Friday 12th to Friday 19th September 2025 - Corfe Castle

 

Corfe Castle (Bath Birdwatcher)

Friday 12^th to Friday 19^th of September Bryan, Yvonne, Mary and Tony spent a week in Corfe, staying in sight of the famous Castle. On arrival we found out that Swanage Steam railway was holding its annual autumn gala over the weekend, something to visit while we were there. We set off stopping at Blandford for a comfort break and coffee where we spotted a Little Egret on the river Stour and 2 or 3 Red Kites on the journey. Our next stop was Wareham where we had lunch and a walk to stretch our legs and here by the river Frome were 2 Mute Swans with 3 full grown cygnets many Mallards and a Moorhen.

Saturday started wet and windy with the promise that it would improve as the day went on, and so it proved so we explored Corfe and had coffee in the National Trust Café. We had an early lunch and caught the bus into Swanage to visit the Steam Gala with 6 locos in steam including Southern Region U class 31806. 

Class U - Swanage Steam Railway
(Bath Birdwatcher)

Also seen were LWSR T3 563, Battle of Britain 34070 Manston and 34072 257 Squadron as well as S15 30506 and Schools 926 Repton.

Sunday we drove to Poole for coffee and a Sunday lunch. Coffee was at the RNLI café and while drinking Bryan spotted a Kingfisher on a boat and 2 Sandwich Terns in the harbour. After lunch it started raining so we drove to Poole park hoping the rain would stop, but no, so we drove back to Corfe.

Monday we visited Compton Acres an ornamental Garden in Bournemouth  it was a windy day but the gardens were very sheltered and a good day was had by all.

Tuesday was a birding day with a visit to RSPB Arne the day started with Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin and Jackdaw in the garden and at Arne while having coffee Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Siskin plus a Hummingbird Hawk Moth the 1^st of 3 we were to see during the week. We also saw a flyover Mistle Thrush. We started by walking to Middlebere Lookout and here we saw Black Headed Gull, Oystercatcher, Carrion Crow, Curlew, Redshank. Little Egret and Stonechat. Also seen were several smallish waders but they proved problematic to identify looking into the sun but a cloud came to our rescue and out popped Knot, while searching we also found Black Tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Meadow Pipit, Sandwich Tern and Herring Gull. Walking back to the cafe for lunch we added a Blackbird. After lunch we visited Shipstal shoreline where Cormorant, Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper were seen, walking back along the shoreline Swallows, Grey Heron and Great Black Back Gull were added. Long Tailed Tit, Pheasant and Raven ended the day.

Wednesday was a Train ride into Swanage where we had coffee, fish and chip lunch and a walk by the sea.

Thursday was our last full day but we did leave the best to last with a visit to Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour owned by the National Trust. After a 20min ferry ride to the island and spotting on the way we saw Shag, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Oystercatcher, and both Common and Sandwich Tern a Little Egret and Swallows. 

Brownsea Ferry (Bath Birdwatcher)

Once on the island we headed to a point that overlooks the 2 lakes where House Martins were flying around and a Clouded Yellow butterfly flew past. Time for Coffee and scone and after we walked back to where we had previously looked over the lakes and this time Avocets was wading close by and a Grey Heron was hiding behind a clump of grass. Across the lake was a flock of 20plus Spoonbills. Carrion Crow, Robin, Great Tit, Woodpigeon and Blue Tit were all day ticks. A warbler was working its way through the reeds and when it finally showed bingo it was a Reed Warbler. Walking the boardwalk to the lookout hide where we added Curlew, Shelduck, Redshank and Black Tailed Godwit. On to the next hide where Moorhen, Shoveler, Gadwall and Teal were all new for the day. Time for lunch so back to the café for a pasty which were very nice. We ate outside where we found a White Wagtail wandering the grass. Lunch over we wandered back to the final hide adding Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Wall Butterflies on the way. From the hide the only new bird for the day were 2 Greenshanks. 

Greenshank - Brownsea (Bath Birdwatcher)

Next we visited the Villa where on previous visits we had seen Red Squirrels but no luck this time but we did see Coal Tit, Nuthatch and Chaffinch all visiting a feeder we also found some female Pheasants that strangely flew up into a tree. Time to think about walking back as afternoon tea was calling but we did pop into the 2^nd hide on the way and so glad we did as 5 Curlew Sandpipers were probing the mud in front of the hide and a Kingfisher flew by landing on the top of a post exciting everyone in the hide. Walking back to the café we passed the church and on the wall I spotted a Red Squirrel but it shot up a tree as people walked past so we walked towards the tree but it stayed in hiding but a few other people were looking at something and as we approached there was another squirrel that disappeared into a bush but another ran up the wall behind us before jumping down on the ground where I managed this picture. 

Red Squirrel - Brownsea (Bath Birdwatcher)

Tea drunk it was nearing time for the ferry but just enough time to visit the loos and another look over the lakes, Starlings, Canada Geese, Lesser Black Back Gulls and the 2^nd Hummingbird Hawk Moth was seen. Driving back to Corfe Mute Swan, Magpie and Jackdaw ended the day.

Friday our last day, after cleaning the cottage and packing the car we drove into Wareham for a short walk by the river Frome lots of Chiffchaffs and a single Willow Warbler were seen but little else so it was time to get to the café we knew for coffee and Dorset Apple Cake we were not disappointed. We also had sandwiches made up for lunch as we were stopping at Compton Abbas aerodrome. On arrival something was going on as it was unusually very busy and soon discovered it was a special fly in. We did find a space in the car park and somewhere to sit for lunch. Visiting aircraft included 2 Spitfires and a Harvard and while here the spitfire did some aerobatics great to witness.

Spitfire - Compton Abbas
(Bath Birdwatcher)

Harvard - Compton Abbas
(Bath Birdwatcher)

The end of a fantastic 7 days maybe the weather was not as good as we would have liked but it didn’t stop us from doing most things we had planned and the Railway Gala was a bonus for 2 mad steam lovers.