Latest Sightings
With autumn in the air, Martin Mere’s birdlife is getting exciting…
The highlight of the past few days was a group of five Common Crane – four adults and a juvenile – which were briefly on the reserve and were sighted by three out-of-hours staff members on Sunday evening. These birds headed off north-east just before dusk, but they might be back!
Autumn’s first Whooper Swans have also been seen on the Mere, with eight birds on Sunday morning, and six on Monday. It’s likely this these early birds are using Martin Mere as a stopover on their migration, but there’s always a chance they’ll stick around. 6,000-7,000 Pink-footed Geese have also been recorded following the weekend’s strong northerly winds.
The long-staying Glossy Ibis continues to show from the United Utilities hide, as well as the Cattle Egret flock. A Barn Owl has been seen from here recently, as well as Buzzards, Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk.
At the Gordon Taylor hide, a flock of 20 Ruff were seen on Sunday, and this hide remains a reliable site for Green Sandpiper, Snipe and Stonechat. A large flock of House Martin has also been feeding here, preparing for their migration south.
The Harrier Hide has produced Kingfisher, Egyptian Goose and Kestrel over the past few days, as well as regular wildfowl species including 60 Teal and 11 Gadwall.
Photograph of a Barn Owl.
North West Bird Watching Festival 18 & 19 October
Join us for a weekend of celebrating the arrival of thousands of migratory species with a line-up of guest speakers, exhibitors, wildlife activities and more. Members go free, or non-members can prebook online to save 10%.
