Latest Sightings
Over the past few days here at Martin Mere, the reserve has been teeming with spring bird life.
Today, 75 Curlew were spotted flying over the back fields and dropping in woodend marsh. This is the second highest ever count of Curlew at WWT Martin Mere!
The majority of our wintering birds have now left and will be returning to the continent and Iceland. Despite this, 2 Whooper Swans and around 100 Pink-Footed Geese are still present on site today.
On the mere today, 1 Great White Egret, 14 Oystercatchers, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, 6 Ruff, and 3 Cormorants were seen from the Discovery hide and Bird Observatory. Other birds seen on the mere in the past few days include 1 Marsh Harrier, 248 Wigeon, and 89 Shovelers.
Along the nature trails, many birds have been heard singing, including good numbers of Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, and Long-Tailed Tit.
From Harrier hide, 5 Great Crested Grebes have been observed. Some of these birds will likely nest on site. 10 Pochard (9 males and 1 female) were seen today, along with 2 Mute Swans. 2 Little Egrets were seen here yesterday.
From Gordon Taylor hide, 4 Mediterranean Gulls were seen today, along with 4 Redshank, 2 Snipe and 1 Kestrel. Yesterday, 93 Teal and 70 Avocet were seen on Woodend Marsh. Past Gordon Taylor hide on the path to Tomlinson hide today, 1 Sparrowhawk male was seen resting in the reeds.
From Ron Barker hide, 1 Glossy Ibis juvenile, 3 Roe Deer, 1 Merlin, and 1 Peregrine were seen today. Yesterday, 215 Black-Tailed Godwits, 42 Gadwall, 38 Cattle Egrets, and 1 Buzzard were also spotted.
Photograph of a Glossy Ibis.
