Sightings - Martin Mere
Birds on the move
A fresher day than of late with a brisk West-South-Westerly blowing. A notable influx of hirundines with 200 Swallow, 30+ House Martin feeding low over the reserve. A couple of Common Swift appeared to be moving North, but undoubtedly just moving to feed
22 August 2012
A few birds and a bit of mothing.
We had time to run the moth trap last night and caught 49 species including the migrant Dark Sword-grass. A few more Black-tailed Godwit with 25 birds on the Mere including a few juveniles. Also 8 Ruff with one juvenile present, 20+ Common Snipe, 300+ Lap
21 August 2012
Harriers and Waders
Getting use to the recent onset of summer even with autumn just round the corner. Plenty of activity with at least 4 Marsh Harrier hunting around the reserve and keeping 300+ Lapwing on their toes. At least 4 Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and a couple of Ke
20 August 2012
We are back!
Apologies if you've been missing our regular wildlife updates. We should now be pretty much back to normal, and if you've not been visiting the reserve in the past few days you've been missing a treat. Kingfishers, at least 4 different birds have been unm
15 August 2012
Latest sightings
Great start to the day with an influx of waders. Three Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank joined 50+ Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Ruff, 2 Curlew and 200+ Lapwing all from the Ron Barker Hide. Three Green Sandpiper mostly from the Hale Hide. A female Mandarin fl
10 August 2012
Latest sightings
Great start to the day with an influx of waders. Three Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank joined 50+ Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Ruff, 2 Curlew and 200+ Lapwing all from the Ron Barker Hide. Three Green Sa [...]
10 August 2012
Latest sightings
More glorious summer weather and plenty of action around the reserve. The butterfly bed by the Ron Barker Hide has had the first Small Copper(s) of the year as well as Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Brimstone, Comma, Small Tortiseshell, Peacock, and Green-veine
9 August 2012
Latest sightings
More glorious summer weather and plenty of action around the reserve. The butterfly bed by the Ron Barker Hide has had the first Small Copper(s) of the year as well as Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Brimsto [...]
9 August 2012
Cuckoo and other birds
This juvenile Cuckoo (with caterpillar) has been hanging around for the past few days, generally seen perched on posts. Waders so far included Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, 9 Ruff, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 65 Black-tailed Godwit and 10+ Common Snipe. Two K
30 July 2012
Cuckoo and other birds.
This juvenile Cuckoo (with caterpillar) has been hanging around for the past few days, generally seen perched on posts. Waders so far included Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, 9 Ruff, 2 Little Ringed [...]
30 July 2012
Cuckoo
Plenty of activity around the reserve today. A single Knot was seen early on, Ruff numbers up one to 9, a Common Sandpiper was new in. A few Common Snipe dropped in during a rain shower. At least 90 B [...]
29 July 2012
Hobby
Fresher than of late and a couple of brief showers promising the possibility of new waders. As it happens the Ruff have increased to 8 birds, 3 Dunlin and 2 juv Little Ringed Plover new in. At least 7 [...]
28 July 2012
Greenshank
A Greenshank seen from Ron Barker Hide was a new bird and a further sign of the ongoing wader passage at this time of year, otherwise several Ruff remain but we are now down to 1 Avocet and at least 1 [...]
27 July 2012
New Ruff
Though the morning started promisingly with low cloud and drizzle nothing really of note was reported despite a few observers being out on the reserve today. Wader passage was noted with an increase i [...]
26 July 2012
Sandwich Tern new for the year.
Low cloud and misty rain alway promise something interest and almost the first bird seen while scanning the Mere this morning was Sandwich Tern. They never hang around for longer than a day and in the [...]
25 July 2012