Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve: July 2017

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/

Len's Dragonfly Pond

Len Winchcombe has once again done sterling work in rejuvinating the Dragonfly Pond near the Pea Bridge entrance. Len has cut back alot of the overgrown vegetation, cleared a path to, and alongside the pond, and carried out some drainage channel work to ensure that the pond is now holding a decent amount of water. Len's hard work is already paying dividends, with the pond now alive with dragonflies and damselflies. Well done Magic Len!

Friday June 23rd

No reports.

Saturday June 24th

Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 11 Lapwing, 27 Mute Swan and a Buzzard this afternoon.

The count of 27 Mute Swans is a new site record count.

Mark reported at least 17 pairs of nesting Common Terns, with at least 11 hatched young, and 3 Black-headed Gull chicks being brooded by a parent

Mark also reported the following butterflies: 30+ Ringlet, 3 Small Skipper, 5 Marbled White, 4 Meadow Brown and a Small Tortoiseshell.

Mark also reported a Cinnabar moth and large numbers of Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles.

Kevin Duncan reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: A ground beetle (Carabus nemoralis).

Sunday June 25th

John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper and 2 Redshank this morning.

In addition, Dave Baker reported a Great Black-backed Gull (2nd year bird).

One of the Redshanks was colour-ringed. It was ringed as a 1st year bird at Farlington Marshes (Hampshire) on 28/09/00. This sets a new Surrey longevity record of 16y 8m 29d, beating the old record of 4y 6m 10d. The current UK record is 20y 1m 15d.

The Colour-ringed Redshank's History

Monday June 26th

Kevin Duncan reported 31 Mute Swan this evening.

The count of 31 Mute Swan is a new site record count.

Kevin also reported that 45 Common Tern chicks have hatched so far, and that the last of the Black-headed Gull chicks have also hatched.

Murray Nurse reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: A Hoverfly (Volucella bombylans).

Tuesday June 27th

No reports.

Wednesday June 28th

No reports.

Thursday June 29th

Len Winchcombe reported 36 Mute Swan this morning.

The count of 36 Mute Swans is a new site record count.

Len also reported that a pair of Egyptian Geese have hatched 7 young.

Friday June 30th

John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper this morning.

Richard Horton reported the first Wasp Spider of the year near the stepping stones this afternoon.

Saturday July 1st

Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, 4 Lapwing, a Kestrel, a Red Kite and a Buzzard this morning.

Mark reported the following butterflies: 3 Marbled White, c30 Ringlet, 1 Comma, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Meadow Brown and 10 Small Skipper.

Mark also reported 7 Wasp Spiders around Horton's Mound and a Roe Deer with one young juvenile in the Meadow.

Sunday July 2nd

John Hunt reported 3 Black-tailed Godwit this morning.

In addition, Murray Nurse reported 2 Little Egret this morning.

In addition, Andy Little reported a Curlew this afternoon.

In addition, Phil Hughes reported a Common Sandpiper this evening.

Black-tailed Godwit is the 127th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Murray Nurse also reported Brown Hawker and Southern Hawker dragonflies.

Video of this morning's Black Tailed Godwits @TicesMeadow pic.twitter.com/2K2xOCmxtj
— John Hunt (@johnshunt1) 2 July 2017

Monday July 3rd

Steve Chastell reported a Common Sandpiper and a Little Egret this morning.

Tuesday July 4th

Richard Seargent (Baloo) lead a walk on site this evening for the 4th Farnborough Cub Scout Pack.

Wednesday July 5th

No reports.

Thursday July 6th

No reports.

Friday July 7th

Unfortunately, mindless vandals burnt down Archies Bug Hotel overnight. Such are the perils of running a nature reserve near a housing estate full of feral youth and adults who should know better. We will build a bigger, better and less flammable replacement!

Saturday July 8th

Dave Baker reported 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Nuthatch and 8 Mistle Thrush (adults with young) this morning.

The count of 8 Mistle Thrush is a new site record count.

10 volunteers gave up their morning and part of the afternoon to build 8 swift nest boxes at the Kiln today. The boxes will eventually be put up on the Kiln in support of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership's Swift Project.

Sunday July 9th

John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper this morning.

In addition, Dave Baker reported a Bullfinch family with at least 2 young this morning.

In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Nightingale this evening.

In addition, Phil Hughes reported a Sandwich Tern this evening.

Nightingale is the 128th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Sandwich Tern is the 129th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Richard also reported a Red-eyed Damselfly, Emerald, Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselflies, Black-tailed Skimmers and Banded Demoiselles this evening.

Dave also reported Large Red, Blue-tailed and Common Blue damselflies, Banded Demoiselle, and Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies today.

Dave also reported the following new species for Tice's Meadow:
- Clover Seed Moth (Grapholita compositella).
- Riband Wave (Idaea aversata).

Richard also reported a new species for Tice's Meadow: Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum).

Monday July 10th

Richard Horton reported a Nightingale today.

Tuesday July 11th

Oli reported a Nightingale and a Treecreeper this morning.

This is only the 7th recorded sighting of Treecreeper on site.

Treecreeper is the 130th species of bird recorded on site this year.

Wednesday July 12th

No reports.

Thursday July 13th

Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 4 Dunlin, a Canada x Greylag Goose Hybrid, a Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Hobby (family party with 2 juveniles), 2 Peregrine, a Kestrel and a Buzzard today.

Mark also reported the following broods of young birds:
- One brood of 3 Mallards.
- One brood of 3 Egyptian Geese.

Juveniles of the following species were also seen: Starling, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Black-headed Gull and Common Tern.

Mark reported the following butterflies: 2 Painted Lady, 1 Comma, 1 Peacock, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Marbled White, 8 Ringlet, 15 Gatekeeper, 10 Meadow Brown, 5 Speckled Wood, 4 Small Skipper and 2 Large White.

Friday July 14th

No reports.

Saturday July 15th

Richard Seargent reported a Common Sandpiper, 6 Lapwing, a Great-crested Grebe, a Peregrine and 2 Red Kite this morning.

Richard Seargent reported that around 4 pairs of Common Terns are brooding on islands in the Workings.