Friday November 20th to Friday November 27th

Friday November 20th

No reports.

Saturday November 21st

Richard Seargent reported a Green Sandpiper, a Grey Wagtail, a Stonechat, a Coal Tit and a large Long-tailed Tit flock this morning.

In addition, Richard Horton reported 160 Teal.

The count of 160 Teal is a new record count for the site.

Sunday November 22nd

John Hunt reported a Green Sandpiper, 20 Lapwing, a Snipe, 50+ Teal, 3 Gadwall, 10+ Pochard, 2 Stonechat and 2 Reed Bunting this morning.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported 48 Wigeon and 18 Shoveler  this morning.

(c) John Hunt - Frosty Morning

(c) John Hunt - Reed Bunting

(c) John Hunt - Stonechat

(c) John Hunt - Stonechat

(c) John Hunt - Stonechat

(c) John Hunt - Stonechat

Monday November 23rd

Carey Lodge reported a Yellowhammer, 2 Bullfinch, a Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff this morning.

Tuesday November 24th

No reports.

Wednesday November 25th

Richard Horton reported a Little Egret, 16 Pochard, a Kingfisher, 3 Chiffchaff and a Peregrine this morning.

Thursday November 26th

Mark Elsoffer spent 8 1/2 hours on site today and recorded 61 species, including: a Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 46 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, 44 Tufted Duck, 9 Shoveler, 14 Gadwall, c120 Teal, 10 Wigeon, 21 Pochard, a Crossbill (over), a Raven (over), 7 Redwing, 26 Lesser Redpoll (over), a Bullfinch, 2 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff, 8 Dunnock, 16 Greenfinch, 32 Magpie, a Peregrine and a Kestrel.

What appeared to be a dead young Mute Swan was being devoured by corvids on the far side of the Workings.

An adult Peregrine spent most of the morning eating a kill, and then loafing, on one of the grassy islands in the Workings.

Also seen in the Meadow were 5 Roe Deer and a Fox (with a limp).

This is the first recorded sighting of Crossbill on site this year - the 143rd species recorded on site in 2015.

The Common Sandpiper is the latest ever recorded, beating the previous record by 41 days.

The count of 8 Dunnock is a new record count for the site.

The count of 16 Greenfinch is a new record count for the site.

The count of 32 Magpie is a new record count for the site.

Once again, Ray was working single-handedly cutting invasive willow in the Reedbed despite the cold and wet weather.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Roe Deer

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Goldfinch

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Hanson's New River Crossing

Friday November 27th

John Hunt reported 2 Green Sandpiper, 60+ Lapwing, a Little Egret, 16 Pochard, 17 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 50+ Teal, 2 Stonechat, 2 Reed Bunting, 7 Siskin, a Bullfinch, a Red Kite and a Kestrel this morning.

In addition, Richard Horton reported that the record-breaking Common Sandpiper was still present this morning.

(c) John Hunt - Little Egret

(c) John Hunt - Long-tailed Tit

(c) John Hunt - Pied Wagtail

(c) John Hunt - Red Kite

Tuesday November 3rd to Thursday November 19th

Tuesday November 3rd

John Hunt reported 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 21 Golden Plover, 50+ Teal, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 40+ Linnet, 20+ Siskin, 2 Stonechat, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest and 3 Skylark this morning.

Wednesday November 4th

No reports.

Thursday November 5th

Richard Horton reported 90+ Golden Plover and 5 Green Sandpiper this morning.

Friday November 6th

No reports.

Saturday November 7th

14 hardy volunteers from the Tice's Meadow Bird Group braved the relentless strong wind and rain for an end-of-year BBQ today, which served as a thank you to the volunteers for all their hard work throughout the year. The BBQ was also an opportunity to thank Tony Anderson, the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership Ranger, who is retiring at the end of the year and has been a great friend of the Tice's Meadow Bird Group.

It was great to see 3 generations of one local family come to help us out, all of whom insisted on clearing ragwort from the River Blackwater whilst the burgers were being cooked!

After the BBQ, Jim Dunaway and Andy Little continued to clear and burn invasive willow in the Reedbeds.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Tice's Volunteers' BBQ

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Jim "Firestarter" Dunaway

Sunday November 8th

John Hunt reported a Green Sandpiper, c80 Lapwing, c20 Fieldfare, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Stonechat, a Skylark, a Kestrel and a large overhead eastward movement of Woodpigeon (c3-4000).

The count of c3-4000 Wood Pigeon is a new record count for the site.

Monday November 9th

Richard Horton reported that 2 Chinese Geese flew into the Meadow with 38 Greylag Geese this morning. The Chinese Geese were ringed with small yellow rings and had been reported at Tongham Gravel Pit recently.

Tuesday November 10th

Carey Lodge reported 6 Gadwall, 8 Wigeon, a Pochard (female), 2 Chinese Goose, c400 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Peregrine and a Red Kite this morning.

The count of c400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls is a new record count for the site.

Wednesday November 11th

No reports.

Thursday November 12th

Mark Elsoffer spent 8.5 hours on site today and reported a Green Sandpiper, a Curlew (over), 6 Lapwing, 14 Shoveler, c90 Teal, 3 Pochard, 10 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 3 Tufted Duck, 14 Mute Swan, 33 Greylag Goose, 4 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Grebe, 425 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Kingfisher, 3 Stonechat, 3 Mistle Thrush, 12 Fieldfare, a Redwing, 2 Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and a juvenile Peregrine.

The count of 425 Lesser Black-backed Gulls is a new record count for the site.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Peregrine

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Peregrine

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Peregrine

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Peregrine

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Peregrine

Friday November 13th

No reports.

Saturday November 14th

Grim Styles reported a female Black Redstart briefly sitting on his front garden fence (which faces Tice's Meadow), before flying off into the site boundary. This is only the 3rd record of Black Redstart for the site.

Sunday November 15th

Dave Baker reported c20 Herring Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull and at least 323 Lesser Black-backed Gull this afternoon.

In addition, Graham King reported 2 Stonechat, a Kestrel and 33 Greylag Goose.

In addition, Kevin Duncan reported 3 Green Sandpiper, 4 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 19 Shoveler and 21 Wigeon.

Monday November 16th

Carey Lodge reported a Green Sandpiper, 20 Gadwall, 477 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Red Kite and a Peregrine this morning.

The count of 477 Lesser Black-backed Gulls is a new record count for the site.

Tuesday November 17th

Eric Soden (the Surrey County Bird Recorder) and Richard Horton lead a visit by Eric's U3A birdwatching group on site today. Birds seen included a Green Sandpiper, a Little Egret, a Yellow-legged Gull, 100s of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Red Kite, 3 Kestrels and a Peregrine.

Wednesday November 18th

No reports.

Thursday November 19th

No reports.

Monday October 26th to Monday November 2nd

Monday October 26th

Richard Horton reported 10 Golden Plover, 4 Bullfinch, 11 Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Grey Wagtail, a Kestrel and 3 Buzzard today.

Tuesday October 27th

No reports.

Wednesday October 28th

No reports.

After a long delay, Hanson's contractors started work around the lake in the old Plant Yard today. Work to be conducted includes smoothing out the heavily rutted areas, creating a tractor crossing in the River Blackwater, trimming the reptile basking cliff face, levelling the riverside track, tweaking the Works outfall and a minor extension to the western drain north of the Kiln.

Thursday October 29th

No reports.

Friday October 30th

Richard Horton reported 70+ Golden Plover, 140+ Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper, a Snipe, 14 Mute Swan, 2 Little Grebe and 2 Grey Wagtail this morning.

The count of 14 Mute Swan is a new record count for the site.

Saturday October 31st

Richard Horton reported 2 Egyptian Goose, 65 Greylag Goose, 250+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 10 Common Gull, 2 Stonechat and 3 Skylark this morning.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported 40 Golden Plover, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and 17 Mute Swan this morning.

The count of 65 Greylag Geese is a new record count for the site.

The count of 17 Mute Swan is a new record count for the site.

Richard Seargent also found a new species for Tice's Meadow today: November Moth (Epirrita dilutata).

Grim Styles found a new species for Tice's Meadow today: Jew's Ear fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae).

(c) Grim Styles - Jew's Ear fungus

(c) Grim Styles - Jew's Ear fungus

(c) Grim Styles - Jew's Ear fungus

Sunday November 1st

A foggy day at Tice's Meadow was not condusive to birding. However, the bad weather did not stop Jim from clearing and burning invasive willow in the reedbeds!

(c) Richard Seargent - A Foggy Morning

(c) Richard Seargent - Reed Bunting

(c) Grim Styles - A Foggy Morning

Monday November 2nd

No reports.