The Tice's Meadow Bird Group enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2022, as it ran a total of 26 guided walks and 18 events at the nature reserve near Badshot Lea, attended by approximately 1,300 members of the public.

The award-winning group, whose mission is to promote public engagement and conservation of the newly-designated nature reserve in Badshot Lea, also ran 46 work parties and completed more than 5,655 volunteer hours on the site last year.

The group also reported it had recorded 142 bird species at the nature reserve in 2022. These ranged from the barn and tawny owl, to the gadwall and goldeneye, pied wagtail and pochard shoveler, siskin, snipe, oystercatcher, peregrin, cetti's warbler and even a rose-ringed parakeet. Find the full list here.

In November, Tice’s Meadow Bird Group scooped a national award at the Natural History Museum in London for its “outstanding contribution” to wildlife recording.

And just last week, a stunning photo of one of the reserve's resident foxes by Surrey Hills Photography was shared by wildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham as the final instalment of his '12 days of foxmas' initiative on Twitter.

Tice's Meadow, located on a former sand quarry, was officially ‘handed over’ by Hanson UK in October after its purchase by a partnership of six councils, including Surrey, Hampshire, Guildford, Waverley, Rushmoor and Farnham.

The 137-acre site, which is now fully restored, is now a part of the Surrey County Council countryside estate, and maintained by the bird group which was instrumental in saving the site from the threat of housing development.

The nature reserve provides the opportunity for visitors to explore the wildlife and natural environment through a circular walk, with footpath links to Tongham Pools and the Blackwater Valley. It offers a high biodiversity value from its wetland, woodland, and grasslands.