News
Reserve update Wed 2nd March
Barnacle nos. relatively low today, but good close views currently nonetheless. The Tawny Owl has been fending off Jackdaws at the nestbox again and Water Rails are still affording close views periodically under the Peter Scott Trail feeders. Whoopers in
Summer opening hours
Visitor centre by Nigel Cooke The visitor centre and reserve are now open from 9.30am - 5pm daily for the summer. The Wigeon café is open 10am - 4pm daily.
Wildlife sightings for 2nd March 2016
1 Buzzard - flew over low heading E, landed briefly on the scrape bank 0920hrs 1 Dunlin - flew NE 1 Redshank - marsh 90 Cormorant - main lake 10 Fieldfare - sheltered lagoon 14 Redwing - sheltered lagoon 16 Siskin - sheltered lagoon, south route, wildsid
Sightings March 2nd 2016
All hides are open apart form Reedbed and Allport. Bewick's swan (Main observatory and Friends hide) Whooper swan Mute swan Curlew Dunlin Redshank Black-tailed godwit Oystercatcher Golden plover Lapwing Little egret Wigeon Teal Shelduck Tree sparrow Skyla
Wednesday bird news
Siskin (Archive Picture) The South Lake SPOONBILL 1 adult Avocet 18 Bar-tailed Godwit 1 Black-tailed Godwit 100 Lapwing 200 Grey Heron 1 Crane 1 Pochard 30 Great-crested Grebe 1 The Tack Piece Greenland White-fronte
Never mind the ballast - it's invasives week!
Fill the ballast tanks on one continent, empty them in another (c) CSIRO This week is Non-Native Invasive Species Week. It sounds a bit scary, but Britain’s wildlife really is under constant threat from foreign wild
White stork origins
White stork by Emma Brand The white stork which appeared on our reserve at the weekend, caused quite a stir amongst bird watchers. The bird was ringed so that meant there was a history or at least a place of origin
More Avocet
A compilation of sightings from the past few days with Monday being the best weather wise. The inexorable rise of Avocet numbers continues with 41 birds today. They tend to spend time sleeping at the back of the Mere and feeding on Vinson's/Sunley's Marsh
Awesome Amber is NI Puddle Jumping Champion
Amber Willis, who's nearly two and from Newtownards has been named as the first ever Northern Ireland Puddle Jumping Champion after participating in the WWT Big Splash at Castle Espie Wetland Centre during February half term. Over 2,000 puddle jumpers f
Sightings March 1st 2016
Todays sightings: Please note White Stork has not been on site today. Great White Egret - Main observatory Peregrine - Pair over Lady fen Tree sparrow Oystercatcher Redshank Little egret Golden plover Lapwing Whooper swan Bewick swan (Friends hide) Teal W
Today's sightings
White-fronted Geese by James Lees (Archive Picture) South Lake Please note; The Hogarth Hide is closed for re-roofing and is currently covered in scaffolding. Spoonbill- sleeping/roosting in rushes at the South end of
Wildlife sightings for 1st March 2016
1 Yellow-legged Gull 2nd winter - marsh a.m. 3 Pintail - main lake 1 Little Egret - grazing marsh 140 Cormorant - main lake 13 Fieldfare - flew SW 16 Redwing - entrance bank February bird highlights: Bittern, Shelduck, Little Egret, Kestrel, Buzza
Tues March 1st update
Much milder today, but breezy and showery. 26mm of rain overnight must mean that it's the start of (meteorological) spring today... The Tawny Owl remains on watch from its box overlooking the Whooper Pond where the lone male Greater Scaup is still hanging
Today's sightings-another early spring migrant!
South Lake Spoonbill- 4.25pm at least from the Discovery Hide. Image by Martin from the Kubota tractor. Bar-tailed Godwit with 99 Black-tailed Godwit. Zeiss Hide Jack Snipe- Not seen early due to frozen scrape but at least one showing in the same spot as
Reserve management works
Cutting willow by Martyn Poynor On Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March the access to Reedbed hide will be closed due to management works to the willow trees along this path. This shouldn't disturb the wildlife at the ma