Tuesday March 28th to Tuesday April 4th

Reporting of Schedule 1 Breeding Birds

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.

Annual Report

The Tice's Meadow 2016 Annual Report can now be downloaded for free from this link:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AuC9nX__kWIggSW-F4MUtWcsifGH

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.

Work Party

We have a volunteer work party this Saturday 8th April. We shall be spreading wood chippings accross the muddy paths and generally getting the site ready for the BioBlitz. All are welcome. Full details here.

RSPB Guildford Branch Guided Walk

Sean Foote is leading a guided walk this Sunday 9th April, meeting in Aldershot Park at 09:30. Non-members welcome. Full details here.

Tuesday March 28th

Dave Baker reported a Common Sandpiper, 3 Shoveler, 14 Wigeon, 2 Mediterranean Gull (1 adult colour ringed, 1 2nd summer), a Yellow Wagtail and 12 Sand Martin this afternoon.

In addition, Phil Hughes reported 2 Lapwing, 2 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 14 Wigeon, 4 Greylag Goose and a Kestrel today.

In addition, Richard Horton reported 4 Buzzard and 3 Red Kite today.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported 14 Snipe this afternoon.

Yellow Wagtail is the 93rd species of bird recorded on site this year.

The first Yellow Wagtail of 2017 was recorded 16 days earlier than in 2016, and only 1 day later than the earliest ever (27/03/11).

Kevin Duncan reported 2 new species for the site:

• Yellow Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)
• Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum)

(c) John Hunt - Mediterranean Gull

(c) John Hunt - Mediterranean Gulls

(c) Kevin Duncan - Spring Snowflake

(c) Kevin Duncan - Yellow Skunk Cabbage

Wednesday March 29th

Kevin Duncan reported 2 Swallow and 20 Sand Martin this afternoon.

Swallow is the 94th species of bird recorded on site this year.

The first Swallow of 2017 was recorded 5 days later than in 2016.

Thursday March 30th

Len Winchcombe reported a Wheatear this morning.

In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, 6 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 12 Mallard, 8 Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 4 Teal, 2 Greylag Goose, 3 Mediterranean Gull (2 adult summer plumage, one colour ringed, & a 2nd summer), a 2nd Wheatear, 5 Sand Martin, 16 Buzzard, 5 Red Kite, a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine and 2 Kestrel today.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported 3 Blackcap and 6 Chiffchaff this afternoon.

Wheatear is the 95th species of bird recorded on site this year.

The first Wheatear of 2017 was recorded on the same day as in 2016.

Dunlin is the 96th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Butterflies reported today included 8 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Brimstone, a Red Admiral, 2 Comma and 2 Peacocks.

Richard Seargent also reported a number of Slow Worms and a Bank Vole.

The colour ringed Welsh Cormorant (ZEH) was again present today.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Wheatears

(c) Steve Minhinnick - Green Sandpiper

(c) Richard Seargent - Slow Worm

Friday March 31st

Richard Horton reported a Garden Warbler, 2 Mediterranean Gull (1 adult colour ringed, 1 2nd summer) and a Little Gull this morning.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Yellow-legged Gull (adult), a Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaff this afternoon.

Garden Warbler is the 97th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Today's Garden Warbler is our earliest ever by 6 days, and the 2nd earliest ever in Surrey (ref Birds of Surrey) by 4 days.

Little Gull is the 98th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Today's Little Gull is only the 14th recorded sighting on site.

Richard Seargent also reported 6 Slow Worms, and single Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies.

(c) Richard Seargent - Slow Worms

Saturday April 1st

Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Green Sandpiper, a Lapwing, 9 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 6 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 2 Greylag Goose, 14 Chiffchaff, 7 Swallow, a Sand Martin, a Kestrel, 2 Buzzard and 7 Red Kite this afternoon.

The first Orange Tip butterfly of the year was seen in the Plant Yard today. Also seen were a number of Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells.

A possible Badger sett was discovered in the Plant Yard today.

A pair of Canada Geese were seen nesting on the Tern Raft in the Plant Yard.

A new species was added to the pan-species list today. The Herald Moth (Scoliopteryx libatrix). First seen at the start of the year by Richard Horton, large numbers hibernated in the Bat Cave. Two were present there today.

The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership erected a number of small noticeboards on site this week. We are very grateful to them for doing this.

Ten volunteers gave up their Saturday morning and met on site to paint our converted shipping container this morning. Thank you to everyone who helped out.

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers of all ages painting the shelter

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers at work

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers at work

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers at work

(c) Mark Elsoffer - Some of the volunteers

(c) Mark Elsoffer - The finished paintjob

(c) Richard Seargent - The Herald Moths

(c) Steve Minhinnick - Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock Butterflies

(c) Mark Elsoffer - New Noticeboard

Sunday April 2nd

Richard Horton reported 2 Green Sandpiper, a Willow Warbler, a Raven, a Red Kite, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 7 Buzzard and an Osprey (over, high, east to west) today.

In addition, John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper, a Snipe and 2 Mediterranean Gull (1 adult colour ringed, 1 2nd summer) this morning.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Goshawk (outside the recording area) today.

Willow Warbler is the 99th species of bird recorded on site this year.

The first Willow Warbler of 2017 was recorded 2 days later than in 2016.

Osprey is the 100th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Today's Osprey is only the 3rd recorded sighting on site, and the first since 07/04/14.

Dave Baker reported the first Holly Blue butterfly of the year today.

Trevor Birkett reported the first 2 Speckled Wood butterflies of the year.

Murray Nurse reported an Orange Tip butterfly.

(c) John Hunt - Mediterranean Gulls

(c) Kev Campbell - Mediterranean Gull (adult)

(c) Kev Campbell - Mediterranean Gull (2nd summer)

(c) Richard Seargent - Black-headed Gull

(c) Richard Seargent - Black-headed Gull

(c) Richard Seargent - Starling

(c) Kev Campbell - Blackcap

(c) Kev Campbell - Blackcap

(c) Kev Campbell - Chiffchaff

(c) Kev Campbell - Starling

(c) Trevor Birkett - Speckled Wood

Monday April 3rd

Carey Lodge reported a Little Egret, 2 Mediterranean Gull (1 adult colour ringed, 1 2nd summer) and 20 Sand Martin today.

In addition, Tony Cummins reported 2 Lapwing, 5 Gadwall, 14 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 2 Greylag Goose, 7 Chiffchaff, a Kestrel, a Buzzard and a Red Kite today.

Carey also reported nesting Blue Tits in a post near the Pea Bridge and 2 Speckled Wood butterflies.

Tuesday April 4th

Kevin Duncan reported 2 Grey Plover and an unringed adult summer plumage Mediterranean Gull - not the adult that has been part of the recent pair as that bird is colour ringed.

In addition, Dave Carlsson reported a Common Sandpiper and 2 Mediterranean Gull this morning.

In addition, Steve Minhinnick reported a Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 2 Teal, 4 Shoveler, a Swallow and 3 Red Kite this afternoon.

Grey Plover is the 101st species of bird recorded on site this year.

Today's Grey Plovers are only the 6th recorded sighting on site.

The count of 2 Grey Plover is a new site record count.

(c) Steve Minhinnck - Grey Plover

(c) Steve Minhinnick - Grey Plover Video

(c) Steve Minhinnick - Mediterranean Gull Video