This afternoon accompanied by my Wife and our two daughters I visited the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's Wetland Centre at Martin Mere in Burscough, Lancashire.
It was my third ever visit to the centre and I'd come to try and see my favourite bird the Kingfisher. Unfortunately I didn't get to see one today but we saw lots of other great birds and on this occasion the Asian Otters too.
It was my third ever visit to the centre and I'd come to try and see my favourite bird the Kingfisher. Unfortunately I didn't get to see one today but we saw lots of other great birds and on this occasion the Asian Otters too.
I took over 350 photos today but for this post you'll be glad to know that I managed to whittle down that number to about 80. We all enjoyed the visit today and I'll definitely be coming back soon to spend more time in in the Ron Barker Hide watching for the Kingfisher.
The entrance
Peter Scott
Founder of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
Founder of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
One of many brooks
Plentiful amount of Wildflowers
Giant Puffballs
Young ducks in the Ducker
Small pond
The view from the
Kingfisher Hide
No Kingfishers in sight
We did spot an Heron though
It stayed very still
The view from the Kingfisher Hide
Blackbird singing away
Small pond by
the Ron Barker Hide
View of the Kingfisher Pool
from the Ron Barker Hide
from the Ron Barker Hide
Kingfisher Pool
from the Ron Barker Hide
from the Ron Barker Hide
Kingfisher Pool
Continuing our tour
Puffball
Flamingo
More Flamingos
Duck teaching it's
young to find food
young to find food
Avocet
It started raining so we stopped under a shelter and a wren kept flying to and fro to a nearby fence with insects in its mouth. We soon realised that we were standing right under it's nest! The photo above was the best shot I could get of it because it wouldn't stay still long enough.
Tufted Duck
Tufted Ducks
Bewicks's Swan
Bewick's Swan
Chaffinch
seen from the Janet Kear Hide
Reed Bunting
seen from the Janet Kear Hide
Blackbird
seen from the Janet Kear Hide
View from the
Janet Kear Hide
Great Spotted Woodpecker
seen from the Janet Kear Hide
Great Spotted Woodpecker
seen from the Janet Kear Hide
View from the Harrier Hide
My Daughters in the Harrier Hide
The Harrier Hide
Eurasian Crane
(these bite, hence the fencing)
Mere tun
Roundhouse
One of several Bug Hotels
along the Wild Walk path
Start of the Wild Walk Path
Moorhen
It's nest in the lake
but right next to the path
Pigeon
Black Headed Gull
Bird tracks in the mud
Moorhen
Black Headed Gull
One of many ponds
Flamingo
Stepping stones
Young Moorhen
Mandarin Duck
Mandarin Duck
The Eco Garden
Wildflowers
A wall in the Eco Garden
Another Flamingo
It's fun to use the stepping stones
Moorhen
On my last visit I never saw the Asian Otters and today it looked as if we wouldn't see them again as we passed their enclosure but after backtracking to the Beaver Hide as we passed a second time we touched lucky.
One of the centre wardens was throwing fish into the enclosure and quick as a flash the Otters were out. In total there were five otters, the Mum, Dad and three young. We stayed for a good while watching them feed and it was whilst chatting to the warden that we learned that the Beavers had been moved out due to them breeding like wildfire. No wonder we didn't spot them today sat in the Beaver Hide!
Asian Otter
waiting for a fish
"Come on, where's my fish?"
"Come on pass me a fish please"
"Look what I've found"
Both enjoying a fishy treat
A fish supper
My daughter watches them feed
from the glass viewing screen
Tearing it's lunch apart
What a super post, Ian and such wonderful photos. Looks like a great place to visit. A shame you didn't see a Kingfisher but you certainly made up for that with all the other wonderful birds you saw and the otters too:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosie. Aye I would have liked to have seen the Kingfisher but seeing the Otters made up for that.
DeleteYou saw some beautiful animals and flora! Wow, I love the otters and I too want to see a kingfisher. It's always been a wish of mine!
ReplyDeleteI have loved the Kingfisher from an early age and was lucky enough to see one for the first time last year. It was a only a brief encounter but I will always remember it.
DeleteI'm glad you told me I'd missed this post - what a fantastic place - definitely one for my list! I'd love to see an avocet as I haven't seen one before. Those orange flowers that look like dandelions are orange hawkweed, also known as fox and cubs.
ReplyDeleteThe otters I saw were Asian short clawed and the book I did link to in the post but it's this one -- http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/rspb-365-outdoor-activities-you-have-to-try.html