Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our blog visitors and friends of Tice's Meadow.
2017 Calendar
Our 2017 calendar has now sold out. Thank you to everyone who bought one - your continued support of Tice's Meadow is most welcome.
Badgers
We've long suspected we have Badgers on site, but not had any hard proof of the fact. A dog walker reported seeing a "possible" Badger in the Meadow in May 2015, and a probable latrine was found later that month. Several dead Badgers have also been seen on the A31 running along the southern boundary of the site.
In the week before Christmas, Richard Horton noticed a mound of freshly dug earth and a newly excavated animal hole. A number of smaller excavations were also found nearby. A juvenile Badger's skull was then found in the spoil, along with alot of Badger hair.
We are unsure if this represents an old Badger sett that has been re-opened by a Badger, an old Badger sett that has been re-opened by a Fox, or something else. Either way, it is hard proof that we have had, and probably still have, Badgers on site.
Subsequently, a freshly raided wasps' nest was also found - possibly raided by a Badger.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Spoil, Skull & Hole |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Badger Skull & Hair in Spoil |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Badger Skull |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Raided Wasps' Nest |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Wasps' Nest Detail |
Monday December 5th
Richard Horton reported a
Green Sandpiper, a
Blackcap and a Kingfisher today.
Tuesday December 6th
Carey Lodge reported a
Common Sandpiper, some Siskin and a Chiffchaff this morning.
Siskin video here:
pic.twitter.com/aFy3vkGxcZ
Wednesday December 7th
No reports.
Thursday December 8th
No reports.
Friday December 9th
Mark Elsoffer reported 200 Lapwing, a
Water Rail (in the River Blackwater), 6 Pochard, 5 Gadwall, 20 Teal, 10 Shoveler, 30 Wigeon, 40 Tufted Duck, 8 Mallard, 70 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 150 Herring Gull, 16 Siskin, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Stonechat, 12 Fieldfare, 2000 Wood Pigeon, a Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, a Kestrel and a Peregrine this morning.
The count of 150 Herring Gull is a new site record count.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Siskin & Goldfinch |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Fieldfare & Starling |
Saturday December 10th
Unfortunately, today's volunteer work party was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
Richard Seargent reported a
Common Sandpiper, 2
Green Sandpiper, 26 Snipe, 70
Golden Plover (flocks of 22 and 48) and a
Brent Goose (flew out of the Workings and east down the valley) this morning.
In addition, Graham King reported 10 Siskin, 20 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Coal Tit, 2 Bullfinch and a Kestrel today.
Brent Goose is the 151st species recorded on site
this year - a new annual record total, taking us past 2014's total of
150.
This is only the 4th recorded sighting of Brent Goose on site.
Richard also reported an excavated wasps' nest on Horton's Mound, possibly raided by a Badger.
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Excavated Wasps' Nest |
Sunday December 11th
Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Stonechat, 40 Siskin, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and a Peregrine today.
7 youths were removed from the Reedbed today, asked to stop vandalising the safety notices and replace the lifebelts they'd removed. If you see anyone trespassing on site, please call 101. The Reedbeds and Workings can be especially dangerous due to quicksand and deep/cold water.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Siskin |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Siskin |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Siskin |
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| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Siskin |
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| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Goldcrest |
Monday December 12th
No reports.
Tuesday December 13th
No reports.
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| (c) Carey Lodge - Candlesnuff Fungus |
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| (c) Corinne Edwards - Lisa's Wood |
Wednesday December 14th
John Hunt reported 200+ Lapwing, a
Little Egret, 28 Shoveler, 2 Stonechat and a Peregrine this morning.
Thursday December 15th
Mark Elsoffer reported 15
Golden Plover (touched down briefly before flying west), 150 Lapwing, 36 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 3 Pochard, 41 Shoveler, 44 Tufted Duck, 9 Gadwall, 11 Mallard, a
Great Black-backed Gull, 2500 Wood Pigeon, 20 Siskin, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel and a Red Kite this afternoon.
Hanson's fencing contractor was installing extra barbed wire fencing along the A31 today.
An Environment Agency operative was working in the River Blackwater clearing the vegetation by Pea Bridge today.
Ray was also clearing vegetation from the River Blackwater along the northern boundary of the site - sterling work as usual Ray!
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - River Blackwater cleared by Ray |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - River Blackwater cleared by Environment Agency |
Friday December 16th
No reports.
Saturday December 17th
Dave Baker reported a
Water Rail (in the Silt Pond), 225+ Lapwing and 32 Fieldfare (roosting in the Reedbed) this afternoon.
Sunday December 18th
No reports.
A group of friends of Tice's Meadow met at the Kingfisher pub for a Christmas meal this afternoon - a good time was had by all.
Monday December 19th
Murray Nurse reported upto 10
Golden Plover, 40 Siskin, 8 Lesser Redpoll and 2
Raven today.
Tuesday December 20th
Richard Seargent reported 15 Siskin, a Chiffchaff and a Peregrine today.
Wednesday December 21st
Richard Seargent reported a Red Kite today.
Thursday December 22nd
No reports.
Friday December 23rd
No reports.
Saturday December 24th
Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Snipe, 150 Lapwing, 12 Mallard, 20 Teal, 24 Wigeon, 5 Gadwall, 7 Pochard, 25 Tufted Duck, 2 Bullfinch, 18 Siskin, 7 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Red Kite and a Kestrel this morning.
In addition, Dave Baker reported 2
Green Sandpiper, 63 Shoveler and a
Goshawk (displaying over Crooksbury Hill) this morning.
The count of 63 Shoveler is a new site record count.
Mark Elsoffer also reported 3 Roe Deer in the Woods.
Sunday December 25th
No reports.
