Quite Windy
The wind got up today making viewing more of a challenge and the Martin Mere weather station recorded a gust of over 80 miles per hour yesterday evening. Less wintry showers but still cold. Strong winds and high tides over night tonight may push more wildfowl onto the reserve from the Ribble Estuary.
Some increase in wildfowl numbers from the weekend with over 5000 Teal sheltering today. Bound to be a Green-winged Teal in with that lot. Over a 1000 Wigeon. The record count of Wigeon here was 25,500 in January 1992 in similar hide tide/strong wind conditions. A high count of Greylag with 900+ seen, over 400 Pintail and the highest count of the winter of Shelduck at 1200+.
Raptors; 2 Peregrine, 5 Marsh Harrier including the Norfolk green wing-tagged bird, 6 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.
Lapwing numbers also spiked with 3500 in, 91 Ruff, 10+ Black-tailed Godwit, 10+ Snipe and Redshank.
Other sightings included 51 Cormorant, Kingfisher, Bullfinch, Treecreeper and Barn Owl.
If you are visiting Martin Mere for the first time and would like to know what is around and the best areas to see specific species do call in at the in focus shop, next to the Discovery Hide which over looks the Mere. It should be possible to see over 60 species in a day without too much difficulty.
*Top Tip* Bring some paper towels to give the hide windows a wipe between the showers so you don't have to freeze to death with the hide windows open.
