Latest sightings
Fresher
Over night rain followed by much fresher conditions of late. A few new waders apparent with counts including 200+ Lapwing, 57 Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Ruff, 5 Dunlin, 3 Common Snipe, 2 Redshank, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper. A Kittiwake was prese
27 July 2014
Raptors
First Merlin of the 'autumn' joined the list of raptors present round the reserve which included 2 juvenile Marsh Harrier, 4+ Kestrel, 4+ Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. A Barn Owl showed well early on from the Harrier Hide. A number of waders present inc
26 July 2014
Marsh Harrier
The juvenile Marsh Harrier continues to be seen around the site and can show well at times especially from the appropriately named Harrier Hide. The family of Kestrels are still around along with occasional sightings of Sparrowhawk and the usual Common Bu
25 July 2014
Med Gull & Southern Hawker
Hot on the heels of the Mallard which has been visiting the shop for the last 4 days, todays special visitor turned out to be a fantastic Southern Hawker which spent a short while in the In Focus shop yesterday and posed for a great photographic opportuni
24 July 2014
Hobby and Garganey
Another good day on site with reports of Hobby and fem type Garganey from the Harrier Hide this afternoon, also a Little Egret there. Other birds on view from here included up to 4 Wigeon, family groups of Tufted Duck and Pochard, also 4 Little Grebe (2 a
22 July 2014
Yellow Wagtails and Kingfisher
The Kingfisher has been showing well in front of the Ron Barker Hide today up until 10.30 at least, also the usual selection of waders included single juvenile Ringed and Little ringed Plovers, 3 Redshank (ad & 2 juv), adult Dunlin, at least 2 Common
21 July 2014
Mediterranean Gull
The first juvenile Mediterranean Gull of the 'autumn' was a new bird on the Mere this morning among the Black headed Gulls. A good count of 8 Common Sandpiper today with at least 5 on the Mere and 3 from R. Barker hide. At least 1 Green Sandpiper was seen
20 July 2014
Peregrines and Kingfisher
One of the highlights of any autumn trip to the Mere has to be the family group of Peregrines which are normally present on the fenceposts around the reserve, and they are back for another autumn hopefully! A pair of adults with a single juvenile were see
19 July 2014
July Magic!
Hot on the heels of the record count of 8 Little Egrets recently, not to be outdone, 2 Great White Egrets suddenly appeared mid afternoon (15.05hrs) in flight over the fields at the back of the Mere, before appearing to drop down on Wood End Marsh viewabl
18 July 2014
The beast of Martin Mere!
Well maybe not, maybe they are Carp after all, recently reported on a couple of occasions as Otters and in the past as 'the beast of martin mere' on hot summer days especially, the resident Carp are quite obvious as they patrol around near the surface wit
17 July 2014
Blast from the past...
Not the best of shots but just enough to show what a female 'Grey' Phalarope looked like in it's rare (in the UK) breeding plumage on the 17th July 2012. Of course in modern field guides these birds are now called Red Phalarope. Nothing that rar
16 July 2014
Pink-footed Geese..
We always like to talk up the onset of autumn in the world of birding, dreaming of all that migration to come. It's probably far too early to claim that the 5 Pink-footed Geese that dropped in on the Mere this morning are genuinely wild birds, even if the
14 July 2014
Greenshank
Only the second Greenshank of the year, this time a bird on return migration. As the month progresses we should see more evidence of passage birds moving through the reserve. Other waders included 3 Common Sandpiper, 6 Ruff, 10+ Avocet, 100+ Lapwing, 6 Oy
13 July 2014
Little Egrets
Wader numbers continue to increase with at least 11 Ruff now from Ron Barker Hide, with 4 Little ringed Plover and 3 Common Sandpiper. Up to 30 Black tailed Godwit were seen from United Utilities Hide and another Common Sandpiper was on the Mere. The Barn
12 July 2014
Common Sandpipers
A few more waders coming through, with at least 4 Common Sandpiper on the reserve and 1 Green Sandpiper. There are still a few Black tailed Godwits with 6 being seen today, up to 200+ Lapwing and still several Avocet. One Little Egret is still on show fro
11 July 2014