============================================ || || *** The Lincolnshire Wildlife News Bulletin *** || 27th September 2009 || || LNU Website: http://www.lnu.org/ || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || ============================================ In this issue..... 1. Readers hints, tips and requests 2. Wildlife Highlights 3. Wildlife reports from around the county 4. News from the Lincolnshire Coast NNRs 5. News from Far Ings NNR 6. News from Lincolnshire Limewoods NNR 7. Sending in Reports - contributors please read! 8. Contact information 9.. Notes about these wildlife reports 10. Bulletin publicity policy 11. Events Diary ....and finally..... ============================================ The Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Bulletin is read by 890 people each week and we are keen to encourage even more readers to subscribe. LNU Wildnews Bulletins are available on: http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Each address contains the relevant date. Note: Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union or any associated organisations. Please make contact via the LNU Website: http://www.lnu.org/ or e-mail wildlifenews@lnu.org, or contact the Editor to join up and contribute articles or reports. [Or cancel!] E-mail: rparsons@enterprise.net ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Readers hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Finding the Bulletins *** LNU Wildnews Bulletins are available on: http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Note: Each address contains the relevant date for that particular Bulletin. e.g. bulletin2009jul26.txt If you spot any typos, please let me know. Keep those reports coming. Thanks. Roger *** Late Swift *** Jeremy Hutchinson writes: I have just read Peter Lilley's note re. his sighting of a Swift on 4th September. I saw a lone one on 3rd September over the A46 Newark bypass, which I'm sure is the latest I've ever seen one. *** Serin? *** Peter Wells asks: A friend said he spotted a serin in his garden. Is this a first or has anyone else seen one? He lives in Grimsby. *** Autum Birdwatch at Rimac *** John Walker writes: John Clarkson will be leading an autumn birdwatch from Rimac at 1000 hrs on sun the 11th October. This is a FREE event and a spare set of binoculars and a telescope are available for use. Wellies will be useful as the walk will possibly venture onto the saltmarsh. *** Alkborough Flats Photography Course *** Sarah Pimm writes: Sunday 4th October, 2pm Alkborough Flats Photography Course A look at photography using any camera from mobile phones to digital SLR, for all levels. Explore the Flats and capture the landscape and wildlife in pictures. FREE Booking essential 01724 721269 *** RSPB LINCOLN LOCAL GROUP EVENTS – OCTOBER *** BIRDWATCHING FOR BEGINNERS Sunday 4 October A leisurely walk round Hartsholme Country Park and Swanholme Lakes nature reserve, led by RSPB volunteers. Free. Meet outside the cafe at Hartsholme Country Park, Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln, by 10.30am. Walk takes about 2 hours. AUTUMN TO SPRING: illustrated talk by Mike Wilkes Thursday 8 October, 7.30pm A look at some British birds and wildlife with one of our most popular speakers. The Lincoln Suite, The Lawn, Union Road, Lincoln, LN1 3BJ. RSPB gifts and bird food and feeders on sale. RSPB members and students £3, other adults £4, accompanied children free. Parking charge at The Lawn. COACH OUTING TO SPURN POINT for migrants, winter thrushes, waders, etc. Sunday 11 October. Depart Jackson Building Centre, Canwick Road, Lincoln, LN5 8HG, 8am. Depart reserve 5pm. Adults £11.00, accompanied children £7.00. For further information and to book, call Mike Willey on 01522 888842. Cars may be left at Jackson Building Centre by kind permission of the management. All are welcome at all RSPB events. For more information visit www.lincolnrspb.org.uk *** South Holland LWT *** John Redshaw writes: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Event: South Holland Group Coffee Morning at Pinchbeck Village Hall on 10th October. 10am to midday. Entrance £1.00 includes refreshments. Stalls to include Trust sales, fruit and veg, bird seed, cakes, second-hand books, plants, bric-a-brac and raffle *** International Space Station *** This link will take you to a local prediction for ISS visibility in GMT. Set it for a local time or input your latitude and longitude for your own location. Other useful satellite and astronomical information. http://www.heavens-above.com/ *** Bird Club Garden Bird Survey *** Visit the LBC website garden bird survey section: http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/information/garden_bird_survey.htm *** Harlequin Ladybird Survey *** To report your sightings: www.harlequin-survey.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Wildlife Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Birdnews from FOCALPOINT *** UPDATED DETAILS. Sign up for local and national news for only £15 p.a. with text messaging also available, details of this and other services at www.fpoint.co.uk 21/9/09 LINCS 3 Lapland Bunting. Gibraltar Point NNR, over am. 24/9/09 LINCS GLOSSY IBIS. COVENHAM RESR, BRIEFLY AM IN FLD TO E. (2ND DAY). 25/9/09 LINCS 80 Pink-footed Goose. Covenham Resr, over N. TF362967. LINCS 1w Glossy Ibis. NE of Louth, 9am flew to Grainthorpe Marsh area. LINCS 1w Glossy Ibis. 2/3ml E.of Covenham Resr, mid am flew over rd that runs E. We are very grateful to FOCALPOINT for allowing us to reproduce Lincolnshire Birdcall reports, and strongly encourage keen birders to sign up to receive these on a regular basis. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work. BOSTON 20/09/2009 Roy and Kath Pearson I recently saw a friend who told me he had seen an exotic butterfly in his garden that he had never seen before, but which he had used the web to identify as a Comma. This alerted me to the fact that in recent weeks we have seen far greater than normal numbers of Commas in our garden and in the area in general. I wonder if this is a local phenomenon, or if they are in greater numbers than normal throughout Lincolnshire? *** County Wildlife Reports From Readers *** Please keep your reports coming, We rely on you to send in your observations and We welcome information from all readers, be they beginners or professionals. Thanks. ALFORD Alford Farlesthorpe Rd TF 457753 Colin Hutchinson, Chris J Manning 18 Sep 2009 Comma on pear tree. BRACEBY Braceby TF015353 Marion Ellis on 13/9/09 We have 7 house martins nests with young in, 2 on the front (SE) and 5 on the back (NW) of our house. Evidenced by all the droppings. One nest seems to have failed, with dead young thrown out. FRAMPTON MARSH Malcolm Johnson Frampton Marsh 25 September 10.30 to 14.30. Common Gulls - 31 (3 young) Curlew 1 Dunlin 2 Gold Finch 1 Grey Heron 1 House Martin 6 Kestrel 3 Lapwing 8 Linnets 15 Little Egrets 17 (Mainly on the Marsh.) Little Grebe 1 Little Stint 5 Magpie 2 Mallard 5 Mute Swans 9 Ringed Plover 6 Starling 25 Tufted Ducks 21 HUMBERSTON TA 31 04 LNU Meeting led by Brian Hedley and Colin Smith 19 September 2009 12.00 to 22.30 Attended by 12 people. Plants Over 90 species noted including native black poplar (3 specimens) and blunt-flowered rush. Bryophytes A restricted list but including: Orthotrichum diaphanum, Ulota phyllantha and Zygodon conoideus. Amphibians Common Toad 1 juvenile Common Frog 50+ juveniles Mammals Common Pipistrelle Bat 10-15 Noctule Bat 1 Probable Myotid sp bat 1 Fox (signs) Grey Squirrel (1) Water Vole (frequent signs) Birds 36 species noted including tawny owl, little owl, yellow wagtail and bullfinch. Butterflies Small White 8 Small Tortoiseshell 5 Peacock 1 Comma 1 Small Copper 1 Speckled Wood 4 Holly Blue (caterpiller) Moths At least 45 species including twin-spotted wainscot, diamondback moth, sallow, frosted orange and centre-barred sallow. Dragonflies /Damselflies Common Darter 10 Ruddy Darter 2 Migrant Hawker 4 Blue-tailed Damselfly 1 Other Invertebartes Two noteworthy bugs (Heteroptera): Anthocoris limbatus is the first LNU record for the county. Piesma quadratum is the third county record, the others being at Donna Nook and Saltfleetby. TRENT PORT, MARTON SK834 813 Brian Hedley 25 September 2009 Fresh set of mink prints along bank of Trent Green Sandpiper 3 Snipe 1 Wigeon 35 Teal 8 Kingfisher 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Jay 2 Goldfinch 55 Migrant Hawker 1 WILDMORE FEN TF 216534 R & A Parsons 23/9/09 A.Parsons Comma 25/9/09, 15.30hrs R. Parsons Red Admiral Painted Lady Small white 4 Small tortoiseshell Toad Common frog 2, very yellow individuals. Bat spp echolocating @ 55kHz, 19.00hrs. WRANGLE COMMON TF4352 Roy and Kath Pearson 21/09/2009 Muntjac ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. Lincolnshire Coast NNRs including RSPB Wash Reserves See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/birds/index.php http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/lwt/seals/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIBRALTAR POINT N.N.R. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/gib/index.php Katherine Bocock No report yet. SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=41 John Walker w/e 25/9/09 With 79mm of rainfall measured on the nnr since the 010809 and most of that in august the water table is now very low and the dunes very dry with little nectar source to be found thus only 4 butterflies on the transect this week, 2 small copper, 1 small tortoiseshell and 1 speckled wood. Various migrant birds were seen over the late part of last week and the weekend, these included: 1 icterine warbler, 1 greenish warbler, 1 lapland bunting, and 1 yellow browed warbler, several skeins of pink foot geese passed over. A total of 14 snipe on the saltings, a scattering of small groups of blackbirds, song thrushes, chaffinches, and goldcrests were also noted, and 5 little gulls roosting in the 2500 mixed black head and common gull roost. c140 common scoter on the sea. And a steady passage of gannets, with a few great, arctic and pomarine skuas. The spring tides over the weekend were very high, flooding onto the low foredunes in places. RSPB WASH Reserves - Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/index.asp http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore/index.asp Paul French Recent sightings Lincs Wash Reserves No reports yet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. News from Far Ings NNR http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/far_ings/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Report follows. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. News from Bardney Limewoods NNR http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Limewoods/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reports from the following locations will now be posted here to give an overview of Limewoods ecology. The NNR includes the following sites: Chambers Farm Wood (please detail specfic area when reporting e.g. Ivy Wood, Little Scrubbs Meadow etc); College Wood, Cocklode & Great West Woods, Hardy Gang Wood, Newball Wood, Scotgrove Wood, Southrey Wood, Wickenby Wood Other woods included in the NNR but without public access: Stainfield Wood; Stainton & Fulnetby Woods (access by public bridleway only) Adrian Royle's website for photos of species from the Limewoods. http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157616635241942/ No reports, again. Does no one go there? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. Sending in reports to Roger Parsons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The purpose of the Bulletin is to encourage biological recording in Lincolnshire using modern Information and Communication Technology. We hope to increase the number of people reporting observations to LNU Recorders and improve the quality of reports, as well as the quantity and the geographical coverage. In return for this FREE service, we ask you to provide reports, questions, news or relevant articles from time to time. Descriptive pieces are welcome - you don't have to stick to lists! Mailing times vary, depending on what I am doing. The Bulletin usually goes out on Sundays. Please e-mail in your contributions as early as possible to ensure they are included, to: rparsons@enterprise.net [A backup e-mail address you can use if ever you experience problems with my "Enterprise" address is: aintree2@yahoo.co.uk ] When sending in reports please follow this layout to save reediting: Place Name: IN CAPITALS with Grid Reference if you have it. Your Name: Real names please, not aliases. Put it in each time, for each location Date: Species list [Alphabetical?] & numbers [and observations?] e.g. Blackbird - 24 [And please, no home-grown abbreviations. Names in full.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. Contact Information & Useful Websites ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please let me know ASAP if any of these weblinks fail! *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union Website *** A full list of LNU Country Recorders is given here. http://www.lnu.org/ LNU e-mail: info@lnu.org If you are not yet a member, the LNU needs good naturalists like you! Anyone interested can get membership application forms via Tori Sandilands at the Lincs Wildlife Trust Horncastle office, e-mail vsandilands@lincstrust.co.uk LNU publications [listed on LNU website] may be ordered via: csmith668@btinternet.com *** Contacts List *** PC Nigel LOUND Wildlife Crime Officer - Community Safety Police HQ Deepdale Lane Nettleham Lincs LN57PH Tel 01522 558684 e-mail: nigel.lound@lincs.pnn.police.uk or Nige LOUND Wildlife Crime Officer County Police Station Sea Lane Ingoldmells Lincs PE24 44XX Tel: 01522 558684 *** Lincs Amphibian and Reptile Group *** The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) has assembled a committee in order to access funding sources, develop training courses and survey for reptiles and amphibians in Lincolnshire. For further details please contact ashleybutterfield@btinternet.com tel.07984 66 5847 *** The Lincolnshire and Rutland Limestone Grassland Project *** We need as many volunteers as possible over the next two summers to help us survey roadside verges in your area. You will not need previous experience as a wild flower ID guide and training will be provided. Contact: Mark Schofield, Limestone Grassland Project Officer, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Banovallum House, Manor House Street, Horncastle, LN9 5HF, mschofield@lincstrust.co.uk, Mobile: 07825970930, Switchboard: 01507 526667. *** Local Bat Helpline *** Gounded bats, bat problems, advice and information? Contact Annette and Colin Faulkner on 01775 766286 or e-mail: A.Faulkner@care4free.net *** Bat Recorder *** You may send confidential bat records direct to Annette Faulkner on: A.Faulkner@care4free.net *** Butterfly Conservation Recorder *** Allan Binding asks contributors of butterfly records to the Bulletin to include their address or contact telephone or e-mail address and Grid Reference if possible. e-mail: allan.binding@ntlworld.com See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/bfly/index.php *** LNU Bees and Wasps Recorder *** Dr Michael Archer 17 Elmfield Terrace, Malton Road, York YO31 1EH. [Willing to check or identify any aculeate wasp or bee specimen. Such a specimen usually has to be relaxed and mounted on a pin before it can be examined. If more than a few specimens are sent in, they must be mounted.] *** OTTERS *** Readers are reminded that all dead Otters should be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060. Mammal records can reported to chris_j_manning@hotmail.com Mink reports also of interest and can be sent via the Bulletin. *** New Met Office Service *** The Met Office website now offers an email notification service for severe weather and other matters which may interest readers. Worth having a look and signing up. Be warned of the possibility of severe weather. See: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2009/pr20090727.html *** Hummingbird Hawk Moths *** Had another in the garden this week. See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/hawkmoths/index.php Send in your records to the Bulletin and to the Butterfly Conservation website. http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/sightings/1096/humming_bird_hawk_moth.html *** LNU Moths Gallery *** There is now a moth page on the LNU Website, to promote the recording of moths across the county. http://www.lnu.org/ Also see: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/hawkmoths/index.php *** LNU Plant Galls Recorder *** Graeme Clayton 2 The Dene Nettleham Lincoln LN2 2LS g.clayton@ntlworld.com Willing to check or identify any plant gall material. Recording forms www.british-galls.org.uk *** Slug ID Help *** Chris du Feu will help with slug identification. You can telephone him on: 01427 848400 or e-mail: chris@chrisdufeu.force9.co.uk *** Lincolnshire Badger Group *** If you have important information about badger activity or badger road casualties please e-mail the information to: Ian Frudd, e-mail address Fruddfolk@tiscali.net *** Bird Club Recorder *** LBC County Bird Recorder Steve Keightley: steve.keightley@btinternet.com *** Other Useful Websites *** Key links are now being posted on the LNU website. http://www.lnu.org/ This should save space in the Bulletin, Check it out. Suggestions for other useful Websites are welcome. English Nature is now "Natural England" http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ Still includes SSSI Information and "Nature on the Map" Lincolnshire Environmental Awards http://www.lincsenvironmentalawards.org.uk/ Lincs. Wildlife Trust Website http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ Useful emergency numbers for wildlife crises. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/ Lincs Environmental Records Centre Lincolnshire Environmental Records Centre newsletters can be downloaded from: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/ Development Officer, Margaret Haggerty's e-mail: mhaggerty@lincstrust.co.uk Tornado and Storm Research Organisation www.torro.org.uk Contact Ian Loxley on colarain@tiscali.co.uk RSPB Contact Details RSPB Website: www.rspb.org.uk www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh John Badley, Site Manager for RSPB Lincolnshire Wash reserves e-mail: freistonshore@rspb.org.uk South Lincs RSPB Local group's website address: http://www.southlincsrspb.org.uk/ Sub Regional Country Park North Kesteven District Council The concept of the Sub Regional Country Park (SRCP) is to create an easily accessible network of managed outdoor places by developing links and routes between existing green spaces and facilities, and exploring the opportunities for creating new, sustainable recreational facilities and supporting nature conservation objectives. This might include the restoration of old quarries; constructing new all purpose paths; or simply providing access to new areas of woodland, lakes and open land for countryside focussed activities. Contact: Luisa McIntosh Project Officer, Sub Regional Country Park North Kesteven District Council Tel: 01529 414155 ext 2469 Direct Line: 01529 308069 www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/subregionalcountrypark Bardney Limewoods www.limewoods.co.uk [New URL] limewoods@lincolnshire.gov.uk *** Harlequin Ladybird Survey *** To report your sightings: www.harlequin-survey.org/ *** Sir Joseph Banks *** The Sir Joseph Banks Society is based at the Sir Joseph Banks Centre in Horncastle and a programme of events has been arranged for both members and non-members. New members to the Society are always welcome. Contact 01507 528223 or by email: enquiries@joseph-banks.org.uk. Latest newsletter and related articles are available on: www.joseph-banks.org.uk *** Trent Aegirs *** Don't forget that the bore often comes up to half an hour before the expected time. www.environment-agency.gov.uk and go to Midlands link or search for 'Trent Aegir'. or try: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/timetable_2-Trent.pdf *** Before You Set Out. *** Check tide times on Admiralty EasyTide: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx Check the weather forecast for the location or postcode: http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/ *** Other Useful E-mail Addresses *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union: info@lnu.org Gibraltar Point: gibpoint@lincstrust.co.uk Far Ings: farings@lincstrust.co.uk Whisby Nature Park: whisbynp@lincstrust.co.uk NEW Syke's Farm: lwt@sykesfarm.org.uk Lincs. Trust HQ: The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust main e-mail address: info@lincstrust.co.uk Lincolnshire FWAG: lincoln@fwag.org.uk Chambers Farm Wood NEW contact - Mary Porter Mary.porter@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Lincolnshire Bird Club Secretary - Janet Eastmead: janet.eastmead@talktalk.net Membership Secretary - Mike Harrison: michael@michaelharrison1.wanadoo.co.uk If you would like your e-mail listed here, please let me know. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9. Notes about these wildlife reports ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We do our best to ensure accuracy in our reporting but these records are sent in by a variety of reporters, from complete beginners to professionals. They therefore vary in reliability and in certain cases they are impossible to verify. If further information is needed on locations or reporters, or if you wish to question/confirm any of these records, contact: rparsons@enterprise.net Bulletins are sent to Biological Recorders at the Lincs. Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union and Lincolnshire Bird Club. [Note: Where plants are reported, this is usually because they have been seen "in flower".] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10. The Bulletin's publicity policy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We will not be giving precise details of the location of rare or endangered species. Please point out any sensitive or "tricky" reports of this kind. We ask that you respect the interests of wildlife and site owners if you report to national networks. Make a point of explaining site sensitivity and any restrictions on access. An interest in wildlife is not a licence to act irresponsibly/thoughtlessly to landowners, who may well be partners in important conservation work. [Remember - views expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions on the LNU or associated organisations. In particular this applies to such agencies, especially charities, taking a political stance.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11. LNU Events Diary For LNU meetings also see www.lnu.org/events.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** LNU Field Meetings 2009 *** Sunday, October 18, 2009 Fungus Foray - Roughton Moor Wood, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Reserve Fungus Foray 12.00 for 13.00 start. Site located off Moor Lane, a minor road between Woodhall Spa and Kirkby on Bain. Restricted parking along Moor Lane (do not block tracks). Meet at site entrance at TF210 631. Habitats: Mixed Woodland and heathland. Leaders: Ken Rowland 01522 686900 and Ray Halstead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails This Week *** The following address(es) gave an error message. I have deleted them from the mailing list. If you recognise any, please pass on the message "Contact me if you wish to continue to receive the Bulletin." Thanks. Roger Mailfails lincstrust@gibpoint mangoklecks ---------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons http://rogerparsons.info/