Visit to WWT Martin Mere 14th March 2013.
On 14th March we paid a visit to WWT Martin Mere, principally to pick up my new Swarovski ATX scope and APO adapter for my Nikon D300 that I had ordered two months ago ! We gave the scope a test run on a fairly quick walk around the hides. As we walked down the avenue to the Ron Barker hide we saw a single Redwing looking exceptionally attractive in the sunlight. At the hide the presence of about a dozen Avocets was the highlight.
There were the usual large numbers of Wigeon and smaller numbers of Shelduck and Teal and a single Curlew flew in. On a post a Buzzard was perched and it was the second Buzzard we had seen that day looking remarkable light coloured.
On the avenue on the way back there were a range of Finches and a number of Tree Sparrows. At the Kingfisher hide we saw Reed Buntings and Wrens and also had good views of a Kestrel hovering over the grass. We dropped in briefly at the Raines Observatory where there were good numbers of Whooper Swans, Greylag Geese, Teal and Pintail. There was a single Ruff and a few Wigeon and Oystercatchers.
We stopped off at the cafe for a cup of tea and then headed down to the United Utilities Hide where we saw another Kestrel ; otherwise it was only what we had already seen.As we walked back down in the direction of the Janet Keir hide we was a small group of finches and at least one of them was a Siskin. We also caught a glimpse of a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
We then paid a quick visit to the Harrier hide where we added Tufted Ducks to our list of wetland birds and another Buzzard showed well. There may have been a Marsh Harrier but we couldn’t be sure from the brief view we had. On our way back down we dropped in at Janet Keir but it was just the usual suspects.
The day was wearing on and we just had a short space of time available to us to drop in at the Swanlink hide and again the usual suspects were in evidence but by far the best bit was the extremely close views of a Ruff, a Snipe and a Black-tailed Godwit – all just a few feet away from us. The Godwit was so close but so small that it actually confused us to what it was. Once we knew it was a Godwit it was, of course, obvious, but it was interesting how such close views can lead one astray in identification.
The day was wearing on so we headed back to Manchester. Martin Mere is always good value for a days birding and, once again, we were not disappointed. I was now looking forward to getting my scope back home and giving digiscoping with it a bit of a go.
Bird Sightings : Martin Mere Environs
| Species |
Count |
| Blackbird |
4 |
| Redwing |
1 |
| Tree Sparrow |
4 |
| Chaffinch |
6 |
| Greenfinch |
6 |
| Goldfinch |
6 |
Bird Sightings : Ron Barker Hide
| Species |
Count |
| Shelduck |
30 |
| Wigeon |
500 |
| Teal |
200 |
| Mallard |
20 |
| Grey Heron |
1 |
| Buzzard |
1 |
| Moorhen |
4 |
| Avocet |
12 |
| Curlew |
1 |
| Black-headed Gull |
50 |
Bird Sightings : Kingfisher Hide
| Species |
Count |
| Greylag Goose |
20 |
| Pintail |
2 |
| Kestrel |
1 |
| Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
8 |
| Woodpigeon |
4 |
| Blue Tit |
4 |
| Great Tit |
4 |
| Wren |
2 |
| Blackbird |
2 |
| Dunnock |
1 |
| Chaffinch |
8 |
| Greenfinch |
6 |
| Reed Bunting |
6 |
Bird Sightings : Raines Observatory
| Species |
Count |
| Whooper Swan |
300 |
| Greylag Goose |
100 |
| Shelduck |
50 |
| Wigeon |
200 |
| Teal |
100 |
| Pochard |
3 |
| Cormorant |
10 |
| Moorhen |
2 |
| Coot |
4 |
| Oystercatcher |
4 |
| Lapwing |
40 |
| Ruff |
1 |
| Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
30 |
Bird Sightings : United Utilities Hide
| Species |
Count |
| Greylag Goose |
30 |
| Teal |
100 |
| Cormorant |
8 |
| Kestrel |
1 |
| Oystercatcher |
4 |
| Lapwing |
20 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
1 |
| Magpie |
4 |
Bird Sightings : Harrier Hide
| Species |
Count |
| Canada Goose |
20 |
| Shelduck |
40 |
| Mallard |
40 |
| Tufted Duck |
20 |
| Buzzard |
1 |
Bird Sightings : Janet Keir Hide
| Species |
Count |
| Mallard |
4 |
| Pheasant |
2 |
| Moorhen |
2 |
| Coot |
2 |
| Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
8 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
1 |
| Blue Tit |
4 |
| Great Tit |
4 |
| Blackbird |
2 |
| Robin |
1 |
| Chaffinch |
10 |
| Greenfinch |
6 |
| Goldfinch |
2 |
| Siskin |
1 |
| Reed Bunting |
12 |
Bird Sightings : Swanlink Hide
| Species |
Count |
| Whooper Swan |
300 |
| Greylag Goose |
100 |
| Shelduck |
50 |
| Teal |
100 |
| Mallard |
200 |
| Pintail |
30 |
| Ruff |
1 |
| Snipe |
1 |
| Black-tailed Godwit |
1 |
