Tice's Meadow and Tongham GP, Surrey (1 Viewer)

[RJSeargent]

A red letter day this morning and I must have just missed Jon. I had walked around picking up little bar Meadow Pipit (20+), Reed Bunting (2) and several Fieldfare and Redwing. I was just leaving when I received a call from Grahame King telling me that he was on the mound and looking at a Gannet! I ran back and looked through his scope and was delighted to see an adult sat on one of the smaller islands. I put the news out on birdguides, let Dave Harris and the local birders know but within 5 minutes it flew, circled a couple of times to gain height and headed south west. A spectacular patchbird and thanks to Grahame for finding it.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

I was at Tongham GP while the Gannet was present, and just missed the bloomin' thing!

At least 8 mobile Snipe on the workings, plus at least 30 Meadow Pipit (in the reedbed), along with a calling Water Rail still there, and a Stonechat.

At Tongham was 19 Gadwall, 14 Wigeon, 30 Tufted, 1 Pochard, 2 Shoveler and 4 Great Crested Grebe. Also one of the latter on Tice's workings, perhaps a first for there?

 

[RJSeargent]

I was at Tongham GP while the Gannet was present, and just missed the bloomin' thing!

At least 8 mobile Snipe on the workings, plus at least 30 Meadow Pipit (in the reedbed), along with a calling Water Rail still there, and a Stonechat.

At Tongham was 19 Gadwall, 14 Wigeon, 30 Tufted, 1 Pochard, 2 Shoveler and 4 Great Crested Grebe. Also one of the latter on Tice's workings, perhaps a first for there?

Sean Can you email me your mobile number? I need to add it to the contact list.

Rich

 

[RJSeargent]

A red letter day this morning and I must have just missed Jon. I had walked around picking up little bar Meadow Pipit (20+), Reed Bunting (2) and several Fieldfare and Redwing. I was just leaving when I received a call from Grahame King telling me that he was on the mound and looking at a Gannet! I ran back and looked through his scope and was delighted to see an adult sat on one of the smaller islands. I put the news out on birdforum, let Dave Harris and the local birders know but within 5 minutes it flew, circled a couple of times to gain height and headed south west. A spectacular patchbird and thanks to Grahame for finding it.

Just wondering if this was the bird seen at Staines Reservoir yesterday.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Just wondering if this was the bird seen at Staines Reservoir yesterday.

I think it has to be.

 

[mattytheduke]

And likely to be the same bird seen over Mitcham Common today too? An excellent find, gents, well done. And now the Bewick's Swans this evening... Starting to wish I didn't live quite so far away now! ;-)

Matt.

 

[RJSeargent]

A cracking afternoon and well done to Steve and Dave B for the Bewick's find. 8 stunning Bewick's (7 ad and 1 juv) showing well on the workings. A great day.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

A cracking afternoon and well done to Steve and Dave B for the Bewick's find. 8 stunning Bewick's (7 ad and 1 juv) showing well on the workings. A great day.

It got better.

In almost complete darkness, no Barn, but Short-eared Owl sitting out on the snowy meadow, then hunting.

Bewick's being ruthlessly persued by a pair of Mutes the whole time I was there on my own. Don't be surprised if they're not there in the morning!

The best day at Tice's ever? Certainly outside passage periods anyway.

 

[Dave Harris]

Just wondering if this was the bird seen at Staines Reservoir yesterday.

Thanks for the messages today Rich, much appreciated. A few of points.

Not sure what age/time/direction the Mitcham Common bird was seen today, but every chance the same as yours.

Didn't hear of any Gannets at Staines yesterday, or did any of the locals. Where was this info from?

Both Gannet & Bewick's are description species for Surrey, so perhaps you could fill in the rare birds form (or forward it to the finder(s)) downloadable from the SBC website here:

http://www.surreybirdclub.org.uk/forms/rarebirdform.doc

Not sure if anyone at Tices digiscopes or the like, but a photo (no matter how crap!) pasted onto said form would suffice.


Well done lads, makes all those duff visits worthwhile. Oddly precious little going on up here over the past few days. Little Gull my best bird.

Regards
Dave

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Didn't hear of any Gannets at Staines yesterday, or did any of the locals. Where was this info from?

Regards
Dave

Birdguides: 'one flew through today' (19th)

 

[bbsbirder]

I was at Tongham GP while the Gannet was present, and just missed the bloomin' thing!

At least 8 mobile Snipe on the workings, plus at least 30 Meadow Pipit (in the reedbed), along with a calling Water Rail still there, and a Stonechat.

At Tongham was 19 Gadwall, 14 Wigeon, 30 Tufted, 1 Pochard, 2 Shoveler and 4 Great Crested Grebe. Also one of the latter on Tice's workings, perhaps a first for there?

Sean
It's the 25th reported record of Great Crested Grebe and the ninth individual.

Kevin

 

[johnclark50]

7 ad and 1 first-winter Bewick's Swan still present this morning from first light to 0815, when I left.

Also 30 Wigeon, 20 Teal (maybe one or two more of each), 165 Canadas, most of which flew off NW over Badshot Lea, c 100 Lapwings, 16 Skylarks flushed by a Sparrowhawk, 13 Linnets which came out of the hedge near the mound, a few Snipe and Fieldfare flying around.

Amazing that the lake hasn't frozen over! Thanks for the text about the swans Richard.

John

 

[RJSeargent]

Thanks for the messages today Rich, much appreciated. A few of points.

Not sure what age/time/direction the Mitcham Common bird was seen today, but every chance the same as yours.

Didn't hear of any Gannets at Staines yesterday, or did any of the locals. Where was this info from?

Both Gannet & Bewick's are description species for Surrey, so perhaps you could fill in the rare birds form (or forward it to the finder(s)) downloadable from the SBC website here:

http://www.surreybirdclub.org.uk/forms/rarebirdform.doc

Not sure if anyone at Tices digiscopes or the like, but a photo (no matter how crap!) pasted onto said form would suffice.


Well done lads, makes all those duff visits worthwhile. Oddly precious little going on up here over the past few days. Little Gull my best bird.

Regards
Dave

Dave,

will get the report to you. Interesting to see if I can get this one though the committee - everyone I have sent in thus far has ended up as NP. That said is it possible to mis-ID an adult Gannet - unless of course you want to call it a Masked Booby?

Rich

 

[RJSeargent]

Mark Leitch, an AOS member, arrived at Tice's at 0840hrs this morning just in time to see the Bewick's depart NW. He has taken photos which hopefully will appear on this thread and also in the Rare Birds Form that needs to go off to SBC. Still buzzing after yesterday.

Rich

 

[RTHORTON]

Met Mark at Tices this morning a great Army Birder and one of Rich S mates. He showed me photos of Bewick Swan he had taken leaving Tices workings about 8am. I was just a little late. I wondered why he had this big grin across his face I m sure we will all get to veiw. Of note we also got over 20+ Snipe 60+ Fieldfare 30 Linnet Lapwing and Meadow Pipit and Meadow Pipits in good numbers plus all the usual.
Rich.

 

[RTHORTON]

Tices just gets better with what is being seen, pm this evening Barn Owl hunting along A31 Shorteared Owl over Meadow 58 Greylag Goose 200 + Canada Goose Sky Lark calling well after dark 2 Foxes hunting lifting snipe.
Rich.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Even the workings now almost totally frozen, after a night of -4 temps.

Good number of wildfowl though still on the small unfrozen patches, both here and Tongham. Selected totals of 83 Tufties (72 Tong, 11 Tice), 48 Wigeon (25 Tong, 23 Tice), and 21 Pochard (1 Tong, 20 Tice). Also several flocks of Fieldfare over totalling 50 birds, but only 6 Snipe seen. Little Egret still on the stream, and single GBB Gull over.

 

[RJSeargent]

Descripitions of Gannet and Bewick's have been submitted to SBC by myself. The latter should pass muster as we all confirmed ID, as did Joh Clark whom I beleive is on the Surrey Rarities committee. The Gannet is straightforward but you never know.

Good news about both the SEO and the Barn Owl. Let's hope they are still there at the weekend.

Rich

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Tice's sightings made the papers!: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/courtsocial/article3663875.ece

 

[mattytheduke]

Gents,

A friend of mine is a gardener at Loseley Park, and contacted me earlier about their Spring Show, which runs from 19th-21st April. They have a free space for a stall and wondered if we want first dibs on it? Could potentially do a repeat of what Kevin and I did for the Heron Wood Community day last year?

Let me know your thoughts,

Matt.