Dorset Holiday 2011 - Part 1

WEEK ONE – ARNE

We arrived at our first week’s accommodation, The School House.  Arne, at exactly the same time as the rain!  After unloading the car in a steady drizzle, and true to the form of the English weather the sun came out. Was this a hint of things to come?

The village of Arne is situated on a peninsular that juts out into Poole harbour and consists of only a few houses (mostly large and secluded),  a small church and Arne Farm which is owned by the RSPB.

The School House is a large Victorian building (built in 1874 by Lord Eldon) with extensive grounds to the rear directly bordering the RSPB Arne reserve with distant views across Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island.

Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island can just be seen in the receeding rain!

 

 As you would expect this is an area very rich in wildlife and daily visits to the grounds included -

Green Woodpeckers (mostly three, sometimes four)

A large "clattering" of Jackdaws

Rabbits (and more Rabbits!)

The ever present Buzzard (pair)

And with a little bird seed for encouragement some of the braver patio visitors -

Dunnock

 Robin (juv.)

A pair of Siskin (this is the male)

 As I mentioned earlier there were lots of Rabbits and one evening my wife witnessed a Buzzard making a kill, unfortunatly I was otherwise engaged! and missed it but we did watch for about 45 minutes as at first one of the pair of Buzzards had a meal before passing it over to the other.

And finally, some visitors that needed no invitation - the not so shy Grey Squirrels!

In the next post the wildlife of the RSPB reserve.