Easter has it all, as Winter turns to Spring at Martin Mere near Southport

Easter is traditionally the busiest time of year for Martin Mere and it’s also great time to see a great mixture of wildlife on the reserve. There will still be a variety of winter wildfowl on the mere and this usually includes a few whooper swans that have decided to linger a bit longer, before setting off on the journey to their breeding grounds in Iceland.

While the winter birds are gradually leaving, they are replaced by migrants from further south. At Martin Mere, avocets are the first signs of spring and they started to arrive in mid-February. During April, the avocets have well and truly set up their territories and are usually on nests, on the islands at the back of the mere. Their noisy neighbours, the black-headed gulls will also be squabbling amongst each other over the best piece of real estate for a nest. And, in between the avocets and black-headed gulls, it is worth keeping an eye out for our returning pairs of common terns and Mediterranean gulls.

The first warblers, such as chiffchaff, blackcap and whitethroat will have returned by Easter and can be heard singing from bushes and trees throughout the grounds and reserve, while sedge, reed and grasshopper warblers start filling up the reedbeds. The first swallows, house and sand martins should have been seen by the first week of April and, by the end of the month, we may have heard our first cuckoo and maybe even a booming bittern. It really is a lively time on the reserve and a day list might go over 70 species.

Meanwhile, Spring sees the birds in the wildfowl collection also getting a bit frisky with each other. And, first out of the stalls this year are the Black Swans, which have just hatched cygnets in the last few days and which you’ll be able to see throughout the Easter Holidays.

Of course, also in the grounds, our almost legendary Easter Duck Trail will return over the whole school holiday period for the kids to enjoy. And, our canoe safari will also be open. With increasing kingfisher, water vole and little egret sightings, the canoe safari can really get you up close to nature.

Martin Mere really does have something for everybody and we hope you enjoy a visit to us for a fabulous wetland wildlife experience this Easter.