News
Today's sightings
Visibility is awful this morning with a heavy mist which makes observations rather difficult. Some images from earlier in the week when it was sunny! Crane-Martin Smith Hide-5th March, MJMcGill Tundra Bean Goose with E. White-fronted Geese-4 March. MJMc
7 March 2013
Roosting Tawny Owl
It's that time of year, just before the trees start sprouting, that Tawny Owls can occasionally be found roosting around the reserve. Today two birds have been seen, one still viewable between the Gladstone and Janet Kear Hides inside the grounds viewable
6 March 2013
Today's wildlife highlights
Wader Lake (AM, high tide) Grey heron - 25 Redshank - 74 Lapwing - 18 Oystercatcher - 2 Black-headed gull - 37 Lesser black-backed gull - 3 adults and 1 juvenile Shelduck - 15 Teal - 27 Plus 12 shelduck on the saline lagoon. Hawthorn Wood feeding s
6 March 2013
Lastest Sightings
Whooper Pond Whooper Swan 140 Mute Swan 40 Wigeon 90 Tufted Duck 46 Canada Goose 1 Greylag Goose 1 Shoveler 8 Folly Pond Teal 40 Shoveler 5 Wigeon 20 Redshank 6 Black-tailed Godwit 7 Lapwing 8 Oystercatcher 2 Flood Ground Little Egret 4 Teal 80 Wigeon 30
6 March 2013
Wildlife sightings for 6th March 2013
2 Shelduck - scrape 191 Teal - scrape, marsh 50+ Wigeon - on site 3 Snipe - scrape Additional sightings from yesterday: 6+ Snipe - marsh 50+ Fieldfare - playing fields 3+ Stonechat - marsh, perched on the fox fence 1 Reed Bunting - singing on marsh
6 March 2013
Today's sightings
The South Lake Avocet 2 (Then moved to Zeiss Hide) Redshank 2 Oystercatcher 4 Black-tailed Godwit 1 The Zeiss Hide Avocet 2 (Pair) Black-tailed Godwit 5 Redshank 17 Dunlin 160 Lapwing 300 Teal 180 Reed Bunting 2 Water Rail 1 The Rushy Bewick's Swan 200 Wi
6 March 2013
Bullfinch
First Bullfinch (male) of the year, a rarity here, seen midday near the Kingfisher Hide. A dawn count of Whooper Swan was down to 1090. Avocet numbers increased to 44. Also present 60 Oystercatcher, 70+ Ruff, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ringed Plover and ~30
5 March 2013
Wildlife sightings
Wader Lake Grey heron - 32 Redshank - 16 Teal - 28 Mallard - 39 Lapwing - 8 Curlew - 12 Snipe - 1 Shelduck - 10 Plus 32 shelduck and 12 mallard on the saline lagoon. Hawthorn Wood feeding station Bullfinch, great tit, blue tit, coal tit, long-taile
5 March 2013
WWT Martin Mere welcomes Meningitis Trust day
Feeding otters and swans guaranteed a fun time was had by all at the Meningitis Trust’s Lancashire Family Day at Martin Mere Wetland Centre, near Ormskirk yesterday (Sunday, 3 March). The sleek and slinky, but friendly, otters were the stars of the show
5 March 2013
Wildlife sightings for 5th March 2013
1 Bittern - reedbed channel next to wildside hide 82 Shoveler - site count 98 Teal - wader scrape 60 Wigeon - grazing marsh 6+ Snipe - marsh 50+ Fieldfare - playing fields 3+ Stonechat - marsh, perched on the fox fence 1 Reed Bunting - singing on marsh &n
5 March 2013
Today's sightings
Bittern sunning it' self at the Zeiss Hide this morning, Copyright JSLeesWWT The Zeiss Hide BITTERN 1 Showing very well sat warming up in the sun. White Wagtail 1 (First of the spring) Water Rail 2 Redshank 6 Dunlin 80 Lapwing 150 The Holden Tower Tundra
5 March 2013
Cetti's singing
The centre looks truly beautiful in the sun today. I have seen a Kingfisher with fish in it's beak from the Scrape hide, where a pair of Shoveler have been seen the last 2 days and aerial displays from the lapwing. I have also seen a water vole at the top
5 March 2013
Wetlands already full of spring heat as weather warms up
Spring is the season of New Life but, before then, each animal must find a mate. In this wintry weather, animals of all sorts are flirting as if their life, or their legacy, depended on it. Cranes dance with each other, like teenagers at a school disco. S
5 March 2013
Kate Humble posts letters of inspiration
100 years ago Captain Scott and his team bravely battled the Antarctic elements. Knowing he was about to lose that battle he wrote to his wife and urged her to get their young boy interested in nature. That letter inspired their boy, Sir Peter Scott, into
4 March 2013
Arrivals
The southerly component to the airflow paid dividends with the arrival of more Avocet, now 34 birds. Four pairs were seen mating, spring is definitely on it's way! Further mating activity today with our regular pair of Peregrines copulating on the fence p
4 March 2013