September 2025

 Tice's Meadow September 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 September 2025 Overall Bird Count

The bird year list now stands at 124 species (excluding 2 escape species). It was 133 in 2024.

81 bird species were reported during September.

Thank you to everyone who reports their sightings.

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

TMBG

Monday 1^st September

Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Kingfisher, Swift

Tuesday 2^nd September

Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, 5 Green Sandpiper, 23 Mute Swan, 22 Sand Martin

Wednesday 3^rd September

Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern, 10 Cormorant, 3 Green Sandpiper, Hobby, 15 Swift

Changing of the guard at Tice's. Now that autumn is here, and winter is on the way, the grazers need some adjustment. There will be less to forage, therefore, three of the four cattle have gone and the one remaining has been joined by two more. This means the three younger cattle of the possible six will be at Tice's for the winter.

Thursday 4^th September

2 Hobby, Kestrel, Peregrine, 15 Sand Martin, 19 Swallow

Last Friday's volunteer work party was cancelled due to the inclement weather. However, three brave souls did clear some willow in the main meadow to improve the view of the water's edge from the mound.

After clearing

Friday 5^th September

c450 Canada Goose, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Common Sandpiper, 14 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Green Sandpiper, 7 Grey Heron, 22 Greylag Goose, 3 Hobby, Kingfisher, 35 Lapwing, 3 Little Grebe, Peregrine

Saturday 6^th September

Common Tern, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Hobby, Sedge Warbler, 3 Yellow Wagtail

Sunday 7^th September

Hobby, Snipe

We are delighted to have performed our marshalling duties for the Farnham Pilgrim Marathon. Inaugurated in 2010 by the Rotary Club of Farnham Weyside, the full and half marathon takes place in the Surrey Hills and has been described as one of the prettiest trail events in the UK. 

The Rotary Club have always supported the work of the Tice's Meadow Bird Group and have helped us, and the reserve, over the years.

Monday 8^th September

225 Canada Goose, Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 14 Grey Heron, 2 Hobby, 4 Little Grebe, Peregrine, 3 Snipe

The first Wigeon of the autumn have returned to the workings.

Wigeon - © Colin Varndell

Tuesday 9^th September

8 Collared Dove, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Egyptian Goose, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Hobby, 2 Little Egret, Meadow Pipit, Peregrine, 5 Sand Martin, Sparrowhawk, 2 Stonechat, 2 Wigeon

Wednesday 10^th September

6 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Hobby, 23 Mute Swan, 3 Snipe

Thursday 11^th September

6 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Hobby, 23 Mute Swan, 3 Snipe, Reed Warbler

Friday 12^th September

Blackcap, 3 Common Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 6 Green Sandpiper, 3 Hobby

The Friday work party consisted of clearing more willow from the meadow.

Saturday 13^th September

2 Common Sandpiper, 9 Cormorant, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Hobby, 5 House Martin, Red Kite, 10 Sand Martin, 2 Whinchat

Sunday 14^th September

2 Cetti’s Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 8 Sand Martin, Whinchat

Monday 15^th September

3 Common Sandpiper, 13 Cormorant, 2 Green Woodpecker, 6 Greylag Goose, House Martin, Kestrel, 38 Lapwing, Sand Martin, 5 Snipe

Tuesday 16^th September

Common Sandpiper, Goldcrest, 4 Green Sandpiper, 5 Snipe

Two Black-necked Grebes reported in the Workings this afternoon.

Black-necked Grebe - © Kev Campbell

Wednesday 17^th September

2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 13 Sand Martin, 5 Snipe

Despite it being a bit of a damp grey day, we were delighted to show round a group of 15 people for the National Trust's Heritage Open Days 2025 annual event. All the attendees were new to Tice's Meadow and enjoyed the tour led by the TMBG's very own Paul B.

National Trust Heritage Open Day Walk - © Paul Bamford

Thursday 18^th September

2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Rook, 3 Sand Martin, 5 Snipe, Sparrowhawk, 11 Swallow, 46 Stock Dove

Friday 19^th September

3 Cetti’s Warbler, Common Sand Martin, 3 Green Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler, 6 Snipe, Willow Warbler

Saturday 20^th September

Blackcap, 8 Goldfinch, 6 Meadow Pipit, Reed Warbler, 3 Rook, 2 Sedge Warbler, Sparrowhawk

Sunday 21^st September

12 Collared Dove, Common Sandpiper, Great White Egret, Green Sandpiper, 3 Stonechat, 6 Wigeon. Willow Warbler

Monday 22^nd September

Common Sandpiper, 16 Cormorant, Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Kingfisher, 3 Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Yellow Wagtail

Tuesday 23^rd September

13 Cormorant, 2 Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, 2 House Martin, Nuthatch, 24 Sand Martin, 6 Snipe, 7 Swallow

Wednesday 24^th September

Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, Nuthatch

The bat boxes were surveyed today by licensed handlers. It was noted that the boxes are getting more use each year. Three boxes were occupied with a total of eighteen bats. All appeared to be Soprano Pipistrelle bats.

Thursday 25^th September

Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, 24 Mute Swan, Wheatear

Friday 26^th September

3 Cetti’s Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Nuthatch, 5 Pochard, 60+ Swallow, Wheatear

Thanks again to 22 volunteers including Surrey Choices in partnership with Surrey County Council, helped to clear willow from various areas on Tice’s Meadow. New volunteers are always welcome, please see dates for next volunteer days at following link (now includes a Saturday)

Tice's Meadow Bird Group Facebook Page

Phil reclaimed and fettled the bird boxes we had left over from this year’s Box Buildathon. He spent a couple of days cleaning and rebuilding them ready for any future events for 2026.

Saturday 27^th September

Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 House Martin, 5 Sand Martin

Sunday 28^th September

2 Green Sandpiper, 11 Cormorant, Pintail (124^th bird species for 2025 – 24^th site record)

The TMBG assisted in the first Blackwater Valley Action for our Rivers (BVAR) water testing and Riverfly survey today. Water results showed a very healthy river, and the Riverfly survey found the best diversity and species numbers gathered so far on the Blackwater & Hart river systems. Good news and evidence that our conservation efforts are working with the water leaving Tice's in a condition about as good as you can get. Just a few miles downstream, just past the Aldershot sewage works, the results (taken just 4 hours after ours) were alarming with nitrates off the scale and phosphates not much better.

Blackwater River running through Tice's Meadow

Monday 29^th September

9 Meadow Pipit, Pintail, 12 Wigeon

Tuesday 30^th September

Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Pintail