============================================ || || 5th June 2011 || || 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 Bardney 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 12. ...and finally..... ============================================ The Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Bulletin is being read by 945 people 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Editor writes *** Here were are in June, following a record breaking arctic winter and dry Spring. What will the rest of the year offer? The Weather Outlook summer forecast is now available - "OK but not Special." See: http://theweatheroutlook.com/forecast/uk-seasonal-weather-forecast Help us reach our 1000th reader. Tip off friends or relations with an interest in Lincolnshire wildlife. Send them this link to sign up for the Wildnews Bulletin. http://www.lnu.org/wildnews.php Roger *** Please watch out for and report *** Hummingbird Hawkmoth: http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/sightings/1096/hummingbird_hawk_moth.html Painted Lady: http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/sightings/1097/painted_lady.html Tree Bumblebee: http://www.bwars.com/bombus_hypnorum_2011.htm Alan Phillips tells me Lincs records of this species are coming in nicely. UK records are already 700 for 2011. Harlequin Ladybird: Please keep your regular reports coming in for the Bulletin or send them directly to LNU Recorders if you prefer. http://www.lnu.org/recorders.php *** LNU Events *** For LNU meetings also see www.lnu.org/events.php See section 11 for full programme. Sunday, June 19, 2011 Great Eau - Theddlethorpe 12.00 for 13.00 start. Meet at TF454857 Healey Land, park on side of Road - note cattle may be grazing. Habitats: River, Marsh, Ditches. Leader: Chris Manning 07752 353303 chris@lincsdeer.info *** Limewoods and Further Afield- Help Needed *** Liz Fleurty writes: News from the Limewoods – Lincolnshire and further afield! I am in contact with the "Limewoods Working Group", a group of experts and enthusiasts from across the UK who have high- lighted two current research projects that I hope we in Lincolnshire can contribute to: 1) Collecting Tilia leaf samples for genetical analysis, action required now! 2) Collecting Tilia cordata fruits (from the ground) for research into seed fertility, linking it with climate data We obviously have a good number of woodlands to choose from; if anybody is interested in taking part please e-mail limewoods@lincolnshire.gov.uk with an idea of where you would like to collect from, and I will send you further information and liaise with woodland owners and Natural England (for permission to collect from SSSIs). With our tradition of involvement in pioneering woodland research (George Peterken's work in the 1970s) wouldn't it be great to keep our Lincolnshire woodlands in the spotlight?! *** Alkborough Flats Event 6th June *** Landscape in Watercolour - 6th June 10am, £10 per person + lunch Develop your artistic skills with the help of a local artist. Different watercolour techniques will be covered and there will be plenty of opportunity to put these into practice. Lunch at the Paddocks tea room Booking is essential. Please call: 01724 721269 *** Sleaford LWT Trip 11th June *** Sleaford Area Group of the LWT Sat 11th June. Coach trip to RSPB Titchwell on the Norfolk coast, and Castle Acre Priory (English Heritage) and Castle. Take a picnic lunch. The cost will depend upon coach numbers. Meet Eastgate Car Park (Sleaford) at 8.30am. For details & bookings please ring Anthea Ashmore on 01529 413890. *** Tree Awareness Day 19th June *** Sara Bright writes: BURGHLEY ESTATE STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE Sunday 19th June 2011 starting at 10.30am A unique opportunity to visit one of the great family estates of Europe in the company of the Head of Forestry, Parks and Gardens, and members of the Tree Awareness Group. The walk will take in the Lake and Deer Park and look at the history, landscape and management of the estate. Park and meet at the public car park at Burghley House - postcode PE9 3JY Look out for TAG signs. The walk will last about 2 hours and will follow uneven terrain. Please wear strong boots/shoes and wear appropriate clothing. Sorry no dogs except support dogs. The walk is free, but donations may be made to the Burghley House Preservation Trust. Please support the TAG raffle. Enquiries - telephone 01522 552360 *** Free Water Vole Workshop 21st June *** Jenni Hignett writes: I know it is not in Lincs, but pretty close to Gainsborough so may be of interest to people there. Tuesday 21st June 9:30 – 13:00 Chesterfield Canal, Misterton An exciting opportunity to look for field signs of the endangered water vole, as well as other riparian mammals such as mink. We will also look at the habitat suitability of the canal and give you the ability to survey your local stretch of waterway for water voles. The workshop will be run by British Waterways and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. The workshop will be funded by the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership and will be free of charge. Meeting place – car park off Station Road, approx. grid reference SK 776 948. Please bring sturdy boots or wellies and clothing appropriate to the weather. Spaces on this workshop are limited and therefore booking is essential. Please contact Jenni Hignett on 07896 954695 or jhignett@nottswt.co.uk for more information and to book a place. *** Life on the Verge is coming to the Wolds! *** Mark Schofield writes: The successful "Life on the Verge" project is coming to the Lincolnshire Wolds thanks to a recent £50k grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project aims to recruit volunteers to look for wildflowers on roadside verges so that vital wildlife corridors can be identified and conserved on a landscape scale. For more information about "Life on the Verge" and how you can get involved visit: www.lifeontheverge.org.uk Free wildflower identification training days have been organised to provide beginners with the knowledge they need to take part in the surveys and help discover the best wild flower verges in the Wolds. Wednesday 8 June - Red Hill and Badger Farm Saturday 11 June - Elsham Pasture and Village Hall Wednesday 15 June - Elsham Pasture and Village Hall Saturday 25 June - Elsham Pasture and Village Hall Saturday 2 July - Elsham Pasture and Village Hall Saturday 9 July - Red Hill and Badger Farm Wednesday 13 July - Red Hill and Badger Farm Sunday 17 July - Red Hill and Badger Farm For further information and to book a place please contact: Mark Schofield e-mail: mschofield@lincstrust.co.uk mobile: 07825 970930 switchboard: 01507 526667 Each day lasts from 10am-2pm and involves both an indoor and outdoor session to familiarise beginners with the wild flowers they can expect to discover for themselves on the road verges. You don't have to join training days to take part in the surveys. Surveys should only take up to 2 hours and need only be done once. They are designed to assess conservation value by checking for only a shortlist of wildflowers even beginners can learn easily. *** Beetle to Watch For *** Charlie Barnes writes: Elater ferrugineus, the Rusty Click Beetle, is classified as endangered in the UK, with records restricted to a few areas in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and London. This summer a nation-wide programme of "mark capture release" will be taking place to help establish the true distribution and status of the species. Volunteers will be required to monitor traps set to attract the beetle. If you're interested in taking part, contact Charlie Barnes charlie.barnes@lincsbiodiversity.org.uk for more information. *** Far Ings Botany Course 16th July *** Buttercups and Willowherbs Saturday 16th July 2011 A half day course looking at Ranunculus and Epilobiums. A friendly atmosphere, with tea and coffee. Suitable for the beginner or someone with an established interest. Indoor Talk Outdoor Walk Tutor: Mick Binnion Please contact Far Ings Visitor Centre to reserve a place Tel. No. 01652 637055 (You don't have to be a Brain Surgeon!) All welcome. Adult event. Price of the course £5. Includes booklet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Wildlife Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Bird News from Rare Birds Alert *** Rare Bird Alert has kindly given permission to reproduce reports. A big thank you from us all. Interested readers should have a look at the RBA website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ Note: I am adapting my RBA pager information for the Bulletin by eliminating or summarising/consolidating repeated messages. When there is a lot of information I will stick to highlights. Please visit the RBA website for updates or fuller details. 29/5 2 Spoonbills, Frampton Marsh Great White Egret, Cleethorpes, over Thorpe Park Osprey, Nettleton Storm Petrel, on sea, Spoonbill. Gibraltar Point 3 Little Gulls, Far Ings 2 Common Cranes, WSW of Scunthorpe south of West Butterwick Great White Egret, Tetney Marshes 30/5 Glaucous Gull off Gibraltar Point White-tailed Eagle south on Maltby at Hagnaby. 31/5 Golden Oriole, Gibraltar Point, also Glaucous Gull and probable Common Rosefinch Red-crested Pochard, Swanholme Lakes Black Kite, Gibraltar Point, 9.30am. Black Kite, Kirkby-on-Bain GPs pm White-tailed Eagle, Osprey, Many Flashes 1/6 2 Little Gulls, Far Ings Montagu's Harrier, Theddlethorpe All Saints Wood Sandpiper, Mamby Flashes 2/6 Spoonbill, Frampton Marsh 3/6 Montagu's Harrier, Theddlethorpe All Saints Bird Alert website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ Here you can register free to use the site and get free trials of their subscription services. Strongly recommended. [Please mention the Bulletin if you decide to subscribe. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work. CARLTON LE MOORLAND Carlton le Moorland SK909 580 Jeremy Hutchinson We recently had a young house sparrow get into our porch where it left the inevitable 'calling card'. A few days later I noticed a couple of droppings I'd missed, although I was certain they hadn't been there when I had cleaned up (I could only recall seeing the one dropping). On closer inspection I realised that they were two moths, but when I checked what I though they might be (Chinese Character, Cilix glaucata) they were bigger and not 'hunchbacked' when viewed from the side. Does anyone know of another species which mimics bird droppings? About mid-May, before the recent rain, I watched a male Blackbird, with a fledgling in attendance, on our lawn. The older bird has what I thought was a large slug in its beak, and kept flicking it violently from side to side in the way I have seen them do with slugs until the slug begins to break up. (Incidentally I've only ever seen Blackbirds eat slugs in very dry conditions). On this occasion the 'slug' didn't break up and curiosity got the better of me and I approached to look at the 'slug' which by now I realised was not what it had thought it to be. Imagine my amazement when I saw that it was a large shrew, seemingly only recently dead, with dried blood in its mouth, but no other signs of injury. I imagine the bird had found it dead and tried to exploit the situation in what must have been difficult conditions. Has anything like this been reported before? On 29th May we had a brood (saw 3, probably more of them, plus at least one adult) of young Goldcrests in the spruce in our front garden Grid Ref above). Until the arctic spell last winter Goldcrests were regular visitors to this tree, but hardly seen since until this sighting, which was very welcome indeed! *** 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 31/05/2011 Roy and Kath Pearson Buzzard circling over the A16 by the Spirit of Endeavour roundabout this morning. First record for this species in this tetrad. BRACEBY TF015353 Marion Ellis Sunday 29 May 2011 At noon today watched a barn owl fly into it's usual nesting tree in the village and disappear into a hole there. Now we know for sure it survived the winter. FAR INGS 29/05/11 Mick Binnion We have Bee Orchid in flower at Barton, that is 2 weeks early. Plus Southern Marsh Orchid in flower, that is 1 month early. This is due to the micro climate created by lack of rain. It is a topographical basin usually chilled by moisture and tidal winds. Ground temperatures are up. GOULCEBY TF260 792 Silvia Fowler 24.5.11 Chimney Sweeper (Odezia atrata). Great numbers of these day- flying moths, too many to count; they seemed to be everywhere! PASTURE WHARF NR, BARTON 12/06/2011 Alan Phillips Hummingbird hawkmoth - feeding at flowers of ?red valerian Centranshus ruber near entrance to reserve. Bombus hypnorum - males and workers (There's a good chance of seeing this species anywhere in the county. Bramble flowers are a favourite just now). RAITHBY-CUM-MALTBY, near LOUTH TF 309 847 Silvia Fowler 6.5.11 9pm: A Great Diving Beetle (Dytiscus marginalis, f) dropped out of the air into my lap as I was enjoying a balmy evening in the garden. 7-31.5.11 Our Housemartins have returned with 8 nests (10 last year) initially reoccupied and rebuilt. Fortunately, our location close to a stream ensures there's always mud available. One of the martins' nests was taken over by House Sparrows, whose chicks have just hatched. Some martins still inspecting sites; the others must be incubating eggs, but none have hatched yet. ROXTON WOOD 29/05/11 Mick Binnion Early Purple Orchid have flowered in profusion, this normally happens when any woodland cropping takes place. The lack of rain has stressed the plants within the wood to such an extent as to force a mass flowering, we will probably see several poor years to follow in floristic terms while the plants reach a maturity. Common Spotted on the PRV weak and only half the size. SPILSBY Joan Gunson All moths recorded in our garden using a 125W MV Robinson Trap & 40W Skinner Trap (145 species recorded so far this year) To view my moth photos click on this link www.flickr.com/photos/angleshades 29.5.11 (249 moths of 51 species with 10 new for year) 7 Common Pug 2 Bright-line Brown-eye 6 Brimstone Moth 4 Green Pug 2 Elephant Hawk-moth 1 Straw Dot NFY 33 Marbled Minor agg 21 Middle-barred Minor 1 Common Wainscot 3 Freyer's Pug 1 Tawny Marbled Minor 2 Peppered Moth 4 Flame 63 Heart and Dart 5 Brown Rustic 5 Clouded-bordered Brindle 7 Rustic Shoulder-knot 5 Clouded Silver 13 Setaceous Hebrew Character 2 Common Carpet 3 Vine's Rustic 4 White Ermine 6 Treble Lines 2 Shuttle-shaped Dart 5 Flame Shoulder 1 Pale-shouldered Brocade NFY 1 Riband Wave NFY 6 Mottled Rustic 2 Silver-ground Carpet 2 Mottled Pug 1 Willow Beauty 1 Snout NFY 2 Dark Arches 1 Pebble Prominent 3 Common Swift 1 Buff Ermine 1 Swallow Prominent 3 Garden Carpet 1 Rivulet 1 Turnip Moth 1 Coxcomb Prominent 1 Lesser Swallow Prominent 1 Common Wave NFY 1 Double Square Spot NFY 1 Aphelia paleana (Timothy Tortrix) NFY 3 Celypha lacunana 1 Agapeta hamana NFY 2 Udea olivalis NFY 3 Epiphyas postvittana 2 Crambus lathoniellus NFY 1 Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie) 1st June started very well, with excellent conditions for trapping, so I set up both traps in different parts of the garden and I caught: 296 moths of 65 species with 11 new for year. 3 Cinnabar 11 Green Pug 1 Poplar Hawk-moth (sitting on my rain-shield support) 3 Pebble Prominent 2 Straw Dot 7 Mottled Rustic 36 Middle-barred Minor 54 Heart and Dart 3 Clouded Silver 4 Pale Mottled Willow 5 Dark Arches 21 Marbled Minor agg 8 Flame 12 Common Pug 7 Elephant Hawk-moth 5 Clouded-bordered Brindle 11 Rustic Shoulder-knot 2 Lychnis 3 Nutmeg 1 Common Swift 7 Shuttle-shaped Dart 1 Treble Lines 2 Shoulder-striped Wainscot 3 Brimstone Moth 9 Setaceous Hebrew Character 2 Brown Rustic 2 White Ermine 2 Common Wainscot 5 Freyer's Pug 4 Silver-ground Carpet 2 Garden Carpet 1 Grey Dagger agg 1 Coronet 5 Scorched Wing NFY 1 Double Square-spot 5 Flame Shoulder 1 Peppered Moth 1 Iron Prominent 3 Riband Wave 1 Ingrailed Clay 2 Buff Ermine 1 Green Carpet 1 May Highflyer 1 Privet Hawk-moth NFY 1 Lime-speck Pug 1 Willow Beauty 1 Rivulet 2 Snout 1 Fan-foot NFY 1 Figure of Eighty 1 Small Fan-foot NFY 1 Common Carpet 1 Small Elephant Hawk-moth NFY 1 Small Rivulet NFY 9 Epiphyas postvittana (Light Brown Apple Moth) 2 Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth) 3 Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie) 1 Pyralis farinalis (Meal Moth) NFG 1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Brown House Moth) NFY 1 Crambus lathoniellus 2 Udea olivalis 1 Monopis obviella NFY 1 Clepsis consimilana NFY 1 Metzneria metzneriella NFY WILDMORE FEN TF216534 unless otherwise stated. A & R Parsons 30/6/11 Swallow sitting on nest. Tree sparrows fledged. Red-legged partridge in garden. Unusual. 2/6/11 Fox hunting 20.30hrs at TF 218535. WOODHALL SPA Ostler’s Pantation TF 219626 R & A Parsons 4/6/2011 at 10.30am approx. On floor of sandy-soil ride through mature forestry plantation with heathland verges. Some grass. 4 bumblebees, a queen and 3 drones on ground in a huddle, males seemingly attempting to mate with queen. One succeeded and the pair flew off in tandem, leaving 2 bees behind. Description: Medium-sized bumblebees smaller than B. hortorum or leucorum. No white tail tip. Noted 2 yellow bands on abdomen. Take them to be B. praetorum – is that credible in this location? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/gib/index.php Katherine Bocock 31/05/2011 Barn Owl Cuckoo Short-eared Owl Spotted Flycatcher 02/06/2011 Barn Owl Crossbill Cuckoo Little Gull Marsh Warbler Mediterranean Gull Red-throated Diver Yellow Wagtail SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=41 John Walker. 31/5/2011 A total of 17mm of rainfall 26/05 to 30/05 has almost doubled the amount measured since 26/02/11. Flowers include, Yellow rattle, lady's bedstraw, vipers bugloss, flag iris, sea pink, storksbill, hawkbits, birds foot trefoil, southern early and common spotted orchids. Butterflies include, Speckled wood, small copper, green hairstreak, common blue, brown argus, large skipper, peacock. red admiral, painted lady, wall brown, small heath. Dragonflies, Hairy, broad bodied and four spotted chasers, emperor, large red damsel, azure blue damsel, blue tailed damsel, emerald green damsel. Also seen over the past 2 weeks 2 hornets. RSPB WASH Reserves - Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore John Badley April 2011. No reports yet RSPB Frampton Marsh http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/index.asp RSPB Freiston Shore http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore/index.asp ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. News from Far Ings NNR http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/far_ings/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Far Ings NNR Week ending 04.06.11 BIRDS Max. Numbers = avocet 30+ bittern blackbird 20 blackcap 8 black headed gull 20+ black tailed godwit 6 blue tit 10 bullfinch 2 carrion crow 2 chaffinch 10 chiffchaff 8 collared dove 2 common gull 30+ common sandpiper common tern 6 coot 20+ cormorant 6 cuckoo dunnock 4 gadwall 2 goldfinch 3 grasshopper warbler 2 GC grebe 4 great tit 4 greenfinch 2 green woodpecker grey heron 3 greylag goose 50+ herring gull 3 house martin 30 house sparrow 8 kingfisher LBB gull 2 lesser whitethroat linnet 2 little gull 2 long tailed tit 15 magpie 2 mallard 20 marsh harrier M+F mistle thrush moorhen 20 mute swan 8 oystercatcher 2 pheasant 2 pochard 8 reed bunting 3 reed warbler 14 robin 5 sand martin 6 sedge warbler 10 shelduck 5 skylark song thrush 2 sparrowhawk 2 starling 3 swallow 30+ swift 100+ treecreeper 3 tufted duck 13 turtle dove water rail 2 whitethroat 5 willow tit 2 willow warbler 6 wood pigeon 4 wren 7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 specific 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 bridle way only) Adrian Royle's website for photos of species from the Limewoods. Photo site update :- Bardney Limewoods 2008 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157604757394558/ Bardney Limewoods 2009 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157616635241942/ Bardney Limewoods 2010 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157623488040369/ Bardney Limewoods 2011 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157626361531988/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. [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 Bulletin layout to save editing: 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: Ian Macalpine-Leny macalpine@doddington.demon.co.uk *** 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 e-mail: nigelound@btinternet.com *** Lincs Amphibian and Reptile Group *** The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) For further details please contact ashleybutterfield@btinternet.com tel. 07984 66 5847 *** Limestone Grassland Project *** Mark Schofield, Limestone Grassland Project Officer, mschofield@lincstrust.co.uk Mobile: 07825970930, Switchboard: 01507 526667. To find out more and to become involved with the survey and management of Lincolnshire's limestone grassland on road verges see: See: http://www.lifeontheverge.org.uk/ *** Local Bat Helpline *** Grounded bats, bat problems, advice and information? Contact Annette and Colin Faulkner on 01775 766286 or e-mail: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com *** Bat Recorder *** You may send confidential bat records direct to Annette Faulkner on: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com *** 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 *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire link *** http://www.lincolnshire-butterflies.org.uk/index.html *** LNU Bees, Wasps and Ants Recorder *** Alan Phillips Willing to examine specimens or check photos (but bear in mind only a relative few of the 300+ species in the county are identifiable using photos). Aculeates only please, no parasitic wasps such as Ichneumons. If in doubt please contact for advice: aculeates@gmail.com *** Whisby's Bee and Wasp List *** Dr Michael Archer and Alan Phillips have put together an impressive list. Have a look and see how many species you recognise by name! http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/whisby/index.php?id=73 Also see: http://norwegica.wordpress.com/author/norwegica/ Could this be the year you learn to identify bees and wasps? *** OTTERS *** Readers are reminded that all dead Otters should be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060. *** Mammal Records *** Mammal records can reported to Chris Manning Email: chris@lincsdeer.info Mink reports also of interest and can be sent via the Bulletin. *** New Met Office Service *** The Met Office website now offers an e-mail 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 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 Please note my new addresses for plant gall id etc:- 46 Sibthorp Street Lincoln LN5 7SH gclayton54@o2.co.uk 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 Update *** Ally Townsend of the Weirfield Wildlife Hospital, writes: If you would like to give people the Lincoln number 01522 530428 a member of staff will record the sighting or RTA. Or use the Weirfield website: http://www.weirfield.co.uk/ where a reporting page can be used to send in reports. *** Lincs Bird Club *** LBC County Bird Recorders County Bird Recorder, covering the south of the county recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk for John Badley recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk for John Clarkson Bird Club Website: www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk *** Lincolnshire Bird Club Grantham Peregrine Project *** The Lincs Bird Club is pleased to announce the return of the Grantham Peregrine Webcam. Images from the tower at St Wulfram's Church, Grantham can be seen at http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/pegcam.html while details of daily activity can be found at http://pegcam.blogspot.com. Birds have already been seen in the nesting tray, so fingers crossed that they breed again successfully in 2011. Details of last year's successful breeding attempt can be download at http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/Articles/2010_Peregrine_Blog.pdf *** Wash Estuary Project Contacts *** Jeff Goodley - Wash Estuary Project Officer jeff.goodley@washestuary.org.uk Maria Phipps - Wash Estuary Project Assistant maria.phipps@washestuary.org.uk Vivien Hartwell - Wash Biodiversity viv.hartwell@washestuary.org.uk *** Other Useful Websites *** Key links are now being posted on the LNU website. http://www.lnu.org/ This should save space in the Bulletin, 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, charlie.barnes@lincsbiodiversity.org.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 *** Interesting Weather radar website *** Noel Loxley recommends the following interesting website. http://www.raintoday.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 Bardney Limewoods www.limewoods.co.uk limewoods@lincolnshire.gov.uk The Sir Joseph Banks Society Contact 01507 528223 or by e-mail: enquiries@joseph-banks.org.uk. www.joseph-banks.org.uk EasyTide Check tide times on Admiralty EasyTide: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx TWO - The Weather Outlook Check the weather forecast for the location or postcode: http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/ Joan Gunson's moths: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v499/jsylvester/Moths%20in%20my%20garden%202010/ Alan Dale's Bugs and Weeds http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/ Mike Binnion writes: I've put all my decent photos of common butterflies on the Grimsby website: See http://www.grimsbywildlife.co.uk/otherattractions.htm http://www.grimsbywildlife.co.uk/ *** 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 and identified in flower.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10. The Bulletin's publicity policy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We will sometimes withhold precise details of the location of rare or endangered species. Please point out any sensitive or "tricky" reports of this kind. Sensitive data should go directly to county recorders, please. 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Identifying Hoverflies - have you registered yet? *** Information from Ian Macalpine-Leny Whisby Education Centre in conjunction with Roger Morris are holding an Introduction to Hoverflies event on 26th and 27th March 2011 and 24th September 2011 (3 day course). Roger Morris describes the course as follows:- An Introduction to Hoverfly Identification This course is designed to give the novice sufficient confidence to tackle these attractive and interesting flies. By the end of the second day most pupils can be expected to understand the critical parts of the keys that often cause trouble. The programme comprises a mixture of formal and informal sessions. Identification sessions use preserved material provided by the course tutors. Course literature has been designed to compliment the keys in Stubbs & Falk's British Hoverflies. A second session in September is scheduled to provide an opportunity for pupils to refresh their knowledge and have specimens confirmed. It will also give an opportunity to look at more challenging genera that often cause difficulties. Field Meetings generally start at 12 noon for 1.00pm, but please check the website details for each event. Unless otherwise stated, 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. Sunday, June 19, 2011 Great Eau - Theddlethorpe 12.00 for 13.00 start. Meet at TF454857 Healey Land, park on side of Road - note cattle may be grazing. Habitats: River, Marsh, Ditches. Leader: Chris Manning 07752 353303 chris@lincsdeer.info Sunday, July 03, 2011 South Farm, Thurlby. SW of Lincoln. 12.00 for 13.00 start. Meet in yard of South Farm at SK907 614. Habitats: River Witham, ponds, grassland and arable. Leader: Brian Hedley 07989 665794 brian_hedley@hotmail.com Saturday, July 16, 2011 Hatfield/Thorne Moor NNR Joint Meeting withYorkshire Naturalists' Union Botanical Survey Habitats: Moorland and Heath Contact Ian McDonald at iannutwell@talktalk.net if interested Saturday, August 13, 2011 Alkborough Flats (North Lincs Council and Environment Agency) 12.00 for 13.00 start. Meet in car park at SE879 221. Take lane on left just pass church (if coming from south) and continue downhill. Evening moth/bat session starting at 8.30pm Habitats should be Saltmarsh, marsh, lagoons, ditches, pasture. Leaders: Brian Hedley 07989 665794 brian_hedley@hotmail.com and Colin Smith (evening) 07595 414318 Saturday, September 24, 2011 Riseholme College, N of Lincoln, off A15 12.00 for 13.00 start. Meet in car park next to Conference Hall at SK981 756 Evening moth/bat session starting at 7pm. Includes an opportunity to investigate the LNU Collection and encourage students to use them. Habitats: Parkland, woodland, lake. Leaders: Brian Hedley 07989 665794 brian_hedley@hotmail.com (afternoon) and Colin Smith (evening) 07595 414318 Sunday, October 23, 2011 Fungus Foray, Callan's Lane Wood (Forestry Commission site) Kirkby Underwood. North of Bourne 12.00 for 13.00 start. Meet at car park TF061 270 Habitats: Mixed Woodland Leader: Ray Halstead 07772 613640 ray.halstead@tiscali.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails This Week *** If you hear of anyone bemoaning the lack of a Bulletin, please refer them to the Bulletin Portal where they will find a copy. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Recent mailfails, with reason: michael.brown - permanent error - does not like recipient *** Link of the Week *** BBC Springwatch Webcams: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/uk/webcams/ ---------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons http://rogerparsons.info/