|
Bird watching and the River Mersey
|
WWT Martin Mere The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is
the largest international wetland conservation charity
in the UK. It's mission is to conserve wetlands and
their biodiversity. Founded in 1946 by the artist and
naturalist Sir Peter Scott (1909 - 1989), WWT has 9
visitor centres, covering around 2000 hectares in
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England
Martin Mere is one of them, Until the1700's, Martin Mere was a
lake 4 or 5 times in diameter, the largest in
Lancashire. Through deliberate drainage for
cultivation by the local landowners, the building of
the Liverpool to Leeds Canal, and natural
infilling, the open water disappeared leaving a peat
bog , loved by geese. When the WWT purchased the 215
hectare site the landscape was very different
with few trees or pools. Through careful management they have created a wonderful home for wildfowl
and wildlife. Martin Mere
is renowned as a refuge for wintering
wildfowl. The reserve
covers 376 acres, making it
one of
Britain's most important wetland sites,
visited by thousands of migrating wildfowl in
the autumn and winter. It is also home to 1500
tame birds, many on the endangered list and
part of breeding programmes, including the
Greater Flamingos that come from southern
Europe, the Laysan Duck from the Pacific
isles, and the Nenes or Hawaiian geese (WWT
breeding and conservation success story) T As for the smaller
wildfowl, Mallard, Pochard, Widgeon, Shoveler, Pintail
and Shelducks are found in large numbers,
Teal being the most numerous on the reserve. Ruff also
winter here and Lapwings year round, which also breed
in the fields in summer alongside redshank. Throughout the
year, In the fields and on the feeding stations you
can observe Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Greater
Spotted Woodpecker, Brambling, Goldfinch,
Meadow pipit, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat,
Chiff Chaff, Skylarks and Tree Sparrows. Swift,
Swallow, House and Sand Martin, Sedge and Reed Warblers,
Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear...Just
to name a few!! Inevitably
Raptors are also attracted to the reserve, Buzzard, Hen
Harrier, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk
are hunting visitors, as well as 5 types of Owl; Barn,
Little, Tawny, Long and
Short eared. Butterflies to be seen on the
reserve include Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell,
Red admiral, Small
Copper and Common Blue, Orange-tip, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies, Southern and
Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, as well as Common
Darter. Common Toads and Smooth Newts also breed and
live on the reserve (Click on
images for larger view) Images ©
of the photographers In 2004, WWT purchased an additional
62
hectares (155 acres) of carrot field (Woodend Farm)
with the aim of converting the
field into 25 ha (62 acres) of reedbed and 18 ha
(44acres) of wet grassland with additional areas of
wet woodland, dry grassland, hedgerow and copse. About 150,000 plants
have been planted as ‘plugs’ and the grasslands seeded
with a wide variety of grasses typical of old meadows.
The reed will spread from the
planted areas at between 3 and 10 metres per year and
will take up to
10 years to fully
colonise the beds. As the new wetland matures its is
hoped that once again the mere will resonate to the
sound of booming bitterns , and Bearded tits will
return to nest in the area. This area is now known as
the Woodend Wetlands and can be viewed from the New
Harrier Hide. At the back of the Harrier hide a large
pit has been excavated and landscaped to resemble a
Crannog - an ancient fort. The Crannog contains
interpretation on the history of the Mere.
The
new wetlands have already played host to large numbers
of wintering Whooper swans, the first breeding Avocets
and Corn Bunting and the first breeding Little Grebes
in a quarter of a century.
The future management of this site will include
grazing with rare breeds such as English Longhorn
cattle. The development extends the
original development of Martin Mere by almost one half.
WWT Martin Mere
is
located 6 miles from Ormskirk and 10 miles from Southport
off the A59.
|
