Bright 'n' Breezy "aww-fest" on Brownsea

So Saturday last, with Mrs PB working, I decided on a little nip over to Brownsea to see the reported Tern fluffballs. The boats don't start running until 10, so no chance of getting the "golden hour" and it was a blazingly sunny day.

First off, just off the boat, Dunnock (there were three that landed on the branches)

Walking along the boardwalk towards the Dorset Wildlife Trust hides, a pair of pheasants, but the female kept her head down!

Overhead, a Buzzard

Unfortunately, as you know, I'm pretty rubbish with some ID's, and fledgling/young/juveniles is one of those gaps in my knowledge. On this stretch of water were Black Headed Gulls, Mallards, and Shoveler... but I don't know which (if any) this is!

Hopefully Mallard!

Moving a few yards further along, this channel opened to the main lagoon, and a pair of Greylag + youngster didn't appreciate the proximity of the screechingly excited children on the path

A feature from all of the hides, was sporadically all the birds would lift off, on high alert... we shall meet the culprits later!

The first hide is in front of a couple of "islands" where the Black Headed Gulls and Common Terns congregate. Just off to the right, an Avocet was feeding

This was a bit of an oddball... I think Common Tern (although a Forsters Tern had been seen for a few days previous to my visit) but it remained resolutely away from the main congregation of Terns, preferring the company of a couple of Black Headed Gulls. Anyone any thoughts on why?

A Sandwich Tern landed on the wrong bit of land

And was swiftly seen off!

A Moorhen strutted across the island

Some chicks... Black Headed Gull, which just seemed to stand there, adjacent to an adult

Common Tern

Gull Creche

I was surprised to see the gulls and terns quite so intermingled, as one is potentially a prey item of the other!

Coming out of the hide, madam nearly tripped me over!

There was a never ending cacophony of noise... pretty much all from the BH Gulls

From hide number two.... Feeeeed Me!!!!!!

A Sandwich delivery 

Billing and Cooing?

"Are you listening to me?" "Yes, dear"

I hadn't noticed tern claws before!

There were a constant stream of individuals coming and going

Not sure who's what here, but a BH Gull came down and started a bit of argy bargy until one scurried back behind the fence

Moving on from the hide there's a signed pool saying about damsels and dragons (Ed, these are the ones I was checking... I was right not to be optimistic about flight shots in focus lol) .... Azure, in yoga mode

Broad Bodied Chaser

Common Blue

One of the highlights, Small Red Damselfly

Back in the first hide, and the Tern was still solo

Oystercatcher

A pair of Shelduck

Successful Canada Geese

Panic!!

Not sure what the Shelduck did with their chicks when the flew off a few pics ago!

Black Tailed Skimmer... and there was what looked like an Emperor Dragonfly, but I was never even close to snapping it, as it was in patrol mode!

I headed off on a Red Squirrel hunt, and came across more "aww-ness"

By the church, the underside of a branch was pointed out to me.... How does the baby not fall out?? ( I was shooting practically vertically)

Heading back towards the boat, a bug caught my eye as it came to the top of the grass

Carrotbill in the air!

Ahhhh.... finally, the panic button was pressed because of........

Magnificent bird.... and with a family of it's own to feed

I hope you enjoyed sunny Brownsea

ID corrections welcomed as always

Stay Safe All