Latest sightings
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
Cuckoo
Cuckoo seen this morning from the Janet Kear Hide then flew towards Harrier Hide. click on map to enlarge Two Med Gull on the Mere with Black-headed Gulls. Many of the Black-headed Gull juveniles are now flying.
15 June 2015
Hobby
Overcast with some light rain then warming through the day. A brief fly-by Hobby over the Sewage Works early on, probably attempting to catch one of the House Martin, Swallow or Swift that have been feeding low over there and on the rest of the reserve. O
14 June 2015
Latest Sightings
All the eastern promise and the forecasted rain today came to nothing. Still plenty of action to be had around the reserve with a morning birding total of over 60 species. Click on map to enlarge Two Sanderling (one i
13 June 2015
Hobby
A very pleasant warm, windless sunny summer's day. Classic conditions for Falco subbuteo or in common parlance Hobby. A bird which is annual on the reserve but sometimes difficult to connect with. This afternoon one was showing well but distantly, hawking
10 June 2015
Latest Sighting
A relatively quiet couple of days as high pressure builds allowing the wind to drop and feeling slightly warmer. I say quiet but it is easily possible to see 60-70+ species on the reserve even if fewer passage migrants are obvious. A Common Snipe drumming
9 June 2015