Sightings - Martin Mere
Latest sightings
We have dropped the water levels on the mere and the waders are loving it, the best place at the moment is the viewing screens between discovery hide and Gladstone (where the swan link hide used to be). Great views this week of common sandpipers, green sa
23 July 2020
Latest sightings
Wader passage has started and there are a few dropping in across the reserve. Black-tailed godwits numbers have increased to 100 across Ron Barker and woodend marsh (viewable from Gordon Taylor hide and UU). Green and common sandpipers on the mere and on
20 July 2020
Latest sightings
Today we moved our breeding herd of English Longhorn Cattle off the mere, they have done a great job and eaten all of the rank grasses and created lots of scrapes as they scratch in the sand to create dust bathes, these will provide micro habitats for var
16 July 2020
Latest sightings
We had great weather over the weekend, the butterflies were all out across the reserve, lots of small tortoiseshells, peacocks, meadow brown, brimstone and gatekeepers.Hobby showing well on woodend marsh, best views from the Gordon Taylor hide Today we fl
13 July 2020
Latest sightings
The common tern chicks on the mere are getting very large and nearly ready to fledge, still plenty of black headed gulls on the mere. The cattle are doing a great job on the mere eatting the cow parsley and all of the rough grasses, over the next few year
8 July 2020
Latest sightings
Still lots of flowers along the footpaths attracting a great variety of insects perfect for photo opportunities.The reserve team are working on the footpath to the Gordon Taylor hide taking advantage of the dry weather which is expected. There are great v
6 July 2020
Hornet Clearwing moth
Exciting sighting on 02/07/2020, a Hornet Clearwing moth, photo graph by Kez Glennon. This is the first record for Martin Mere and the third record for Lancashire. The caterpillar feeds on the wood just under the bark of black poplar which we have a few o
3 July 2020
Latest sightings
Lots of fledglings on the feeders at Janet Kear hide including great tits, blue tits, chaffinches, goldfinches, greenfinches, bullfinches and great spotted woodpeckers.The oystercatcher chick in the grounds has fledged and is often seen with it's parents
2 July 2020
Latest sightings
Unfortunately we have been closed on Sunday and Monday due to high winds, Friday and Saturday highlights below.The wildflowers in the grounds and reserve look great there are still forget-me-nots, ragged robin, oxeye daisies, Lord's and ladies, field scab
29 June 2020
Latest sightings
We checked the barn owl boxes today and the box near the Ron Barker hide has 4 chicks, the box in the harrier hide has 5 chicks and the box in doehyles has 7 chicks, a great barn owl year. They can be seen lots hunting on the reserve. We ringed the chicks
25 June 2020
Latest sightings
At least 6 med gulls on the mere, one is a recently fledged chick unfortunately not from here but we possibly have 2 med gull nests. The black headed gulls have fledged lots of chicks this year, the common tern chicks are getting bigger and the adults are
22 June 2020
Latest sightings
We are now open but you must book your visit online, please visit our website to book. Most of the hides are open apart from United utilities, Hale and Gladstone, there are one way systems in place and the hides have half the windows locked open and half
18 June 2020
Latest sightings
We are now open but you can only visit if you have booked, please book your tickets on our website. Some of the hides are closed (United utilities, Hale and gladstone) there is a one way system in place so to get to the Gordon Taylor hide you must go arou
15 June 2020
Latest sightings
We have been open for 2 days now, bookings only on our website to limit numbers and ensure social distancing. Most of the hides are open but we have had to close United utilities, kingfisher, Hale and gladstone as they are either too small, can't have a o
11 June 2020
Latest sightings
We are gearing up to opening on Wednesday 10th June, it is booking only, details on our website, sorry if you haven't got your tickets yet but more will be released on Wednesday 10th at 9am. The rain has put some much needed water on woodend marsh which t
8 June 2020