When I first visited Martin Mere 51 years ago with my dad, I would never have dreamt that I might one day see five species of heron plus spoonbills on Vinson's marsh, yet that's exactly what happened this morning. I counted four
spoonbills, five great white egrets, six cattle egrets, five little egrets,
two grey herons and a bittern all on view at the same time on one relatively small patch of open water on Vinson's. What my dad would
have made of a scene like this I really can't imagine. More in line with what
he would have expected, there were also four green sandpipers on Vinson's.
Meanwhile, on Sunley's, the marsh adjacent to Vinson's, there was another
bittern and a hunting barn owl. Then a male marsh harrier appeared carrying
food prompting five birds that looked like juveniles to fly up to it. The male
dropped the food mid-air to one of the youngsters which caught it and the male
headed off presumably to find food for the others.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Martin Mere is the best reserve in
North West England by country mile.
Four spoonbills, two adults and two second calendar year birds.
The bittern had a white ring and is apparently one of this years youngsters.
Cattle egret with a great white egret behind.
Barn owl.
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