Latest Sightings
The cold snap over the weekend didn’t put the birds off at WWT Martin Mere, with plenty of interesting sightings in recent days.
On Saturday, up to 30 Russian White-fronted Geese were seen from the Ron Barker hide, part of a national influx of European wildfowl. The lucky observers were also treated to a flock of 31 Cattle Egret feeding on the farmland visible from the path to the Ron Barker hide beyond the duckery, as well as three Great Egret and a Water Rail from Ron Barker.
On Saturday evening, two WWT staff members carrying out a roost survey on the Mere were treated to a pair of adult Mediterranean Gulls – one in winter plumage and one in summer plumage – amongst up to roughly 1,000 Black-headed Gulls in a quickly-growing roosting flock. The Ring-necked Duck has also been back on the Mere over the past few days, as well as a single Avocet, up to 83 Oystercatcher and small numbers of Curlew on passage.
A male Merlin was seen feeding from the United Utilities hide over the weekend, and at the nearby Janet Kear hide, a Tawny Owl has been seen – along with the long-staying leucistic Reed Bunting, a genetic condition causing white feathers.
Two Grey Partridge have been seen on the farmland directly opposite the main car park, and a Redwing was sighted near the Mere – a bird we can expect to see less of in the coming weeks, as they migrate back to their Scandinavian breeding grounds and are replaced by our own summer migrants.
Photograph of a Mediterranean Gull entering summer plumage.
