BioBlitz
Our annual BioBlitz is being held over the weekend of Friday May 3rd to Sunday May 5th.
This year sees this popular event increase in size, with new activities
and more local wildlife groups attending. The BioBlitz is a great
opportunity to explore the nature reserve, meet the volunteers, observe
the wildlife on site and interact with experts from a variety of local
wildlife and conservation groups.
The full schedule and further details
here.
Farnham Walking Festival
On Wednesday May 29th, local historian Maurice Hewins is leading a walk
entitled "Badshot Lea 1851 to the Present Day" as part of the Farnham
Walking Festival. More information, and booking details,
here.
Volunteer Work Parties
Our volunteer work party schedule for the next 3 months.
If you have some spare time, do come and help us make Tice's Meadow the best nature reserve in Surrey.
Monday April 8th
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Blackbird |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Great Tit |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Long-tailed Tit |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Robin |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Roe Deer |
Tuesday April 9th
Richard Seargent:
Firecrest &
Hobby.
Dave Smith:
Common Tern &
Little Gull.
Firecrest is the 105th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Little Gull is the 106th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Common Tern is the 107th species of bird recorded on site this year.
9th site record of Firecrest, last reported 13/03/18.
17th site record of Little Gull, last reported 10/05/18.
Wednesday April 10th
Richard Horton: 3 Common Tern,
Arctic Tern &
Yellow Wagtail.
Arctic Tern is the 108th species of bird recorded on site this year.
15th site record of Arctic Tern, last reported 10/05/17.
Thursday April 11th
Kevin Duncan:
Whitethroat.
Mark Elsoffer: 2
Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Stonechat, 4 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 4 Sand Martin, 12 House Martin & 6 Swallow.
Whitethroat is the 109th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Five volunteers cannibalised a mismatched marquee frame and roof, and some old panels
from a 3rd marquee, that were all useless, and ended up with a 4m x 4m
dining shelter for the BioBlitz. Richard also finished building a new Kestrel nest box.
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Shelter Takes Shape |
Friday April 12th
Mark Elsoffer: Green Sandpiper, Whitethroat, 2 Stonechat, Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff,
Yellow Wagtail &
Hobby.
Saturday April 13th
Richard Seargent: Lapwing, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 280+ Black-headed Gull, 2
Reed Warbler, 2
Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat & 3 Red Kite.
Dave Baker:
Wheatear.
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat, 2
Yellow Wagtail & 50+ Swallow.
Reed Warbler is the 110th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Garden Warbler is the 111th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Eleven volunteers met this morning for a work party. We cleaned the feeding
station, sowed native wildflowers around site and put up 2 Tawny Owl
boxes and a Kestrel box.
 |
| (c) Dina Burford - Blue Tit |
 |
| (c) Dina Burford - Calf |
 |
| (c) Dina Burford - Finches |
 |
| (c) Dina Burford - Small Tortoiseshell |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Song Thrush |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Mallards |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
 |
| (c) Steve Guthrie - Blue Tit |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The Cows Moove In |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Sowing Wild Flowers |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Well Earned Tea Break |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Dave Erects a Tawny Owl Box |
Sunday April 14th
John Hunt: Green Sandpiper,
Redshank, Little Egret, 2 Common Tern, Whitethroat &
Wheatear.
Dave Baker reported a colour ringed Black-headed Gull "WN(29L9)" - ringed in the nest on 08/06/14 at Hosehill Lakes, Berks, by TG Ball. This is the first sighting since it was ringed.
 |
| (c) John Hunt - Grey Heron |
 |
| (c) Alex Potts - Dunnock |
 |
| (c) Alex Potts - Blackbird |
 |
| (c) Alex Potts - Jay |
 |
| (c) Alex Potts - Robin |
Monday April 15th
Leonard Winchcombe:
Shelduck.
Tuesday April 16th
Richard Horton:
Brent Goose.
Peter Brown: 2
Mediterranean Gull & Reed Warbler.
John Clark: 375 Black-headed Gull, Whitethroat & 2 Willow Warbler.
Brent Goose is the 112th species of bird recorded on site this year.
7th site record of Brent Goose, first since 12/02/17.
The first mallard chicks have fledged - a female was reported with 11 young.
Ten pairs of Canada Geese are on nests.
Wednesday April 17th
Richard Horton:
Ring Ouzel.
John Hunt: Green Sandpiper,
Brent Goose, 2
Mediterranean Gull, Common Tern,
Lesser Whitethroat &
Yellow Wagtail.
Visiting Birder: Barnacle Goose (presumed escape).
Ring Ouzel is the 113th species of bird recorded on site this year.
Lesser Whitethroat is the 114th species of bird recorded on site this year.
5th site record of Ring Ouzel, first since 23/09/17.
 |
| (c) John Hunt - Mute Swan |
Thursday April 18th
Mark Elsoffer:
Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2
Ringed Plover,
Brent Goose, Barnacle Goose, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2
Mediterranean Gull, 5 Common Tern, 2
Yellow Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 8 Blackcap & 2 Whitethroat.
Richard Seargent:
Arctic Tern.
16th site record of Arctic Tern, last reported 10/04/19.
The mallard family are down to 8 young.
Massive thanks to
PC Landscapes for lending us Anthony George and a rotavator to rotavate the Bells Piece Wildflower Meadow - great support from a local company.
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Brent Goose |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Barnacle Goose |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Yellow Wagtail |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - PC Landscapes Moove In |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Rotavating the Bells Piece Meadow |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Rotavating the Bells Piece Meadow |
Friday April 19th
Richard Seargent:
Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing,
Brent Goose, Barnacle Goose, 5
Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Tern, 2 Willow Warbler, 9+ Whitethroat, 2+ Reed Warbler & 2
Yellow Wagtail.
 |
| (c) Dina Burford - Greenfinch |
 |
| (c) Gillian Stokes - Wren |
 |
| (c) Hilary MacBean - Lord Len Fortifies the Obs |
 |
| (c) Andrew Price - Bullfinch |
 |
| (c) Andrew Price - Chaffinch |
 |
| (c) Andrew Price - Greenfinch |
 |
| (c) Andrew Price - Great Spotted Woodpecker |
 |
| (c) Andrew Price - Jay |
Saturday April 20th
Richard Seargent:
Brent Goose, 370+ Black-headed Gull, Garden Warbler & 2
Sedge Warbler.
Mark Elsoffer:
Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper,
Ringed Plover, Lapwing, 8 Common Tern, 3
Yellow Wagtail, 3 Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 10 Swallow, 8 House Martin & 6 Sand Martin.
Sedge Warbler is the 115th species of bird recorded on site this year.
 |
| (c) Richard Seargent - Misty Morning |
 |
| (c) Dina Burford - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Yellow Wagtail |
 |
| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Yellow Wagtail |
 |
| (c) Susan Renaud - Peacock |
 |
| (c) Susan Renaud - Reed Bunting |
 |
| (c) Susan Renaud - Speckled Wood |
 |
| (c) Shaun Ferguson - Brent Goose |
 |
| (c) Shaun Ferguson - Great Tit |
 |
| (c) Shaun Ferguson - Blackcap |
Sunday April 21st
Kevin Duncan:
Greenshank.
John Hunt:
Common Sandpiper,
Brent Goose,
Yellow Wagtail, 3 Reed Warbler & 2 Peregrine.
Mark Elsoffer:
Ringed Plover, 2
Whimbrel, 3 Lapwing, Snipe, Little Egret, 2nd
Yellow Wagtail, 3 Whitethroat & 6 Swallow.
Steve Minhinnick: 7
Mediterranean Gull & 8 Common Tern.
Whimbrel is the 116th species of bird recorded on site this year.
14th site record of Whimbrel, first since 02/05/18.
Roger Dickey surveyed our nest boxes this morning. 3 adult Great Tits ringed, 3 retraps, all on eggs. Plus 3 other
clutches, & 1 recently hatched. Plenty more nests in progress. Thanks Roger!
 |
| (c) John Hunt - View from Horton's Mound |
 |
| (c) John Hunt - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Malcolm Fincham - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Malcolm Fincham - Buzzard |
 |
| (c) Kev Campbell - Whitethroats |
 |
| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Mediterranean Gull |
 |
| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Stonechat |
 |
| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Steve Minhinnick - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Steve Langham - Hedgehog |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Roger Ringing a Blue Tit |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Roger Checking a Nest Box |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - A Colourful Nest |
 |
| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Peter with Water for the Hops |
Monday April 22nd
The first Coot chicks hatched today.
 |
| (c) Gillian Stokes - Speckled Wood |
 |
| (c) Gillian Stokes - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Kev Campbell - Starling |
 |
| (c) Kev Campbell - Whitethroat |
 |
| (c) Anthony George - Bullfinch |
 |
| (c) Anthony George - House Sparrow |
 |
| (c) Anthony George - Large Red Damselfly |
 |
| (c) Anthony George - Peacock |
 |
| (c) Anthony George - Whitethroat |
Tuesday April 23rd
Richard Horton:
Brent Goose & Barnacle Goose.
Kevin Duncan: 2
Bar-tailed Godwit.
Bar-tailed Godwit is the 117th species of bird recorded on site this year.
8th site record of Bar-tailed Godwit, first since 02/05/17.
