Latest sightings
Latest Sightings
Light winds pleasant temperature a good start to Monday all round. Plenty of duck action on the Mere with Tufted Duck and 7 duckling getting bigger each day. The majority of ducks are in eclipse plumage but with a bit of searching there are 10+ Gadwall
8 July 2019
Latest Sightings
Ron Barker – 36 Lapwing, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Teal, Shelduck with 4 ducklings, Gadwall, Mallard, Greylag. 2 Kingfisher early afternoon.The Mere – Mallard with 3 ducklings, Mallard with 11 ducklings, 7 Tufted Duck with
7 July 2019
Wednesday Sightings
A Butterfly survey yesterday produced Brimstone, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown (over 50!), Red Admiral, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and Gatekeeper.Vinson’s : 16 Lapwing, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall i
3 July 2019
Wader-fest
July is off to a cracking start with more waders coming onto the reserve. A quick recce this morning produced Spotted Redshank (bottom pic) in mostly breed plumage, 2 male Ruff, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin
2 July 2019
Wood Sandpiper
Just a brief update today with more waders turning up daily at the moment. Wood Sandpiper on the Mere late afternoon.Out on Woodend 3 (2 male and a female) Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, Little Ringed Plo
1 July 2019
Ruff returns
Fresher today after the humidity of Saturday. The wader action is hotting up already and it's not even July yet. Traditional birding wisdom is that June and July are quiet months but the waders can always be interesting and 2017 July curve ball in the sha
30 June 2019
Spotted Redshank
A breeding plumaged Spotted Redshank is still present from yesterday, today it has been on the pools out from Ron Barker Hide, but no reports of yesterdays Wood Sandpiper. A nice count of at least 5 Green Sandpiper this morning on Woodend Marsh also a Com
29 June 2019
Friday update
Lots of waders about at the moment, with Wood Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank (in breeding plumage) new in today, adding to the Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plovers, Avocets and at least 500 Black-tailed Godwits already present on Woodend Marsh.Cuckoo ca
28 June 2019
Wednesday News
We checked the Barn Owl boxes this week and three pair are nesting. Top Mere – 3 chicks (about 5 days old) 1 chick (about 1 day old) 1 egg. Long meadow – 2 large chicks (about 3 weeks old) 1 medium chick (2 weeks old) Doehyles – 1 chick (1 day old
26 June 2019
Tuesday's Sightings
Mere - Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, 3 pair of Common Tern, 3 adult Med Gull, 250 Black-headed Gull, 30+ Gadwall. Plover Field/Ashton's - Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, 3+ Buzzard (some distant). Woodend – 33 Black-tailed Godwit, 73 Lapwing, Little Egret and
25 June 2019
A reserve first - Obscure Wainscot
Some milder nights have seen our reserve placement students running the moth trap. The reserve has a reasonable list with ~ 560 species of moth recorded. Saturday night produced a good catch including Obscure Wainscot (picture below by Maria Scullion), a
24 June 2019
Sunday's Sightings
'Bird of the day' has to go to this Whooper Swan that flew in late afternoon. We can only guess it's story but it must be interesting... Common Sandpiper on the Mere, another returning 'autumn' bird. Little Ringed Plover on the Mere, Avocet with chicks th
23 June 2019
Saturday Sightings (+fridays)
Just going to add Saturday's sightings to yesterdays report due to a glitch on entry page which won't allow us to make a new report.. Has autumn arrived already? Yes, a returning Green Sandpiper flew along the back of the Mere this morning and appeared to
21 June 2019
Today's Sightings
A lovely day, coolish breeze in the hides, warm in the sun. Plenty of breeding activity in full swing with many birds fledging young and other on a second go. If you spend a little time looking you will come across adults feeding birds that have recently
19 June 2019
Great White Egret
A Great White Egret was seen in flight from the Reedbed walk area in the morning which is the first sighting of the year of this species, also at least 2 Little Egret around today. The other first sighting was of a Hobby in flight over Vinson's Marsh from
18 June 2019