Latest sightings
Wall to wall sunshine has made great conditions for our singing migrants, 4 grasshopper warblers have set up territories (and have sculking females nearby), whitethroats are singing from the various hawthorn bushes around the site, lots more willow warblers, blackcaps and chiffchaffs. The reedbed has lots of reed warblers and sedge warblers singing. There are 8 Cetti's warblers singing in the reedbed and another 7 across the site which is the highest number of pairs we've ever had! 3 wheatears on site today.
We have been pumping water on the mere, Ron Barker pools and woodend marsh to keep enough mud for the passage waders but not to dry out too much. Still plenty of ringed plovers, little ringed plovers and green sandpipers flying through. The avocet numbers are increasing no nests yet but hopefully next week we'll have the first egg. Lots of black-headed gulls nesting on the islands we currently have 315 nesting across the site.
The swallows are congregating around the buildings hopefully we'll have lots of nests this year.
Good numbers of gadwall and shoveler across the site but less shelduck than normal in the grounds, possibly due to the lack of visitors feeding them, there are 78 in the grounds which is slightly down on last year but hopefully we'll still have lots of humbug ducklings.
The grounds, the nature reserve and all hides and paths are closed at WWT Martin Mere, following government guidance on Covid-19. A small team of essential staff is working on site looking after the animals and completing essential tasks on the reserve. Please do not attempt to visit the site as you will be putting our staff and yourself at risk.
