News
Geese
The cold weather continues which means the ice remains, many ponds are still frozen and the ice is very thick. The hotspots (although not temperature wise) are the South Finger settling pool, Rushy Pen, South Lake and some ice free zones near Zeiss Hide
5 December 2016
Today's Highlights
Good numbers of Bewick's swans in front of Lyle hide and Friends hide Whooper swans Cormorant Black-tailed godwit Lapwing Wigeon Teal Pochard Curlew Snipe Water rail Great white egret Stonechat Green woodpecker Marsh harrier Sparrowhawk A dozen hares on t
5 December 2016
Wildlife sightings - 05/12/2016
a.m. Tide level: mid Wader Lake (100% frozen) Flock of Eurasian teal flew over 17 Redwing 12 Curlew - fly over 1 Saline Lagoon (100% frozen) Hawthorn Hide Bullfinch 12 Greenfinch 4 Goldfinch 3 Blue tit 10 Great spotted woodpecker 2 Dunnock 2 Robin 4 Coal
5 December 2016
Recent sightings - 5th December
The following sightings were recorded today by Toni Castello, warden, at low tide. Estuary - visible from the Brent Hide and the Limekiln Observatory Brent geese +350, Shelduck + 200, Oystercatcher +80, Curlew 5, Black-headed gull 3. Main lake - visi
5 December 2016
Wildlife sightings for 5th December 2016
1 Bittern - main lake NW shore 37 Pochard - main lake, resr lagoon 5 Pintail - main lake 17 Snipe - mostly flew from the SW at dusk towards the marsh, plus a few on the marsh a.m. 1 Stonechat - main lake (by Headley Hide) 16 Redwing - entrance area 5
5 December 2016
Today's Highlights
As the waters deepen Welney has the first arrivals of the Goldeneye today-1 male and 2 females at Lyle Hide. Black-tailed godwit Lapwing Dunlin Snipe Redshank Golden plover Whooper swans Bewick's swans Wigeon Teal Pochard Curlew Fieldfare Stonechat Buzzar
4 December 2016
Sigrunn returns
WWT Martin Mere has seen the return of one of our most famous Whooper swans: Sigrunn (X4H), seen during the feed last Friday. In 2009,Sigrunn was one of the swans chosen to be fitted with a transmitter to learn about where swans go and how long it takes f
4 December 2016
Still cold
Its been another chilly night and morning with most of the pools and scrape still freezing. Despite the cold its turning in to a lovely sunny day, perfect for a visit to see our Bitterns! Rushy Hide & Peng Observatory A count of 81 Bewick's Swans t
4 December 2016
Wildlife sightings for 4th December 2016
1 Bittern - main lake N shore 1 Water Pipit - wader scrape 4 Pintail - main lake 4 Snipe - grazing marsh, main lake 1 Peregrine - perched on the hospital 1 Bullfinch - flew NW 25 Redwing - entrance lake and flew NW 1 Fieldfare - scrape November
4 December 2016
Autumnal rain - not the weather for ducks!
There's a phrase bandied around at this time of year that us Aviculturists find tough, and that's "at least it's good weather for ducks!" This phrase is often delivered with the sweetest of intentions, but the reality is, very few wildfowl species relish
3 December 2016
A thaw and some visible migration
Ice is melting slowly and a few waders and Ducks returning to the fields and scrapes. There was some steady visible migration this morning with several flocks totalling 240 Redwing and 80 Fieldfare. Zeiss Hide and South Finger Wigeon 2000 in a dense flock
3 December 2016
Latest Sightings - 3rd December - Christmas Fayre Tomorrow
A brighter morning on the reserve. There is a huge flock of Whooper Swans in a field along the road to Brow Well, so keep an eye out as you drive in this morning. Join us tomorrow afternoon at our Christmas Fayre, 1-4pm. There will be a variety of festive
3 December 2016
Wildlife sightings for 3rd December 2016
1 Marsh Harrier - flew in from W, then headed NE across the marsh 3 Water Rail - calling from the reedbed and sheltered lagoon 1 Water Pipit - wader scrape 8 Pintail - wader scrape 5 Snipe - grazing marsh, main lake 1 Yellow-legged Gull 1st winter - main
3 December 2016
Bird News
The Green-winged Teal was again present in front of the Ron Barker hide throughout the day. Bird of the day however was an Egyptian Goose which appeared on the Mere mid-morning and spent the next couple of hours moving around the reserve before retuning t
2 December 2016
Marsh Harrier
Temperatures slowly increasing but most of the reserve still frozen so rather quiet with the bulk of activity around the open water of the Rushy and South Lake and distantly on the estuary. Flocks of waders and Wigeon starting to return to the scrapes an
2 December 2016