RSPB Boat Trip

Wind, Water & Wildlife

On a wet and windy Friday morning in December, a group of Year 8 students and five staff braved the elements and set sail around Poole Harbour in order to learn about the ecosystems and winter wildlife in our local area. The group left Highcliffe dressed head-to-toe in waterproofs before meeting our guide in Poole where we boarded our double-decker boat and were issued with our binoculars. We certainly didn’t let the wind and rain dampen our Highcliffe spirit as we piled straight out onto the upper deck and headed out on the water towards Brownsea Island where we were given time to view an array of birds on the lagoon and an informative talk about the Harbour and its surrounding area - we were even lucky enough to spot one of Brownsea’s infamous red squirrels, one of the rarest mammals in the UK.

The students, although a little windswept, had a wonderful time and remarked on how the ‘trip was a lot different to what they usually do’ (Benjamin) as they were given the freedom to take in the sights at their leisure. With an excellent team of volunteers from the RSPB providing both staff and students with an insightful commentary we spent the morning passing by Furzey Island and Green Island as we travelled around the harbour identifying different bird species such as the Great Northern Diver and Goldeneye.

After a warm and much welcomed cup of tea and a biscuit, the skies began to clear and we headed back to shore. It was then that we were lucky enough to spot a Peregrine Falcon, which was ‘exciting and amazing to see’ (Jessica) and both students and staff seized this rare photo opportunity – even the guide from the RSPB was impressed by the spotting. After two hours on the water our trip came to an end and both staff and students were sad to hand our binoculars in and get back on dry land. Having ‘learnt a lot about the birds’ (Romy) all students were grateful for the opportunity and thanked the RSPB and its volunteers for the unique experience that they had received.

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Owned by: | Last Published: 14/01/2013 11:49:10 | Next Update: N/A