Latest sightings

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

As the weeks sunny weather continues, the site is becoming more summery every day. Look out for the rising numbers of mallard ducklings near Discovery hide and further afield, and the moorhen and coot broods within the captive enclosures!Excitingly 3 comm

24 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

The nice weather over the weekend seems to have coincided with the emergence of lots of our lovely invertebrate species, as the wildflowers continue to bloom. Bees can be heard buzzing round the hawthorn blossom near Harrier Hide, as well as round the ree

22 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Its been a busy week on the reserve for birds! As spring is in full swing, warbler activity has been on the up, with reports of grasshopper warblers, reed warblers, and sedge warblers, alongside the cetti's warblers in the reedbed. Blackcaps have also bee

19 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Despite the stormy weather, spring is in full swing on the reserve, with blooms of wildflowers such as green alkanet, herb robert, lesser celadine, red campion, colts foot and cowslip lining the paths around the nature trail. Lots of birds have also began

15 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

This week we undertook our latest monthly Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) count. Here are our results:Wigeon 17Gadwall 9Teal 47Mallard 483Pintail 10Shoveler 135Pochard 11Tufted Duck 13Mute Swan 2Whooper Swan 5Shelduck 105Greylag Goose 67Canada Goose 57Pink-foo

8 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Blue tits, great tits, and goldfinches are still showing well at Janet Kear hide, and lots of willow warblers have been heard singing all along the nature trail. 6 Med gulls can be seen from Discovery hide, and so can some tufted ducks and lots of nesting

4 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

At Ron Barker hide this week marsh harriers have been seen displaying, cattle egrets, 4 great white egrets, large flocks of black-tailed godwits, and 2 green sandpipers were also seen. A water rail has been showing nicely from Mere View hide this past wee

2 April 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Over 100 black-tailed godwits are currently calling the mere their home, they can often be seen feeding in front of Discovery hide. 40 curlew have been spotted in woodend marsh, along with around 20 avocets. Also, a water rail was seen from Mere View hide

29 March 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Our lovely barn owls have been showing particularly well from the Ron Barker and Mere View hides this week; also at Ron Barker hide 22 cattle egrets have been seen at one time. Also, plenty of robins can be seen very up close along the nature trail toward

25 March 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Spring is definately here this week with the sun shining and Chiffchaffs singing everywhere on the site. Along the nature trail Primroses are in flower, Dogs mercury, Lesser celendines and wild daffodils. There are several Scarlet elf cup fungi on the wa

18 March 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

The arrival of summer visitors continues with 3 ringed plover sighted on the mere late last week. Avocet numbers are continuing to rise with 21 on the mere with single figures of avocet seen at both Ron Barker and on Woodend Marsh.Merlin and peregrine hav

11 March 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

Our avocet numbers have been increasing with 16 of them now on woodend marsh. Some snipe were seen on the mere this week, along with 3 green sandpipers.Ron Barker has been busy this week, with our barn owl, kingfisher, and a few of out marsh harrier makin

7 March 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

14 avocets have been seen on the back of the mere this week, as well as 700 black-tailed godwits (some starting to show their breeding plumage!) visible from Discovery Hide.Ron Barker hide has been showing kingfishers fairly regularly this week, along wit

5 March 2024

Latest sightings

Latest sightings

Migration is well under way, the number of whoopers on the mere is decreasing daily. But the number of black-tailed godwits are increasing with 700 on the mere Marsh harriers are seen across the site Kingfishers are seen daily from the Ron Barker hide dow

1 March 2024

Latest Sightings

Latest Sightings

It feels like spring is in the air over the last few days with the bright and sunny weather after all the rain last week.This is also being reflected on site with many of the birds starting to pair up. The most obvious is the pairs of shelduck which can b

26 February 2024