Tice's Meadow: May 2026

Tice’s Meadow May 2026

Rushmoor Community Lottery

The TMBG have a page on the Rushmoor Community Lottery website to help us raise money for the nature reserve. Tickets cost £1 per week, of which, we will receive 50p per ticket and other local good causes receive 10p. There is a top prize of £25,000 for matching all 6 numbers and a range of other prizes.

Click the link below to go to our page, or scan the QR code on the poster. Thank you for your support.

Rushmoor Lottery (Link)

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 May 2026 Overall Bird Count

The bird year list now stands at 115 species (excluding 3 escape species). It was 114 (plus 2 escapes) in 2025.

78 bird species were reported in the recording area during May.

Thank you to everyone who reports their sightings.

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

TMBG

We have launched our new Facebook Group page where everyone can post their Tice’s Meadow related pictures, sightings, etc.

Friends of Tice’s Meadow | Facebook

A selection of sightings follows.

Friday 1st May

5 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 4 Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk, Stonechat, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Yellow Wagtail

This morning's work party with the Surrey County Council Ranger, the Surrey Choices Growth Team and seven TMBG volunteers focused on removing old plastic tree guards from the Bat Lake meadows. It was warm work on a lovely sunny spring morning, but we were rewarded with sightings of the season's first dragonflies and damselflies, along with a variety of other insects enjoying the meadow.

Female Broad-bodied chaser © Gillian Bamford

Large Red damselfly © Gillian Bamford

Female Azure damselfly © Gillian Bamford

Beautiful demoiselle © Gillian Bamford

Swollen-thighed flower beetle © Gillian Bamford

Saturday 2nd May

5 Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher, Stonechat

We are sorry to have to report that there has been a spate of vandalism and fire setting recently at Tice's Meadow. This culminated with the fire brigade having to be called late yesterday afternoon. The Tice's Meadow Bird Group are key holders and were able to help the firefighters with access to the site. The fire was extinguished without too much damage, though a fireman did say that it was a close call and the fire could have easily spread rapidly causing extensive destruction, including to the overhead power cables.

A group of children has been involved with starting fires, destroying trees, disturbing/removing log piles and moving the metal corrugated tins used as safe places for the wildlife. This has occurred in the woods and they have also been seen climbing on the roof of the hide. Not only is this dangerous for the children, but it will also affect any nesting birds - an offence in itself.

We kindly ask any parents to make children aware of the dangers to themselves and the harm that can be caused to our beleaguered wildlife by participating in the actions mentioned above. Tice's Meadow is a place to be enjoyed by all without any worry created by the conduct of others.

Thank you for your support in keeping Tice's Meadow a safe and beautiful place for wildlife and visitors alike.

The local police are aware of the current situation and will take action.

After a long wait, and a couple of days later than anticipated, the first owlet of 2026 has hatched. These videos show the female Barn Owl removing the eggshell.

These two videos show the first glimpse of the new owlet and of a brief moment when the female Barn Owl left the new hatchling lying on the six remaining eggs.

Common Tern © Richard Wright

Sunday 3rd May

Common Sandpiper, 4 Little Egret

Great News!

The first Swift was seen returning to the Swift Tower today. This is the 6th year for the colony.

Swift Tower © Alan David Taylor

Monday 4th May

Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher

Tuesday 5th May

Cuckoo (114th bird species for 2026)

Wednesday 6th May

2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, Stonechat

A clear view of owlet number two as the female Barn Owl leaves to stretch her wings. Five eggs to go!

Thursday 7th May

Common Sandpiper, Peregrine

Friday 8th May

Little Egret, Oystercatcher

Paul Bamford/Myung-hye Chun: Our May Riverfly Survey was completed today with three other volunteers. Overall, the results were slightly down on April, but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable morning by the river.

We recorded hundreds of Freshwater Shrimps (Gammarus), 4 Cased Caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera), just 2 Olive Mayfly nymphs (Baetidae), 3 damselfly nymphs (probably Blue-tailed Damselflies), 7 Alderfly larvae (Sialidae), and even a stickleback.

There were noticeably fewer Cased Caddisfly larvae and Olive nymphs than last month. Although Alderfly larvae are not included in the Riverfly monitoring score, they are also recognised as indicators of good water quality, so it was encouraging to find so many.

One of the highlights for me was spending time observing the Olive nymphs up close. I found myself completely mesmerised by their beauty.

After the Riverfly Survey, I also took part in the butterfly and bumblebee transect. Flying insects were in very short supply today, but we managed to record a single Speckled Wood butterfly, three Buff-tailed/White-tailed bumblebee workers, and one male Early Bumblebee feeding on the wintercress.

Despite the low numbers, I was delighted to see my first Marmalade Hoverfly and Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavipes) of the year, making the morning all the more rewarding.

Overall, it was a fascinating morning of wildlife recording. Although insect numbers were lower than hoped, there were still plenty of signs of life, from the rich diversity beneath the water's surface to a handful of welcome pollinators enjoying the spring flowers.

Damselfly Nymph

Stickleback

Painted Lady

Saturday 9th May

Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher

Green hairstreak found today on the path behind the Mound, further searching found another in the same area of the reserve. Believed to be a first sighting for the site. Also, first common blue butterfly for the year found.

Gillian Bamford: I was delighted to find two green hairstreaks behind the Mound this morning, not at all common on site previously. Other butterflies seen included the usual spring Brimstones and Holly Blues among others. Early Bumblebees (Bombus pratorum ) looking very bright and fluffy were enjoying the spring flowers, and there were damselflies active by the river. Kevin Duncan: Excellent find Gillian of the Green Hairstreak. This is the first confirmed sighting for Tice's Meadow after an unconfirmed sighting on 28th May 2015. There have no reports since then until today.

Green Hairstreak butterfly

Conservation grazing.

Sunday 10th May

Little Egret

Monday 11th May

No reported sightings

Three owlets and counting! As you can see, there are plenty of rodents to keep everyone fed.

Tuesday 12th May

Little Egret

Wednesday 13th May

Blackcap

Thursday 14th May

Common Sandpiper, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

Bruce watching the birds on the Workings

Friday 15th May

2 Little Egret, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

Over the Workings © Jack Spencer

A pleasant few hours today with the volunteers lifting the crowns of trees to enable more light to penetrate. This is for the benefit of wildlife and biodiversity. The area was checked for nesting birds first.

Before

After

Some of the volunteers

Simon Carroll: A busy morning working on crown lifting of the young trees to let more light to the understory near the bat lake with the volunteers and Surrey Choices then a walk round the site. Managed to see the newly emerged common blue butterflies, at least twelve on the wing.

Common Blue © Simon Carroll

Saturday 16th May

Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

The TMBG were made aware of Canada Goose goslings that were unable to get off one of the Tern Rafts floating in the Workings. A photograph had been taken and posted on social media, which caused there to be a huge outcry from people demanding action. After a lot of effort, we were able to get hold of a small boat, don lifejackets and row out to the raft. The goslings were placed in the water and they swam off to the waiting adult geese. A quick makeshift solution of a ramp was made using a plank of wood. This will enable any animal that needs to get over the clear Perspex screen surrounding the raft to do so safely. A second one was placed on the other raft.

Sunday 17th May

Grey Plover (115th bird species for 2026 - 11th site record – last recorded 19/05/2025), Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Stonechat

Grey Plover © Kevin Duncan

Grey Plover, stock photo

We paid another visit today to the two Tern Rafts on the large lake known as the Workings to reduce the steepness of the new ramps. While we were there, we also took the opportunity to ring the Black-headed Gull chicks. A total of 9 Black-headed Gull chicks were ringed. Another 7 chicks were too small to take a ring and there were at least another 18 eggs yet to hatch - possibly up to 25!

Black-headed Gull chicks

Black-headed Gull eggs

Monday 18th May

No reported sightings

Tuesday 19th May

Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Peregrine

Wednesday

Little Egret

Thursday 21st May

2 Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

Friday 22nd May

2 Hobby, 2 Little Egret, Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Shoveler, 3 Stonechat

Saturday 23rd May

Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, Oystercatcher, 2 Shoveler, Stonechat, Water Rail

Sunday 24th May

Kingfisher, 2 Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

Monday 25th May

Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

Tuesday 26th May

No reported sightings

Wednesday 27th May

3 Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Stonechat

Tuesday saw the first of this half term's children's events run by the Tice's Meadow Bird Group. The main activity was weaving and everyone had a great time under the guidance of Beverley.

Thursday 28th May

Little Egret, Oystercatcher

Friday 29th May

Cuckoo, 2 Little Egret, Oystercatcher, 4 Pochard, 2 Ringed Plover, Stonechat

A cuckoo was heard calling from beside the Workings this afternoon.

It was another busy and productive work party at Tice's Meadow, with ten fantastic members of the Surrey Choices Growth Team joining eight Tice's Meadow Bird Group volunteers for a day of habitat management.

Working in the area around the Bat Lake and beyond the Twin Oaks, the team tackled dense blackthorn and bramble that had been left unmanaged for at least the last ten years. This vigorous growth was beginning to overwhelm many of the young native trees, so the volunteers worked hard to clear it away, allowing more light and space for the trees to continue developing.

As well as clearing scrub, we carried out formative pruning on a number of young trees and selectively cut back bramble where it was having a negative impact on their growth. These simple management tasks will help the trees establish well and contribute to a healthier, more diverse habitat in the years ahead.

Simon Carroll: While taking a quick walk around the Silt Pond during the day, I was delighted to hear my first Cuckoo of the year at Tice's Meadow. There were also several butterflies on the wing, including Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Common Blue and Speckled Wood—a fitting reward after a day's hard work.