News
Calves born at WWT Martin Mere despite heavy rain
Four Long-horn calves have been born at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, helping the Centre to traditionally manage the reserve. The calves can be viewed from the community reedbed walk and they were born last weekend despite the heavy rain and wind. Marti
Fish for lunch
For most of the morning our female osprey was sitting on the nest. She started calling to her mate just after 1pm then he came in at 1.20pm with a fish for her which she duly flew off with to scoff. He then took over on the nest till she returned. There i
A Nightjar!
Nightjar 15/05/13 by David Barrett We saw this lovely bird yesterday, just on the entrance to the Reed bed, below our owl box. This bird was probably out at this time of the day due to exhaustion. From mid March to m
Swallows & martins moving through the reserve
HUNDREDS of swallows, house martins and sand martins have been moving through the reserve in the past week, heading for their UK nesting sites. These three types of hirundine flock together during their migration from Africa but there seems to be less
Todays Sightings
Holden Tower Great views again this morning of the young male Goshawk, very close to the tower. Little Grebe 2 Oystercatcher 2 Lapwing 12 Zeiss Hide Avocet 1 Black Tailed Godwit 48 Teal 10 Kingfisher Hide Little Grebe 2 Kingfisher 1 (10.00) South Lake Hid
Out on the reserve today
Red kite - 1 Cuckoo - 1 Friends hide Ruff Lyle hide Spoonbill - 1 Main observatory Hobby - 2 Buzzard - 2 Marsh harrier - 2 Little ringed plover
Wildlife sightings for 16th May 2013
4 Little Grebe chicks - middle reedbed channel, still sitting close to parents on nest 2 new Lapwing chicks - on main lake island closest to Peacock Tower - plenty of cover here for them to hide from predators. There are now at least 10 chicks on the rese
A duvet on legs
The warmer weather has encouraged five broods of lapwing chicks at WWT London Wetland Centre to hatch. Lapwing chick - Mike Caiden One female has three chicks which – on chillier days – huddle under her, using her
Yellow Wagtails
A brief update today. Two Yellow Wagtail, male Greenland Wheatear, 7 Dunlin, 2 Little Ringed Plover and an adult female Marsh Harrier. There is of course a big selection of birds which can be seen daily around the reserve with 50+ easily achievable in hal
Todays Sightings
Very quiet over the last few days but picking up today. South lake Hide will be closed for the next day or to to be re-fitted. The Lake and scrape can still be viewed from the Hogarth Hide at the at the the top of the loop way path through the collectio
The elusive Cape shoveler update!
Just look at that beak! Our lone Cape shoveler duckling was graduated outside onto a grassy paddock at the beginning of last week. In just 9 days the whole group have started to shed their down and in their place feather quills are already pushing through
Recent Sightings
• Main Lake - 22 shelduck, 48 tufted ducks, 3 gadwalls, 1 cormorant • Wader Marsh – 4 Shelducks • Fresh Water Lagoon - 8 tufted ducks and 2 gadwalls • Peninsula Saltmarsh – 2 ringed plover (on nest) • Peninsula Field – 1 Dunlin,
Wildlife sightings for 15th May 2013
2 Shelduck - pair, wader scrape 2 Teal - pair, wader scrape 3 Redshank - wader scrape At least 6 Lapwing chicks still on the scrape, keeping low in the wind at the moment (8 confirmed yesterday). 1 Chiffchaff - singing on sheltered lagoon To allow
Today's highlights
British Steel hide/estuary 37 whimbrel, 5 curlew, 12 black tailed godwit, 75 dunlin, 22 knot, 41 shelduck, 11 gadwall, 10 tufted duck, 9 little egret, peregrine, sparrowhawk. Lagoon 270 black headed gull, 12 greylag goose, 30 gadwall, 27 mallard 4
Why the flamingos we keep can help those out in the wild.
A new paper out in the scientific journal "Ecology & Evolution" provides an interesting insight into how captive flamingos can help with research that ultimately benefits wetlands and wild birds. Flamingos are a flagship species for wetland conservat