Birding Group Day Out to WWT Martin Mere : 9th December 2014

Birding Group Day Out to WWT Martin Mere : 9th December 2014

It is a little hard to believe after seeing a Tawny Owl at Moore the previous week, but on the path down to the Ron Barker hide, just before you reach the Kingfisher Hide and just before a bench we encountered a small group of birders staring up into an ivy-clad tree on the right hand side of the path. After much instructing as to which branch to follow etc, we eventually found, quite high up in the tree a cryptically coloured shape that was incredibly hard to distinguish among the iny; until, that is, it blinked and there we had it – our second Tawny Owl in eight days. This one was ever harder to distinguish from its background unless it moved which it did occasionally. I tried my hardest but I just could not get it in my scope – partly because it was too close !!

We definitely spent too long looking at and for it but eventually we had to leave and, in truth, I think that the number of people just made in sit a little bit further into the ivy so that it couldn’t be seen anymore. We headed off to the Ron Barker hide but there wasn’t a great deal there;  a few Whooper Swans and a few Pink-footed Geese but no raptors at all apart from a couple of Common Buzzards. There was an immense number of Teal – the most I think I have ever seen there and possibly up to 1000.

We walked back down the lane and quickly popped in to the Kingfisher hide in time to see a Kestrel having its brunch on a post close to the hide  – it was a mouse or a vole and two little pink legs confirmed. We couldn’t help but stop again and we successfully relocated the Tawny Owl; still difficult to locate but visible when it blinked or moved.

At the Raines Observatory the highlight was a flock of about thirty Ruff, mostly quite close to the hide and giving excellent views. A single Lesser black-backed Gull was among the other birds but largely it was the usual suspects, though not as large numbers as they are sometimes.

Walking on there were various other birds flying around the trees and bushes. We headed down the other avenue for a quick look in the Janet Keir hide where things were not that spectacular though it was nice to see more Reed Buntings, now looking very smart in their new plumages.

We wanted to make sure that we had enough time for lunch and our end of term planning meeting so we missed out on the Harrier Hide and went straight to United Utilities. Again nothing special so we headed back for lunch and out meeting. By the time we had done this we just had a spare half hour so we went to the Swanlink Hide where we enjoyed another splendid display of hungry birds being fed – always entertaining. By 3.25pm the light was fading so we headed back home.

All in all a fairly quiet day by Martin Mere standards but a second Tawny Owl made it all worthwhile !

Bird Sightings : Martin Mere Environs

Bird Sightings : Martin Mere Ron Barker Hide

Bird Sightings : Martin Mere Raines Observatory

Bird Sightings : Martin Mere United Utilities Hide

Bird Sightings : Martin Mere Janet Keir Hide

Bird Sightings : Martin Mere Swanlink Hide