You can follow our progress in the Quarry Life Awards on our dedicated blog.
Sunday August 12th
Richard Seargent reported a Common Sandpiper and a Garden Warbler this morning.
Monday August 13th
(c) Dina Burford - Greenfinch
(c) Dina Burford - Nuthatch
(c) Dina Burford - Nuthatch
(c) Dina Burford - Slow Worm
Tuesday August 14th
Peter Brown reported 2 Little Egret, a Swallow, 2 Sand Martin and 2 House Martin today.
Wednesday August 15th
(c) Ben Fitzcosta - Fox
(c) Ben Fitzcosta - Fox
(c) Ben Fitzcosta - Little Egret
(c) Ben Fitzcosta - Little Egret
(c) Ben Fitzcosta - Moorhen
Thursday August 16th
No reports.
Friday August 17th
Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Snipe, 3 Little Egret, 10 Teal, 18 Sand Martin, 12 House Martin, 4 Swallow, 2 Kestrel, 8 Buzzard, 3 Red Kite, a Sparrowhawk and 3 Hobby today.
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Vapourer Moth Caterpillar
Saturday August 18th
Dave Baker reported a Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe and 3 Swift this morning.
Sunday August 19th
John Hunt reported a Common Sandpiper, 29 Lapwing, 3 Little Egret, 12 Teal, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Swallow and a Hobby this morning.
In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, 2 Shoveler, a Swan Goose (escape), 50 House Martin, 20 Sand Martin, 70 Swift, a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine, 8 Buzzard and 2 Kestrel today.
(c) John Hunt - Bullfinch
Monday August 20th
Carey Lodge reported a Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine today.
(c) Carey Lodge - Common Blue Butterfly
(c) Carey Lodge - Wasp Spider
(c) Carey Lodge - 22-Spot Ladybird
(c) Carey Lodge - Brown Argus
Tuesday August 21st
Peter Brown reported a Little Egret, 9 Teal, a Kestrel and 3 Buzzard today.
(c) Murray Nurse - Migrant Hawker
Wednesday August 22nd
No reports.
Thursday August 23rd
Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, a Little Egret, a Bar-headed Goose (escape), 10 Teal, a Whinchat, a Stonechat, a Swallow, a Kestrel and a Buzzard this afternoon.
Five volunteers met this morning to erect 20 of the new bat boxes purchased for our new Bats Project. Read more about it here.
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Bernard Erecting a Bat Box
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Bird and Bat Boxes
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Bernard Erecting a Bat Box
Friday August 24th
Murray Nurse reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, 2 Little Egret, a Bar-headed Goose (escape) and a Yellow Wagtail today.
In addition, Mike Huddie reproted 3 Swift today.
Saturday August 25th
Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover, a Little Egret, 14 Teal, 2 Shoveler, a Bar-headed Goose (escape), a Swan Goose (escape), 2 Whinchat, a Stonechat, a Coal Tit, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, a Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, 30 House Martin, 2 Swift, 4 Buzzard and a Red Kite today.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Hobby this morning.
Eight volunteers met this morning and built a bird bath / reflection pool / bug hotel at the woodland feeding station.
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work
(c) Mark Elsoffer - The (Almost) Finished Bird Bath
Sunday August 26th
Richard Seargent reported a Common Sandpiper, 33 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Willow Warbler and a Stonechat this afternoon.
Grasshopper Warbler is the 129th species of bird recorded on site this year.
This is only the 5th recorded sighting of Grasshopper Warbler on site, and the first Autumn sighting.
Monday August 27th
Mark Elsoffer reported 3 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover, 4 Little Egret, a Bar-headed Goose, a Swan Goose, a Great Black-backed Gull, 32 Collared Dove, 700+ House Martin, 50+ Sand Martin, 12 Swallow, 5 Swift, 2 Hobby, 3 Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and 9 Buzzard today.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported 2 Dunlin, a Stonechat and a Whinchat this morning.
In addition, Dave Baker reported a Raven this afternoon.
The count of 32 Collared Dove is a new site record count.
The count of 700+ House Martin is a new site record count.
The Tice's Meadow Bird Group, in
partnership with the Surrey Bat Group, Farnham Town Council and the
Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust, are pleased to announce details
of our exciting new project to provide a suite of new homes for bats
in the Badshot Lea area.
The project has been funded by
generous grants of £500 from Farnham Town Council's Community Grants
Scheme, £500 from the Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust's Small
Grants Scheme, and £1,000 from the Surrey Bat Group.
Thirty
new bat boxes have been bought and erected in suitable locations at
Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve. The new boxes are state-of-the-art
designs in woodcrete – a mixture of wood, clay and concrete –
which won't leak, warp or crack, and should last for 25 years. The
nature reserve's existing Bat Cave (a re-used concrete conveyor belt
base on an island in a lake) will also be upgraded with more boxes
and crevices for bats.
Annual surveys of bat numbers on site
will be conducted by licensed surveyors, and the results used to
inform the habitat management efforts on the nature reserve. A number
of night-time bat walks will also be organised for members of the
local community to come and enjoy the bats living on their doorstep.
Five species of bat have been recorded
at Tice's Meadow, with Common Pipistrelles and Noctules a regular
sight on warm evenings, along with Soprano Pipistrelles and
Daubenton's. Brown Long-eared bats were found to be using the Bat
Cave as a winter hibernation site for the first time this year.
There are 18 species of bat in the UK,
with 17 known to breed here – almost a quarter of all the mammal
species in the UK. Bats are considered an “indicator species” -
their population trends can indicate changes to biodiversity or
habitat condition. Bats are also an important natural pest control,
feasting on mosquitoes and crop damaging insects each night.
In the UK bats, and their roosts, are
legally protected. All work on our project will be conducted by
suitably trained and licensed personnel.
Richard
Horton, Chairman of the Tice's Meadow Bird Group, said “this
wonderful project is the beginning of a great partnership between
ourselves, the Surrey Bat Group and the Blackwater Valley Countryside
Trust, with generous financial assistance from Farnham Town Council.
We are so grateful to our generous funders for making this project a
reality, and helping provide so many new homes for bats on our nature
reserve”.
Notes
The Blackwater Valley Countryside
Trust was founded in 2006 by enthusiasts who care
about the people and wildlife of the Blackwater Valley. A
registered charity, with dedicated Trustees using their wide range of
backgrounds to help conserve and improve the area's natural
environment. This includes managing its countryside, and
preserving its wildlife habitats and landscapes by making
conservation projects happen. The Trust run a small grants scheme to
fund projects by like-minded organisations in the Blackwater Valley.
More details can be found here: www.bvct.org.uk/grants
The Surrey Bat Group's aims are:
To protect Surrey's bat populations,
their roosts, hibernation sites, feeding grounds and flight lines.
To
advise landowners, planners and the public how they can help
conserve bats.
To
assess and record the current status of bats in Surrey, and to
monitor populations through survey work and scientific projects.
To
create opportunities for an increase in Surrey's bat population.
Farnham
Town Council administer a number of grant schemes that make funds
available to organisations and projects in and around Farnham. The
Town Council’s Policy on Community Grants is based on the
principle of promoting the development of partnerships which
encourage and enable local community organisations to deliver local
projects to the residents of Farnham.
Volunteers at Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve in Badshot Lea are celebrating the award of a £2,000 grant from Postcode Local Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People's Postcode Lottery, to purchase new tools and equipment.
The generous award from the Postcode Local Trust will enable the volunteers to purchase a whole suite of new hand tools, as well as a brush-cutter and other specialist tools for habitat management and conservation work parties, and the appropriate personal protective equipment.
Volunteers currently have to borrow, or supply their own, tools for use on site. Having a suite of their own tools will allow the group to expand their conservation activities and enable greater numbers of new volunteers to join in. New protective equipment will also enable the volunteers to continue to work safely on site.
Tice's Meadow is a new nature reserve in Badshot Lea, on the site of the former Farnham Quarry. The site is widely considered to be one of the best inland sites to watch birds in the south-east of England, with 192 species of bird having been recorded there over recent years. It is also a key local site for many species of butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles and amphibians, including many locally scarce and endangered species.
The Tice's Meadow Bird Group is a community lead group of local volunteers who help manage the nature reserve for the benefit of both wildlife and visitors. They spent over 2,000 hours volunteering on site in 2017 alone, with many exciting projects planned for 2018 including: a Biodiversity Trail, Woodland Bird Feeding Station, Swift Tower, Bird Watching Hide and Shelter. New volunteers, of all ages and experience, are always welcome to attend our work parties on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.
Richard Horton, Chairman of the Tice's Meadow Bird Group, said “our volunteers will really benefit from the new tools and equipment – enabling us to work on more projects and accommodate more new volunteers. We have a great team at Tice's Meadow and are working on some really exciting projects. We are very grateful to the Postcode Local Trust and the players of People's Postcode Lottery for their generous support”.
For more information about Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve, including details of volunteering opportunities, please see our website: www.ticesmeadow.org
For more information about the Postcode Local Trust, including details of how to apply for a grant, please see their website: www.postcodelocaltrust.org.uk
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
(c) Colin Wilson - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Volunteers Hard at Work at Tice's Meadow
You can follow our progress in the Quarry Life Awards on our dedicated blog.
Reporting Schedule 1 Species
As the breeding season is now reaching it's end, the ban on reporting
breeding Schedule 1 species on site has now been lifted. Thank you to
everyone who sent in their reports privately - much appreciated. We are pleased to announce that at least 1 pair of Little Ringed Plovers bred on site this year.
Once again, they chose an inaccessible & unobservable nesting spot, but were regularly seen to come and go from the nest.
2 juveniles were present on site at the end of July and observed for around 2 weeks.
Friday July 13th
Kevin Duncan reported a Greenshank today.
Saturday July 14th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Little Egret, a Bar-headed Goose (escape), 2 Red Kite, 4 Buzzard and a Peregrine today.
Mark also reported a Silver-washed Fritillary on Horton's Mound - the 2nd record this Summer.
5 volunteers met this morning and put up the dragonflies and butterflies painted by the children of Badshot Lea Village Infant School. There are now 30 hidden along the section of our trail that runs through the woods. If you visit site with your kids or grandkids, challenge them to see how many they can find!
We also joined members of the Edwards family and their friends this morning to dedicate the bench they have kindly donated in memory of their daughter Lisa. Thank you once again to the Edwards family for their generosity in supporting the work we do on site.
(c) Richard Seargent - Brimstone
(c) Richard Seargent - Large White
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Enjoying the Edwards Family's Company
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Putting Up The School Kids Artwork
Sunday July 15th
No reports.
Monday July 16th
No reports.
Tuesday July 17th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, a Bar-headed Goose, 2 Red Kite, a Kestrel and 4 Buzzard today.
Over today and tomorrow, Roger Dickey and Mark Cutts held a 24 hour bird ringing session with nets set up in the woods and reed beds. 63 birds were ringed, including 10 re-traps.
Steve Minhinnick and Mark Elsoffer ran the moth trap this evening and trapped 89 moths of 44 species, with 10 new species for the site.
This takes our moth list to 203, and our pan-species list to 1,176.
The Moth Trapping Results
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Roger & Slasher Ringing
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Roger & Slasher Ringing
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Roger & Slasher Ringing
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Moth Trapping
Wednesday July 18th
Susan Renaud reported a Treecreeper today - and managed to take the first ever photo of one on site.
(c) Susan Renaud - Brown Argus
(c) Susan Renaud - Gatekeeper
(c) Susan Renaud - Large White
(c) Susan Renaud - Meadow Brown
(c) Susan Renaud - Ringlet
(c) Susan Renaud - Speckled Wood
(c) Susan Renaud - School Kids Artwork
(c) Susan Renaud - School Kids Artwork
(c) Susan Renaud - School Kids Artwork
(c) Susan Renaud - Great Spotted Woodpecker
(c) Susan Renaud - Nuthatch
(c) Susan Renaud - Treecreeper
(c) Susan Renaud - Treecreeper
Thursday July 19th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Green Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Egret, a Common Gull, 3 Buzzard and 2 Red Kite today.
(c) Dina Burford - Grey Heron
(c) Dina Burford - Nuthatch
(c) Dina Burford - Juvenile Robin
Friday July 20th
We were delighted to be able to give a guided tour of the nature
reserve and our new Biodiversity Trail to some of the staff and
residents from Bells Piece Farnham today.
Bells Piece is a residential care home and day centre for adults with learning difficulties, based in Farnham and run by Leonard Cheshire Disability.
We are now into the third year of our rewarding partnership with Bells
Piece, with the resident's Wildflower & Grain Plot proving a huge
success, and forming a key feature on our Quarry Life Award Biodiversity Trail.
The Bells Piece Wildflower Plot is a great example of our dual
committment to benefit both local wildlife and local people, and is
another example of working "beyond quarry borders" to engage the local
community.
(c) Kev Campbell - Juvenile Blackcap
(c) Richard Horton - Bells Piece Visitors
(c) Richard Horton - Bells Piece Visitors
(c) Richard Horton - Bells Piece Visitors
Saturday July 21st
Mark Elsoffer reported 3 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover (2 juveniles), a Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Red Kite, 8 Buzzard, a Kestrel and a Peregrine (juvenile) today.
In addition, Dave Baker reported 8 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Coal Tit this morning.
Mark also reported a newly emerged brood of 9 Tufted Duck this morning. This is only the 5th record of Tufted Duck breeding on site, but the 3rd this year.
Kevin Duncan reported the first Wasp Spider of the year.
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Grass Snake Swimming Around Tern Raft
Sunday July 22nd
John Hunt reported 2 Common Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit (not limpy) this morning.
In addition, Sean Foote reported a Mediterranean Gull (juvenile), a Garden Warbler, a Red Kite and a Peregrine this morning.
In addition, a visiting birder reported a Redshank today.
Sean reported a new species for site today:
Four-banded Flower Bee (Anthophora quadrimaculata)
Sean Foote lead a guided walk on site this morning for members of the RSPB Guildford & District Local Group.
Monday July 23rd
Murray Nurse reported a Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, a Teal, 16 Common Tern, a Reed Warbler, a Buzzard, a Red Kite and a Hobby today.
In additon, Leonard Winchcombe reported a Green Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit (limpy) and a Snipe this morning.
Carey Lodge reported a new species for the site today:
Green-eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata)
(c) Carey Lodge - Green-eyed Flower Bee
(c) Carey Lodge - Green-eyed Flower Bee
(c) Carey Lodge - Green-eyed Flower Bee
(c) Carey Lodge - Green-eyed Flower Bee
Tuesday July 24th
Leonard Winchcombe reported 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper this morning.
Wednesday July 25th
Leonard Winchcombe reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher this morning.
In addition, Peter Brown reported 3 Little Egret and 23 Common Tern today.
Peter also reported a Tufted Duck female with 3 young, and a new Coot family with 4 young.
Thursday July 26th
Leonard Winchcombe reported 4 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and a Little Egret this morning.
Len also reported a new brood of 8 Mallard ducklings this morning.
(c) Dina Burford - Greenfinch
(c) Dina Burford - Wildflowers
(c) Dina Burford - Wildflowers
Friday July 27th
Mark Elsoffer reported 2 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Egret, a Common Gull, a Coal Tit, a Stonechat (juvenile), a Kestrel, 4 Buzzard and 2 Red Kite this afternoon.
Steve Langham found a wasp's nest today that had been raided, possibly by a Badger.
(c) Steve Langham - Raided Wasp's Nest
(c) Paul Mannering - Blackbird
(c) Paul Mannering - Green-veined Whites
(c) Paul Mannering - Juvenile Goldfinch
(c) Paul Mannering - Red Kite
(c) Kev Campbell - Long-tailed Tit
(c) Kev Campbell - Common Tern
Saturday July 28th
John Hunt reported 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Little Egret, a Stonechat and a Peregrine this morning.
Leonard Winchcombe reported a new species for site today: Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi).
(c) John Hunt - Bullfinch Female
(c) John Hunt - Greenfinch
(c) John Hunt - Bullfinch Juvenile
(c) John Hunt - Bullfinch Male
(c) John Hunt - Nuthatch
(c) John Hunt - Common Darter
(c) John Hunt - Fox Moth Caterpillar
Sunday July 29th
No reports.
Monday July 30th
Leonard Winchcombe reported 2 Peregrine (juveniles) this morning.
Kevin Duncan reported another new brood of Tufted Duck today (7 young).
Tuesday July 31st
No reports.
Wednesday August 1st
No reports.
(c) Murray Nurse - Elephant Hawk-moth Caterpillar
(c) David Glew - Wasp Spider
(c) Murray Nurse - Hornet Mimic Hoverfly
(c) Paul Mannering - Beautiful Demoiselle
(c) Paul Mannering - Common Blue Damselfly
(c) Paul Mannering - Common Darter
(c) Paul Mannering - Wasp Spider
Thursday August 2nd
Kevin Duncan reported a Little Egret, 3 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, a Willow Warbler and a Garden Warbler today.
In addition, Susan Renaud reported 5 Bullfinch (4 juveniles and an adult male).
Susan also reported a Small Copper butterfly - the first of the year - laying eggs near the Dragonfly Pond.
(c) Susan Renaud - Juvenile Bullfinches
(c) Susan Renaud - Small Copper
Friday August 3rd
Mark Elsoffer reported 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, a Coal Tit (juvenile), 2 Nuthatch and 2 Buzzard today.
Mark also reported at least 6 Clouded Yellow butterflies in front of Horton's Mound today.
Mark reported 2 cygnets, 4 Great Crested Grebe chicks and 2 broods of Tufted Duck (4 & 4).
In addition, Kevin Duncan reported 5 Gadwall and 2 Common Tern (juveniles) this evening.
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Nuthatch
Saturday August 4th
Dave Baker reported a Ringed Plover, 7 Black-tailed Godwit and a Peregrine (juvenile) this morning.
In addition, Kevin Duncan reported a Common Sandpiper and a Little Egret this evening.
In addition, Sarah Longes reported 3 Redstart today (an adult female and 2 juveniles).
This is only the 7th reported sighting of Redstart on site, but the 2nd this year. This is also a new record count for Redstart on site, with all previous sightings being of individual birds.
Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Buzzard and a Red Kite today.
24 people enjoyed a Surrey Bird Club guided walk around site this morning lead by Richard Horton.
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Surrey Bird Club Walk
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Surrey Bird Club Walk
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Surrey Bird Club Walk
Monday August 6th
No reports.
Tuesday August 7th
No reports.
Wednesday August 8th
Mark Elsoffer reported a Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover, 2 Little Egret, 3 Gadwall, a Teal, 2 Coal Tit (1 juvenile), 2 Nuthatch, a Kestrel, 3 Buzzard and 2 Red Kite today.
After a number of frustrating delays (planning issues) today finally saw the erection of our Swift Tower. The tower will provide homes for up to 11 pairs of Swifts. Each box
contains a feather-lined nesting cup all ready for use. A solar-powered
calling device is ready to add next Spring.
The tower is an integral part of the Blackwater Valley Swifts project being run by the Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust - 130 new homes for Swifts in the valley, with lots more to come!
We can't say thank you enough to the team from SSEN who erected the
tower for us (along with 2 Barn Owl box poles) and donated the pole in
the first place.
Thanks to Dick Newell of Action for Swifts for supplying the plans for the nesting box.
Thanks to Trevor Birkett for donating and building the swift calling device.
Thanks also to everyone who worked on this project. A real success for our team.
Let's hope the Swifts like it!
(c) Dina Burford - Feeding Frenzy
(c) Dina Burford - Nuthatch
(c) Mark Elsoffer - The Swift Nest Box on it's Final Journey
(c) Mark Elsoffer - The SSEN Convoy
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Digging the Hole
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Digging the Hole
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Manoeuvering the Nest Box
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Almost Up
(c) Mark Elsoffer - Almost Up
(c) Mark Elsoffer - The Finished Tower & The SSEN Team
Thursday August 9th
Richard Horton reported 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and 100s of Hirundines this morning.
In addition, Kevin Duncan reported 3 Ringed Plover this evening.
Friday August 10th
No reports.
Saturday August 11th
Dave Baker reported 7 Pochard and 2 Hobby this morning.
In addition, Mark Elsoffer reported 10 Teal, 3 Gadwall, a Pheasant, 40 House Martin, 12 Sand Martin, 40 Swift, 10 Swallow, 2 Red Kite, a Sparrowhawk and 3 Buzzard today.
In addition, Richard Seargent reported a Little Egret and a Hobby this evening.
11 volunteers who turned up for this mornings work party,
including newcomers Ellie and Issie who are volunteering at Tice's as
part of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. A new reptile hibernacula was built to the SE of Horton's Mound.
