Cant get closer than this

The 1948 257 Squadron thunders by 

Egret landing by unimpressed gull

The harbour is very shallow allowing birds to forage away from humans

Watching the train come INTO corfe station

A stunning sunset the evening before we left

The young osprey hunting over the harbour

Getting ready to leave swanage Station

pulling into the local station, a short walk from camp

Hydrofoiling with Kite sails

waiting for the train 

so many oyster catchers

From Corfe castle, the village and train leaving for norden

Arrow hole looking over the village

Gadwall in full breeding plummage

Another loveingly preserved steam train from the 1940's

Oliver Cromwell blew the castle up

Star at the quiet campsite from the train

Seal having their dinner

The boat sent a flock of blacktailed godwits up and away

The lovingly crafted model village of Corfe

Egrets taking in the calm

the town house in corfe

canada geese next to ruins of human habitation

seals waiting for the tide to return for a good wash

Greter black backed gull sharing the rules

gadwalls in flight

Black tailed godwit having lunch

common redshank

Stunning colouration of the Godwit

flying away from the boat

More godwits flying around

getting ready to decouple at swanage

oyster catcher on brownsea island

view of corfe, the purbeck hills and Swanage railway

a giant sighted in corfe

A whimbrel on the beach

the most stunning of birds, pied avocets at the lagoons

corfe village and castle

sunset from the campsite

 

high street in the model village

spot the drone surveying the castle during renovations

the harbour is very shallow

curlew, godwit and terns

curlew

little ringed plovers in front of greylag geese

shelduck

corfe magical woods and stream, the wichen

osprey fly past

April 2026, Bird watching at Poole Harbour, Osprey and white tailed eagle. Then trains by the camp site!

🗺️ Poole was calling and we answered — this little adventure was planned around two of our current obsessions: birds and the gorgeous Purbeck Hills. We camped right by the Swanage Railway, and with steam trains thundering past just yards from Star, it felt like we’d pitched up inside a postcard. First stop? A boat trip on Poole Harbour.

🛥️ Run by a lovely local charity, our cruise came with expert bird spotters who guided us slowly around this feathered haven. Almost immediately: an osprey! It was hunting in the distance… and then gave us a proper heart-flutter moment when it swooped right past. We cruised on towards Arne and Wareham, racking up some brilliant sightings — buzzards, hobbies, and even a seal casually enjoying its dinner.

🏝️ With time whizzing by, we made for the Brownsea Island lagoons — and wow. The star of the show was the stunning pied avocet (those elegant legs!), joined by a whole crowd of waders, terns, gulls, and plenty more shore-side characters.

🦅 And just when we thought the bird list was basically complete, the boat glided back into the quay… and someone shouted! In the far distance: the elusive white-tailed eagle. Absolute magic. Day officially made.

🏕️ Next up: the campsite, where we briefly had to remember how to “adult outdoors” and set everything up for the night. The following day was all about riding up and down the line, watching the countryside chuff by — with deer, more buzzards, and an unbeatable supporting cast of sheep along the way.

🏰 We also spent a couple of hours in our favourite village, Corfe — wandering up to the castle and soaking up those big views back across Poole Harbour. Bonus drama: we spotted another large bird way off in the distance (possibly the eagle again!). If you were anywhere around the harbour that day, you probably got quite a show.

🏠 And then it was time to head home — saying goodbye to all the little campsite birds that had been keeping us company (and judging our snack choices). Until the next adventure!