Latest sightings
Peregrine
First Peregrine for a few weeks when an imm/juv female zipped through the reserve mid afternoon. Marsh Harrier still present regularly seen from the Harrier Hide but also around the reserve. At least 8 Common Buzzard (some distant), 3 Kestrel and Sparrowh
12 July 2015
Bird News
A Little Egret was the star bird for many today, showing on and off from both the Harrier and United Utilitiy hides. Wader numbers fairly static at the moment, with 13 Ruff, at least 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers an
10 July 2015
Latest Sightings
Nearly a 15 degree drop in temperature compared to this time last week as the winds swing round to a North Westerly direction. A good selection of species to be seen around the reserve with 60+ easily doable in a full day. Our current star birds are the f
8 July 2015
Waders
As we move through July we should see more new birds drifting onto the reserve as post breeding birds start to move around. Today new arrivals included 2 Common Sandpiper out on Woodend Marsh, 4 Common Snipe dropped in during a rain shower. Other waders i
6 July 2015
Cuckoo again
A Cuckoo again this morning from the Ron Barker Hide. The bird was seen carrying an egg in it's mouth which it apparently swallowed. Pretty much a sure sign that it had just laid one of it's eggs in a host's nest. The pair of Common Tern out on Woodend Ma
5 July 2015
Greenshank
A very pleasant day with good visibility early on becoming breezy in the afternoon. CLICK TO ENLARGE A Greenshank was new in this morning flying from Woodend Marsh to Vinson's and Sunley's. Only the second record this
4 July 2015
Hobby
A first summer Hobby flew south over the reserve late morning grabbing a couple of insect meals on it's way through. In the afternoon the bird was hunting in front of the Harrier Hide and perching on the old 'telegraph' poles. It's prey could have been th
3 July 2015
More Ruff
Six male Ruff showing various degrees of breeding plumage from the Ron Barker hide today, including one particularly bright orangey-red bird. A group of at least 5 Common Terns flew over the Mere, where elsewhere on the reserve Great Crested Grebe, Avocet
2 July 2015
Wood Sandpiper still present.
Wood Sandpiper on Vinson's Marsh Click to enlarge Wood Sandpiper still present late afternoon from the Ron Barker. Other waders present today include 150 Black-tailed Godwit, 100+
29 June 2015
Wood Sandpiper
An adult Wood Sandpiper from Ron Barker was the best new sighting of the day, showing well near the hide, also 2 Ruff from here and 4+ Little ringed Plover. An imm female Marsh Harrier is present and touring the reserve, also good numbers of Black-tailed
28 June 2015
Latest Sightings
Click to enlarge A pleasant summers day and the return of the first 'autumn' Ruff, a male, just starting to moult out of it's breeding plumage. It was a little distant on Sunley's Marsh feeding with Black-tailed Godwi
27 June 2015
Common Tern chicks still alive!
Yes, 10 days on from our first Common Terns hatching young, we can report that the chicks are still alive! It's a difficult struggle for any of the young of anything breeding on the reserve, as everything finds itself on a lower rung of the food chain lad
26 June 2015
The news is back...
Apologies for the lack of updates over the past 7 day due to technical difficulties which should now be ironed out. You've not missed anything rare or unusual, at least as far as we know! The Martin Mere twitter account is great for instant bird news and
24 June 2015
Red Kite
Brief update. A Red Kite flew South over the reserve at 16:55. The first sighting since November 2013. 'back of the camera' shot of Red Kite being mobbed by Black-tailed Godwit The reserve's year list has now reached
17 June 2015
Common Tern hatch young.
Some exciting news of the first breeding record of Common Tern at Martin Mere, as a pair which has been sitting for ~ 3 weeks hatched two young out on Woodend Marsh today. It's difficult to be optimistic for the chances of these chicks with marauding Grey
16 June 2015