August 2025

  Tice's Meadow August 2025

Rushmoor Lottery

We have launched our page on the Rushmoor Community Lottery.  Tickets cost £1 per week - we will receive 50p per ticket (and other local good causes 10p). You could win up to £25,000! Scan the QR code below, or click this link to go to our page. Thank you for your support.

https://www.rushmoorlottery.co.uk/support/tices-meadow-bird-group

Volunteer Work Parties

Surrey County Council are now running all volunteer work parties at Tice's Meadow in partnership with the TMBG - see below for details.

Tice’s Meadow August 2025 Overall Bird Count

The bird year list now stands at 123 species (excluding 2 escape species). It was 129 in 2024

91 bird species were reported during August.

Thank you to everyone who reports their sightings.

For the most up to date information, click on the link below and Follow

TMBG

 

Friday 1^st August

Common Sandpiper, 22 Gadwall, Green Sandpiper, 6 Grey Heron, 184 Greylag Goose, 37 Lapwing, Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk

Surrey County Council and the Tice’s Meadow Bird Group held a volunteer work party, and the task was to hand pull a dense patch of Ragwort in the meadow – this is a standard procedure that has taken place for many years now, and unlike on previous occasions, it was decided not to use spray-on herbicide this time. The whole of the nature reserve is managed, including the meadow, and there are many factors to take into consideration. The landowners, current and past, have followed best practice and have been assisted by the TMBG and volunteers, current and past!

Yes, Ragwort is a valuable, native plant and is of benefit to wildlife. However, as is the case at numerous nature reserves and wildlife areas, certain steps need to be taken to control, not eradicate, harmful weeds (known as injurious weeds) – Ragwort, Thistle, Dock. Doing so helps avoid fines under the Weed Act 1959. Landowners such as the RSPB, Knepp and the Wildlife Trust control Ragwort on their sites.

The meadow should be a good balance of all different types of wildflower and grasses. Letting any one species become dominant is best avoided and, when it comes to Ragwort, because it is named in the Weed Act 1959, the Code of Practice on How to Prevent the Spread of Ragwort issued by DEFRA needs to be followed.

In the future, as has happened before, there will be areas of Thistle, Nettle, Willow, Juncus grass, Bramble, etc. and yes, Ragwort, which will need managing. This does not mean that all of those plants at Tice’s will be completely removed. Unsurprisingly, Surrey County Council, the Tice’s Meadow Bird Group and the volunteers all have the best interests of Tice’s Meadow Nature Reserve at heart. The wellbeing of the wildlife, flora and fauna, and the people that enjoy visiting the site is uppermost in all decisions concerning the governance of the reserve.

Before, after and volunteers hand pulling the Ragwort

Saturday 2^nd August

191 Canada Goose, 2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk, 2 Teal

Sunday 3^rd August

Collared Dove, 4 Common Tern, 2 Little Egret

For a few days this July the colour-ringed Common Sandpiper Yellow Flag JTM once again returned to Tice’s Meadow on migration. It was ringed, aged as at least one year old on 19th May 2014 at Stavbergvatnet, Norway. It was first sighted at Tice's Meadow in July 2014. Since then, it has been recorded at Tice’s Meadow, only in the month of July, in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, and being re-sighted back at Stavbergvatnet in May 2020. It is now over eleven years since it was ringed. It is still the oldest Norwegian ringed Common Sandpiper on record.

The oldest recorded Common Sandpiper in the UK is 15 years 1 month 5 days

Common Sandpiper Yellow Flag JTM

Monday 4^th August

7 Common Tern, 5 Little Egret, 8 Mute Swan

Tuesday 5^th August

Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 5 Jay, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Redstart (120th bird species for 2025 – 14th site record, last recorded on 28/04/2024), 31 Rook, 3 Snipe

We got the ball rolling with our first Children's Summer Holiday Event. The sun was out, the river was gently flowing and there were plenty of wonderful, interesting creatures to be found.

	Minnows
Great Diving Beetle	Water Scorpion

Wednesday 6^th August

3 Common Sandpiper, 6 Egyptian Goose, Green Sandpiper, Little Grebe, 18 Moorhen, 19 Pied Wagtail, 8 Sand Martin, 3 Sedge Warbler, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, 5 Swift

Thursday 7^th August

3 Common Sandpiper, 44 Lapwing

Friday 8^th August

Green Sandpiper, 2 Hobby, 4 Little Egret

Twenty-five birds ringed in the reedbeds. Including six Sedge Warblers, three Cetti’s Warblers, a young Willow Warbler, and a number of Chiffchaffs and Reed Warblers.

Saturday 9^th August

2 Common Sandpiper, 47 Gadwall, 2 Green Sandpiper, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Peregrine, Redshank, 4 Reed Warbler, 15 Rook, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Spotted Flycatcher, 38 Tufted Duck

Sunday 10^th August

Green Sandpiper, 7 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Stonechat, Willow Warbler

Monday 11^th August

Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Hobby, 2 Nuthatch, Redstart, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Sedge Warbler, Treecreeper

Tuesday 12^th August

2 Common Sandpiper, 10 Cormorant, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, 2 Kingfisher, 32 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk

Many young warblers in the reedbeds, so a change to ring a Reed Bunting amongst 34 other birds this morning.

Reed Bunting © Roger Dickey

Another Tuesday of Children's Summer Holiday Events. In the morning session, we made bug hotels from short sections of bamboo canes and other items the kids had gathered from around Tice's Meadow, all wrapped up with cardboard and twine.

In the afternoon, we had a great time river dipping and found an amazing array of water creatures.

Making bug hotels and river dipping

Wednesday 13^th August

368 Canada Goose, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 2 Red Kite, Ruff (121st bird species for 2025 – 22nd site record, last recorded on 06/09/2024), 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler

Ruff © Dave Carlsson

Thursday 14^th August

Common Sandpiper, 28 Gadwall, Garden Warbler, 3 Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, 156 Greylag Goose, Little Ringed Plover, 23 Mute Swan, Ruff, 3 Stonechat, 4 Teal

Friday 15^th August

2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, Little Grebe, 8 Rook, Shoveler, Snipe

One of the overgrown reptile glades made good again by the Tice’s volunteers.

	Woodland Glade

Saturday 16^th August

12 Egyptian Goose, 4 Green Sandpiper, 7 Grey Heron, Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, 4 Snipe, 10 Swallow, 54 Tufted Duck

Sunday 17^th August

Black Tern (122nd bird species for 2025 – 18th site record, last recorded on 01/09/2024), 12 Great Crested Grebe, Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, 9 Rook, 3 Sedge Warbler, 48 Tufted Duck

A third pair of Great Crested Grebe have hatched at least two chicks.

Great Crested Grebe © Jon Hawkins

A Black Tern was photographed today at Tice’s Meadow by Jon Hawkins of Surrey Hills Photography. First recorded on 25th August 2013. A total of seventeen previous sightings, recorded in the months of May, June, August and September only. Highest count of two in May 2016 and 2017. Last recorded on 1st September 2024.

Black Tern © Jon Hawkins

Monday 18^th August

Coal Tit, Common Sandpiper, 12 Common Tern, Goldcrest, Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 152 Greylag Goose, Nuthatch, Ringed Plover, 12 Rook, 2 Willow Warbler

Tuesday 19^th August

3 Common Tern, Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe

It is the penultimate day of our Children's Summer Holiday Events and we've had a lovely time beautifying bird boxes in the morning, and in the afternoon we went to the river for some more fun, fishing for aquatic animals.

Bird box painting
River dipping

Wednesday 20^th August

535 Canada Goose, Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 32 Lapwing, 3 Snipe

Thursday 21^st August

410 Canada Goose, 5 Common Tern, 12 Cormorant, 123 Greylag Goose, 3 Little Grebe, 4 Stonechat

Friday 22^nd August

2 Buzzard, 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Common Tern, 32 Gadwall, 4 Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Kingfisher, 3 Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Yellow Wagtail

Saturday 23^rd August

Black-necked Grebe, 405 Canada Goose, Common Sandpiper, Goldcrest, 2 Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Pochard, 7 Rook

Sunday 24^th August

385 Canada Goose, Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 6 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret, Marsh Harrier (123rd bird species for 2025 – 19th site record, last recorded on 18/08/2024), Water Rail, Whinchat

Marsh Harrier being harassed by Crows this morning. Eighteen previous sightings, recorded in the months of April, May, June, August, September and November only. Highest count of one, last recorded on 18th August 2024, first recorded on 6th April 2015.

Above, Crows harassing Marsh Harrier Right, Marsh Harrier © Jon Hawkins

A Water Rail was spotted in the reedbed.

Water Rail © Colin Varndell

Whinchat seen in the meadow along the fence line.

Whinchat © Rich Seargent

Monday 25^th August

2 Cetti’s Warbler, Common Sandpiper, 3 Common Tern, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Hobby, 3 Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, 5 Stonechat

Tuesday 26^th August

Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Kestrel, Pochard, 3 Rook

Today was the last for our Kids' Summer Holiday events. We started the day exercising our artistic muscles by painting pebbles; inspired by the nature around us. As usual, we spent the afternoon river dipping in the Blackwater and found a wide variety of water dwelling creatures.

Pebble painting and river dipping

Wednesday 27^th August

2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern, 10 Egyptian Goose, 12 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Green Sandpiper, 186 Greylag Goose

Thursday 28^th August

Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, 6 Cormorant, 5 Green Sandpiper, 7 Grey Heron, 152 Greylag Goose, Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, 5 Rook, 5 Snipe, 3 Stonechat

Snipe and Green Sandpiper © John Hunt

Friday 29^th August

430 Canada Goose, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Hobby, 5 House Martin, 4 Jay, Kestrel, Little Egret, 3 Little Grebe, Pochard, 52 Tufted Duck

Saturday 30^th August

Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, Hobby, 3 Little Grebe, 23 Mute Swan, 4 Sand Martin, 5 Swallow, 4 Swift

Sunday 31^st August

Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern, 12 Egyptian Goose, 3 Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear

July 2025

  Tice's Meadow July 2025

Rushmoor Lottery

We have launched our page on the Rushmoor Community Lottery.  Tickets cost £1 per week - we will receive 50p per ticket (and other local good causes 10p). You could win up to £25,000! Scan the QR code below, or click this link to go to our page. Thank you for your support.

https://www.rushmoorlottery.co.uk/support/tices-meadow-bird-group

Volunteer Work Parties

Surrey County Council are now running all volunteer work parties at Tice's Meadow with the help of the TMBG - see below for details.

Tice’s Meadow JULY 2025 Overall Bird Count

The bird year list now stands at 119 species (excluding 2 escape species). It was 126 in 2024.

82 bird species were reported during July.

Thank you to everyone who reports their sightings.

For the most up to date information, click on the link below and Follow.

TMBG

Tuesday 1^st July

2 Green Sandpiper, 12 Little Egret

Wednesday 2^nd July

2 Black-tailed Godwit (117th bird species for 2025 – last recorded on 14/08/2024), 153 Canada Goose, 176 Coot, 7 Cormorant, 8 Little Egret, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper

Black-tailed Godwits - © Kevin Duncan

Thursday 3^rd July

3 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Common Sandpiper, 16 Little Egret, Shoveler

Black-tailed Godwits - © Kevin Duncan

Friday 4^th July

No reported sightings.

We had a great day with our volunteer work party. The sun was out, but not too hot. The volunteers reinstated one of the sunny glades and uncovered some of the corrugated metal refugia. This will benefit all sorts of wildlife and we hope to see basking lizards on the log pile, just as we used to.

Woodland Glade

Saturday 5^th July

2 Common Sandpiper, 12 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover

Sunday 6^th July

2 Bullfinch, 2 Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 38 Lapwing, 5 Little Egret, 13 Little Ringed Plover, 45 Mallard, Mistle Thrush, 2 Redshank

Monday 7^th July

Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, Stonechat

Second brood of Mallard ducklings this year - © Kevin Duncan

Tuesday 8^th July

Common Sandpiper, 133 Canada Goose, 14 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Greylag Goose, 7 Little Egret, 3 Redshank

Wednesday 9^th July

2 Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, 6 Little Egret, Teal

Great news - McDonald's planning application was refused by Guildford Borough Council

Thursday 10^th July

Black-tailed Godwit

Friday 11^th July

Green Woodpecker, 14 Little Egret, 2 Stonechat, 2 Treecreeper

A nice diversity of birds ringed around the feeding station this morning with Anya Sharman and Aspen Salisbury doing most of the work, ably assisted by Lord Len. Stealing the show were a group of young treecreepers. AK is the latest robin to be colour ringed. Woodpigeons usually manage to evade capture, but they did not reckon with Anya's 0-60mph sprint to the net. First day on the job for trainee Aspen, but now with several extractions and ringed birds to her credit. So I have been relegated to scribe once more!

Roger Dickey

Bird ringing Woodpigeon, Treecreeper and Greenfinch - © Roger Dickey

Saturday 12^th July

3 Chiffchaff, Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Grey Heron, 6 Little Egret, Little Grebe, Nuthatch

Sunday 13^th July

4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Little Egret

Monday 14^th July

5 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 Linnet, Mediterranean Gull, 32 Moorhen

Mediterranean Gull © - Kevin Duncan

Tuesday 15^th July

Black-necked Grebe (118th bird species for 2025 – 23rd site record, last recorded on 24/04/2024), Common Sandpiper, 4 Grey Heron, 7 Little Egret

Wednesday 16^th July

2 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover

Thursday 17^th July

Common Sandpiper, 8 Little Egret, 34 Moorhen, Snipe

First (returning?) Snipe - © K Duncan

Three young Swift looking out of nest hole in Swift Tower - © Kevin Duncan

Friday 18^th July

Hobby, 5 Little Egret, Little Grebe

The TMBG and associated volunteers attended the Farnham Town Hall today, where we were honoured by being presented the King's Award for Voluntary Service by the Sovereign's representative, the Lord-Lieutenant for Surrey.

	The King's Award for Voluntary Service

Saturday 19^th July

2 Cetti’s Warbler, 4 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk

Unfortunately, due to an Amber weather warning, the Tice's Meadow Community Day had to be cancelled.

Sunday 20^th July

3 Common Sandpiper, 8 Greenshank

Monday 21^st July

3 Common Sandpiper, 8 Cormorant, Green Sandpiper, Goldcrest, 58 Greylag Goose, 38 Lapwing, Spotted Flycatcher (119th bird species for 2025 – 22nd site record, last recorded 07/05/2024)

Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi) - © Simon Monk

Tuesday 22^nd July

No reported sightings

Wednesday 23^rd July

3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler - © John Hunt

Thursday 24^th July

2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher

Friday 25^th July

3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Egyptian Goose, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Mistle Thrush

Three Black-tailed Godwits - © Don Lemmon

Saturday 26^th July

2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 34 Lapwing, 6 Little Egret

Sunday 27^th July

Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk

Monday 28^th July

Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 2 Hobby

Common Terns - © John Hunt

Tuesday 29^th July

2 Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, 31 Tufted Duck

Emperor Dragonfly - © John Hunt

Wednesday 30^th July

3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 88 Greylag Goose

The willow in front of the artificial Sand Martin bank had grown and obscured the box from the water. This would stop any potential residents using the structure as they prefer a clear line of sight from the lake. Taking advantage of the lower water levels we decided to set about removing the trees.

Before

Willow being pulled

After

Thursday 31^st July

2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Yellow Wagtail

Not sure whether it's Alan or Alison but this Robin, hatched last year and starting its post breeding moult, can be found near the stream. All sightings of all 'lettered' robins will be gratefully received.

Coloured Ring Robin 'AL' - © Roger Dickey