Tices Meadow

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England, Surrey

Overview

Tices Meadow is located between Farnham and Aldershot on the Surrey-Hampshire border in southern England. It is a mixture of unimproved meadow, gravel pits and shrubland.

Local bird group - Tice's Meadow Bird Group

Birds

Notable Species

• Gannet adult on 21st Jan 2013.
• Bewick's Swan 8 (7 ad, 1 FW) on 21st Jan 2013.
• Pied Avocet on 30th April 2007 and 5th September 2014.
• Eurasian Spoonbill on 14th July 2007.
• Pectoral Sandpiper on 7th September 2010 (NP by Surrey Rare Birds panel but seen by 4 independent birders)
• Little Stint 3 on 15th August 2010 and 1 on 16th-19th October 2010.
• European Pied Flycatcher on 6th April 2011.

Waders at a glance

The following waders have been seen at Tices Meadow. Migration periods are the best time to see waders although species such as Green Sandpiper can appear during any month. This site is fast becoming one of Surrey's best wader locations.

Oystercatcher, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Sanderling, Little Stint, Ruff, Pectoral Sandpiper (subject to acceptance), Jack Snipe, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper (subject to acceptance), Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone.

Rarities

• Eurasian Crag Martin on 22nd October 2006 (accepted by BBRC).
• Pectoral Sandpiper 1 juv on 26th September 2010 for 10 mins only (subject to Surrey Rarities Committee acceptance).

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Gannet, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, Mute Swan, Bewick's Swan, Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose,Canada Goose, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Egyptian Goose, Common Shelduck, Mandarin Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Common Scoter, Goldeneye, Goosander, Eurasian Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Red Kite, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Buzzard, Osprey, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Common Pheasant, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Eurasian Woodcock , Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, Little Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Little Tern, Black Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Roseate Tern, Stock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Turtle Dove, Common Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Western House Martin, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Common Nightingale, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Black Redstart, Common Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Wood Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Raven, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Mealy Redpoll, Common Bullfinch, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Lesser White-fronted Goose (ESCAPE), Black Swan (ESCAPE), Bar-headed Goose (ESCAPE), Ruddy Shelduck (ESCAPE)

Other Wildlife

Mammals: Roe Deer, Muntjac, Red Fox, Badger, various bat and rodent species.

Butterflies: Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Large White (Earliest 6th January 2008), Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Small Copper, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath.

Dragonflies* : Banded Demoiselle, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter.

• Epicentre of dragonfly activity in Surrey, Thursley Common, is c15 minutes drive away.

Site Information

History and Use

Has been called Farnham Quarry and Runfold Farm Moor in the past. Tice's Meadow is the now accepted colloquial name.

Areas of Interest

Thursley, Frensham and Crookesbury Common are within striking distance (15 minutes) as is Cutt Mill Pond and it's celebrated Mandarin Duck breeding and winter populations. The Aldershot military training areas are 10 minutes away with their heathland bird populations which include breeding Firecrest.

Access and Facilities

The entrance to Tice's Meadow is between Aldershot and Badshot Lea village along the B3208 Badshot Lea Road/Lower Farnham Road. Park on the road near Farnham Van Sales. Walk through the metal gate opposite. To view the flooded workings follow the path to the right and go up the viewing mound. Check the meadow from here. From the end of the viewing mound you can view the flooded workings and the silt ponds and a footpath takes you adjacent to the reedbeds and silt ponds. The route is circular or you can head south through the wooded area to the adjacent Tongham GP.

No facilities although there is a Sainbury's in Badshot Lea which has fuel and cafe facilities. The site is perhaps not ideal for wheelchair users especially in winter.

Contact Details

• Email [email protected]

External Links

Map

• Tices Meadow on Streetmap

Submit/Latest Sightings

• Surrey Bird Club
• Going Birding in Surrey
• Tice's Meadow Blog
• Birdforum Thread Tice's Meadow and Tongham GP, Surrey

 Twitter @ticesmeadow
 Twitter @SurreyBirdNews