News
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
Latest Sightings
The cold snap has pushed some more migratory wildfowl from the continent. Pochard numbers are up to 24, up from single figures a month ago. They come to us to escape the harsher winters of Russia and Western Europe, their breeding grounds. Pochard are div
5 January 2023
Latest Sightings
Another beautiful day on the reserve the mere is alive with lots of ducks swans and geese and clouds of lapwing. a lovely female kingfisher was posing infront of the Kingfisher hide yesterday and again this morning catching lots of small fish. There are
2 January 2023
New years day
New Years Day many birders start off their annual bird list and there is no better place to visit, in my opinion, than Martin Mere. It was a very wet start to the morning but that didnt stop the blackbirds alarm calling near the Ron Barker hide, alerting
1 January 2023
Latest Sightings
Temperatures have warmed and the ice covering the reserve has melted away. The teal have returned to Woodend marsh with around 300 there consistently along with 2 snipe and a grey wagtail. Pink-footed goose numbers are fluctuating but remaining quite low,
23 December 2022
Latest Sightings
The temperature has suddenly warmed and much of the ice covering the reserve is melting away. The teal have returned to Woodend marsh with around 300 there this morning along with 2 snipe and a flythrough kingfisher and a grey wagtail. Pink-footed goose n
19 December 2022
Latest Sightings
Despite all the colder whether recently there is still plenty of birdlife to see on the reserve. The majority of the ducks have now finished there moult and the male pintails in particular are looking fantastic, with 158 of them on the mere today! Whooper
12 December 2022