Winter Waders on Brownsea is from 4.30pm Friday 27th January to 4pm Sunday 29th January and costs £220 to include accommodation, food with dinner cooked by DWT’s Kingcombe Centre team, expert guides and boat transport.
To book, contact The Kingcombe Centre on 01300 320684 or visit the Kingcombe Centre website
Recent Sightings
Info Downloads
> Warden's Sightings - Oct 11
> Warden's Sightings - Aug 11
> Warden's Sightings - July 11
> Warden's Sightings - May 11
> Warden's Sightings - Oct 10
> Warden's Sightings - Sept 10
> Warden's Sightings - June 10
> Warden's Sightings - May 10
> Warden's Sightings - April 10
> Warden's Sightings - March 10
> Warden's Sightings - Oct 09
> Warden's Sightings - Sept 09
> Warden's Sightings - Aug 09
> Warden's Sightings - June 09
> Warden's Sightings - May 09
> Warden's Sightings - Aug 08
> Warden's Sightings - Sept 08
Things to Do
Brownsea Island
Interactive Wildlife Map
Brownsea Virtual Walk
Adopt a Red Squirrel
from only £18
Our nature reserve on
Brownsea Island has been kindly supported by Barclays
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