Update from the past 3 days, windy on Sunday, calm and sunny on Monday, rain and sleet today.
Sunday and Monday were the best raptor days with 2 Peregrine, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3+ Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawk. Three Tawny Owl on show (ask at the in focus shop) on Monday and at least 3 Barn Owl out and about late today after the rain had stopped.
Possibly wind blown 12 Oystercatcher on the Mere on Sunday, 8 today. Oystercatcher spend the winter on the coast before some move inland to breed in early spring. We sometime get counts over 100 in March although only a few pairs stay to breed. Great for Lapwing with 1200+ present. Also 60+ Ruff, 10+ Black-tailed Godwit and a few Snipe. Nice to see some (c500) Pink-footed Geese flying in around 3.30pm this afternoon. It has been a quiet winter for this species. Locally a vagrant Canada Goose was seen over the weekend on the Ribble and a couple of European White-fronted Geese were also present.
The Mere is still packed with wildfowl and a few hundred Whooper Swan are normally around with larger numbers coming into roost.
Check out a few days of the previous sighting to get a fuller picture as to what can be seen on the reserve. It should be possible to see over 60 species in a full days bird watching at Martin Mere. If you would like to know the best spots, up to date info or to report any sightings then please call in at the in focus shop next to the Discovery Hide.
