Latest sightings
Red Kite again
Another fresh day but at least the rain held off until late on. Great to see Red Kite back on the reserve for a few hours. It seems there are a couple of birds in the area at the moment. A good raptor day with Peregrine, 5 Marsh Harrier, 8 Buzzard, Kestr
14 March 2018
Latest Sightings
Damp all day! Plenty of birds around even if the birds of prey were slightly subdued. Wildfowl counts included 780 Whooper Swan roosting, 1200 Pink-footed Geese in the vicinity, 160+ Greylag, 18 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 517 Shelduck, 1500+ Teal, 880 Wi
12 March 2018
Ring-billed Gull!!!
A bit like busses you wait ages then two come along at once. Ok, this probably doesn't quite work for this scenario but last year on the 19th March an adult Ring-billed Gull was found in front of the Harrier Hide and was present for less than an hour. T
10 March 2018
Bittern Booming
A good start to the morning with Bittern booming, heard from the public footpath on the outer reed bed walk. Also in song, Chiffchaff by the Sewage Works and Corn Bunting near the Railway Crossing. Looking back towards the
9 March 2018
Avocet Influx
Warm in the sun, cool in the hides, spring like. Great to see the Avocet coming back in after the cold snap. Four nine birds seen today is the highest count of the spring so far. Lapwing have returned too with 1100+ birds, also 43 Oystercatcher, 78 Black-
7 March 2018
Bird News
Raptors again the stand-out species today, with the male Hen Harrier still present and a female reported moving through mid-morning. An adult Red Kite was also present mid afternoon at least, along with at least 2 Marsh Harriers, Peregrine, 4+ Common Buzz
5 March 2018
Hen Harrier again
Adult male Hen Harrier hunting over Ashtons/Plover Field Great to see the adult male Hen Harrier staying for a second day, special birds indeed. Seven species of raptor today with 4 Marsh Harrier, male Merlin, Pereg
4 March 2018
Hen Harrier
The stand out bird of today was a male Hen Harrier that flew through the site at about 1.20, seen from Ron Barker Hide as it headed towards Windmill Farm area, it reappeared later and was showing till at least 4.30pm. This is our first record this wint
3 March 2018
Snow Exciting!
Not much more than a few centimetres (a bit over an inch if you are wondering) of powdery snow on the reserve this morning. The roads in were fine and the path ways around the reserve are clear thanks to the sterling work of the wardens and volunteers.
27 February 2018
Latest Sightings
Glorious sunshine but wrap up warm! A good count of 5000+ Pink-footed Geese, well worth checking through as a Bean Goose (probable Taiga) was seen locally in the past couple of days. Wildfowl counts included 408 Whooper Swan (more roosting), 519 Greylag,
25 February 2018
Woodcock and other birds
Possibly the last blast of winter as the high pressure brings in the cold from the east. Here at Martin Mere this should mean excellent birding condition particularly as most of the hides face west, so wrap up warm and make the most of it. Friday counts i
23 February 2018
Latest Sightings
With the winds swinging round to the east we are in for a cold but bright week ahead, possibly longer if the forecasters super computers have got it right. A count of roosting Whooper Swan on Sunday reached 1100 suggesting some birds will already be headi
20 February 2018
Bittern Booming
A good start to the weekend with the sound of a Bittern booming out on the Reed Bed. Never an easy bird to see, Bittern have been heard regularly booming at the start of spring at Martin Mere but these birds have only ever been winter visitors. More A
17 February 2018
Latest Sightings
Good viewing conditions on Tuesday but a little on the wet and windy side on Wednesday. At least the forecast into the weekend looks much better. Still packed with wintering wildfowl. The numbers will tend to hold up into March but then quickly decline as
14 February 2018
Avocet return.
Can we say this is the first sign of spring? The first of the returning Avocet were on Vinson's Marsh this morning, just 3 birds. In the coming weeks this number will increases considerably, watch this space.. The traditio
13 February 2018