============================================ || || *** The Lincolnshire Wildlife News Bulletin *** || 17th January 2010 || || 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 Note: Each address contains the relevant date. 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MEETING CANCELLATIONS and CHANGES *** NOTE: All details of meetings DEPEND ON THE WEATHER and you may need to check locally to confirm that meetings are on. Can I ask that those who send in the information endeavour to get news of cancellations out on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, please? It helps if you give a contact method with your event details: phone, email or website. *** MailFails This Week *** Some readers may need to change their anti-bulk-mail settings to flag my address as safe so the Bulletin is not blocked. Affected are Hotmail, also msn and Live. Meanwhile, if you hear of anyone bemoaning the lack of a Bulletin, please refer them to the Bulletin Portal where they will find it. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html *** Natural Snowballs *** For those wishing to know more about the natural snowballs we had down here during the snow and high winds, see the following article. We can send photos of ours if you are interested, just ask. Roger www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/6950788/Snow-stories-rare-self-rolling-snow-balls-found-in-UK.html *** Reschedule of LNU Meeting *** Grisly Biology - an Introduction to Forensic Entomology Richard Chadd has asked us to publicise the new date. 30th January in Coot Room of Whisby Education Centre. Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln. Start at 2pm. Dr Dorothy Gennard is principal lecturer in Biological Science at Lincoln University. All welcome. Sounds very good. Please support if you can. *** Bird Mortality *** Editor writes: Picked up dead m chaffinch and song thrush today. Uninjured, so I take the cause to be hunger and cold. The Thrush seemed very under weight and wasted. Lots of birds using my feeding station: Tree and house sparrow, chaffinch and greenfinch, robin, great, coal and blue tit, starling. Dunnocks and collared dove under feeders. GS Woodpeckers on nuts as usual BUT Anne saw a Green woodpecker eating a windfall apple, so they must be hungry. Dozens of blackbirds and fieldfares quick to come to apples, which we are throwing out for them now. They have clearedr up the windfalls we had left for them but we always have several boxes in the shed against weather like this. Up to 150 in orchard at times. Their alarm reaction to the local sparrowhawks is impressive - 50-100 heads up as soon as one is about. Wrens very busy. A beekeeper contacted me reporting woodpecker attacks on beehives, another sign of their hunger. Anne Goodall adds: Certainly the numbers coming to my feeders, which I've kept topped up night and morning, have declined. I suspect the same is true of the Wood Centre station, which I've also checked daily. Since we shovel food out there this can only mean there are fewer birds around than there were before the freeze began. *** Donna Nook pups 2009/10 *** Rob Lidstone-Scott writes: Final pup numbers for Donna Nook: 1371 Yet another record. *** Swan study and Winter Wildlife Mortality *** Anne Goodall writes: Thanks to John Beswick, for the note on the swan herd at Donna Nook on 2 January. Although just a little far from Lincoln to be counted in our census, it is of interest that he notes they were grazing on rape. We are certainly interested to hear details of species being grazed by swans anywhere in the county, with date. Grazing preferences and when these change is showing up as a factor in our study. Anyone living near or visiting lakes and rivers this month can't help but have noticed the severe problems all waterfowl are having with icing, but there is an extra concern for swans. They are accustomed to dropping down on to water and being our heaviest bird, doing this on solid ice (as on roads) is causing casualties. Damaged legs are visible but damaged hip bones and internal organs tend not to be. If anyone finds swan corpses, especially now but at any other time also, please a)check for a ring; and b)whether they are ringed or not, please report location and date to this bulletin. Before the freeze came we had just arranged a spring flight over the whole study area to photograph swans from the air, and hopefully get a full census and locate any herds we have missed. Now that this has happened, it will also allow us to determine the level of fatalities caused by the freeze. *** Wreck *** Keith Halton writes: I realise this is off topic for a wildlife newsletter but does anyone know anything about the remains of a wooden ship that appeared on the beach at Sutton? I can only assume strong winds and waves we have had lately cleared the sand so exposing it as I have not seen it since we have lived here (only just over a year) so am intrigued by its history. It's probably just an old fishing boat that got abandoned and slowly faded away but I would be interested to know something about it. It's no more than 50 metres out from the Central Prom opposite the main access, there is one further down that I knew about that has become far more exposed. *** LNU Events Diary *** For all LNU meetings also see section 11 below and www.lnu.org/events.php Indoor Meetings are held on Saturdays at the Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln and start at 2pm. Saturday, February 13, 2010 Recorders' Meeting The annual reports from the LNU recorders for 2009. Always very good. All welcome. *** Alkborough Flats Events *** Sarah Pimm writes: 5th February, 4pm Winter Wonder See wildlife in a whole new light. An evening stroll out to the Trent bank to witness the magic of the winter wildfowl coming in to feed and roost. 6th February, 2pm Photography Capture the magic of the Flats and the surrounding area with the help of a local photographer. All levels and any camera welcome. Both events are free but booking is essential Call (01724) 721269 *** Grimsby and Cleethorpes LWT Area Group Events *** Carolyn Lovely writes: Grimsby & Cleethorpes LWT On Friday 22nd January 2010 brush off your cobwebs and join us at our Wild Life Quiz. This will be held at St.Giles Large Church Hall, St. Giles Avenue, Scartho, Grimsby and will start at 7.30 pm. There will be a raffle, stall and literature about the Trust. Admission is £2.50 to include tea/cofee. All are welcome. Contact Jennie Redpath - 01472 502858 for further details. *** South Holland Area Group of the LWT *** Colin Faulkner writes with dates for your diary. Tuesday February 9th 2010 Mr. D. Bromwich will inform us about “Nature Reserves of the Woodhall Spa Area” Tuesday 9th March 2010 Mr D J Rackham will tell us of the “History of the Landscape of the River Witham” Tuesday 13th April 2010 when the Annual General Meeting followed by “The Nature Reserves of South Holland”. The wardens of these reserves will give us an overview of them. *** Whooper Swans *** Subject: Whooper Swans Those who enjoyed the spectacle of the seals at Donna Nook may also enjoy seeing the Whooper Swans at Welney in Norfolk. Another stunning experience, if a somewhat longer drive. See: http://new.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/welney ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Missed from last week: 5/1/10 LINCS Lapland Bunting. Tetney Marshes RSPB, + m.Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin. 12/1/10 LINCS 6+ Lapland Bunting. Frampton Marsh RSPB, 11.45am from 360 Hide + 25 Snow Bunting, 10+Twite. 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 and WRANGLE COMMON Roy and Kath Pearson All this week we have been recording redwings (and fieldfares in lesser numbers) in our garden. This is most unusual as we are in a suburban area in Boston. Last weekend, 3rd January, the redwings located our holly tree laden with berries and put it under siege, to the immense annoyance of our regular blackbirds. Then the occasional fieldfare joined them and the local blackbirds were joined by an influx that took their numbers into double figures. Once the tree had been stripped of berries, they turned to some cotoneaster bushes just outside our neighbour's garden, flying into our trees when disturbed by traffic. We put out apples for them and these brought them back once the cotoneaster bushes had been stripped. Surprisingly, the seed and peanuts that are out have not been taken with the same gusto by tits or finches. Blue tits are infrequent visitors at the moment and I haven't seen a great tit for days. Whilst a few greenfinches and one or two chaffinches and house sparrows put in occasional visits, they are by no means as common as earlier in the winter. Goldfinches seem to come in large numbers of up to seven or eight and then disappear for several days. I wonder if they are moving in groups (which are given the lovely collective noun of charms) and finding food in different areas. I've noticed that the snow can occasionally block the feeders so perhaps they have moved on before I have the opportunity to clean them. I find that a huge niger seed feeder is used by our collared doves, which at the moment, are not as numerous as woodpigeons. Today, Saturday 9th January, we decided to take the four wheel drive and go to replenish our feeding station on our study site in Wrangle Common. Food had not disappeared as quickly as expected although there seemed to be quite a few birds around, though once again tit or finch numbers were not high. On the pasture was a group of 130 curlews, which have been around for a few weeks now. They were all feeding busily, so we took care not to put them to flight, a non too easy task. The buzzard that has been around since the autumn was again present together with two sparrowhawks. Blackbird numbers were high (30), but the surprise was woodcock, with ten individuals being counted - a record. A group of alders had several passerines feeding there and on investigation, we were surprised to find it was a charm of goldfinches numbering some 12 individuals. I can't ever before recall seeing goldfinches feeding on alder cones. Is it, I wonder, a sign of shortage of food, or simply a lack of observation in the past? The deep snow gave evidence of the presence of muntjac deer. *** 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. BOSTON 09/01/2010 Roy and Kath Pearson As dusk fell on Saturday, we found a woodcock feeding in our garden under the silver birch where several bird feeders hang, Whether it was there for food that had fallen from the feeders, or because this is an area that is least affected by snow, is not certain, though I suspect the latter reason. Nevertheless it was only the second garden record of this species in 34 years, a testament to the cold weather. Overnight Saturday/Sunday there was also evidence of muntjac activity in the garden. GARTHORPE Paul Gee Garthorpe Sunday am 10/1/10 Sightings between 10.15am and 11.00am Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) Approx 20 feeding on seed pods in trees opposite house. Seldom seen around here. Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) in and out of nesting box on front house wall, (facing direct south), all morning Woodpecker - (believe Great Spotted, [Dendrocopos major] as sometimes visits garden) heard drumming in poplar trees in farm just further up the road. Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula ) - Approx 8 -10 also in trees opposite house LOUTH – missed off last week. OS 3486 C Byatt 5 Jan '10 chaffinch - 1 great tit - 2 house sparrow - 1 goldfinch -1 RAITHBY cum Maltby Keith Skingle 9/1/10 This week I had a Treecreeper visit one of my sycamore trees. ROTHWELL TF153997 Paul M. Fenwick 14/01/10 Little Egret in stream. RUSKINGTON Ruskington near crossroads on B1188 076513 Noel Herbert From my front window I can observe a large hawthorn tree the other side of the B1188 in a garden. This year it was covered in berries until the afternoon of Friday 8th January when several starlings, redwings and fieldfares descended. Within a very short time there was only a few berries left near the road and these had gone the following morning. Tuesday 5th January saw a large spotted woodpecker tapping away at some dead bark on a large tree in a row at the back of the house. Just before Christmas saw kingfisher on tree at side of river Slea in Sleaford near swimming baths. SARACENS HEAD Anneli Killen Week commencing 11th January Blackbird 10 Blue Tit 2 Chaffinch 2 Collared Dove 34 Dunnock 6 Goldfinch 7 Great Tit 2 House Sparrow 45 Robin 2 Song Thrush 1 Starling 10 Wood Pigeon 2 Wren 1 WILDMORE FEN TF216534 A & R Parsons TF 218534 approx Winter Mortalities observed: 10/1/10 Chaffinch m Song thrush 13/1/10 Barn owl hunting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 15/01/2010 Blackcap 2 Bullfinch 1 Corn Bunting 54 Gadwall 28 Goldeneye 5 Iceland Gull Merlin Oystercatcher 790 Peregrine Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Diver Snow Bunting 2 Water Rail Woodcock 10 SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=41 THEDDLETHORPE John Walker No report yet. 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 RSPB Lincs Wash Reserves sightings December 2009 Paul French Frampton Marsh The reserves first Goosander was found on 2nd, then another joined it on 5th and both stayd until 6th. Three Bewick’s Swans on the 19th were a local rarity, and two White-fronted Geese came into roost on the 10th, with one of them staying until 16th. The Black Brant was seen on the 5th and 16th. Two Jack Snipes were seen on the 11th, and the first of several Woodcocks was seen on 20th. A total of 127 Rock Pipits were seen on the 11th. From the 360 hide, 12 Lapland Buntings were present from 12th, and increased to a possible 20 on 30th. Up to 19 Snow Buntings were also present by the months end. Freiston Shore The Black Brant was seen on the wetland on the 16th, and at least one Pale-bellied Brent was present. A Slavonian Grebe was offshore on the 5th, together with 51 Great Crested Grebes. A Long-tailed Duck was there the following day. On the wetland, at least three Jack Snipes were present on the 7th. Other sightings included a Snow Bunting and a Greta Northern Diver on the 5th, a Short-eared Owl on the 6th, a Great Skua on the 19th and a wintering Spotted Redshank on Christmas Day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. News from Far Ings NNR http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/far_ings/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAR INGS NNR  Week ending  15.01.10 BIRDS Max. Numbers = bearded tit 2 bittern 6 blackbird 50+ black headed gull 50+ blue tit  12 bullfinch 9 carrion crow 4 chaffinch 10 collared dove 2 common gull 6 coot 100+ curlew 13 dunnock 8 fieldfare 10 goldeneye 3 goldfinch 6 GBB gull GC grebe 3 great tit 6 greenfinch 5 grey heron greylag goose 30 house sparrow 6 lapwing 22 little grebe 4 long tailed tit 6 magpie 6 mallard 25 marsh harrier M mistle thrush moorhen 20 mute swan 2 peregrine pheasant pochard 80+ redshank 2 redwing 4 reed bunting 6 robin 12 shelduck 2 shoveler 3 snipe 17 sparrowhawk starling 6 tawny owl 2 tree sparrow 15 tufted duck 40+ water rail 2 wigeon 16 willow tit 2 wood pigeon 20 wren 8 also African grey parrot on Humber Bank. [Since reunited with owner!] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ Anne Goodall writes: Limewoods NNR volunteer working days this month: the Butterfly Garden working day planned for Jan 10th was cancelled. Next date is Feb 9th. Friday Jan 15th, 10-12.30, dormouse box day: cleaning, repairing, re-treating boxes ready for the spring. Contact Anne Goodall, 01526 398182. Sunday Jan 31st, Southrey Wood, Coppicing for butterflies. Contact Steve Green, 07928 053335 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 *** 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. 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 The Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership (of which LERC is a part) Contact: Charlie Barnes, cbarnes@lincstrust.co.uk or for more general queries: info@lincsbiodiversity.org.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 Contact: Project Officer, Luisa McIntosh 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 EasyTide 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Indoor Meetings are held on Saturdays at the Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln and start at 2pm. As shown on LNU Website: LNU Events Programme RESCHEDULED Grisly Biology - an Introduction to Forensic Entomology Richard Chadd has asked us to publicise the new date. 30th January in Coot Room of Whisby Education Centre. Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln. Start at 2pm. Dr Dorothy Gennard is principal lecturer in Biological Science at Lincoln University. Saturday, February 13, 2010 Recorders' Meeting The annual reports from the LNU recorders for 2009. Saturday, February 27, 2010 Dragonflies Steve Brooks Dr. Stephen Brooks has worked in the Department of Entomology at the Natural History Museum in London for over 30 years. He specialises in research on a range of aquatic insects, but is perhaps best known for his extensive publishing on dragonflies, most recently Volume 106 (Dragonflies) in the Collins New Naturalist series, in collaboration with the late Philip Corbet. He is also the author of the Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland published by British Wildlife Publishing and a leading member of the British Dragonfly Society. He has researched aquatic insects, including dragonflies, in all corners of the World. Saturday, March 13, 2010 Annual General Meeting & Presidential Address Mammal review, atlas update. A century of recording, progress and opportunities Saturday, May 22, 2010 SW corner of Laughton Forest (woodland area known as Peacocks) More details to follow ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails This Week *** Some readers may need to change their anti-bulk-mail settings to flag my address as safe so the Bulletin is not blocked. Affected are Hotmail, also msn and Live. Meanwhile, if you hear of anyone bemoaning the lack of a Bulletin, please refer them to the Bulletin Portal where they will find it. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Permanent errors: now deleted from list. marcus darren.otoole If you recognise any of these, please ask them to contact me with a new address if they wish to continue to receive the Bulletin. Thanks. ... and finally.... After sending in an donation to the DEC for the Haiti Earthquake relief effort I was delighted to read the following in their email reply. If you do not receive this email it might be because it has been sent to your Junk Email box, please check! After recent Hotmail, Msn and Live mailfails, I could not be more in tune with this pointless suggestion! ---------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons http://rogerparsons.info/