Dee Estuary

After the snow in November, it was the weather warnings of Storm Darragh that led to us shutting the reserve entirely on 7 December, but thankfully the damage was minimal and the large tree that came down in the woodland did not block the driveway. So, it was back to normal on 8 December after ensuring all was safe.  The rain has meant that water levels became a little high again, but dry weather this week has helped it…

Recent Sightings

Winter came to the reserve this week with snow on the ground on Tues 19 Nov. However, visits to Burton Mere Wetlands can be enjoyed whatever the weather with a roaring fire going in the visitor centre and warming hot food in the café.

The contractors have now finished all the work on the scrapes, and the birds are enjoying the new islands and scrape edges. The raptors have been busy with slightly…

The most significant activity around the reserve in the last couple of weeks has been the work carried out on the three main scrapes, involving reprofiling the edges and islands and creating new islands.  This started on Centenary and Bridge pools before moving to the main scrape in front of the visitor centre.  Whilst the far areas were being worked on the waders and ducks were concentrated on the main scrape but moved…

Recent Sightings 

More wet weather plus very high tides on the estuary have meant that water is not draining into the river, and water levels on the scrape remain stubbornly high. However, a positive side of the flooding out on the saltmarsh is the high count of wintering duck species.

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Star Sightings   

An early morning count, on the flooded saltmarsh, Oct 22, recorded 4000 Pintail, 5000 Wigeon, 1600 Teal and 175…

It’s Autumn on the reserve, and colours are starting to change, but the warm, wet weather means that there are still lots of leaves on the trees.  Most of the summer visitors have left, but some have now become resident, and we get other visitors stopping off on their way south.

Star Sightings   

At least one Yellow-browed Warbler has been seen around the reserve during the last week and we had a visit from a single…

As usual this year the weather has been at its most unpredictable. After returning to some lovely sunny days during week ending 21 September, we are back to constant rain.  Despite having all 10 of our sluice gates open, water levels have remained very high, and the muddy margins around the pools that we try to have for the migrating waders have not been there.

Star Sightings   

After having lots of Black-tailed Godwit…

Recent Sightings

Autumn seems to have arrived suddenly, with a lot of wet and windy weather in the last two weeks. Whilst no rarities have turned up there has been plenty of activity on the reserve.

Star Sightings 

Our raptors have been busy with frequent sightings of Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and still occasional views of Hobby and even Merlin out on the marsh. We hope it won’t be long before we also…

Recent Sightings

The weather has been somewhat mixed in the last two weeks, and the excitement of the Hudstonian Godwit’s visit to the reserve has passed.

However there have been plenty of other waders visiting on there way south from their breeding areas, and our winter visitors begin to arrive.

Star Sightings 

The MEGA rare bird, the “HUDSONIAN GODWIT” revisited Burton Mere Wetlands on Sun 18 and Mon 19 August…

Star Sightings 

The MEGA rare bird, found late on Monday evening on our reserve was a “HUDSONIAN GODWIT. This is a North American bird and only the 10th record in the UK. The last recorded sighting was on Shetland in 2023, and the last in England was in Somerset in 2015.  This Godwit is slightly smaller than our regular Black-tailed Godwits and much darker in plumage with a noticeable black underwing.

Photo.  D. Ki…

After all the wet and windy weather this summer we have finally had a few hot days.  This has led to increased butterfly sightings and the Common Lizards have been sunning themselves.

Common Lizard                                                                        photo J. Hewitt

Star Sightings 

Only one Avocet remains, but the Little Egrets have been seen gathering on the around the pool in numbers.

Little Egrets                                                            Photo…

 Summer has finally arrived at BMW, and all are enjoying the warm sunny weather.  The young birds are fledging, and the Butterflies, Moths and Dragonflies finally being seen more often. On the Mere the waterlilies are providing a fine display.

Star Sightings 

The Avocets are now assembling in numbers on the main scrape, prior to moving south.  Many of the UK breeding birds winter on the estuaries around South Wales and…

The weather hasn’t been what we expect in June, not all wet but chilly and windy most of the time. This has meant that the sightings of Butterflies and Dragonflies have been restricted to the better weather periods, but a lot of our photographer visitors have been busy getting photos of some more unusual insect species hiding in the lush vegetation. Amongst the vegetation Marsh Orchids, Bee Orchids and a Pyramidal Orchid…

The recent changeable and at times very wet weather has not prevented some good sightings on the reserve. This includes Butterflies, Damselflies, Dragonflies, Lizards, as well as Yellow Flag Iris and many Marsh Orchids.

Yellow Flag Iris and many Marsh Orchids by S.Ryde

Birds of Prey are being seen regularly, including our breeding Marsh Harriers, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Kestrel, and an occasional fly past of…

Despite the devastation caused by the Badger on the main scrape birds are still being recorded in good numbers on the reserve. All the common warblers are being heard as you walk the footpaths and the some more unusual visitors have been noted.

Other than the birds, visitors can look out for the lizards, butterflies and dragonflies which are showing well, and we are seeing the start of the Orchid season.

Star Sighti…

Monday morning in Burton Mere Wetlands’ office always means reflecting on the prior week, and weekend in particular. However, as enjoyable as the first true taste of summer has been, the weather was far from the most significant feature of the past weekend.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that the classic spring scene of the main scrape and its surrounds diminished over the past few days. After suspicions that…

Posted on behalf of Sheila Ryde - Communications Volunteer

The weather in the last two weeks of April was not very spring like, but our breeding birds are around in good numbers.  The first youngsters are about with families of Mallard, Coot, Long-tailed Tits and the first Lapwing chick has been seen. The Black-headed Gulls are sitting on the islands on the main scrape, together with a around six pairs of Mediterranean…

As usual in the UK, the main topic of conversation seems to revolve around the weather. Is it just my imagination or has there been none stop cold, high winds coming in from the North for the whole month? We’ve certainly felt it in the Visitor Centre, and there has been many a day when the fire has been on. I don’t want to think what it must have been like for an Avocet to attempt to breed in this weather…

Easter is here, often marking the start of a busy spring season for Burton Mere Wetlands. As migrant birds roll in, bluebells bloom and – hopefully, at least – the weather warms and dries up a bit, inevitably people want to spend more time immersed in the joys of nature at a welcoming reserve like ours.

However, the team have somewhat appreciated the slight March lull after an incredibly busy second half of…

It certainly feels like Spring has sprung, and the colder winter days are now hopefully behind us. The wildlife on the reserve has started to react to the warmer weather and there is lots of birdsong to be heard, whilst there are increasing numbers of breeding birds right across the reserve. The vegetation is showing signs of life after the long winter, and we have the flowering of the bluebells to look forward to in…

Is it too late to wish you a Happy New Year? Probably, but Happy New Year nevertheless.

Anyway, January has been a real mixed bag for weather, with some freezing spells, some warm(ish) spells but the most noticeable thing has been the storms that have battered the UK through the month. The storms have had a big effect on the reserve and the birdlife – more of which to come later.    

Hopefully, by the time the next…

Reserve Round-Up – Week Commencing 11 December 2023

Has it stopped raining yet? It seems that the last couple of weeks have been nothing but wet, wet, wet. This seemingly never-ending rain has been occasionally punctuated by some freezing cold spells, leading to short periods of ice on the reserve. It has to be expected in December, I suppose! As I write this, it’s a truly beautiful day, sunny and crisp, so let…

Posted on behalf of James Smith - Visitor Experience Assistant 

Recent Sightings

For many people, the period where we move from Autumn into Winter is the most exciting for wildlife sightings on the Dee Estuary and Burton Mere Wetlands. This is because many species of passage birds will be using the wider reserve to rest and refuel, whilst many winter visitors will be arriving, often in great numbers, to call the estuary…

The memory will never leave me; stepping up to my kitchen window and catching sight of the thick, dark plume rising ominously into the crystal blue sky of a fine early spring evening, I knew instantly the smoke’s origin and lurched into a primal fight or flight response.

Once the dust had settled and media fuss faded, the subsequent 18 months since the devastating fire destroying the majority of Neston Reedbed have…

Reception Pool in 2017 (A.Grubb)

It’s that time of year again when breeding season for Burton Mere Wetlands’ priority ground-nesting wetland birds is over, but by no means does anything slow down. Quite the opposite, as the crucial habitat management work that takes a spring break to avoid impacting birds’ nesting, enters its busy autumn regime.

Not helped by the recent unseasonal weather, the summer…

Recent sightings

Well, the weather over the last couple months had us all wishing we were ducks, paddling about in the cool water. Finally, the last couple weeks it has turned a little cooler and we’ve had some much-needed rain. I’m sure all your garden wildlife and flowers will be grateful. One of the best things you can do during those scorching days is to pop a small shallow “birdbath” out  for…