Brownsea Island is one of the best places in the UK to see Red Squirrels. They can be elusive, but with a few tips, you can get amazing views and photos of them. So here’s how to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island.
Brownsea Island is a beautiful place to visit. Nature lovers will love this small island on the south coast of the UK. One of the most famous things about Brownsea Island is that it is home to red squirrels. My guide to how to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island will show the best ways to see these beautiful animals.
Once native to the UK, red squirrels are now extremely rare. The bigger American grey squirrels have taken over, and are now the most commonly seen squirrels in the UK. Red squirrels survive in just a few pockets of land around the UK. And Brownsea Island is one of these few places. Being an island, it’s protected from the invasive grey squirrels. So red squirrels can roam free on Brownsea Island. And it means you’ve got a great chance of being able to spot one.
Where is Brownsea Island and how do I get there?
Brownsea Island is a small island on the south coast of the UK. It’s located in Poole Harbour, one of the largest natural harbours in the world.
To get to Brownsea Island, you’ll need to take the ferry. The main ferries run from Poole Quay every hour, and take around 20 minutes. Check out the Poole Quay ferry times here.
What is the best time of year to see Red Squirrels on Brownsea Island?
In my experience, the best time of year to see Red Squirrels on Brownsea Island is in the autumn. October is my favourite month. I’ve found that the red squirrels are at their most active in the autumn, when they’re foraging for acorns and chestnuts among the fallen leaves. The orange colours of the fallen leaves make autumn the perfect time to get amazing photos of the red squirrels as well.
I’ve had limited success trying to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island when I’ve visited in the peak summer months. I visited on a hot summer’s day, and saw only a few brief glimpses of the red squirrels. On the hot summer days, the island can get busy during the daytime, which means the shy red squirrels are less keen to come out. They’re most active in the early mornings and late evenings in the summer – which are before and after the boats to Brownsea Island.
The shorter daylight hours in October mean that the squirrels are more active during the main daylight hours when the boats are also running.
What is the best time of day to see Red Squirrels on Brownsea Island?
I’ve found that the best time of day to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island is in the early morning, and later afternoon. If you’re looking for how to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island, the best times are at either end of the day.
Unfortunately, the boats from Poole Quay to Brownsea Island don’t start running until 10am. So you can’t get to Brownsea Island super early to see the squirrels. But in October, or other months with similar limited daylight, you can still see plenty of red squirrels if you get the 10am ferry. You’ll arrive about 10.30am, which is still early enough to see the squirrels in their active morning time.
Later in the day is also a great time to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island. The final boat from Brownsea Island to Poole Quay goes at 5pm. So you can still see a lot of squirrels later in the day, before the final boat goes.
Where is the best part of Brownsea Island to see Red Squirrels?
The best place to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island is in the woodland behind the church. If you’re looking for how to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island, then as soon as you arrive on the island, head straight for the church. It’s only a 5-10 minute walk from the quay if you walk quickly.
The dense woodland behind the church is by far the best place on the island to see the red squirrels. You might need to be patient, but if you’re lucky, and if you’re there at the right time of day and the right time of year, then you have a good chance of seeing the red squirrels.
Look up in the trees when you notice movement, and you might see some squirrels darting through the branches. But a lot of the time, you can also spot them on the ground as well. In the autumn, you can see them searching through the fallen leaves on the ground for food, and burying acorns and chestnuts in the ground.
Lots of other people will be in this area, looking for the red squirrels. I’ve found that the people on Brownsea Island are really friendly and helpful. So if someone spots a squirrel, they’ll quietly tell the people around them. So you can all work together to spot the squirrels and point them out to each other.
How to photograph the Red Squirrels on Brownsea Island
If you’re looking to get great photos of the red squirrels on Brownsea Island, you’ll need a camera with a decent zoom lense.
If you’re relying on just using your phone camera, you’ll have to be lucky to be close enough to the squirrels to get a good photo. You might be able to a few times. But a lot of the time, the squirrels will be too far away to get a good photo with a phone camera. So a proper camera with a zoon lense is needed.
You’ll see a lot of photographers with huge cameras with very long lenses. These are great, and will give you great photos. But you can get good photos with a smaller superzoom camera, or a bridge camera. You can get these for just a few hundred pounds, so you don’t need to spend thousands on professional camera equipment to get good photos of the red squirrels.
A lot of the time, the best views and photos of the red squirrels are when they’re on the ground. You can see them in the trees, but they’re often darting around quickly so it’s hard to capture a photo. And it’s difficult to get good photos of the red squirrels in the trees because the lighting is so difficult – often the squirrels are silhouetted against the bright sky.
So for the best photos of the red squirrels on Brownsea Island, wait until the squirrels are down on ground level. And even better – wait until they stop to eat one of the chestnuts they find. When they stop still, in the classic iconic squirrely pose, you can get some amazing photos. And even better if they stop in a patch of sunlight on the forest floor.
What else is there to do on Brownsea Island?
There’s a lot to do on Brownsea Island as well as seeing the red squirrels.
Bird watchers will love visiting Brownsea Island. There are bird hides overlooking the lagoon. You can see a wide variety of wading birds and migrating birds all through the year.
Brownsea Island also has some lovely walks, and lovely beaches. You can easily spend the day walking around the island, enjoying the colourful heather and gorse, and also the stunning sea views.
For more tips on what to do on Brownsea Island, check out my guide to the best bird watching and things to do on Brownsea Island.
Hope you enjoyed my guide to how to see Red Squirrels on Brownsea Island, and you see lots on your trip! If you’re looking for more great outdoor adventures in the UK, check out my guide to the best walks in the Lake District, or the top autumnal walks in the nearby New Forest and the best things to do in nearby Dorset. Or for more wildlife focussed trips, check out my guide to bird watching in Anglesey in North Wales, or seeing puffins on Skomer Island.
