3 Bewick's swans with an assortment of ducks and black-headed gulls in the foreground.
Short-eared owl on a dull day
Three Bewick's swans & a short-eared owl the highlights for me at Martin Mere today, with ring-necked duck & glossy ibis also still present. Both the swans & the owl were my first at #MMWWT since 2011. On 23/12/1990 I recorded 818 Bewick's on the reserve but those days have long gone #LancsBirding
Glossy ibis
The glossy ibis at Martin Mere showed very well today from the Gordon Taylor hide, also ring-necked duck still at the Discovery hide and at least 1 Siberian chiffchaff at the sewage works #MMWWT ##LancsBirding
Glossy Ibis in flight.
Glossy Ibis from the Gordon Taylor hide at Martin Mere today. Also today, ring-necked duck still and water pipit. #MMWWT #LancsBirding
Ring-necked duck with whooper swan behind.
Ring-necked duck at Martin Mere this morning, bringing my #MMWWT total to 192 species. Likely the same bird that has spent the past 2 winters in St Helens & was originally seen at Mere Sands Wood in January 2024. #StHelensBirding #LancsBirding
Glossy ibis at Martin Mere today, a new species at the site for me, bringing my site total to 190 species. #MMWWT ##LancsBirding
Common tern minus the black tip to the bill at Martin Mere today #MMWWT. When they are lacking the black tip like this, the bill seems much bigger and more orangey to me! 😱.
A bad hair day at Martin Mere for these cattle egrets. At least 20 birds present, most in breeding plumage but at least 3 locally bred juvs #MMWWT. Also today 4+ green sands & a dunlin. Quality of the video affected by having to view through glass but at least I wasnt getting buffeted by the wind!
Whorled caraway at Martin Mere
Whorled caraway at Martin Mere
Whorled caraway leaf at Martin Mere. The plant gets its name from the leaves, and Carum field takes its name from the scientific name for the species Carum verticillatum.
Whorled caraway at Martin Mere yesterday. For a long time Carum field beyond the trees at Janet Kear hide was the only site in Lancs for this plant, but thanks to habitat management it has now spread to other fields on the reserve. So far as I know still confined to #MMWWT in Lancs #wildflowers
Not a great photo but a decent enough view of a honey buzzard flying north over Woodend Marsh, Martin Mere this morning, mobbed by gulls and terns. Also today, willow tit calling on the edge of the reedbed near the viewing screens #MMWWT #RareBirdsUK #LancsBirding
Spoonbills at Martin Mere today, from the UU hide #MMWWT #LancsBirding
2 Sibe Chiffs with 10+ Cmmons at the sewage works by #MMWWT - very hard to view, worse to photograph! So here’s one of c12 Barnacle on a frozen Banks Marsh this morning #ukbirding
Yes, thanks Colin - added that for you. I can’t message direct @j-dunning.net yet, but it would be great if he could add the #lancsbirding - I’ve also added #Marshside #fyldebirding #leightonmoss #mmwwt #seaforth and will add others as requested or I think of them
