Latest sightings
Bewick's Swan
Glorious day to take part in the classic winter birding on offer at Martin Mere with dawn to dusk sunshine and light winds. If you were counting all the birds on the reserve at the moment the total numbers would top 15000! The Mere was packed with birds s
20 January 2016
All the B's Barnacle and Blackcap
A calm and cool day at Martin Mere, tomorrow looks even better with perhaps a little sunshine! Two new species to added to the year list with a Barnacle Goose seen with Pink-footed Geese from the Ron Barker Hide and a female Blackcap near the Kingfisher H
19 January 2016
Golden Plover and other birds
With a marked change in temperature over the past few days it was always likely we would see a change in numbers of birds on the reserve and perhaps the arrival of something new. A count of 160 Golden Plover yesterday and 80+ today are exceptional numbers
18 January 2016
Minus 3
Harrier Hide view this morning Cold this morning with temperatures down to minus 3 degrees. So cold that frost appeared on some of the roosting Lapwing. We've not seen that here since the winter of 2010-11 were temp
16 January 2016
Barn Owls
Barn Owls are showing well at the moment, a distant one out in the far fields this morning, but then a showy bird which was hunting Carum field in between Gladstone and UU hides late afternoon. The usual 3 Marsh Harrier were active all day, also a family
14 January 2016
Nuthatch
Nuthatch calling between the new Discovery Hide and the Raines Observatory is new for the year. Although Nuthatch is recorded annually on the reserve it is still a note worthy bird. The first record was just over 10 years ago in December 2005. Currently
13 January 2016
Chiffchaff
The Martin Mere year list is slowly developing. No real surprise that a Chiffchaff was hanging around the Sewage Works this morning, it's probably been present all winter. Blustery from mid morning with the occasional shower moving through. Good numbers o
12 January 2016
Latest Sightings
As we head for some settled but colder weather over the next week there should be some excellent birding to be had on and around the reserve. It is quite possible we will see further influxes of birds in particular Pink-footed Geese and maybe one or two B
11 January 2016
Cetti's Warbler
Some heavy rain in the morning but clearing to produce a reasonable day. A Cetti's Warbler was seen and heard from the Harrier Hide this afternoon. It is likely Cetti's have been present for a couple of years now in that area. Your best chance of hearing
9 January 2016
Bewick's Swan
Bird of the day was a Bewick's Swan found on Top Mere by the potato pile, it will be interesting to compare photo's to see if it's the same bird that appeared early this winter. The appearance of the Bewick coincided with an influx of some new Whooper Swa
7 January 2016
Firecrest
The nights slowly drawing out. A good day to be out and about, great in the sun by mid afternoon. Some good coverage round the reserve today resulting in a couple of sightings of the Firecrest inside the Waterfowl Gar
6 January 2016
Belated Green-winged Teal and Harriers
Starting off with the drake Green-winged Teal which we gleaned from the internet was present on the 2nd Jan. As usual the bird was seen from the Ron Barker Hide. Do bear in mind that the 3000+ Teal end up being regularly flushed by the 4 Marsh Harrier and
4 January 2016
The New Year
A belated happy new year to you all. Longing for a nice crisp winters day when all that is on offer at the moment is more rain. Lucky we have plenty of hides to dodge the showers! At the start of any new year many birders restart a new 'year list' which g
3 January 2016
Bird news
A brief bit of beautiful weather was enjoyed by the few who were out this morning before the next batch of weather came in, hopefully this one doesn't have a name! Between 3-4 Marsh Harriers were around today, the usual Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kes
31 December 2015
Yellowhammer and other birds
Storm 'Frank' was luckily a damp squib in our region so all of the hides and all but a small part of the Waterfowl Gardens are completely open. Yellowhammer is a species which can be found present within the local vicinity of the reserve. One near the Ca
30 December 2015