Randon's Ramblings
We are proud to have won "Patch of the Year" in Neil Randon's annual Randon's Ramblings Awards. Read all about the awards and all the winners on Neil's excellent
blog.
Tuesday December 18th
No reports.
Wednesday December 19th
Richard Seargent:
Green Sandpiper, 2 Chiffchaff & Peregrine.
Thursday December 20th
Mark Elsoffer: 4 Pochard,
Little Grebe, 8 Bullfinch, 12 Meadow Pipit, 20 Redwing, 10 Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard & Kestrel.
Leonard Winchcombe: 2 Red Kite.
Ray has once again been hard at work, this time cutting back the bramble around the Dragonfly Pond. The Community Payback team have also been clearing the river by Pea Bridge.
The pink marks you may see on trees in the woods are indicators for tree thinning that will be undertaken soon to allow a proper understory to develop in the woods.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Dragonfly Pond |
Friday December 21st
No reports.
Saturday December 22nd
Mark Elsoffer:
Dunlin,
Green Sandpiper, 98 Lapwing,
Little Egret, Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk & Peregrine.
Roger Dickey: 21 Snipe.
Dave Baker: 6 Stonechat.
Richard Seargent: Chiffchaff.
Steve Minhinnick: 2 Siskin.
Today we held a social gathering to wish a Merry Christmas to all of our volunteers and supporters, and celebrate the official opening of our new shelter. We were delighted to have the shelter opened by Alan Wynde of Farnham Weyside Rotary Club, who have generously supported the project.
We also conducted the first official Snipe survey of the Meadow today. Transects were walked dragging a 25m long rope, with 21 Snipe counted, thanks to the help of Roger Dickey and Mark Cutts. This survey will be repeated monthly each winter and records submitted to the BTO.
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| (c) John Hunt - Bullfinch |
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| (c) Carey Lodge - Hazel |
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| (c) Carey Lodge - Hazel |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Snipe Survey |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Christmas Drinks |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Shelter Being Opened by Alan Wynde |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Christmas Drinks |
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| (c) Rustam Khan - Chaffinch |
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| (c) Rustam Khan - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| (c) Rustam Khan - Long-tailed Tit |
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| (c) Mark Cutts - Snipe Surveyors |
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| (c) Mark Cutts - Snipe Surveyors |
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| (c) Mark Cutts - Shelter Grand Opening |
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| (c) Mark Cutts - The Shelter Being Opened by Alan Wynde |
Sunday December 23rd
Some excellent aerial views of site thanks to Kyle Russell.
Please note: the flying of drones on site is not allowed, unless with the express permission of the landowner Hanson.
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| (c) Kyle Russell - The Workings |
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| (c) Kyle Russell - The Workings |
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| (c) Kyle Russell - The Eastern Silt Pond |
Monday December 24th
Richard Seargent:
Dunlin &
Water Rail.
Tuesday December 25th
No reports.
Wednesday December 26th
No reports.
Thursday December 27th
Mark Elsoffer:
Dunlin, 3
Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 62 Lapwing, 2
Little Egret, 34 Pochard,
Little Grebe, Stonechat, 32 Collared Dove, 12 Siskin, 2
Raven, 10 Fieldfare, Kestrel & 2 Buzzard.
Friday December 28th
No reports.
Saturday December 29th
Mark Elsoffer: 2
Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 350 Lapwing,
Little Egret, 26 Pochard, Chiffchaff, 2 Siskin & Buzzard.
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| (c) Dina Burford - 2 of the New Calves |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Goldfinches |
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| (c) Corrine Edwards - Misty Evening |
Sunday December 30th
Richard Seargent: 169 Lapwing, 15 Mallard, 39 Teal, 11 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 32 Wigeon, 27 Pochard, 67 Tufted Duck, 2 Chiffchaff & 2 Siskin.
John Hunt:
Green Sandpiper.
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| (c) John Hunt - Bullfinch |
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| (c) John Hunt - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| (c) John Hunt - Siskin |
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| (c) Craig Nobbs - Bullfinch |
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| (c) Craig Nobbs - Coot |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - Egpytian Goose |
Monday December 31st
Jort Brough:
Common Sandpiper,
Green Sandpiper,
Jack Snipe,
Little Egret & 4 Siskin.
We finished the year with a site list of 135 species. This is the lowest total since 2013 - initial thoughts are that this low count reflects national trends and is not indicative of the state of the habitats on site.
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| (c) Craig Nobbs - The Herd in the Meadow |
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| (c) Craig Nobbs - Muddy Track |
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| (c) Craig Nobbs - The Reed Beds |
Tuesday January 1st
Mark Elsoffer:
Green Sandpiper, 187 Lapwing,
Little Egret, 7 Mallard, 35 Tufted Duck, 40 Teal, 61 Wigeon, 16 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 22 Pochard, 27 Collared Dove, 5 Siskin, 28 Fieldfare, 2
Raven, 3 Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Buzzard & a Peregrine.
Peter Brown: Grey Wagtail.
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| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Raven |
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| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Two-headed Canada Goose |
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| (c) Anthony George - Nuthatch |
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| (c) Anthony George - Long-tailed Tit |
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| (c) Anthony George - Bullfinch & Great Tit |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Buzzard |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Dunnock |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Green Sandpiper |
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| (c) Kev Campbell - Bullfinch |
Wednesday January 2nd
No reports.
Thursday January 3rd
Visiting Birder: 2
Green Sandpiper & 9 Siskin.
Friday January 4th
No reports.
Saturday January 5th
Mark Elsoffer:
Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Water Rail, 10 Pochard, 8 Siskin, 27 Collared Dove, Grey Wagtail, 30 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk & 2 Red Kite.
Visting Birder:
Red-crested Pochard (f).
If accepted, this would be only the 3rd recorded sighting of Red-crested Pochard on site.
Sunday January 6th
No reports.
Monday January 7th
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| (c) Dina Burford - Bullfinch |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Siskins |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Mute Swan |
Tuesday January 8th
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| (c) Susan Renaud - Blue Tit |
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| (c) Susan Renaud - Bullfinch |
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| (c) Susan Renaud - Bullfinch |
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| (c) Susan Renaud - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| (c) Susan Renaud - Nuthatch |
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| (c) Paul Mannering - Bullfinch |
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| (c) Paul Mannering - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
Wednesday January 9th
Kyle Russell:
Little Egret.
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| (c) Kyle Russell - Little Egret |
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| (c) Kyle Russell - The Reed Beds |
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| (c) Kyle Russell - The Workings |
Thursday January 10th
Mark Elsoffer:
Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 9 Pochard,
46 Collared Dove, Goldcrest, 5 Fieldfare, Pheasant,
Raven, Kestrel, Buzzard & Red Kite.
Peter Brown: Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff & 6 Siskin.
The count of 46 Collared Dove is a new site record.
Three different local residents reported hearing a lot of
Tawny Owl calls coming from Lisa's Wood recently.
The Hampshire Community Payback team continue to do a great job clearing the River Blackwater near Pea Bridge. They plan to put some logs and other features back in when finished, and will litter pick the whole stretch.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Recently Cleared River |
Friday January 11th
No reports.
