Latest sightings
Less Whoopers More Spring
A Whooper Swan count was down to 316 birds. Most of these will have left by the beginning of April. Water levels in front of the Ron Barker Hide were dropped a few weeks ago to provide better habitat [...]
25 March 2012
Scorchio!
How nice was today! Temperatures nudged 18 degrees and apparently it's likely to continue for the next 5 days at least. Now could somebody just improve the visibilty a bit and we will all be happy [...]
24 March 2012
Wildlife news
A bright morning, with a singing Chiffchaff outside the In Focus shop giving a very Spring-like feel to the day. Between 7 and 10 pm last night, numbers of Whooper Swans were heard apparently le [...]
22 March 2012
Whooper Count
Keeping with yesterday's winter theme, a roost count of 940 Whooper Swan was larger than expected. A Tundra Bean Goose was seen again late yesterday on Top Mere feeding on waste potatoes with ~ 70 [...]
20 March 2012
European White-fronts
Ah.. see, winter isn't over yet, with at least two adult European White-fronted Geese in a flock of ~ 1000 Pink-footed Geese on Plover Field this morning. A single Tundra Bean Goose was also seen [...]
19 March 2012
Blackcap and Yellowhammer singing
At last the sun came out today! Plenty of activity logged too with two new species for the year list. A Blackcap was singing near the Kingfisher Hide this morning. The status of Blackcap is confused w [...]
16 March 2012
Chiffchaff returns
The first Chiffchaff returned today, singing in the Waterfowl Gardens, one day later than last year. This species is the first of the traditional spring migrants to arrive, although the murky, cool we [...]
15 March 2012
Bullfinch
A pair of Bullfinch were found inside the Waterfowl Gardens near the North America area. They are not new for 2012 but generally we only get individual birds on the reserve, and then they tend only to [...]
14 March 2012
Ruff
An unusual influx of Ruff this late in 'winter' with 134 birds, making it the biggest count in 2012. Good wader numbers including, 88 Avocet, 62 Black-tailed Godwit, 84 Oystercatcher, 400 Lapw [...]
13 March 2012
Stint Sp.
A stint sp. (species) was seen distantly with 7 Dunlin from the United Utilities Hide early afternoon. Probability says it's a Little Stint. Again 50+ Avocet, 40+ Black-tailed Godwit and a count o [...]
11 March 2012
Today's Sightings
Another spring like day, a mild wind and warm in the sun. A few counts included 65 Avocet, 115 Oystercatcher, 72 Ruff, 33 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redhank, 5 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin. Over 1000 Wh [...]
10 March 2012
Great Crested Grebe
A Great Crested Grebe arrived today and spent most of it's time preening, fishing and sleeping on the Mere. Great Crest's are unusual on the reserve as they prefer deeper water. They are just [...]
9 March 2012
Winter, Spring and Aurora
Many signs of spring with catkins out and Lapwing on territories, however there is still a winter feel and spectacle to the bird life around the reserve. Had a search for the Common Sandpiper that [...]
8 March 2012
Record Roost
A record roost of 9300 Black-headed Gulls on Vinson's and Sunley's Marsh yesterday evening. We usually get a 'pre-breeding' build up of Black-headed Gulls in March before they move on [...]
7 March 2012
Twelve species of wader.
A very early record of Common Sandpiper from the Ron Barker Hide this morning. It is possibly the earliest record for Lancashire. Plenty of other waders with 45 Golden Plover, 60+ Avocet, 6 Dunlin, 4 [...]
6 March 2012