Latest Sightings
Migration continues here at Martin mere with numbers of waders moving through the reserve still high. There has been a noticeable increase in willow warblers and chiffchaffs on the reserve, particularly on the path towards harrier hide and around Reines hide. Green sandpipers are still a regular sight on the Mere, Woodend marsh and from Ron Barker hide, but numbers seem slightly less than previously with single birds from all three of these places.
Ruff numbers continue to remain high with 11 juvs and 7 adults from Ron Barker and a further 2 adults and 1 juv from Gordon Taylor hide. 16 black-tailed godwits flew over the mere this morning and carried on towards United Utilities, three could be seen from Gordon Taylor hide and 11 from Ron Barker, there was also a common sandpiper from Ron Barker this morning.
Wintering ducks continue to increase in numbers with 8 wigeon from Gordon Taylor, and a number of the mallards are looking quite smart in their winter plumage now!
Other species of interest on the reserve are 3 ringed plovers from Ron Barker yesterday evening, an oystercatcher on Woodend marsh this morning, Cetti's warblers are singing all over, a hobby flew over the mere again yesterday evening, and 6 curlew sandpipers where reported from United utilities on Sunday. A colour-ringed grey heron was seen from Ron Barker this morning which appears to have been ringed in Staffordshire! Over the past week there has also been 2 greylags both ringed on Lake Windermere earlier this year.
North West Bird Watching Festival 2022
Join us at this year’s Bird Watching Festival and watch up to 30,000 pink-footed geese return to the roost. We’ll have guest speakers, exhibitors, photography workshops and guided reserve walks for a full day out from dawn till dusk. Find out more
