Latest sightings
Wilson's Phalarope
A Wilson's Phalarope has been showing well today at the Ron Barker hide it has flown off a couple of times but luckily keeps coming back. The bird was found by John and Pam Hall and Phil Johnson.Wilson's Phalaropes breed in North America and migrate down
29 September 2020
First whooper swans arrive
This morning the first whooper swans have arrived, 3 flew in and landed on woodend marsh (in front of the Gordon Taylor hide), they have now flown onto the mere. We have 6 whooper swans that oversummer with us at Martin Mere because they have broken wings
26 September 2020
Latest sightings
We have done lots of managemnet works infront of the Ron Barker hide getting the site ready for the winter, we have cut the hedge next to the hide so visitors can see the barn owl hunting, we have strimmed the islands and the bank edges for the geese duck
17 September 2020
Latest sightings
The weather has been great for migration and all day pink-footed geese are streaming into the reserve. They are loving Plover field which can be seen from the United Utilities hide. This morning we counted 1706 pink-footed geese that roosted on the reser
14 September 2020
The reserve is alive with the sound of Pinkies!!
A lovely clear day and the reserve is starting to fill with pink-footed geese. The maximum count for the day was 3200 but we wouldn't be surprised if 10,000 birds passed through the reserve today. Its been like an airports with birds arriving resting th
10 September 2020
Latest sightings
The first flocks of pink-footed geese came in on Monday. A total of 50 were seen on plover field, best seen from the United Utilities hide. This morning we have done a dawn count and there were 220 pink-footed geese roosting on the site and 1 barnacle go
8 September 2020
Latest sightings
Today was WeBS - Wetland Bird Survey, which is a coordinated BTO survey we do every month along with wetland sites all over the country, its gret to great to get a snapshot of how many wetland birds are using the site (unfortunately the black-tailed godwi
24 August 2020
Latest sightings
The wildflower bed by the Ron Barker hide looks amazing this year it is full of margoram which smells fantastic, and field scabious. By the duckery large areas of mint are growing along the path. By the discovery hide the fresh water mint is in flower. Th
13 August 2020
Latest sightings
The mere looks fantastic lots of mud highlights, 3 wood sandpipers, green sandpipers, ruff, 915 black-tailed godwits and 500 lapwing.One of the barn owls from harrier hide has fledged and can often be seen near the hide learning to hunt. Lots of black-tai
10 August 2020
Latest sightings
The long-billed dowitcher is still showing well at the back of the mere. It is mainly on its own or with the lapwing but not following the black-tailed godwits around like usual. Also on the mere 500 lapwing, dunlin, 12 ruff, common sandpipers, green sand
3 August 2020
Long-billed dowitcher
Highlight for today is the long-billed dowitcher which is currently at the back of the mere amongst the -black-tailed godwits, ruff and lapwing. The Marshside bird hasn't been seen today so we assume this bird has come here fingers crossed it stays. We st
30 July 2020
Latest sightings
The marsh harriers have been showing well with upto 4 seen on the reserve. Also kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, merlin, hobby and barn owl. The Kingfishers have been seen on the perches infront of the Ron Barker hide. At harrier hide the great crested greb
27 July 2020
Latest sightings
We have dropped the water levels on the mere and the waders are loving it, the best place at the moment is the viewing screens between discovery hide and Gladstone (where the swan link hide used to be). Great views this week of common sandpipers, green sa
23 July 2020
Latest sightings
Wader passage has started and there are a few dropping in across the reserve. Black-tailed godwits numbers have increased to 100 across Ron Barker and woodend marsh (viewable from Gordon Taylor hide and UU). Green and common sandpipers on the mere and on
20 July 2020
Latest sightings
We had great weather over the weekend, the butterflies were all out across the reserve, lots of small tortoiseshells, peacocks, meadow brown, brimstone and gatekeepers.Hobby showing well on woodend marsh, best views from the Gordon Taylor hide Today we fl
13 July 2020