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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Tice's Meadow and Tongham GP, Surrey (3 Viewers)

Kev, we discussed the water levels this morning. Agreed that it has been this low before but the company is now making an effort to drain during the breeding season. The only saving grace is that they appear to stop draining over the weekend. By looking at the level you can see how much water has gone in the last week and this is well over a foot - a significant volume of water given the size of the place.

On a positive note the Dunlins had risen to 5 and there were still significant numbers of LRP (at least 2 pairs brooding).

Rich
 
Visit this afternoon whilst on the way to the Garden Centre (my card swerved to the left and I had to stop). Loads more Gulls this afternoon including 10 LBB Gull and 30+ Herring Gulls. Big surprise was a 3rd summer Yellow Legged Gull in amongst the two former. The 5 Dunlin were still present but flighty.

Rich
 
A windy but pleasant morning at Tice's which saw another Ringed Plover on the workings; we seem to have done well with this species this year. A 2nd year Common Gull was a late/early addition not normally seen at this time of year. Warblers are still singing but only just with a Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff in song adjacent to the embankment. LRPs are still very much in evidence with the birds appearing throughout the workings. 44 species in all which was not bad for a 60 minute or so visit.

Rich
 
Cracking session this morning, found summer plumaged Sanderling on the workings, the 3rd for Tices following last years 2 I think. Also the Ringed Plover still present & 1 smart looking Dunlin. Also managed to locate 2 juv LRP's, good to see that 2 of the brood of 4 are still around, at least 5 Adults also present.

John.
 
I'd set the alarm clock this morning for 7.00am and turned it off and rolled back over. 45 minutes later I was reading a text from John H informing me that there was a Sanderling on the workings. After a quick dress and wash I arrived to see a stunning breeding plumaged bird close to the usual observation area. Thanks John! The Ringed Plover was still present along with a Dunlin. All additional waders at the moment seem to spend most of their time avoiding the resident LRPs which are very territorial: at one point they were even chasing Sand Martins high over the workings.

Rich

afternote: text from Dave Harris 4 Sanderling at QEII Res this morning.
 
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Sanderling still present

at 1445 hrs today. Also 18 Common Terns, 9 Herring Gulls of various ages, 1 fs LBBG and very unusually a fs Common Gull.

John
 
johnclark50 said:
at 1445 hrs today. Also 18 Common Terns, 9 Herring Gulls of various ages, 1 fs LBBG and very unusually a fs Common Gull.

John
Click to expand...

John,

I saw the same Common Gull this morning. It was the 2nd one in two days with perhaps a 2nd Summer seen earlier.

Rich
 
No sign of the Sanderling this morning, but 5 Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, & at least 6 LRP on the workings. Nice also to see a Grey Wag & Little Grebe, 2 formally abundant species at Tices that are now only seen sporadicly.

John.
 
Two Ringed Plover, & min of 6 LRP on the workings this morning, 14 Common Tern, & Little Grebe. A Buzzard was perched on the fencing on the meadow, Warbler no's - 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 7 Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warbler, & 1 Garden Warbler.

John.
 
No waders other than 5 LRP & 2 Lapwing this morning, Stock Dove on the meadow, Reed Bunting, erm in the reeds! 20 Common Terns, 50+ Sand Martin hawking over the workings & similar Warbler tally to yesterday.

John.
 
Almost the same as yesterday morning today, min of 6 LRP's still around the site, 17 Common Terns, & singing Garden Warbler.

John.
 
Hope all is well at Tice's and 'glad' that nothing has turned up whilst I have been away

Slightly off topic but my Canada Birding Blog is at www.aos-uk.com. Check the message board out under Ex Prairie Thunder. 21 lifers in three days - chuffed to NAAFI breaks as they say.

Rich
 
Little Egret over the meadow this morning, also great to see 2 of the 4 LRP juvs have survived. Two newly hatched Common Tern chicks in the colony was nice to see this morning.

John.
 
Hi John,
Any sign of the Mute Swans producing any cygnets yet?

They have been sitting on a nest from at least the 16th May.

Kevin.
 
Hi Kev,

One cygnet seen this morning, a increase in Lapwing to 9, & min of 5 LRP's on the workings.
Raptors this morning were 2 Buzzard & 1 Kestrel, also Little Grebe on nest in plastic tubing on overflow pool.

John.
 
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JohnnyH said:
Hi Kev,

One cygnet seen this morning, a increase in Lapwing to 9, & min of 5 LRP's on the workings.
Raptors this morning were 2 Buzzard & 1 Kestrel, also Little Grebe on nest in plastic tubing on overflow pool.

John.
Click to expand...

Thanks John,

Mute Swans first breeding success at Tices after failed attempts on the slit pond in the last two years.

Kevin
 
Last day off work today so popped down after the rain subsided this afternoon hoping for more migrant waders. The best I could do was a Ringed Plover on the workings, 5 LRP's, & 5 Lapwing. Another 3 Common Tern chicks have appeared making 5 so far in the colony. An impressive sight was c 70 ish Sand Martins taking to the air from the fencing on which they were resting around the workings!

John.
 
Fairly quiet again this morning, did locate 1 of the LRP juvs, & a passing Sparrowhawk was promptly seen off by the Terns. Speaking of the Terns, no's were well down this morning, only max of 7 counted & this included 2 chicks! A few Warblers still singing, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, & 5 Reed Warbler noted.

John.
 
Managed to get an hour in before the rain really came down this morning, still only 7 Terns seen this morning with 1 chick looking very forlorn on one of the islands, I think something has happened during the week not looking good!
On a more positive note still plenty of LRP's around, the Whitethroats appear to having a good breeding year, & the Little Grebe nest is still ok. A Garden Warbler was singing in the drizzle as I made my way back.

John.
 
John, has anyone seen any mink at Tice's? They are a major problem at Moor Green Lakes - all the BHGs and Common terns have failed this year.

John
 
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