Latest Sightings
The seasons are changing and spring migration is beginning to get underway, the mere definitely feels quieter with the reduced numbers of swans and ducks. Waders however, are increasing on the mere with 49 avocets on the 22nd and 77 black-tailed godwits on the 21st. Other waders on the mere currently include plenty of oystercatchers, 2 redshanks and 3 dunlin. Plenty of snipe are over much of the reserve with the odd few being seen on Woodend, the mere and from Ron Barker.
It is definitely feeling more like spring with the arrival of our first sand martins of the year. One was seen over Vinson's on the 21st followed by a pair over the mere on the 22nd and a couple of other small groups throughout the day.
There is plenty of raptor activity on the reserve at the moment with marsh harriers, kestrels and buzzards showing well over much of the reserve. A barn owl was seen from Ron Barker on Wednesday morning and another from UU yesterday evening. We have also had two sightings of merlins earlier this week with a female seen from UU on Monday and a male from Gorden Taylor on Tuesday.
A pair of great crested grebes can be seen from harrier hide, as can a number of pochard and tufted ducks. A few gadwall are spread across the mere and reedbed along with little grebes. Pintails and wigeons can still be seen on the mere, although in noticeably less numbers and around 300 whoopers roosted with us on Tuesday night.
