Latest Sightings
Although the reserve has been closed and has been quiet with no visitors, the opposite can be said for our avian visitors! As migration continues the biggest change you'll notice on your return visits to Martin Mere is that our Whooper swans have returned from Iceland. Our first 2 arrived back on the 26th of September, followed by our first family of whoopers on the 6th of October (2 adults and 5 juvs). Their numbers have continued to increase, with our highest count being over 300. Numbers of Pink-footed geese on the reserve are steadily building with over 6000 roosting on the reserve on the 26th of October and now and again there has been a lone barnacle goose roosting amongst them. The majority of the male Pintails on the mere are looking fantastic now that they have moulted out of their eclipse and a few pochards and tufted ducks can be seen on the mere and from harrier hide.
Wader movements on the reserve have slowed down a bit now, 2 black-tailed godwits are regularly seen on the mere, and a single green sandpiper seems to be hanging around the reedbed to the right of the mere. A flock of around 18 ruff had been regularly seen from Ron barker towards the end of October but the wader highlight recently has been 2 juv little stints which appeared on Woodend marsh on the 21st of October and as of yesterday there is still one present. We have also had several fly-over golden plovers, but none seem to land.
The purple heron that many enjoyed views of recently has unfortunately not been seen since the end of November, but we have had the arrival our first 2 great white egrets of the winter (the first on the 21st of October). Up to 5 little egrets have been seen flying around the reserve and 2 cattle egrets are still seen frequently on the backs of the cows and around the mere.
Plenty of Marsh harriers can be seen on the reserve now, with 13 counted heading to roost in the reedbed and merlins have been seen intermittently, with 2 females seen on the 27th of October and individuals seen on various other dates.
Good numbers of goldfinches and greenfinches can be seen on the feeders at Janet Kear along with tree sparrows now on the feeders at Reins. 3 bullfinches were seen along the public footpath near the reedbed and a number of siskins can be heard overhead all over the reserve, along with a single redpoll heard in the grounds.
Other notable sightings recently have been a late garganey seen on the 29th of October from Gordon Taylor hide, a jack snipe flushed from one of the fields as we were checking the cows and a probable water pipit was on the 27th on Sunely's.
