News
Latest Sightings
The autumn migration is in full flow now with a recent dawn count recording 3,500 pink footed geese roosting on the reserve. Most of these birds leave to feed off the reserve during the day but flocks can be seen feeding on Sunley's and Lord's Mere marsh
15 September 2023
Latest Sightings
This weeks warm weather has seen pink-footed geese arriving in their hundreds, which can be seen especially well at Woodend Marsh, along with a bittern and 6 pintails.At Plover field, the hobby has been showing, and 7 yellow wagtails and jack snipe have a
9 September 2023
Latest Sightings
12 green sandpipers have been enjoying the mud on the mere, at Raines hide, and at woodend this week, and 5 cattle egrets have been spotted recently at Ron Barker hide and on the mere. Also at Ron Barker hide, marsh harriers and hobbies have been seen out
5 September 2023
Latest Sightings
The kingfishers to the downstairs left of Ron Barker hide have still been showing well this weekend, along with a kestrel also seen nearby.Cattle egret have also been spotted around the mere, as well as green, common, and wood sandpipers across the site (
28 August 2023
Latest Sightings
The kingfisher has been showing well at Ron Barker hide, best seen from the downstairs to the left, catching fish. Here has also been a good place to spot marsh harrier and greenshank.For those looking for other wader species this week, the best place is
25 August 2023
Latest Sightings
Our latest BTO WeBS survey was undertaken over the weekend. Highlights from the survey included 287 shoveler, 151 black-tailed godwit and 26 ruff recorded on Woodend Marsh. Other highlights from the survey included green sandpiper, greenshank and ringed p
23 August 2023
Latest Sightings
The Pectoral Sandpiper has still been showing well all weekend and again today is at the back of the Mere. The mere has plenty of mud which is also attracting lots more waders including Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpipers, 200 Black-tailed godwits, 18 Ru
14 August 2023
Latest Sightings
The mere is the best place on site for waders now we’ve lowered the water levels. We have had reports of a pectoral sandpiper. It was reported on Sunday and today at 1pm, both times on the Mere. On Sunday we had over 400 lapwing, over 200 black tailed g
7 August 2023
Latest Sightings
Plenty to see here on the reserve over the past few days. One of the highlights have been the sparrowhawk nest that was found on our Canoe Safari. 4 chicks are branching at the moment and great views can be achieve by taking one of our boat tours. Keeping
30 July 2023
Latest Sightings
There’s plenty of new life on the reserve. The swallows nesting in the visitor centre are a highlight, soon to be making their journey to Africa. We’ve flushed families of wrens from the undergrowth. The black and white shelducklings can be seen follo
21 July 2023
Latest Sightings
Plenty of waders are enjoying the mud on the mere at the moment, black tailed godwits are often feeding there now along with groups of ruff and lapwings. 4 redshank joined them yesterday along with 3 dunlin. Woodend marsh is also doing well for waders cur
17 July 2023
Latest Sightings
On the 10th July, a WeBS survey was conducted throughout the site. Although the conditions proved not to be great, it was lovely weather for ducks. This was reflected in the number of Mallards recorded which came in at an overall total of 542. Other speci
11 July 2023
Latest Sightings
Spoonbills is the highlight this week with 4 arriving on Tuesday and sitting on Woodend marsh, viewable from the United Utilities hide, Rees, Tomlinson and Gordon Taylor. The mud on the pools has been attracting lots of waders with 2 Common Sandpipers in
6 July 2023
Latest Sightings
Two of our common tern chicks fledged over the weekend and can now be seen flying over the mere with the adults! It is great news that some have managed to fledge despite the challenges wild birds currently face with avian influenza, hopefully a few more
3 July 2023
Latest Sightings
The marsh harriers are putting on quite a show on top mere at the moment, as are the pair in the reedbed. The males often seen hunting over much of the reserve and showing well quite frequently. Sticking with the theme of raptors, a peregrine has been see
30 June 2023