Brownsea Island is a beautiful part of the UK coastline. With amazing wildlife and great walks, it’s a perfect day out. Here’s my guide to the best bird watching and things to do on Brownsea Island.
Brownsea Island is a great place for a day out. There’s lots to do on Brownsea Island, so it’s a great family day out, as well as a great day out for people seeking quiet solitude and time with nature. My guide to the best bird watching and things to do on Brownsea Island will show you the best of this beautiful small island, so you can make the most of your day there.
Where is Brownsea Island
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.
Brownsea Island is small. It’s only about 1.5 miles long and 0.75 miles wide. But it’s still easily big enough to spend the day there.
There’s very little accommodation on Brownsea Island. There are a few cottages which are run by the National Trust, and a scout camp. But the vast majority of visitors will come to Brownsea Island for the day, and leave on the later ferries that day.
How to get to Brownsea Island
The only way to get to Brownsea Island is to take one of two ferries. The main ferry to Brownsea Island goes from Poole Quay. Ferries run every hour, and you can buy tickets from the small kiosk on Poole Quay. It’s worth getting to the ferry a bit early so you can get a seat outside if the weather is nice.
Check out the Poole Quay ferry times here. The ferry takes about 20 minutes, and it’s a beautifully scenic boat trip through Poole Harbour.
Alternatively, a smaller ferry runs from Sandbanks to Brownsea Island. These ferries are smaller and less frequent, and Sandbanks isn’t as easy to get to as Poole. So most visitors to Brownsea Island take the ferry from Poole Quay.
Why is Brownsea Island so famous?
The whole island is owned by the National Trust. It’s a nature reserve, with a lot of important wildlife. It’s one of the few places in the UK where there’s a strong population of the native red squirrels. Red squirrels are now incredibly rare in the UK, but there’s lots on Brownsea Island and you have a good chance of seeing them.
The red squirrels are the most famous of all the wildlife on Brownsea Island, but there’s so much more wildlife to see here as well. There are lots of deer that you can see around the island.
Brownsea Island is also a bird watchers paradise. At different times of the year, migrating wading birds visit the sheltered waters around the lagoon of Brownsea Island. You can see all sorts of birds, including breeding Terns, Avocets, Greenshank, Spoonbills, and so much more.
Brownsea Island is also famous for its historical links to scouting. It’s known as the birthplace of scouting. In 1907, Robert Baden-Powell held the first-ever Scout camp on Brownsea Island, marking the beginning of the global Scouting movement. The island, and the inscription stone, is now a pilgrimage site for Scouts worldwide. You can find scouting groups from all across the world visiting, and there are scout camps on the island as well.
Birdwatching on Brownsea Island
The bird watching on Brownsea Island is some of the best in the UK. If you’re lucky, the bird watching can be amazing and you can see a wide variety of different birds, all through the year.
For the best bird watching on Brownsea Island, head over to the bird hides that look over the lagoon. This sheltered patch of water is home to lots of birds, including migrating species that can be difficult to see in the UK.
You’ll need some good binoculars to be able to see the birds well, and a good camera as well to be able to take photos. But even if you don’t have any of this, it’s still worth heading over to the bird hides. There are often volunteers there who can lend you binoculars. Or there might be a volunteer with a telescope, who can live stream the view onto screens in the bird hide. So everyone can get a chance to see the birds.
When I visited in October, I was lucky to see lots of Avocets in the lagoon on Brownsea Island. These lovely black and white birds are so elegant, and a real joy to watch.
There were also a lot of spoonbill. They were resting quite far out, so it was difficult to get good photos. But some flew overhead as well, which was nice.
Greenshank and Redshank were also there. I especially liked the Greenshank.
I also got great views of a Bar Tailed Godwit. And there were Teal, as well as Shelducks.
I was really impressed how friendly the people in the bird hides were. Everyone was so helpful pointing out the birds to each other, and helping each other identify the birds. It was a lovely community.
If you’re super lucky, you might also be able to spot a White Tailed Sea Eagle. There’s a breeding pair in Poole Harbour. These huge birds are so impressive. But they can be difficult to see. I haven’t managed to see one yet, but I know other people have been lucky and had great views. So keep a look out and see if you can spot this huge bird of prey.
What else is there to do on Brownsea Island?
As well as red squirrels and bird watching, Brownsea Island has lots of other wildlife and things to do. There are some excellent marked walking trails around the island, and you can also get a map from the visitor reception which shows you all the paths. I’m always surprised how big Brownsea Island is. You can easily spend the day walking around the island on the excellent walking trails. And there’s lots more to see from the walks.
Red squirrels on Brownsea Island
For the best chance to see red squirrels on Brownsea Island, head over to the area of woodland behind the church. If you’re patient, and lucky, you can see lots of red squirrels here. The squirrels are at their most active in the mornings and evenings, and in autumn. So these are the best times to have a good change of seeing them.
If you’re keen to see the red squirrels on Brownsea Island, check out my guide to how to see and photograph red squirrels on Brownsea Island.
Deer on Brownsea Island
If you’re lucky, you might spot some of the sika deer who live on Brownsea Island. You can see deer all over the island. I’ve seen them quite often behind the church, along with the squirrels. But I’ve also seen them all over the island from the walking paths.
Fungi in autumn
If you’re visiting Brownsea Island in autumn, you’ll be able spot lots of different types of mushroom and fungi. There were lots of different types all across the island, and some were really colourful. I’m not that knowledge about fungi so I wasn’t able to identify all the different types, but I still enjoyed seeing them.
Colourful heather and gorse
There are other areas of the island that have some really colourful heather and gorse. In October, the colourful flowers were slowly going over. But there were still some purple flowers left on the heather, and yellow flowers on the gorse bushes.
Summer in Brownsea Island is the best time to see the colourful flowers. So even though you might see fewer red squirrels on Brownsea Island in the summer, you’ll be able to see more of the colourful flowers.
Beaches and coastal views
Finally, don’t forget to see some of the beautiful beaches and coastal views on Brownsea Island. As a small island, you’ll never be too far away from the sea when you walk around the island.
Head down to the beaches, and also enjoy the views out to see you can get from the gaps in the trees. If the weather is nice, you can also swim in the sea off the beaches as well.
Brownsea Island really is a beautiful place. With great wildlife watching opportunities, plus stunning sea views, it’s a memorable day out that will leave you wanting to return again and again.
Hope you enjoyed my guide to the best bird watching and things to do on Brownsea Island! Make sure you also check out my guide to seeing red squirrels on Brownsea Island. 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.
