Brownsea Island welcomes thousands of birds and visitors every year. Jonny Owen, Brownsea ranger explains how Dorset Wildlife Trust is stewarding this precious natural environment for future generations and introduces The Lookout, a brand new wildlife observatory with stunning views across the Lagoon.
Brownsea Island’s nature designations include Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA), and it is on the Ramsar List (the list of Wetlands of International Importance, the world’s largest network of protected areas). It is also part of the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve (NNR). Behind these bewildering acronyms lies a more rousing truth: a deep collective desire and pledge to protect this natural paradise.
In the early 1960s, Helen Brotherton, CBE BEM Dorset Wildlife Trust’s late founder, sailed her boat to Brownsea to explore, and immeidately recognised the importance of Brownsea’s lagoon to birds such as dunlin, curlew and redshank. Helen set to work mobilising partners like the National Trust as well as the local Poole townspeople to fundraise, successfully outbidding prospective developers to protect Brownsea – which became Dorset Wildlife Trust’s first nature reserve.
In the 1850s, Colonel Waugh built Brownsea’s lagoon wall with more than a million bricks, encircling St Andrew’s Bay to increase his beef cattle pasture. The first world war meant there was little appetite for repairs when the seawall breached in 1916, flooding the cow’s pasture. This happy accident started the quiet transformation of 80 acres into prime brackish lagoon, reedbed, and saltmarsh – a rich mosaic to host a bewitching assemblage of birds.
Typical spring surveys boast 40 or more different wetland species, some of which are present in their thousands: in February this year I counted more than 4,300 dunlin!
Brownsea is vital for overwintering and breeding birds alike. It is the only part of Poole Harbour, which is non-tidal, meaning winter visitors can feed on exposed mud even at high tide, and in summer, nests will not be washed out. Its wall offers shelter and its position within Poole Harbour brings prime fishing opportunities.
© Mark Kativu-Smith
Close to the drama
We count every bird on the lagoon weekly – also the eggs, nests and young in the breeding season, giving us data reaching back more than fifty years. In 1972, just five sandwich terns were recorded: by 1979, a whopping 320 birds heralded the future. We saw a steady upward trend in numbers until a record of 509 sandwich terns was recorded in 2020 – I remember the excitement of that day!
From the Tern Hide, visitors can enjoy the closest views of breeding sandwich terns in the country, witnessing the air drops of sand eels to hungry chicks, the aerial acrobats and the deafening melodrama of the tern colony has inspired many young minds towards a career in conservation. Thanks to the generosity of our members and supporters, we are extending the breeding islands, making more space for the birds.
Further around the lagoon is a brand new wildlife observatory, The Fine Foundation Lookout, which will welcome its first visitors when Brownsea re-opens on Saturday 15 March 2025.
The building is nestled among trees and has been constructed using sustainable materials designed to weather over time and soften into the natural setting of the Lagoon. From its elevated position, visitors will have spectacular views of the many birds which nest and feed on the lagoon.
The Lookout is part of the Wild Brownsea project in partnership with National Trust. It was partly funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with generous contributions from The Fine Foundation, National Trust and of course Dorset Wildlife Trust members and supporters. The aim of the Wild Brownsea project is to make the natural heritage of Brownsea more accessible for people of all ages and backgrounds and has included the construction of boardwalks, improved access to the bird hides and outreach and engagement work with many local community groups.
Brian Bleese, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s chief executive, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome visitors to The Lookout where they can immerse themselves in the rich birdlife of Brownsea Lagoon and discover more about the island’s remarkable wildlife. The building’s innovative design allows visitors to truly connect with nature. Despite the challenges of building in such a remote location, with all materials needing to be transported to the island by boat, the dedication of our contractors, Townsend Timber, and project team turned this exciting vision into reality and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone for their hard work and commitment.’
Brownsea Island will be open daily from 15 March to 2 Nov 2025, 10am to 5pm.
More information is available at nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea-island
Find out more about the Wild Brownsea project here: dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildbrownsea
