Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve: Saturday June 10th

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.

Facebook

We now have a dedicated public group on Facebook. Please join and report your sightings and share your news and photographs.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ticesmeadow/

Saturday June 10th

A volunteer work party met on site this morning and finished painting the shipping container and cut and removed some recently fallen trees in the Woods. Thanks to everyone who helped out.

Sunday June 11th

John Hunt reported a Curlew and an Oystercatcher this morning.

Curlew is the 125th species of bird recorded on site this year.

This is only the 19th recorded sighting of Curlew on site.

This is only the 27th recorded sighting of Oystercatcher on site, the 2nd this year.

Kevin Duncan reported that the first Common Tern chicks have hatched

Murray Nurse reported a Ringlet butterfly this afternoon.

Monday June 12th

No reports.

Tuesday June 13th

Kevin Duncan reported that a pair of Moorhens have hatched 3 young and that more Common Tern chicks have hatched.

Wednesday June 14th

John Hunt reported an estimated 25 pairs of nesting Common Terns on site.

John also reported a Painted Lady butterfly.

Thursday June 15th

Phil Hughes reported a Rook, a Red Kite, a Buzzard, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk this afternoon.

Rooks are a site rarity, especially birds on the ground - this one was seen perched on a post in the Meadow.

A team of assessors from the Canals & River Trust visited site this morning. We have been entered for a 2017 Living Waterways Award and this visit was part of the awards process.

Roger Dickey, ably assisted by Len Winchcombe, ran a ringing session on site today, with the nets erected in the Reedbed. The following birds were caught and rung:

	Full grown	Pulli	Retraps / Recoveries	Total
Wren	1	0	0	1
Robin	0	0	2	2
Song Thrush	1	0	0	1
Reed Warbler	3	0	0	3
Whitethroat	1	0	0	1
Garden Warbler	2	0	1	3
Blackcap	14	0	0	14
Blue Tit	2	0	0	2
Great Tit	5	0	0	5
Reed Bunting	1	0	0	1
Total	30	0	3	33

Roger commented that "if you look at the totals by species in the right hand column and asked someone to guess the habitat, I doubt if they would say ‘reedbed’". A sure sign that our Reedbed is in a worringly decline, due to record low water levels and invasive willow.

The count of 14 Blackcap is a new record count for the site.

Kevin Duncan reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla).

Friday June 16th

Richard Horton reported 2 Swan Geese (of the "Chineese Goose" variety). These ringed and obviously escaped birds are always a site favourite!

Kevin Duncan reported that some Black-headed Gull chicks have hatched.

Saturday June 17th

Richard Seargent reported the following butterflies this morning: Marbled White, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown.

Richard also reported 2 Harlequin Ladybirds, and both Beautiful and Banded Demoiselles along the River Blackwater this morning.

Richard also reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: Hook-marked Straw Moth (Agapeta hamana).

Kevin Duncan reported "record numbers of Mute Swan" and that "all site records have been broken by the Common Terns which will almost certainly include a county record with another waiting to be broken". Unfortunately, Kevin has yet to provide any numbers to go with these claims.

Kevin also reported that a pair of Moorhens have hatched 4 young in the Workings.

Kevin Duncan reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: A Plantbug (Calocoris stysi).

Sunday June 18th

Len Winchcombe reported 4 Green Sandpiper this morning.

There were at least 3 Green Sandpipers @TicesMeadow 2 on the meadow which have now flown South & 1 in the workings @SurreyBirdNews pic.twitter.com/W0cGdTjj7h
— John Hunt (@johnshunt1) 18 June 2017

Monday June 19th

No reports.

Tuesday June 20th

Murray Nurse reported the following butterflies today: Comma, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Marbled White, Small Skipper, Brimstone and a probable Small White.

Murray also reported the following damselflies today: Common Blue/Azure, Large Red, Banded Demoiselle, Blue-tailed and a single Emerald.

Murray also reported the following dragonflies today: Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor, Southern Hawker and Keeled Skimmer.

Murray also reported a new species for the site today: Footballer Hoverfly (Heliophilus pendulus).

Richard Horton and Oli attended a meeting of local conservation groups at Rushmoor Borough Council offices this evening.