Thursday November 3rd to Saturday November 13th

Shelter Funding Appeal

The Tice's Meadow Bird Group have applied for £1,000 funding from the Aviva Community Fund to build a shelter on Horton's Mound.

To win this funding we need as many votes as possible.

So do you have a spare 5 minutes? Would you like to make a difference?

If the answer is yes, then please vote for the Tice's Meadow Bird Group's Shelter Appeal at:
https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/vot…/project/view/16-1811

Remember, you get 10 votes to cast, we'd love all 10!

Voting closes noon Friday November 18th.

Thank you for your support.

2017 Calendar

Our 2017 calendar is available for pre-order now. See here for details.

Thursday November 3rd

Richard Horton reported a Ring-necked Parakeet over the Workings this morning.

This is only the 5th recorded sighting of Ring-necked Parakeet on site, but the 2nd this year.

Friday November 4th

Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 15 Lapwing, a Little Egret, 3 Pochard, a Kingfisher, a Pheasant, 4 Stonechat, 40 Siskin, a Redwing, a Bullfinch, a Kestrel and a Buzzard this morning.

As part of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership's AGM, a large group of local councillors were given a tour around the site today by Richard Horton (Tice's Bird Group), Steve Bailey (BVCP) and Andy Duncan (Hanson). This was a good opportunity to inform them of the hard work being conducted at Tice's Meadow by all the stakeholders.

The BVCP Rangers team were hard at work in the River Blackwater clearing out some of the overgrown vegetation.

Mark Elsoffer reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum).

(c) Murray Nurse - Local Councillors Visit Tice's

(c) Murray Nurse - Local Councillors Visit Tice's

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Local Councillors Visit Tice's

(c) Mark Elsoffer - BVCP Rangers Hard at Work

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Common Earthball

 

Saturday November 5th

Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Little Egret, 12 Fieldfare, a Raven, 2 Peregrine, 2 Kestrel, 3 Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk today.

In addition, Dave Baker reported a Yellow-legged Gull.

Today we held a suprise party on site for Richard Horton's 70th birthday. 26 friends of Tice's Meadow enjoyed a day of bbq, tea and cake, birding and banter. A good time was had by all, and it was deemed a fitting way to thank Richard for all the hard work he does on site as our leader and focal point.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Richard Holding Court

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Richard and His Gift from the Bird Group

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Keeping Warm Around the Fire

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Catering by Steve Minhinnick

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Hungry Partygoers

(c) Mark Elsoffer - The Birthday Boy

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Richard's Cake

(c) Roger Dickey - We Couldn't Afford 70 Candles!

(c) Richard Seargent - Richard's Card

(c) Richard Seargent - Richard's Card

(c) Richard Seargent - Richard and His LRP Painting

(c) Rich Mooney - Cold Partygoers

(c) Rich Mooney - Handshakes and Hugs All Round

(c) Rich Mooney -Handshakes and Hugs All Round

(c) Rich Mooney -Present Time

(c) Rich Mooney - Richard Seargent the MC

(c) Rich Mooney -The Friends of Tice's Meadow

(c) Rich Mooney -Army Birders Selfie

Sunday November 6th

John Hunt reported 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Chiffchaff and a Stonechat this morning.

(c) John Hunt - View From Horton's Mound

(c) John Hunt - Stonechat

Monday November 7th

No reports.

Tuesday November 8th

Oli reported 2 Whooper Swan on the Workings this morning.

Whooper Swan is a new species for Tice's Meadow, the 190th bird species recorded on site. Whooper Swan is the 150th bird species recorded on site this year.

Wednesday November 9th

No reports.

Thursday November 10th

Mark Elsoffer reported a Snipe, 24 Lapwing, 2 Pochard, a Greylag Goose, 4 Stonechat, 13 Redwing, 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, a Peregrine and a Red Kite this afternoon.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - A Newly Wet Meadow

Friday November 11th

No reports.

Saturday November 12th

This morning's planned work party was sadly cancelled due to the heavy rain. Thanks to everyone who had planned to attend.

Richard Seargent reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: Orange Peel Fungus (Aleuria aurantia).

(c) Richard Seargent - Orange Peel Fungus

Sunday November 13th

Dave Baker reported a Little Egret, 61 Cormorant, 52 Greylag Geese (20 over) and a Peregrine this morning.

The count of 61 Cormorants is a new site record count. It has been noticeable recently that Cormorant numbers are increasing. Where as they used to fish at the nearby Badshot Lea Ponds and only come to Tice's Meadow to loaf and preen, they are now being seen regularly fishing on site. This is possibly due to the very low water levels corralling the fish into small areas of deep water between the islands.

Dave also reported a Water Shrew under one of the tin refugia on Horton's Mound.

(c) Dave Baker - Meadow Pipits on Grim's Bender