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.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.
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.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ticesmeadow/
Future Updates to Blog
Note, that due to a forthcoming holiday, there will probably be no updates to this blog until Monday 22nd May at the earliest. News from Tice's Meadow can still be found on our Twitter account (@TicesMeadow) and Facebook Group.Friday April 21st
John Hunt reported a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Ringed Plover, 3 Reed Warbler and 2 Swift this morning.In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Little Egret, 8 Mallard, 4 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 6 Common Tern, a Pheasant, 2 Willow Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Peregrine, 3 Red Kite and 5 Buzzard today.
In addition, Oli reported a Yellow Wagtail this afternoon.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Common Sandpiper this afternoon.
Greenshank is the 114th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Mark Elsoffer reported that the resident pair of Mute Swans are building a nest on "Six Willow Island" and that the Welsh colour-ringed Cormorant was still present on site.
Mark Elsoffer, Richard Horton and Oli gave up a second Friday this month to rotavate the Bell's Piece Field, ably assisted by Richard Seargent, Len & Jim. We are grateful to Hire Services (Southern) Ltd for the free loan of the rotavator, and to Mark Leitch for putting us in touch with them.
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| (c) John Hunt - Greenshank |
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| (c) Dave Carlsson - Greenshank |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Farmer Oli |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Farmer Richard |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Farmer Jim |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Bells Piece Field |
Saturday April 22nd
Richard Seargent reported a Green Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover and 6 Reed Warbler this morning.In addition, Phil Hughes reported a Greenshank this afternoon.
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Speckled Wood |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Small Tortoiseshell |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Peacock |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Holly Blue |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Garden Warbler |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Garden Warbler |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Starling |
Sunday April 23rd
John Hunt reported a Greenshank, a Garden Warbler and 3 Swift this morning.Once again, Andy Little was hard at work making the viewing area for the Plant Yard more accessible to wheelchair and mobility scooter users - thanks Andy!
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| (c) John Hunt - Whitethroat |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Andy Little Hard at Work |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Buzzard |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Common Tern |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Common Tern |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Goldfinch |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Greenshank |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Jay |
Monday April 24th
John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, 5+ Reed Warbler and 3 Wheatear (m & 2f) this morning.In addition, a visiting birder reported a Dunlin this morning.
In addition, Richard Horton reported a Green Sandpiper, a Little Egret, 4 Egyptian Goose, 2 Garden Warbler and 3 Willow Warbler today.
In addition, Kevin Duncan reported 2 Greenshank and 3 Whimbrel this evening.
Whimbrel is the 115th species of bird recorded on site this year.
This is only the 8th recorded sighting of Whimbrel on site.
A new Bull has been added to Horton's Herd, and christened "Oli".
Tuesday April 25th
Richard Horton reported a Greenshank, a Coal Tit, 2 Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Wheatear this morning.In addition, Kevin Duncan reported 2 Greenshank this evening.
Wednesday April 26th
Grim Styles lead a group from the Bells Piece Care Home on site today, preparing the Bells Piece Field ready for the sowing of their grain crops and wildflowers.Grim Styles also rescued and released on site a dazed Great Crested Grebe today. Nice one Grim!
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| (c) Grim Styles - Bells Piece Residents Hard at Work |
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| (c) Grim Styles - Bells Piece Residents Hard at Work |
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| (c) Grim Styles - Bells Piece Residents Hard at Work |
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| (c) Grim Styles - Horton's Herd |
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| (c) Grim Styles - Grebe Rescue |
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| (c) Grim Styles - Released Grebe |
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| (c) Richard Coleman - Dunnock |
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| (c) Richard Coleman - Reed Bunting |
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| (c) Richard Coleman - Mute Swans |
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| (c) Richard Coleman - Whitethroat |
Thursday April 27th
Murray Nurse reported a Raven, 2 Buzzard, a Red Kite and a Hobby this afternoon.In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported a Greenshank and a Tawny Owl today.
Hobby is the 116th species of bird recorded on site this year.
The first Hobby of 2017 was recorded 4 days later than in 2016.
A massive thank you to Richard Horton, Richard Seargent, Mark Elsoffer, Murray Nurse, Steve Minhinnick, Oli, Len and Jim for helping set up the BioBlitz base camp this afternoon.
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| (c) Murray Nurse - BioBlitz Basecamp Setup |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - BioBlitz Basecamp Setup |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - BioBlitz Basecamp Setup |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - BioBlitz Basecamp Setup |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - BioBlitz Basecamp Setup |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - BioBlitz Basecamp Setup |
Friday April 28th - BioBlitz Day 1
Over the weekend of Friday April 28th to Sunday April 30th, the Tice's Meadow Bird Group held their third annual 48-hour BioBlitz.14 people camped on site over the weekend, with catering expertly provided by Steve Minhinnick & Lynne Millard (Saturday morning fry-up), Richard Horton & Lynne Millard (Saturday night bbq) and Lynne Millard (Sunday morning bacon rolls).
Once again, the Surrey Bird Club kindly sponsored a portaloo and the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership loaned us tables, benches, generators, fuel, a bbq and charcoal.
Stalls were set up by the Tice's Meadow Bird Group, Surrey Bird Club, British Trust for Ornithology, Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust, Blackwater Valley Community Partnership and the Royal Naval Birdwatching Society.
Bird ringing was conducted all weekend by Roger Dickey (Army Ornithological Society), Mark "Slasher" Cutts (Royal Navy Birdwatching Society) and Laura Robertson.
Small mammal trapping was conducted over the weekend by the Surrey Mammal Group.
Mammal footprint tunnels were laid out on site over the weekend by Mark Elsoffer.
A bug hotel was constructed by Archie Kerr, with a little help from his dad Keith and some of the children visiting the site.
A willow weaving demonstration was held on Saturday afternoon by Judith Needham.
A bat walk was lead on Saturday night by Steve Bailey of the BVCP.
Pond dipping was carried out by Sean Foote and Abi Jacobs.
Grim Styles sowed the wildflower and grain seeds in the Bells Piece Field.
Russell Savory - a superb wildlife film maker, as seen on Springwatch - attended site on Saturday and filmed the activities and wildlife, and interviewed Mark Elsoffer. The finished film will be shown at the Mineral Products Association AGM.
Around 90 members of the public attended over the weekend and a good time was had by all. See you again in 2018!
So many excellent photos were taken over the course of the weekend. Please make sure you check out these Facebook galleries for a flavour of the wildlife and socialising (note - you will need to be logged into Facebook to be able to view them):
Mark Elsoffer's gallery
Shaun Ferguson's gallery
Andy Little's gallery
Kev Campbell's gallery
Anthony George's gallery
Also worth viewing is Amina Abbas-Nazari's gallery (no Facebook account required):
83 species of bird were recorded over the weekend.
9 new species for the site were recorded over the weekend:
- Aspen Leaf Mite - Aceria dispar - found by Bernard Baverstock.
- Large Bitter-cress - Cardamine amara - found by Bill Stanworth.
- Lesser Swallow Prominent - Pheosia gnoma - moth trap.
- Pebble Prominent - Notodonta ziczac - moth trap.
- Muslin Moth - Diaphora mendica - moth trap.
- Common Wave - Cabera exanthemata - moth trap.
- Brindled Pug - Eupithecia abbreviata - moth trap.
- Agonopterix propinquella - moth trap.
- Common White Wave - Cabera pusaria - moth trap.
The birding highlights from Day 1 of the BioBlitz included:
A Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper (RS), a Ringed Plover, a Little Egret, 9 Common Tern, a Mediterranean Gull (ME & RS), and Garden, Sedge & Reed Warblers.
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| (c) Steve Chastell - Female Wood Mouse |
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| (c) Steve Chastell - Male Short-tailed Vole |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Flame Shoulder |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Lesser Swallow Prominent |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Muslin |
Saturday April 29th - BioBlitz Day 2
The birding highlights from Day 2 of the BioBlitz included:A Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Tufted Duck (DB), a Mediterranean Gull (MW), 10 Common Tern (MW), a Ring-necked Parakeet (DB), 7+ Yellow Wagtail (over), a Kestrel, 3 Buzzard and a Hobby (KC).
Ring-necked Parakeet is the 117th species of bird recorded on site this year.
This is only the 7th recorded sighting of Ring-necked Parakeet on site.
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| (c) Mark Cutts - Bird Ringing Demonstration |
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| (c) Ray Turner - Red Kite with Snack |
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| (c) Andy Little - Ring-necked Parakeet aka "Patch Gold" |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Bells Piece Field |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Punters Enthralled by Ringing Demonstration |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Archie Kerr, Wildlife Hero |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - BioBlitz Basecamp |
Sunday April 30th - BioBlitz Day 3
The birding highlights from Day 3 of the BioBlitz included:2 Common Sandpiper (JH), a Green Sandpiper, a Dunlin (SF), a Whimbrel (RS), 3 Bar-tailed Godwit (ME), 12 Common Tern (ME), 2 Little Tern (over, SF), a Yellow-legged Gull (SF), 2 Wheatear (JH & ME), 4 Reed Warbler (TC), 2 Garden Warbler (TC), 3 Swift (TC), a Peregrine (JH) and a Hobby (JH).
Little Tern is the 118th species of bird recorded on site this year.
This is only the 3rd recorded sighting of Little Tern on site.
Bar-tailed Godwit is the 119th species of bird recorded on site this year.
This is only the 6th recorded sighting of Bar-tailed Godwit on site.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Wheatear |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Wheatear |
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| (c) Roland Weller - Chiffchaff |
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| (c) Roland Weller - Whitethroat |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Wheatear |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Pale Prominent |
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| (c) Richard Seargent - Pebbled Prominent |
Monday May 1st
Kevin Duncan reported 5 Ringed Plover this morning.In addition, Richard Seargent reported 3 Little Egret this morning.
In addition, Phil Hughes reported a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing and a Wheatear this afternoon.
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| (c) Phil Hughes - Wheatear |
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| (c) Phil Hughes - Wheatear |
Tuesday May 2nd
John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, a Turnstone, a Wheatear, a Yellow Wagtail and a Red Kite this morning.Turnstone is the 120th species of bird recorded on site this year.
This is only the 12th recorded sighting of Turnstone on site.
Kevin Duncan reported that the first breeding pair of Canada Geese have hatched 5 goslings.
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| (c) John Hunt - Peacock |
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