Bean Goose
The official first day of spring turned out well, and with light winds in the morning the sun felt warm. The birds however definitely had winter feel to them.
A Bean Goose dropped in with ~ 1000 Pink-footed Geese late morning and promptly fell asleep. Those that initially saw it thought it most likely to be a Tundra Bean. Another new species for 2018 came in the shape of a Barnacle Goose which joined Canada Geese in front of the Harrier Hide. This bird is more likely to be of feral stock.
Counts included 356 Whooper Swan, 200+ Greylag, 100 Canada, 460 Shelduck, 450 Mallard, 500+ Teal, 400+ Wigeon, 190 Pintail, 14 Tufted Duck, 12 Pochard, 8 Shoveler and 2 Gadwall.
Raptors; 9 Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk and 2 Kestrel.
Waders; 100+ Lapwing, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, 108 Ruff, 20 Oystercatcher, 3 Redshank, 6 Snipe and a Curlew.
Other sightings included Raven, 2+ Bullfinch, Cetti's Warbler, 2 singing Chiffchaff and a male Yellowhammer singing on the out edge of the reserve, the later being new for 2018.
The Bittern was booming again this afternoon, heard from the Outer Reed Bed Public Footpath and then seen in flight from the Harrier Hide.
If you are visiting Martin Mere for the first time and would like to know what is around and the best areas to see specific species do call in at the in focus shop, next to the Discovery Hide which over looks the Mere. It should be possible to see over 60 species in a day without too much difficulty.
