News
Latest Sightings
More and more waders are turning up on the reserve with 36 black-tailed godwits on the mere on Saturday. Oystercatcher numbers are rising with 99 birds at our highest count, spending much of their time on the back of the mere along with between 10 and
6 March 2023
Latest Sightings
The passerines have been a highlight this week. We have had 2 reports of a brambling from Kingfisher hide. 5 linnet were also seen feeding on the alders at this hide. A coal tit was seen feeding at the Raines. Three tree sparrows were also seen at the Rai
2 March 2023
Latest Sightings
Birds are beginning to move over the past couple of weeks with waders on the increase and so are Mediterranean gulls, our highest count of which so far was 7 in the roost yesterday evening. Since the 19th there has been at between 1 and 3 med gulls in the
27 February 2023
Latest Sightings
It’s a really exciting time to visit the reserve, as the signs of spring are coming thick and fast. 18 avocets were seen on the mere and at Ron Barker this morning. Other plants are joining the snowdrops: wild garlic, herb Robert and lesser celandine to
20 February 2023
Latest Sightings
An exciting recent visitor to the reserve has been a male hen harrier. He was spotted on Sunday near Woodend marsh and we’ve been told by a researcher tracking him that he’s roosting not far away. An impressive female sparrowhawk has been patrolling
13 February 2023
Latest Sightings
Sightings from the past few days remain fairly similar to last time, the yellow-browed warbler and Siberian chiffchaffs at the sewage works are still attracting plenty of visitors and the sibe chiffs in particular are showing very well. Plenty of common c
9 February 2023
Latest Sightings
Plenty of interesting sightings over the past few days here on the reserve, this morning we had the nice surprise of 3 tundra bean geese which roosted with the pink-footed geese in front of Ron Barker hide. They stayed until around 07:55 am this morning t
6 February 2023
Latest Sightings
The yellow-browed warbler has been proving more elusive the past few days but still present as of today. Also at the sewage farm the 2 Siberian chiffchaffs were showing well this morning and a number of overwintering common chiffchaffs are both at the sew
2 February 2023
Latest Sightings
We are starting to see changes in the waders on the reserve over the past few days with black-tailed godwit numbers beginning to increase, 8 were seen on the mere this morning along with fluctuating numbers of ruff (usually around 10). A redshank was on W
30 January 2023
Latest Sightings
The Yellow-browed warbler and Siberian chiffchaffs are continuing to show well at the sewage farm with at least three Siberian chiffchaffs confirmed. There is also a number of common chiffchaffs and goldcrests, along with a number of other commoner specie
26 January 2023
Latest Sightings
The most exciting visitors of the weekend were two bewicks swans! They flew in on Sunday afternoon, landing on the ice for half an hour or so before flying North towards Windmill Animal Farm. The bewicks, nicknamed tundra swans, migrate to us from Siberia
23 January 2023
Latest Sightings
This week’s most exciting activity has been at the sewage farm. Although maybe an unlikely habitat, the warmth the sewage farm emits allows insectivores to feed there all year round. At least two Siberian chiffchaffs have been joining the common chiffca
20 January 2023
Latest Sightings
Raptors are continuing to put on a show over much of the reserve with double figures of marsh harriers seen most days and gatherings of them can be seen towards the end of the day over the reedbed, before they head to roost. A merlin was seen from Ron Bar
16 January 2023
Latest Sightings
Birds on the reserve this past week have remained largely similar to the previous, our most recent whooper swan count was 579, with the best place to view them from being on the main mere from Discovery hide. A few can also be seen now and then from harri
14 January 2023
Latest Sightings
Plenty of birds about around the reserve at the moment. Pink-footed goose and whooper swan numbers are remaining fairly constant but its great to see the pochards slightly increasing in number with 8 in front of Reins on the 7th. The mere is full of wigeo
9 January 2023