News
Latest Sightings - Friday 19th October - Whooper Swan families arrive
Plenty of Barnacle Geese around the reserve this morning and an influx of Whooper Swans overnight. We now have 58 on the reserve. This includes 3 family groups; with two cygnets, five cygnets & a massive family with eight cygnets. Well done those par
19 October 2018
Wildlife sightings for 19th October 2018
8 Snipe - main lake, grazing marsh, wader scrape 3 Water Rail - main reedbeds 1 Stonechat - wader scrape 24 Redwing - flew over heading South 7 Meadow Pipit - 3 on grazing marsh 4 flew over heading West 6 Siskin - South route 4 Chiffchaff - South route, s
19 October 2018
Today's sightings
Mute swan Whooper swan Greylag Canada goose Shoveler Mallard Gadwall Teal Wigeon Moorhen Cormorant Grey heron Little egret Black-tailed godwit Ruff Snipe Lapwing Black-headed gull Common gull Starling Cetti's warbler Meadow pipit Pied wagtail House sparro
18 October 2018
Wildlife sightings for 18th October 2018
1 Caspian Gull 1st winter - main lake 1 Buzzard - roosted in wildside, flew off N a.m. 2 Jack Snipe - main lake 1 Red-crested Pochard - main lake 6 Skylark - feeding in front of headley hide a.m. (1), others flying NW/W (5) 1 Stonechat - wader scrape 4 Me
18 October 2018
Reserve Update Thursday 18th October - Redwing
Wigeon are moulting back into their breeding plumage with the males looking stunning with their yellow head stripe back. We keep scanning through the flocks in case the recent storms have blown in any American visitors to join them and the Teal, but no
18 October 2018
Thursday's sightings
South Lake Hides Greenshank, 27 Redshank, 21 Ruff, 2 Crane, 158 Lapwing, 254 Teal, Wigeon, 6 Pintail, 91 Shoveler, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Pochard, 16 Shelduck, 9 Snipe. . Zeiss Hide Digger work continuing today but still 5 Dunlin, Redshank, 9 Ruff on
18 October 2018
Spoonbill and Fieldfare....
More calm weather making for great viewing around the reserve. The forecast looks good into the weekend. A Spoonbill flew over the Mere around 4.30pm before heading off towards Woodend Marsh, an unusual autumn visitor but one that is increasing in number
17 October 2018
Sightings for Wednesday 17th October
Damp start to the day but started to dry out and brighten up by mid afternoon. Sightings today: Mute swan Whooper swan Greylag goose Canada goose Mallard Shoveler Teal Wigeon Great egret Little egret Moorhen Kingfisher Black-tailed godwit Golden pl
17 October 2018
Latest Sightings - Wednesday 17th October
Whooper Swan numbers are slightly down this morning, but that is likely due to disturbance on the Whooper Pond by an Otter. Duck numbers on the reserve are reaching a peak, with the Flood Ground and Folly Pond particularly good. Flocks of Redwing have be
17 October 2018
Wildlife Sightings - 17/10/18
Tide level: High Wader Lake Snipe 2 Redshank 17 Black-Headed Gull 100 Lapwing
17 October 2018
Wednesday's sightings
A great Autumn morning with calm, dry weather and a bit of sun poking through the haze. The digger work will continue on the Top New Piece from the Zeiss Hide, although birds are still around once they get used to the machinery. South Lake Hides Birds o
17 October 2018
Wildlife sightings for 17th October 2018
123 Teal - main lake, wader scrape, grazing marsh, reservoir lagoon 39 Greylag Goose - main lake, grazing marsh 5 Snipe - grazing marsh, main lake 2 Stonechat - wader scrape 3 Meadow Pipit - grazing marsh 3 Mistle Thrush - flew over heading NE 6 Siskin
17 October 2018
Recent sightings 13th-16th October
Goldfinch - Photo taken by Russ Myners British Steel hide Good numbers of waders have been seen during high tide, 890 black-tailed godwit, 339 knot, 25 greenshank, 7 Dunlin, redshank as well as 1 spotted redshank. Als
16 October 2018
Today's sightings
Mute swan Whooper swan (x200) Greylag Canada goose Shoveler Mallard Pintail (x4) Gadwall Wigeon Teal Moorhen Cranes (x10) Grey Heron Bittern (Lyle hide) Little egret Black-tailed godwit (x9) Ruff (15+) Redshank Snipe (x6) Golden plover Lapwing Black-heade
16 October 2018
Reserve Update Tuesday 16th October
More Whooper Swans are starting to drop in with a couple more named swans in. Duck numbers creep up steadily with good flocks of mixed Wigeon and Teal out on Folly Pond and Flood Ground. The flooded fields are drawing in the waders with Lapwing, Curle
16 October 2018