Volunteer Work Parties
Our volunteer work party schedule for the next six months. Please do come and join us if you're free - a great way to spend a morning, helping nature, working with the local community, and having some fun at the same time.
Friday 1st July
Peter Brown: Curlew (first of year).
Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped set up our BioBlitz today.
Mark Elsoffer: Southern Hawker - first of the year.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Swift |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - BioBlitz HQ |
Saturday 2nd July
Peter Brown: 2 Common Sandpiper & Green Sandpiper.
Dina Burford: Little Ringed Plover.
A huge thank you to all our volunteers who helped make our BioBlitz such a success. We estimate over 200 people attended over the day, with lots of first time visitors and young families.
Thanks to Libby and Derek from the Surrey Mammal and Bat groups for running the small mammal trapping and leading a very popular mammal walk. Thanks to Katie for running the pond dipping and pellet dissecting - both events proved so popular we ran out of nets and pellets! Thanks to Sean for his successful clearwing walk, and Abi for her awesome exhibition of skulls and wings. Thanks Stevie for running the moth trapping, Andy for leading the reptile walk, Rich for leading the bird walk, and Paul & Gillian for leading the butterfly walk. Thanks to Debby for the face painting, and our friends at Blackwater Valley Friends of the Earth for attending and asking visitors how they are reacting to climate change.
And thank you to Roger, Slasher, Mark and Verity for bird ringing over 3 days, and the ever popular ringing demonstration
Sean Foote: Hornet Moth (Sesia apiformis) - new for site.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Rebecca Haskell - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Rebecca Haskell - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Rebecca Haskell - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Rebecca Haskell - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Katie Hunt - BioBlitz |
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| (c) Katie Hunt - BioBlitz |
Sunday 3rd July
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper & 5 Little Ringed Plover.
Dina Burford: Brown Hawker - first of year.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Essex Skipper |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Bullfinch being ringed |
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| (c) Dina Burford - House Sparrow being ringed |
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| (c) Gav Thane - Roe Deer |
Monday 4th July
Mark Elvin: Peregrine.
Tuesday 5th July
John Hunt: 2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 4 Redshank, 6 Little Ringed Plover & 15 Lapwing.
Katie had the pleasure of showing 24 members of 2nd Elstead Brownies around site this evening. They completed a scavenger hunt and created some art on the mound.
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| (c) Jonathan Durham - Black-headed Gulls |
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| (c) Jonathan Durham - Robin |
Wednesday 6th July
Dina Burford: Little Egret.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Cinnabar Moth Catterpillars |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Marbled White |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Black-headed Gulls |
Thursday 7th July
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler & Peregrine.
Mark Elsoffer: Small Red-eyed Damselfly & Ruddy Darter - firsts of year.
Dina showed 16 members of 1st Crookham Beaver Scouts around site this evening, whilst I led a group of 24 from 2nd Aldershot Cub Scouts on a tour of the site.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Sparrowhawk with prey |
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| (c) Wild Cam - Roe Deer |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Beavers watching a Comma |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Black-tailed Skimmers (pair, mating) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Emperor (female, ovipositing) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Cubs Visit |
Friday 8th July
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Little Egret & Cetti's Warbler.
Anon: 2 Green Sandpiper.
I had the great pleasure of leading a guided tour for a group of 35 kids, leaders & parents from 8th Bramshill Beaver Scouts this evening.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Little Egret |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Red Kite |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Black-tailed Skimmer (male) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Beavers Visit |
Saturday 9th July
Mark Elsoffer: Little Egret, Cetti's Warbler & 2 Peregrine.
Dina Burford: Common Sandpiper.
Paul & Gillian Bamford: Purple Hairstreak - 2nd site record, after one seen in same spot last year.
We had the pleasure of attending the Badshot Lea Village Fete today.
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| (c) Clare Dell - Roe Deer |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Common Tern |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Purple Hairstreak |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - TMBG Stall at Fete |
Sunday 10th July
John Hunt: 2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 20 Lapwing, 3 Little Egret, 2 Teal & Skylark.
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Red-veined Darter - new for site. 29th odonata species recorded on site. 1700th species recorded on site. Note - review of past photos shows Red-veined Darters first recorded my Mark Elsoffer on 3rd June this year.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Red-veined Darter |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Black-tailed Skimmer |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Common Darter |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Emperor |
Monday 11th July
S Brownhill: Common Sandpiper & Green Sandpiper.
Paul & Gillian Bamford: Purple Hairstreak.
Dina led 25 members of 1st Crookham Beaver Scouts on a guided tour around site this evening.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Sunrise over the Meadow |
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| (c) Paul Bamford - Purple Hairstreak |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Lesser Emperor |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars |
Tuesday 12th July
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| (c) Dina Burford - Great Crested Grebes |
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| (c) David Gosnell - Peacocks |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Grey Heron |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Common Tern |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Red Admiral |
Wednesday 13th July
Dina Burford: Little Egret.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Little Egret |
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| (c) Sue Gee - Emperor |
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| (c) David Glew - Azure Damselfly |
Thursday 14th July
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper & Peregrine.
Peter Brown: 2 Green Sandpiper & Greenshank (first of year).
Dina Burford: Little Ringed Plover & Yellow Wagtail.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Greenshank |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Yellow Wagtail |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Emperor (female, ovipositing) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Black-tailed Skimmer (immature male) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Lesser Emperors (pair, ovipositing) |
Friday 15th July
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Green Sandpiper & 2 Little Ringed Plover.
Dina Burford: 2 Common Sandpiper.
We had the pleasure of leading a guided walk for 13 members of the West Surrey Natural History Society this morning.
We had the pleasure of giving a tour to Jackie, Lydia & Mark from SurreyChoices today. We hope to host their Growth Team very soon - they teach their customers countryside management skills, providing opportunities for future employment in the horticultural sector.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - SurreyChoices Visit |
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| (c) Alan David Taylor - Roe Deer |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Lesser Emperors (pair, ovipositing) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Brown Hawker (female, ovipositing) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Emperor |
Saturday 16th July
Magnus Brodie Cooper: Small Copper - first of year.
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| (c) Michael Edwards - Greenfinches |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Lesser Emperors (pair ovipositing) |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Small Copper |
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| (c) Clive Watson - Lesser Emperor |
Sunday 17th July
Richard Seargent: Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper & Barn Owl.
Jon Hawkins: Pantaloon Bee (Dasypoda altercator) - new for site.
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Common Blue Damselfly |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Pantaloon Bee |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Common Tern |
Monday 18th July
Kevin Duncan: Dunlin (sp) & Mediterranean Gull (juv).
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Sunrise over the Silt Pond |
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| (c) Alan David Taylor - Swift & Swift Tower |
Tuesday 19th July
Kevin Duncan: 29 Black-tailed Godwit (new site record count).
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| (c) Kevin Duncan - Black-tailed Godwits |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Roe Deer |
Wednesday 20th July
John Hunt: 3 Common Sandpiper (incl yellow flagged bird) & 6 Green Sandpiper.
Kevin Duncan: 2 Mediterranean Gull (juvs).
Dina Burford: Chicory (Cichorium intybus) - new for site.
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Comma |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Damselfly |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Large White |
Thursday 21st July
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Little Egret, Mediterranean Gull & Black Swan.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Speckled Wood |
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| (c) Paul Mannering - Green-veined White |
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| (c) Paul Mannering - Small Copper |
Friday 22nd July
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Green Sandpiper, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Teal & 3 Gadwall.
Anon: 5 Common Sandpiper & 3 Little Ringed Plover.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Black-tailed Godwits |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Little Grebe |
Saturday 23rd July
Kevin Duncan: 2 Sandwich Tern (12th record for site, 3rd this year).
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 5 Little Egret, Shoveler, Kingfisher & 14 House Martin.
Leonard Winchcombe: Black Swan.
Anon: 2 Brown Hairstreak - first of the year.
Huge thank you to the 29 volunteers who attended our work party this morning. We litter picked, cut back along the paths, and did a few other jobs. Well done everyone.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Little Egrets |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Volunteer Work Party |
Sunday 24th July
Kevin Duncan: Wood Sandpiper (30th record for site, 2nd this year).
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Shoveler, 2 Teal, 3 Gadwall & 2+ Hobby.
Anon: 3 Raven.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Sparrowhawk with Prey |
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| (c) Rebecca Haskell - Common Lizard |
Monday 25th July
John Hunt: 2 Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper & 34 Lapwing.
Richard Horton: 7 Green Sandpiper & Ringed Plover.
Colin Varndell: Little Egret.
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| (c) John Hunt - Wood Sandpiper |
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| (c) Alan David Taylor - Sparrowhawk with Prey |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Roe Deer |
Tuesday 26th July
John Hunt: 5 Common Sandpiper (incl yellow flagged bird), 4 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin (sp) & 30 Lapwing.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Comma |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Common Blue |
Wednesday 27th July
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, 5 Gadwall, 2 Teal, Shoveler, Black Swan & Peregrine.
Anon: Snipe.
John Hunt: White Wagtail.
Cameron Sibbald: Hobby.
Swifts were seen entering our Swift Tower this evening.
A second pair of Great Crested Grebes fledged two young today.
The first of our summer children’s activities was a great success today, with 15 families attending. The kids loved painting their hedgehogs and doing nature related art. Well done Katie for running it so well.
We had the great pleasure of leading a walk around site for 19 members of the Rotary Club of Rushmoor this evening.
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| (c) Mark Elvin - Black & Mute Swans |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Black & Mute Swans |
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| (c) Katie Hunt - Kids' Art |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Great Crested Grebes |
Thursday 28th July
Mark Elsoffer: 5 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Snipe, 3 Gadwall, 2 Teal, Shoveler, Kingfisher & Cetti's Warbler.
John Hunt: White Wagtail.
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Red-veined Darter.
Dina Burford: Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa) & Antwerp Holyhock (Alcea ficifolia) - new for site.
Our second summer children’s activity (mask making) went down well with 15 families today.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Snipe |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Red-veined Darter |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Green Woodpecker |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Giant Willow Aphid |
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| (c) Katie Hunt - Mask Making |
Friday 29th July
Mark Elvin: Wood Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher & White Wagtail.
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, 3 Gadwall, 2 Teal, Shoveler, Black Swan, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler & Peregrine.
Mark Elsoffer: Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
Massive thanks to the Tice’s Irregulars - Len, Andy, Si, Si, Pete, Don & Mark - who spent three hours building 32 bug hotel boxes this morning. The boxes are for the children attending the summer activities to fill and decorate, and then take home to their gardens.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Bug Hotel Building |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Brown Hawker (female, ovipositing) |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Roe Deer |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Fox |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Black Swan |
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| (c) Keith Leman - Lesser Emperors (pair, ovipositing) |
Saturday 30th July
Kevin Duncan: Wood Sandpiper.
Kit Britten: 2 Common Sandpiper & 3 Green Sandpiper.
Clare Dell: Wasp Spider - first of the year.
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| (c) Clare Dell - Grass Snake |
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| (c) Clare Dell - Wasp Spider |
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| (c) Paul Habgood - Lesser Emperors (pair, ovipositing) |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Long-tailed Tits |
Sunday 31st July
Kit Britten: 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper & Wood Sandpiper.
We were delighted to give a guided tour this morning to 12 members of Tilly Widgets (Farnborough) WI.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Black-tailed Skimmers (pair, mating) |
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| (c) Cathy Regan - Tilly Widgets WI Walk |
