News
Make a splash this February Half Term
Children of all ages are being encouraged to grab their wellies, get outside and join in the North West Puddle Jumping Championships being held at Martin Mere this Feb Half Term.
12 February 2019
A wondrous winter
With winter in full swing, our reserve is a real treasure trove of wildlife. There are currently around 10,000 wintering wildfowl on and around the mere, ranging from wigeon and teal to whooper swans and greylag geese.
31 January 2019
Today's Sightings
Bewick’s swan Mute swan Whooper swan Canada goose Greylag goose White-fronted goose Gadwall Goldeneye Mallard Pintail Pochard Teal Tufted duck Shelduck Shoveler Wigeon Cattle egret Crane Great egret Little egret Cormorant Coot Moorhen Black-tailed godwi
16 January 2019
Wildlife sightings 16/01/19
a.m. mid/high tide Wader Lake Grey heron 3 Shoveler 4 male, 1 female Mute swan 2 Shelduck 9 Tufted duck Water rail (heard at Prince's Trust hide) Teal 15 Saline lagoon Teal 3 Hawthorn Wood Lesser redpoll 4 Mealy redpoll Brambling 10 Nuthatch Treecreeper G
16 January 2019
Chiffchaff overwintering in Wildside
1 Bittern - main lake 4 Pintail - main lake, reservoir lagoon 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 1 Shelduck - main lake 4 Snipe - wader scrape 1 Chiffchaff - Wildside January bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Bittern, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit,
16 January 2019
Great Whites
Martin Smith Hide Chiffchaff calling from the nearby trees, two birds have been seen here lately and are probably roosting in the ivy. The Jack Snipe made another appearance along with 5 Common Snipe, if you don't see it first time it's well worth return
15 January 2019
Today's Sightings
Bewick’s swan Whooper swan Mute swan Greylag Canada goose Tundra bean goose (x3) Shelduck Shoveler Mallard Pintail Gadwall Wigeon Teal Ringed teal (escapee) Pochard Tufted duck Moorhen Crane x 4 (Friends hide) Great egret Cattle egret (following sheep o
15 January 2019
Wader Lake essential works - Jan 2019
WWT Washington's reserve team will be carrying out some essential maintenance on Wader Lake this week (Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 January 2019). The dedicated team of staff and volunteers at WWT Washington will be renewing and enhancing the existing
15 January 2019
Wildlife sightings - 15/01/19
a.m. Tide Level: High Wader Lake Lapwing 36 Curlew 19 Canada goose 10 Shelduck 21 Shoveller 4 Black-headed gull 5 Grey heron 6 Redshank 1 Teal 15 Saline Lagoon Curlew 19 Carrier crow 1 Hawthorn Wood Bullfinch 18 Blue tit 8 Goldfinch 9 Redpoll 6 Dunnock 1
15 January 2019
Siskin along the South route
2 Bittern - main lake (North shore & close to Headley hide) 6 Pintail - main lake 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 3 Siskin - South route 1 Peregrine - hunting over the main lake 1 Kestrel - South route January bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Bitt
15 January 2019
White-fronts in the Four Score again
Rushy Hide Good roost of Bewick's Swans with 110 birds on site. One of the satellite transmitter birds (Catalana) visited Gwent (Llandegfedd/Usk) over the weekend. Martin Smith Hide No reports of the Jack Snipe today but Common Snipe, Chiffchaff and Cetti
14 January 2019
Wigeon grazing thanks to summer sheep
Male wigeon On Sunday afternoon I counted 11 wigeon across from the Ramsar hide. Four were up on the cut, grazing on the fresh grass. Droppings from the Jacob’s sheep we had grazing this wet meadow last summer have added nutrients to the soil bringing
14 January 2019
Raptor-fest
Continuing this winters run of good raptor days with at least 4 Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 3+ Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk and Merlin over the weekend. At least 3 Barn Owl (two showing well from the Ron Barker Hide) and 2 Tawny Owl today again. Fif
14 January 2019
Recent Sightings - 14th January 2019
Count taken at low tide this morning. A really nice treat this morning was to get close views of Curlew from the Brent hide, both on the estuary and on our wadermarsh. At low tide curlews use their curved beaks to dig into the mud looking for deep lying w
14 January 2019
Wildlife sightings - 14/01/19
a.m. Tide Level: High Wader Lake Grey heron 4 Redshank 2 Shoveler 2 Cormorant 1 Snipe 1 Shelduck 2 Teal 2 Herring gull 1 Black-headed gull 1 Lapwing 48 Stock dove 46 Saline Lagoon Curlew 1 Shelduck 2 Hawthorn Wood Mealy redpoll 1 Greenfinch 2 Bullfinch
14 January 2019