Latest sightings
Latest Sightings
The swans have arrived! 404 whooper swans - along with a black swan - have come to Martin Mere, and they can be seen (and heard!) from Discovery hide and Raines observatory, along with 4,450 pink-footed geese and a wide variety of ducks, including shelduc
13 October 2023
Latest Sightings
This weekend has been excellent for cattle egrets! Since the change in seasons, numbers have been slowly creeping up from the 5 over-summer residents, with a whopping 19 spotted on Saturday, and 22 spotted on the mere on Sunday!In other news, some swallow
9 October 2023
Latest Sightings
This week's rains have been fine weather for ducks, with small groups of widgeon, shelduck and a single pochard spotted on the mere. The pintail have also been reaching the end of their eclipse, with some males showing their fresh breeding plumage. In ter
6 October 2023
Latest Sightings
As we move into October with the weather being more autumnal the reserve has seen the arrivals of more migratory ducks. On the mere the first porchard was seen alongside the first arrivals of shelduck with 7 seen having arrived from moult in the Waddell S
2 October 2023
Latest Sightings
It's been a relatively quiet few days on the reserve, as the weather becomes more autumnal. The pink footed geese have continued to arrive, albeit in fewer number than previously, as well as a few small groups of duck species on the mere. They have been s
29 September 2023
Latest Sightings
At our longhorn cattle's new home behind Tomlinson Hide, 9 cattle egrets have been spotted. Little egrets have also been spotted near Hale Hide, along with some green sandpipers.
25 September 2023
Latest Sightings
Pink-footed geese are still arriving in good numbers with large flocks feeding on the reserve. They can be seen from Ron Barker, feeding on Sunley's and Lord's Mere, or from United Utilities feeding on Plover field.The recent heavy rain of late has meant
21 September 2023
Latest Sightings
The latest Wetland Bird Surveys (WeBS) was completed over the weekend. Highlights from the survey included 2700 pink footed geese across the site, as well as over 600 teal, mostly seen from Ron Barker and over 500 lapwing on the main mere.Other highlights
19 September 2023
Latest Sightings
The autumn migration is in full flow now with a recent dawn count recording 3,500 pink footed geese roosting on the reserve. Most of these birds leave to feed off the reserve during the day but flocks can be seen feeding on Sunley's and Lord's Mere marsh
15 September 2023
Latest Sightings
This weeks warm weather has seen pink-footed geese arriving in their hundreds, which can be seen especially well at Woodend Marsh, along with a bittern and 6 pintails.At Plover field, the hobby has been showing, and 7 yellow wagtails and jack snipe have a
9 September 2023
Latest Sightings
12 green sandpipers have been enjoying the mud on the mere, at Raines hide, and at woodend this week, and 5 cattle egrets have been spotted recently at Ron Barker hide and on the mere. Also at Ron Barker hide, marsh harriers and hobbies have been seen out
5 September 2023
Latest Sightings
The kingfishers to the downstairs left of Ron Barker hide have still been showing well this weekend, along with a kestrel also seen nearby.Cattle egret have also been spotted around the mere, as well as green, common, and wood sandpipers across the site (
28 August 2023
Latest Sightings
The kingfisher has been showing well at Ron Barker hide, best seen from the downstairs to the left, catching fish. Here has also been a good place to spot marsh harrier and greenshank.For those looking for other wader species this week, the best place is
25 August 2023
Latest Sightings
Our latest BTO WeBS survey was undertaken over the weekend. Highlights from the survey included 287 shoveler, 151 black-tailed godwit and 26 ruff recorded on Woodend Marsh. Other highlights from the survey included green sandpiper, greenshank and ringed p
23 August 2023
Latest Sightings
The Pectoral Sandpiper has still been showing well all weekend and again today is at the back of the Mere. The mere has plenty of mud which is also attracting lots more waders including Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpipers, 200 Black-tailed godwits, 18 Ru
14 August 2023