News
Spot Red
Two Barn Owl hunting early on. Good views from the Kingfisher Hide. Spotted Redshank, a moulted adult present on site. At least 250 Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, 6 Oystercatcher, 50+ Lapwing, c10 Avocet.Gre
14 July 2019
Saturday Sightings
A good count of Black-tailed Godwit with 455 on the reserve this morning. Other waders around the reserve include: Green Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, 3 Ruff, 4 Snipe, 5 Oystercatcher, 18 Avocet and 50 Lapwing. Two Kingfisher from the Ron Barker Hid
13 July 2019
Latest Sightings
"More of the same" sums up the last few days. Waders are still one of the main highlights at the moment, with Green Sandpipers, Ruff, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, and Oystercatchers still on view, mostly from the United Utilities hide. On the Mere, both
12 July 2019
Wednesday Update
Two Barn Owl hunting until 10am at least. Three Green Sandpiper on Woodend Marsh, also there 8 Little Ringed Plover and Ringed Plover. An adult Raven with 2 flying young also Woodend.Raptors include Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Kestrel.Grasshopper Warbler
10 July 2019
Tuesday Sightings
The featured image today is of Tubular Dropwort (Oenanthe fistulosa) a red data list species which grows at Martin Mere. Call in at the in focus shop next the the Discovery Hide for directions. Good start to Tuesday with a Spotted Redshank flying in on Wo
9 July 2019
Latest Sightings
Ron Barker – 36 Lapwing, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Teal, Shelduck with 4 ducklings, Gadwall, Mallard, Greylag. 2 Kingfisher early afternoon.The Mere – Mallard with 3 ducklings, Mallard with 11 ducklings, 7 Tufted Duck with
7 July 2019
Wednesday Sightings
A Butterfly survey yesterday produced Brimstone, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown (over 50!), Red Admiral, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and Gatekeeper.Vinson’s : 16 Lapwing, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall i
3 July 2019
Wader-fest
July is off to a cracking start with more waders coming onto the reserve. A quick recce this morning produced Spotted Redshank (bottom pic) in mostly breed plumage, 2 male Ruff, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin
2 July 2019
Wood Sandpiper
Just a brief update today with more waders turning up daily at the moment. Wood Sandpiper on the Mere late afternoon.Out on Woodend 3 (2 male and a female) Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, Little Ringed Plo
1 July 2019
Ruff returns
Fresher today after the humidity of Saturday. The wader action is hotting up already and it's not even July yet. Traditional birding wisdom is that June and July are quiet months but the waders can always be interesting and 2017 July curve ball in the sha
30 June 2019
Spotted Redshank
A breeding plumaged Spotted Redshank is still present from yesterday, today it has been on the pools out from Ron Barker Hide, but no reports of yesterdays Wood Sandpiper. A nice count of at least 5 Green Sandpiper this morning on Woodend Marsh also a Com
29 June 2019
Friday update
Lots of waders about at the moment, with Wood Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank (in breeding plumage) new in today, adding to the Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plovers, Avocets and at least 500 Black-tailed Godwits already present on Woodend Marsh.Cuckoo ca
28 June 2019
Wednesday News
We checked the Barn Owl boxes this week and three pair are nesting. Top Mere – 3 chicks (about 5 days old) 1 chick (about 1 day old) 1 egg. Long meadow – 2 large chicks (about 3 weeks old) 1 medium chick (2 weeks old) Doehyles – 1 chick (1 day old
26 June 2019
Tuesday's Sightings
Mere - Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, 3 pair of Common Tern, 3 adult Med Gull, 250 Black-headed Gull, 30+ Gadwall. Plover Field/Ashton's - Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, 3+ Buzzard (some distant). Woodend – 33 Black-tailed Godwit, 73 Lapwing, Little Egret and
25 June 2019
A reserve first - Obscure Wainscot
Some milder nights have seen our reserve placement students running the moth trap. The reserve has a reasonable list with ~ 560 species of moth recorded. Saturday night produced a good catch including Obscure Wainscot (picture below by Maria Scullion), a
24 June 2019