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.
Colin Varndell: Clouded Yellow.
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Clouded Yellow & Painted Lady.
Massive thanks to Roger, Slasher and Mark for ringing in the reed beds all day today. They trapped 90 new birds before lunch - more birds than could possibly be breeding in the reed beds, so a sure sign migration is underway, and that lots of migrant birds are using Tice's Meadow as an important stop-over on their way south.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Cetti's Warbler |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Garden Warbler |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Sedge Warbler |
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| (c) Rups Limboo - Kingfisher |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Bird Ringing |
Saturday 3rd September
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe, Little Egret, Pochard, Wigeon, 6+ Whinchat (new site record count), 2+ Yellow Wagtail, Cetti’s Warbler, Whitethroat, Ring-necked Parakeet (26th for site) & Hobby.
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Clouded Yellow.
Massive thanks to Roger, Slasher and Mark for ringing in the reed beds this morning.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Southern Hawker |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Hobby |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Greylag Geese |
Sunday 4th September
Dina Burford: 2 Little Egret.
Cameron Sibbald: Black Swan (escape).
We provided 7 marshals for the Farnham Pilgrims' Marathon today, which raises money for local good causes.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Black Swan |
Monday 5th September
John Hunt: 4 Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 2 Little Egret, Wigeon & 4 Whinchat.
Kevin Duncan: Wheatear.
Tuesday 6th September
Leonard Winchcombe: Greenshank.
John Hunt: Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover (juv), 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher & 2 Whinchat.
Wednesday 7th September
John Hunt: Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover (juv), 3 Stonechat & 3 Whinchat.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Red Kite |
Thursday 8th September
No reports.
Friday 9th September
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper, 5+ Green Sandpiper, 2 Ruff (17th record for site), 5 Snipe, Little Egret, Tree Pipit (12th record for site, 131st species for 2022), 3 Spotted Flycatcher (14th record for site, 3rd this year, new record count), Cetti's Warbler, 5+ Whinchat, 3+ Yellow Wagtail, Swift, 20+ Swallow, 30+ Sand Martin, & c100 House Martin.
Kevin Duncan: 4 Garganey (male & 3 fem/juv) (12th record for site, 132nd species for 2022).
Murray Nurse: Redshank.
Anon: Wood Sandpiper (31st record for site, 3rd this year).
Mark Elsoffer: Clouded Yellow.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Spotted Flycatcher |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Spotted Flycatcher |
Saturday 10th September
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 2 Wigeon, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, Wheatear, 3 Whinchat, 100+ Swallow, 12+ Sand Martin, 30+ House Martin & Hobby.
Richard Seargent: Wood Sandpiper & Ruff.
We had the pleasure of leading a walk for 25 members of the public this morning as part of Farnham Heritage Open Days.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Heritage Open Day |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Migrant Hawker |
Sunday 11th September
Richard Seargent: Wood Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier (fem, 9th record for site, 133rd species for 2022), Peregrine & Hobby.
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Snail |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Wasp Spider |
Monday 12th September
John Hunt: 3 Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 6 Stonechat, 4 Meadow Pipit & Hobby.
Richard Seargent: 2 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher (15th record for site, 4th this year) & White Wagtail.
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| (c) Dina Burford - Hobby |
Tuesday 13th September
No reports.
Wednesday 14th September
Peter Brown: 2 Green Sandpiper, Wheatear, Peregrine & Hobby.
Thursday 15th September
John Hunt: 3 Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Kingfisher, 2 Whinchat, 5 Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, 2 Raven & Hobby.
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| (c) John Hunt - Kingfisher |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Canada Geese |
Friday 16th September
Kevin Duncan: Wood Sandpiper (32nd record for site, 4th this year).
Kit Britten: Garganey (fem) (13th record for site, 2nd this year), Pochard, 11 Stonechat & 4 Whinchat.
John Hunt: Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, 2 Wheatear, Cetti's Warbler & Peregrine.
Mark Elsoffer: Redshank, 2 Snipe, Kingfisher, 5 Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail & Hobby.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Whinchat |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Whinchat |
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| (c) Andrew Whitehead - Cormorant |
Saturday 17th September
Dave Baker: 3 Wigeon, Kingfisher, 2 Whinchat, Cetti's Warbler & Marsh Harrier (fem) (10th record for site, 2nd this year).
Kevin Duncan: Garganey (fem).
Malcolm: 3 Green Sandpiper, Peregrine & Hobby.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Common Darter |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Kingfisher |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Little Grebe |
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| (c) Peter Bowles - Sand Martin |
Sunday 18th September
Richard Horton: Wood Sandpiper (33rd record for site, 5th this year), Garganey (fem) & Yellow Wagtail.
Mark Elsoffer: 2 Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 2 Wheatear, 4+ Whinchat, Hobby & Peregrine.
Colin Varndell: Kingfisher.
We attended the Kiln Heritage Open Day today, and also finished off Len the Scarecrow.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Green Sandpiper |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Lapwing |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Kiln Heritage Open Day |
Monday 19th September
Mark Elsoffer: 3 Green Sandpiper, Dunlin (juv), Snipe, 5 Wigeon, Pochard, Wheatear, Whinchat, Cetti's Warbler, Raven, Goshawk & Hobby.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Migrant Hawker |
Tuesday 20th September
Don Lemmon: 3 Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Wheatear, 5 Stonechat, 2 Cetti's Warbler & Peregrine.
Colin Varndell: Kingfisher.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Misty Morning |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Misty Morning |
Wednesday 21st September
John Hunt: Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, 3 Snipe, 4 Wigeon, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Meadow Pipit, 7 Stonechat & 2 Whinchat.
Colin Varndell: Kingfisher.
Sarah Pitt-Bailey: Wheatear.
The Dorking RSPB Local Group enjoyed a visit to site today.
We ran a guided walk, litter pick and pond dipping for 3rd Frimley Green & Mytchett Brownies this evening - thanks Katie & Dina for organising.
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| (c) David Gosnell - Kestrel on Swift Tower |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Great Crested Grebe |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Snipe |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Dorking RSPB Visit |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Stonechat |
Thursday 22nd September
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, Little Egret, 3 Wigeon, Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Skylark, 8 Stonechat & c100 House Martin.
Murray Nurse: 2 Whinchat, Wheatear & 2 Peregrine.
Mark Elsoffer: Willow Emerald Damselfly.
We dropped Len off at the St Thomas-on-the-Bourne’s Scarecrow Festival today.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Lord Len the Scarecrow |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Canada Geese |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Grey Heron |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Reed Bunting |
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| (c) Paul Habgood - Common Darter |
Friday 23rd September
Mark Elsoffer: Osprey (18th record for site, 134th species for 2022).
Peter Brown: Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 13 Wigeon, 12 Stonechat & Wheatear.
Great to have 13 members of the Surrey Choices Growth Team working with us on site today.
20 members of the public enjoyed a guided bat walk this evening as part of our Big Green Weekend - thanks Bernard and Matt for running it.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Surrey Choices Work Party |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Surrey Choices Work Party |
Saturday 24th September
Mark Elsoffer: Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Wheatear, Whinchat & Peregrine.
Thanks to Lord Len, Paul & Gillian who coppiced hazel for our river work party this morning.
6 families enjoyed a pond dipping session today as part of our Big Green Weekend - thanks Katie for running it.
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| (c) Katie Hunt - Pond Dipping |
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| (c) Katie Hunt - Pond Dipping |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Migrant Hawker |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Loading the trailer |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Bentley |
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| (c) Jon Hawkins - Collared Dove |
Sunday 25th September
Peter Brown: Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe & 20 House Martin.
Dina Burford: 2 Wigeon.
22 volunteers attended our work party today, re-wilding the River Blackwater, in support of World Rivers Day and our Big Green Weekend. We installed 3 coarse woody debris structures, creating microhabitats for fish & insects.
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Work Party |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Work Party |
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| (c) Gillian Bamford - Work Party |
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| (c) Dina Burford - Wigeon |
Monday 26th September
No reports.
Tuesday 27th September
Dina Burford: 3 Wigeon & Little Grebe.
5th Farnham Beavers enjoyed a guided walk around site and some art on the mound in the rain this evening - thanks Dina & Katie for leading.
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| (c) Katie Hunt - Beavers' Walk |
Wednesday 28th September
Peter Brown: 3 Green Sandpiper.
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| (c) Colin Varndell - House Martin |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Sand Martin |
Thursday 29th September
Mark Elsoffer: Marsh Harrier (11th record for site, 3rd this year).
Colin Varndell: Wood Sandpiper (34th record for site, 6th this year).
Huge thanks to the 21 volunteers who worked hard re-wilding the River Blackwater today as part of a multi-agency project with the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Surrey County Council, South East Rivers Trust and Environment Agency.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Work Party |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Work Party |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Work Party |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Work Party |
We were delighted to be joined by representatives from Surrey County Council, Hampshire County Council, Rushmoor Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, Guildford Borough Council, and Farnham Town Council, for the official handover event today, to celebrate the six councils combining to save Tice's Meadow.
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Handover Event |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Handover Event |
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| (c) Mark Elsoffer - Handover Event |
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Wood Sandpiper |
Friday 30th September
Anon: Marsh Harrier (12th record for site, 4th this year).
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| (c) Colin Varndell - Mute Swans |
