Over 90 members of the public enjoyed last year's BioBlitz, with 86
species of bird recorded, and one well known birder called it "The
highlight of the Surrey birding year". We hope to see you all at Tice's Meadow this coming weekend.
From March 19th no Schedule 1 species which may be breeding on site (or
other species which we deem to be sensitive) shall be reported publicly.
This is for the protection of the birds.
This is in accordance with our Bird Reporting Policy which can be read here.
More information about Schedule 1 birds can be read here. Guidance on photographing Schedule 1 birds can be read here.
If you would like to buy a glossy, full colour, A4 hardcopy of the report for £15, please email us: ticesmeadow@hotmail.co.uk
All funds raised from the sale of our annual report are channelled back into projects on the nature reserve.
Spring BioBlitz
Our Spring
BioBlitz will be held over the bank holiday weekend of Friday 28th April to Sunday 30th April.
Note: For those of you who bought one of our calendars, this is a week earlier than shown on the calendar.
Activities currently planned for the weekend include guided bird walks,
moth trapping, guided bat walks and a weekend-long bird ringing
demonstration (run by Roger Dickey).
Please keep an eye out for further announcements, including which other partner organisations will be attending this year.
Over 90 members of the public enjoyed last year's BioBlitz, with 86
species of bird recorded, and one well known birder called it "The
highlight of the Surrey birding year". We hope to see you all at the
2017 event.
Request for Materials
We've got a lot of projects going on at Tice's Meadow at the moment. If
you have any of the materials listed below going spare and would like to
donate them to us, and hence save us some money which can be spent on
other projects at the nature reserve, please get in touch.
Facebook
We now have a dedicated public group on Facebook. Please join and report your sightings and share your news and photographs.
The plant identified as Spring Snowflake found by Kevin Duncan on March 28th has been re-identified as Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum). Thanks to Mike and Jane Clifford for clarifying this for us.
Thursday April 13th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, a Lapwing, 7 Mallard, 6 Teal, a Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 3 Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 4 Sand Martin, 8 Swallow, 2 Kestrel, 2 Red Kite and 10 Buzzard today.
In addition, John Hunt reported a Little Egret, a Common Tern and a Yellow Wagtail this morning.
John also reported a pair of Stock Doves using nest box #16.
Fledgling House Sparrows (Steve Minhinnick) and Blackbirds (Richard Horton) were reported today.
An owl pellet was found on Horton's Mound today and retrieved for disection at the BioBlitz.
(c) Steve Minhinnick - Whitethroat
Friday April 14th
John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Tern and a Willow Warbler this morning.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Whitethroat this morning.
In addition, Stuart Cossey reported 15 Sand Martin and 6 Swallow this afternoon.
John also reported 2 Roe Deer this morning. The resident Roe Deer have become alot less conspicuous since the cattle were introduced to the Meadow.
Richard Seargent and Len Winchcombe found a dead Barn Owl on the road by the Pea Bridge today.
Saturday April 15th
Dave Baker reported 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern, a Stonechat and a House Martin this morning.
In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported 3 Common Sandpiper, 10 Mallard, 2 Teal, 3 Gadwall, 4 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, a Cuckoo (seen flying past Horton's Mound), c30 Swallow, a 2nd House Martin, 2 Kestrel, 6 Buzzard and a Red Kite today.
In addition, Richard Horton reported 2 Willow Warbler and 7 Sand Martin today.
In addition, Mike Huddie reported a Sedge Warbler this afternoon.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Grasshopper Warbler reeling at Ray's Gap. The bird was heard by Richard at 07:47, at 09:57 by Dave Baker, and again by Mark Elsoffer & Steve Minhinnick at around 10:30. There was no further sign after this. We are unsure if this is the same bird last seen 9 days ago or a new arrival that has coincidentally turned up in the exact same location.
If the Grasshopper Warbler is a new bird, it is only the 4th recorded sighting for the species on site, and the 2nd this year.
Ringed Plover is the 107th species of bird recorded on site this year.
House Martin is the 108th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Sedge Warbler is the 109th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Sunday April 16th
John Hunt reported 2 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern, a Wheatear, a Yellow Wagtail and a Swallow this morning.
In addition, Richard Horton reported a Sedge Warbler today.
(c) John Hunt - Wheatear
(c) John Hunt - Wheatear
(c) John Hunt - Wheatear
Monday April 17th
Mark Elsoffer reported 3 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Ringed Plover, a Lapwing, 8 Mallard, 6 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 3 Common Tern, 3 Raven (2 inside the recording boundary), 8 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, 30 Swallow, 20 Sand Martin, 5 House Martin, 2 Kestrel, 6 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk and 2 Red Kite today.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported 2 Reed Warbler, a Wheatear and a Swift today.
A total of 7 Yellow Wagtail were reported flying north over the site today by various observers.
Swift is the 110th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Reed Warbler is the 111th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Today's Swift is the joint earliest ever recorded on site (the same day as in 2006 and 2016).
Mark Elsoffer reported a new species for Tice's Meadow today: Eyelash Cup Fungus (Scutellinia scutellata).
Murray Nurse kindly donated 2 moth traps to the Tice's Meadow Bird Group - thanks Murray!
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Eyelash Cup Fungus
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Eyelash Cup Fungus
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Wheatear
(c) Richard Horton - Moth Trap
Tuesday April 18th
John Hunt reported 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Common Tern, a Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 30+ Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 4 Swallow and 2 Raven (outside recording area) this morning.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Redshank and a Little Egret this afternoon.
White Wagtail is the 112th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Wednesday April 19th
John Hunt reported 2 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern, a Whinchat, a Wheatear, a Stonechat, 2 Reed Warbler, 6+ Sand Martin, a House Martin and a Red Kite this morning.
Whinchat is the 113th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Today's Whinchat is the earliest recorded on site by 3 days.
(c) John Hunt - Stonechat
(c) John Hunt - Stonechat
Thursday April 20th
John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper, 3 Common Tern, 2 Swift, 6 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 2 Reed Warbler and a Sedge Warbler this morning.
In addition, Mike Huddie reported 30-40 House Martin this morning.
From March 19th no Schedule 1 species which may be breeding on site (or
other species which we deem to be sensitive) shall be reported publicly.
This is for the protection of the birds.
We will still be collecting and recording reports from observers, so if
you have seen any please email us or let one of the regulars know in
person.
We will still freely share information amongst visiting birders. It is
the egg-collectors and the unproffessional photographers we are
concerned about. So please do ask one of the regulars what's around when
you visit.
More information about Schedule 1 birds can be read here. Guidance on photographing Schedule 1 birds can be read here.
If you would like to buy a glossy, full colour, A4 hardcopy of the report for £15, please email us: ticesmeadow@hotmail.co.uk
All funds raised from the sale of our annual report are channelled back into projects on the nature reserve.
Spring BioBlitz
Our Spring
BioBlitz will be held over the bank holiday weekend of Friday 28th April to Sunday 30th April.
Note: For those of you who bought one of our calendars, this is a week earlier than shown on the calendar.
Activities currently planned for the weekend include guided bird walks,
moth trapping, guided bat walks and a weekend-long bird ringing
demonstration (run by Roger Dickey).
Please keep an eye out for further announcements, including which other partner organisations will be attending this year.
Over 90 members of the public enjoyed last year's BioBlitz, with 86
species of bird recorded, and one well known birder called it "The
highlight of the Surrey birding year". We hope to see you all at the
2017 event.
Request for Materials
We've got a lot of projects going on at Tice's Meadow at the moment. If
you have any of the materials listed below going spare and would like to
donate them to us, and hence save us some money which can be spent on
other projects at the nature reserve, please get in touch.
Facebook
We now have a dedicated public group on Facebook. Please join and report your sightings and share your news and photographs.
John Hunt reported 2 Green Sandpiper, a Grey Plover, a Snipe, 6 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 2 Chiffchaff, a Kestrel, 2 Buzzard and a Red Kite this morning.
In addition, Richard Horton reported 4 Bullfinch, 4 Blackcap and a Willow Warbler today.
(c) John Hunt - Chiffchaff
(c) John Hunt - Chiffchaff
(c) John Hunt - Grey Plover
(c) John Hunt - Orange Tip
(c) John Hunt - Small Tortoiseshell
Thursday April 6th
Richard Horton reported a Grasshopper Warbler in the hedgeline near Ray's Gap this morning.
In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported 3 Lapwing, 3+ Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 12 Mallard, 6 Gadwall, 6 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Red Kite, 8 Buzzard, a Kestrel and a Peregrine today.
Grasshopper Warbler is the 102nd species of bird recorded on site this year.
Today's Grasshopper Warbler is only the 3rd recorded sighting on site.
Today's Grasshopper Warbler is the 3rd earliest recorded in Surrey (ref Birds of Surrey).
Richard Seargent reported a new species for Tice's Meadow today: Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)
Steve Minhinnick reported the first odonata of the year - a Large Red Damselfly in the reedbeds. This is only the 2nd recorded sighting of the species in the past 4 years.
Mark Elsoffer reported the following butterflies: 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Peacock, 3 Brimstone, 2 Orange Tip, a Speckled Wood, a Small White (first of the year) and 2 Holly Blue.
SSE kindly donated and delivered 2 used telegraph poles to site today for use on our forthcoming swift tower. Thank you SSE!
Ray was busy spreading wood chippings on the paths today and Len was planting Buddleia. Thanks guys!
(c) Steve Minhinnick - Large Red Damselfly
(c) Mark Elsoffer - SSE Delivering Telegraph Poles
(c) Mark Elsoffer - SSE Delivering Telegraph Poles
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Large Bee Fly
Friday April 7th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 10 Mallard, 6 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 6 Gadwall, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Swallow, a Lesser Redpoll, 4 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, a Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 7 Buzzard and 3 Red Kite today.
In addition, Dave Baker reported a Little Egret today.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Whitethroat today.
In addition, Oli reported a Cuckoo today.
Whitethroat is the 103rd species of bird recorded on site this year.
The first Whitethroat of 2017 was recorded 2 days earlier than in
2016, and only 1 day later than the earliest ever (06/04/15).
Cuckoo is the 104th species of bird recorded on site this year.
The first Cuckoo of 2017 was recorded 17 days earlier than in 2016, and is the earliest ever recorded on site by 13 days.
Mark Elsoffer reported the following butterflies: 10 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Peacock, 5 Brimstone, 6 Orange Tip, 2 Speckled Wood & 2 Holly Blue.
Mark Leitch kindly arranged a free loan of a rotavator today from HSS Hire so that we could rotavate the Bells Piece wildflower and grain crop field. Unfortunately, the rotavator wasn't up to the job. We'll be back with a bigger machine soon!
The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership Rangers were on site
this morning cutting grass and tidying up, whilst Len was busy mending fences.
(c) Richard Seargent - Female Orange Tip
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Jays
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Chiffchaff
Saturday April 8th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 21 Mallard, 6 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 4 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Common Tern, 12 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 6 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Red Kite and 5 Buzzard today.
In addition, Tony Anderson reported a Cuckoo this morning.
In addition, Richard Horton reported a Garden Warbler this morning.
Common Tern is the 105th species of bird recorded on site this year.
The first Common Tern of 2017 was recorded 5 days later than in
2016.
Dave Baker reported a new species for Tice's Meadow today: Orange Underwing (Archiearis parthenias).
Steve Minhinnick reported a new species for Tice's Meadow today: Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia). In total, 7 were attracted over the space of an hour using pheromones to attract them.
Mark Elsoffer reported seeing nest buiding Jays, Starlings and Blue Tits, and food carrying Blackbirds and House Sparrows. Mark Elsoffer reported the following butterflies: 12 Small Tortoiseshell, 7 Peacock, 8 Brimstone, 8 Orange Tip, 4 Speckled Wood and 2 Holly Blue.
14 volunteers met on site this morning and spread large amounts of wood chips on the paths, retrieved the pallets from the Plant Yard for the bug hotel, moved the bag of firewood donated by Dave Baker, and strimmed the grass on and around Horton's Mound. Well done and thank you to everyone who attended.
(c) Kev Campbell - Blackcap
(c) Kev Campbell - Bullfinch
(c) Kev Campbell - Kestrel
(c) Richard Seargent - Emperor Moth
(c) Richard Seargent - Emperor Moth
(c) Richard Seargent - Emperor Moth
(c) Richard Seargent - Emperor Moth
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteer Work Party
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteer Work Party
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteer Work Party
Sunday April 9th
John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper and 2 Common Tern this morning.
In addition, Tony Cummins reported 2 Lesser Redpoll, a Red Kite, a Peregrine and a Kestrel today.
In addition, Dave Baker reported 4 Blackcap today.
Richard Seargent reported a new species for Tice's Meadow today: Early Grey (Xylocampa areola).
Also reported today were an Orange Underwing, Light Brown Apple Moth, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Holly Blue, Small White and a Large Bee Fly (Richard Seargent) and a Large Red Damselfly (Dave Baker).
Sean Foote lead a guided walk around the site this morning for members of the Guildford RSPB Local Group.
(c) John Hunt - Early Morning at Tice's Meadow
(c) John Hunt - Mediterranean Gulls
(c) Richard Seargent - Guildford RSPB Local Group Walk
(c) Kev Campbell - Bullfinch
(c) Kev Campbell - Bullfinch
(c) Kev Campbell - Bullfinch
(c) Kev Campbell - Bullfinch
Monday April 10th
Murray Nurse reported a Raven, a Buzzard, a Red Kite and a Kestrel today.
In addition, Kevin Duncan reported a Golden Plover (summer plumage) in the Workings this evening.
In addition, Andy Little reported 2 Tawny Owl calling early this morning.
Tawny Owl is the 106th species of bird recorded on site this year.
