WWT Martin Mere 24th January 2016
I wanted to add to my 2016 list by going to Martin Mere where I was guaranteed to get Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Geese and Marsh Harrier. An additional advantage was that we managed to get a, very obscured, view of one of the roosting Tawny Owls and a bonus Ross’s Goose from the Rains Observatory. On the minus side, we didn’t see the Barn Owl that had been showing very well from the Ron Barker Hide recently and it was probably the busiest day ever. With the expansion of the playground and the new heated hide near the shop, Martin Mere is staring to become more of a theme park and petting zoo than a nature reserve as is usually understood. No doubt they will say that raising the interest of young people and fund raising are crucial to their conservation aims but they would say that wouldn’t they ?