Latest sightings
Latest sightings
The first flocks of pink-footed geese came in on Monday. A total of 50 were seen on plover field, best seen from the United Utilities hide. This morning we have done a dawn count and there were 220 pink-footed geese roosting on the site and 1 barnacle go
8 September 2020
Latest sightings
A nice sunny day today which was great for butterfly and dragonfly sightings, today we saw the following butterflies peacock, red admirals, painted lady, common blue, large white. We saw the following dragonflies, migrant hawker, brown hawker, azure damse
3 September 2020
Latest sightings
The water levels have started to receed again which had provided lots of bare mud on the mere great for our passage waders. A large flock of black-tailed godwits came in possibly from Marshside or from the large flock near liverpool. Plenty of other wad
31 August 2020
Latest sightings
We have had alot of rain over the last few days which has increased the water levels on the mere and a few of the footpaths in the grounds had to be closed yesterday (they are now open). Although the mud is now covered ono the mere the water levels are re
27 August 2020
Latest sightings
Today was WeBS - Wetland Bird Survey, which is a coordinated BTO survey we do every month along with wetland sites all over the country, its gret to great to get a snapshot of how many wetland birds are using the site (unfortunately the black-tailed godwi
24 August 2020
Latest sightings
The sun was out today so we took the opportunity to do a butterfly and dragonfly survey on the reserve, the highlights include, painted ladys, peacocks, red admirals, small tortoiseshells, gatekeepers and meadow browns. The painted ladys are showing well
20 August 2020
Latest sightings
The wildflower bed by the Ron Barker hide looks amazing this year it is full of margoram which smells fantastic, and field scabious. By the duckery large areas of mint are growing along the path. By the discovery hide the fresh water mint is in flower. Th
13 August 2020
Latest sightings
The mere looks fantastic lots of mud highlights, 3 wood sandpipers, green sandpipers, ruff, 915 black-tailed godwits and 500 lapwing.One of the barn owls from harrier hide has fledged and can often be seen near the hide learning to hunt. Lots of black-tai
10 August 2020
Latest sightings
The long-billed dowitcher is still showing well at the back of the mere, there is lots of mud exposed which is great for the waders. Also on the mere 500 lapwing, greenshank, green sandpipers, common sandpipers, snipe, ruff, dunlin and black-tailed godwit
6 August 2020
Latest sightings
The long-billed dowitcher is still showing well at the back of the mere. It is mainly on its own or with the lapwing but not following the black-tailed godwits around like usual. Also on the mere 500 lapwing, dunlin, 12 ruff, common sandpipers, green sand
3 August 2020
Long-billed dowitcher
Highlight for today is the long-billed dowitcher which is currently at the back of the mere amongst the -black-tailed godwits, ruff and lapwing. The Marshside bird hasn't been seen today so we assume this bird has come here fingers crossed it stays. We st
30 July 2020
Latest sightings
The marsh harriers have been showing well with upto 4 seen on the reserve. Also kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, merlin, hobby and barn owl. The Kingfishers have been seen on the perches infront of the Ron Barker hide. At harrier hide the great crested greb
27 July 2020
Latest sightings
We have dropped the water levels on the mere and the waders are loving it, the best place at the moment is the viewing screens between discovery hide and Gladstone (where the swan link hide used to be). Great views this week of common sandpipers, green sa
23 July 2020
Latest sightings
Wader passage has started and there are a few dropping in across the reserve. Black-tailed godwits numbers have increased to 100 across Ron Barker and woodend marsh (viewable from Gordon Taylor hide and UU). Green and common sandpipers on the mere and on
20 July 2020
Latest sightings
Today we moved our breeding herd of English Longhorn Cattle off the mere, they have done a great job and eaten all of the rank grasses and created lots of scrapes as they scratch in the sand to create dust bathes, these will provide micro habitats for var
16 July 2020