Bittern Booming
A good start to the weekend with the sound of a Bittern booming out on the Reed Bed. Never an easy bird to see, Bittern have been heard regularly booming at the start of spring at Martin Mere but these birds have only ever been winter visitors.
More Avocet arrived today with 7 birds present. At least 2000 Lapwing on the reserve, 30+ Oystercatcher, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, 100+ Ruff, 10+ Snipe and Redshank.
Still 500 Pintail present. See previous sightings for full wildfowl counts. Still thousands of birds present.
Raptors included Male Merlin, 3+ Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 6+ Buzzard, 3 Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawk.
Other sightings included 50+ Fieldfare, 2 Chiffchaff singing on the Reed Bed Walk, good numbers of Skylark over the reserve fields, 2+ Stonechat. Water Rail from the Ron Barker Hide. Kingfisher from the Kingfisher Hide!
If you are visiting Martin Mere for the first time and would like to know what is around and the best areas to see specific species do call in at the in focus shop, next to the Discovery Hide which over looks the Mere. It should be possible to see over 60 species in a day without too much difficulty.
