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

[RTHORTON]

One behalf of all Tices Birders we wish Ed all the the best and full recovery when your out of it let the Tices Crew take you for an away day even to take the piss caus we know you like that. All thinking of you mate.

 

[RJSeargent]

A quiet visit yesterday. Gull numbers are increasing but not to the extent of elsewhere. There was a 2nd year Great-black Backed Gull being chased by a Herring Gull, 7 Lesser-Black-backed Gulls, a similar number of Common Gulls and around 50 Black-headed Gulls. 2 Gulls in the water looked suspieciously like the adult Yellow-legged Gulls but I couldn't prove this.

A pair of Stonechats are still around and were adjacent to the mound at the edge of the reed-bed as was a lone Chiffchaff.

 

[mattytheduke]

Nothing much to add to Rich's tally from my late afternoon visit yesterday other than a Green Sand I flushed from the far end of the stream which flew into the workings, and around forty Fieldfare which were flying around evidently looking for a place to roost. When I left soon after 17:30 they had settled in the trees behind the mound. Having not visited for a couple of weeks I was astounded at the water levels.

Matt

 

[RTHORTON]

I have been reliably informed Barn Owl and Tawn Owl in Aldershot Park along River Blackwater late evening on a carm night. Will we get them on our 24 hr Tices night . Hope weather is better than at the moment. Volunteer work party had a good fire and cleared another section as well as litter pick today in this weather . Thanks to all. Water levels at 70.650 marker gone and still rising and we cant get rid of it .

 

[RJSeargent]

Congratulations to Rich H who has just found a Tice's first in the workings. Avocet currently on the Kiln side. Hope it stays.

One weekend trip to the patch on Saturday with a brief look-see from the Kiln on Sunday. There was a female Shelduck present in the workings on Sunday and it appeared that wildfowl numbers had again increased with a good number of Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall present. All the birds appear to be currently on the Kiln side of the workings.

 

[RTHORTON]

Dear all things starting to hot up with Avocet around meadow margins. A 1st for me at Tices but as Kev says 2nd record. Shellduck still . We also had Canada x Barnacle Goose and Canada x Greylag goose ,3 Great C Greab 2 Little Greab lots of Meadow Pipits, Water Rail calling pair of Stonechat and Reed Bunting. Duck numbers plentiful.

 

[bbsbirder]

After a quick visit today I returned to the car via Pea Bridge. Just before the bridge I flushed a Little Egret feeding in the River Blackwater. It didn't go far and perched on the Hawthorns only 10m away. I then noticed it was colour ringed. Both rings above the knee. On its left leg RED ring with code B and on its right leg YELLOW ring with code K Hope to have the ringing details in the next few days.

Kevin

Just received the ringing information:-

Metal Ring Number: GR36342

Ringed by Mid-Lincs RG as a nestling on 10th June 2013 at North Cotes, Lincolnshire.

It was found 174 days after it was ringed, 258 km from the ringing site, direction SSW.


Kevin

 

[RTHORTON]

Just received the ringing information:-

Metal Ring Number: GR36342

Ringed by Mid-Lincs RG as a nestling on 10th June 2013 at North Cotes, Lincolnshire.

It was found 174 days after it was ringed, 258 km from the ringing site, direction SSW.


Kevin

Thanks Kev for that . Just shows how far they travel.

 

[mattytheduke]

Just received the ringing information:-

Metal Ring Number: GR36342

Ringed by Mid-Lincs RG as a nestling on 10th June 2013 at North Cotes, Lincolnshire.

It was found 174 days after it was ringed, 258 km from the ringing site, direction SSW.


Kevin

Impressive. Well done Statto!

 

[RJSeargent]

#Tices24 bird survey again this weekend. RV at 1000hrs on Saturday finishing at 1000hrs on Sunday.

Camping out for the die hards (lighweights can come and go as they wish).

Bring:

Wellies
A collapsible chair.
Tarp, bivvy bag or small tent.
Warm Sleeping Bag.
Metal Mug.
Brew Kit.
A couple of beers.
Money for Fish and Chips and a Costa Coffee Replen.
A sense of humour.
Anything you think would make life comfortable.

Please let me know if you are interested.

 

[mattytheduke]

Unfortunately I'm not able to do the Saturday or overnight sessions but will probably be down first thing on Sunday morning.

Matt

 

[RTHORTON]

Dear all, After the 24 hr suvey Sunday we have a work party at 10 am when we hope to gather and burn SSE mess and also erect Bird and Bat boxes all wecome even for an hour.

 

[DaveC66]

Hope to get down on Saturday morning for a few hours ( Blinkman needs more sightings)

 

[RJSeargent]

Hope to get down on Saturday morning for a few hours ( Blinkman needs more sightings)

haven't you seen enough? You're way ahead on the sightings league table.

 

[RJSeargent]

This is what I believe to be the final list for the first of four Tices24 surveys. The survey took place on 1 and 2 of March and was aided by members of the Army Ornithlogical Society. The list follows the BOUs complete checklist of British Birds (August 2013). Not bad for a winter survey in Surrey I think.

2nd amendment - Now 68 species.

Many thanks for all who turned up when they could.

1 Mute Swan
2 Canada Goose
3 Egyptian Goose
4 Shelduck
5 Wigeon
6 Gadwall
7 Teal
8 Mallard
9 Shoveler
10 Pochard
11 Tufted Duck
12 Cormorant
13 Little Egret
14 Grey Heron
15 Little Grebe
16 Great-crested Grebe
17 Sparrowhawk
18 Common Buzzard
19 Kestrel
20 Peregrine
21 Water Rail
22 Moorhen
23 Coot
24 Golden Plover
25 Lapwing
26 Snipe
27 Black-headed Gull
28 Common Gull
29 Lesser Black-backed Gull
30 Herring Gull
31 Stock Dove
32 Woodpigeon
33 Collared Dove
34 Kingfisher
35 Great-spotted Woodpecker
36 Green Woodpecker
37 Magpie
38 Jay
39 Jackdaw
40 Carrion Crow
41 Raven
42 Goldcrest
43 Blue Tit
44 Great Tit
45 Skylark
46 Long-tailed Tit
47 Chiffchaff
48 Blackcap
49 Starling
50 Blackbird
51 Fieldfare
52 Mistle Thrush
53 Song Thrush
54 Redwing
55 Robin
56 Dunnock
57 House Sparrow
58 Grey Wagtail
59 Pied Wagtail
60 Meadow Pipit
61 Chaffinch
62 Greenfinch
63 Goldfinch
64 Siskin
65 Linnet
66 Bullfinch
67 Reed Bunting
68 1 x locked sighting

In addition we had the first Painted Ladies of the year with 2 on the mound and a Roe Deer in the night. A few notable species missing - we must do better next time. Next Tices24 planned for the end of April. Please let me know if I have missed any species.

 

[RTHORTON]

Magic weekend with 66 species noted over Sat and Sun on the Tices 24.Great that members AOS could join us as with blinkerman Ryan of the EA who did the stream alignment . We had a real good work party with erecting bird and bat boxes clearing willow from over fill pond burning more SSE cuttings and with Steve, Kev opening existing ditch at lower end of plant yard which could keep water levels down by 500m. But the big one is Sean s Tices Report how good is that . If you cant find it let me know .Well worth a look. Rich.

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

So yes, as Rich as touched on. I have finished the Tice's Meadow Bird Report for 2013, hopefully the first of many to come in future years.

If you would like a free electronic copy, drop me an e-mail, or send me a personal message on here with your e-mail address. Alternatively, we are hopefully in the process to printing some hard copies, which when available can be got from any of the Tice's regulars. We may have to charge a small fee to cover the printing costs for these.

 

[RJSeargent]

I see that the Staines Moor crew are now looking at holding a day long survey of their site; whether they spend a full 24 hours out remains to be seen. It appears that we are trend setters.

 

[RJSeargent]

Rich H and Dave B had 3 x Water Pipits yesterday. Corresponds with other sites that have similar numbers.

 

[RJSeargent]

This weekend a year ago a number of migrants turned up a Tice's. Remember it like it was yesterday - Sand Martins over the workings, Swallow flying along the hedgerow behind the mound and a White Wagtail landing bedraggled on the barbed wire in front of it. Here's hoping for a productive weekend coming.