2018 Annual Report
Our 2018 Annual Report is now on sale.
£15 for a full colour, glossy, 140 page A4 report. All profits will be spent on our work at Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve.
The report is much more than a list of the birds seen, it includes all
of the site's wildlife, and is a record of all the work we did on site
in 2018.
You can collect in person from Richard Horton, or we can post it to you (+ £2 p&p). Please DM or email us to place an order.
Once we've sold all 60 copies, we will release a free lower-res pdf for all to read.
Save Tice's Meadow
As you may know, Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve is being sold by landowners Hanson.
Following a recent meeting, we were
left with no assurances over the sale process or the ultimate future of
the site, and serious questions were raised over the future of the
Tice's Meadow Bird Group and the future of the site as a publicly
accessible nature reserve.
We are not asking for Hanson to not sell the site, all we are asking is for
Hanson to consider the suitability of the new owners, and leave a
sustainable legacy for the local community.
There is an online petition that we are encouraging members of the public to sign:
https://www.change.org/p/hanson-quarry-products-europe-limi…
Thank you for your support.
Tuesday October 15th
A momentous day on site saw the installation of our new hide on to it's final position on the edge of the Workings. The hide was expertly moved by Craig & Lee from Pope Plant, working alongside a team from the TMBG, Hanson & the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership.
After the hide move, Craig & Lee installed a culvert in the Devine
Ditch, to allow access when the Meadow is flooded. Finally for today,
they did some maintenance to the islands - including clearing one of
vegetation and cutting another off from the mainland - to hopefully
reduce predation of the gull and tern colonies.
Richard Horton:
Ring Ouzel (fem type).
Mark Elsoffer:
Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher & 6 Redwing.
Murray Nurse: Little Egret,
Wheatear (female, presumed Greenland), Peregrine & Sparrowhawk.
6th site record of Ring Ouzel, 2nd this year.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Hide Move |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Hide Move |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Hide Move |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Hide Move |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - New Culvert |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - Diggers at Work |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - View from the New Hide |
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| (c) Murray Nurse - Hops |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Mute Swan & Mallards |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Ray's Gap |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Robin |
Wednesday October 16th
Craig & Lee from Pope Plant, working alongside Richard Horton, again spent the day on site conducting further habitat management work.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Mute Swan Family |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - The Flooded Meadow |
Thursday October 17th
A group of pupils from Badshot Lea Infants School enjoyed a visit to
site today, bug hunting and disgusting sandwiches were on the menu.
Bobbie & Stu from the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership delivered the materials for the ramp for the new hide today, in difficult conditions.
Leonard Winchcombe: 3
Water Pipit.
Mark Elsoffer:
Common Sandpiper,
Green Sandpiper & 50+ Meadow Pipit.
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| (c) Badshot Lea Infants School - Some Disgusting Sandwiches |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - A Passing Farmer Lends a Hand |
Friday October 18th
No reports.
Saturday October 19th
14 volunteers spent the whole of today building the ramp for our new hide.
The ramp is built from 100% recycled plastic from Filcris - it won't rot & will outlast wood, and will allow wheelchair and scooter users to access the hide with ease.
John Hunt: Kingfisher.
Dave Baker:
Common Sandpiper,
Green Sandpiper,
Mediterranean Gull &
Wheatear.
Colin Varndell:
Black Redstart.
4th record of Black Redstart, last recorded 14/04/16. 141st species recorded on site this year.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Building the Ramp |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Building the Ramp |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Building the Ramp |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Building the Ramp |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Building the Ramp |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Building the Ramp |
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| (c) Dina Burford - View from the Hide |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Pied Wagtail |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Stonechat |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Mute Swan |
Sunday October 20th
John Hunt:
Common Sandpiper,
Green Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat, Redwing, Raven & Peregrine.
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| (c) John Hunt - Peregrine |
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| (c) John Hunt - The New Hide |
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| (c) Simon Monk - Great Crested Grebe |
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| (c) Simon Monk - Pied Wagtail |
Monday October 21st
The rangers from the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership spent the day taking delivery of, and moving across site, 25 tonnes of materials for the new path today.
Tuesday October 22nd
The rangers and volunteers from the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, along with some of the Tice's regulars, spent the day beginning to lay the new path from the estate entrance today.
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| (c) BVCP - The New Hide |
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| (c) Richard Horton - Laying a Culvert |
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| (c) Richard Horton - Laying the Path |
Wednesday October 23rd
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| (c) Dina Burford - Fungi |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Fungi |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Meadow Pipit |
Thursday October 24th
The rangers and volunteers from the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, alongside some Tice's regulars, worked in atrocious conditions all day today to get the new estate entrance path ready for use. Now we wait for Hanson to pay for the promised surface dressing material.
Mark Elsoffer:
Common Sandpiper,
Dunlin & 5 Snipe.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Laying the New Path |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Laying the New Path |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The New Path |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - The New Path |
Friday October 25th
Murray Nurse: 4 Snipe, 5 Pochard, 25 Wigeon, 2 Common Gull, House Martin & 4 Raven (outside recording area).
Latest ever House Martin recorded on site, beating the old record by 3 days (22/10/06).
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| (c) Annette Taylor - Path Through the Woods |
Saturday October 26th
No reports.
Sunday October 27th
A combined patrol from the TMBG & the Farnham Weyside Rotary Club held a sponsored bird watch at Farlington Marshes today. 83 species were spotted, raising £100s for the TMBG & the Rotary Foundation. Thanks to everyone who sponsored us.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Sponsored Birders |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Dragonfly Pond |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Long-tailed Tit |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Robin |
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| (c) Simon Monk - Green Woodpecker |
