Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve: Saturday August 6th to Tuesday August 16th

Annual Report

Our 2015 Annual Report is now back from the printers. Please see the attached for how you can order a full colour, glossy, A4 hardcopy.

Planning News

A planning application for 31 homes on a field adjacent to Tice's Meadow (off of Low Lane) was rejected at appeal by Waverley Borough Council, partially due to the adverse affect on the view from Horton's Mound.

Note: The Surrey Birders website is currently down so there may be some sightings missing from this update.

Saturday August 6th

Mark Elsoffer spent the day on site and reported 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover, 21 Lapwing, a Yellow-legged Gull (adult), 5 Swift, 12 Buzzard, a Kestrel and a Peregrine.

The following juvenile birds were recorded by Mark:
- 5 young Coot on the Workings.
- 2 young Moorhen in the Meadow.
- At least 10 young Common Tern on the islands in the Workings.
- Numerous young Black-headed Gulls that were born on other sites.
- 8 young Starlings in the Meadow.
- c30 young Jackdaws throughout the Meadow.

The following butterflies were reported by Mark:
Comma, Gatekeeper, Small Tortoishell, Small Skipper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Large White, Speckled Wood, Brimstone and Red Admiral.

Sunday August 7th

John Hunt reported 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Peregrine this morning.

Grim Styles reported a new species for Tice's Meadow:
Common Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)

Colin Taylor photographed a Grayling on site today - a site rarity, not recorded in at least the last 3 years, and possibly only the 2nd ever record.

Monday August 8th

Paddy Lewin reported 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a Yellow-legged Gull (adult) this morning.

A Wood Sandpiper was reported via Bird Guides/Rare Bird Alert. The local birders were unable to relocate it and it is thought there may have been some confusion with a juvenile Green Sandpiper that was present on site.

Tuesday August 9th

Allan Goddard reported 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Dunlin this morning.

Wednesday August 10th

No reports.

Thursday August 11th

No reports.

Friday August 12th

Mark Elsoffer spent the day on site and reported 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 24 Lapwing, a Black-necked Grebe (juvenile), 4 Swift, 6 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk.

Black-necked Grebe is the 137th species recorded on site this year. This is only the 15th recorded sighting of Black-necked Grebe on site.

The following juvenile birds were recorded by Mark:
- 4 young Coot on the Workings.
- 1 young Moorhen in the Meadow.
- 1 young Great-crested Grebe in the Workings.
- At least 10 young Common Tern on the islands in the Workings.
- Numerous young Black-headed Gulls that were born on other sites.
- A young Song Thrush in the Wheatear Field.

The following butterflies were reported by Mark:
Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Large White and Speckled Wood.

Kevin Duncan reported a new species for Tice's Meadow:
Green Leafhopper (Cicadella viridis)

Saturday August 13th

Richard Horton reported a Black-necked Grebe (juvenile) this morning.

A volunteer work party met on site this morning and cleared some of the Ragwort from the Meadow. Well done to all who attended.

Sunday August 14th

John Hunt reported 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher this morning.

In addition, Kevin Duncan reported a Redstart this morning and a Black-tailed Godwit this afternoon.

This is only the 5th recorded sighting of Redstart on site (the 2nd this year).

Kevin Duncan reported 2 new species for Tice's Meadow:
Common Cloaked Shoot Moth (Gypsonoma dealbana)
Morning-glory Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla)

In addition to the above new moth species, Kevin also reported a single Silver-Y, and plenty of Rush Veneer and Straw Dot moths today.