============================================= || || 14th December 2014 || || 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 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 1100 people and we are keen to encourage even more readers to subscribe. Please send this URL to friends who might join the Bulletin mailing list: http://eepurl.com/zmFMT Past 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. Reports here are open and are available to county recorders of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union and Lincolnshire Bird Club. Please contact the Editor to contribute articles or reports. E-mail: 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 ] ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Readers hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** From the Editor.... *** If you visit the coast in winter you may be lucky enough to spot Snow Buntings, Lapland Buntings and Twite. If you are unfamiliar with these species, try these helpful RSPB links. Snow Bunting http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/snowbunting/ Lapland Bunting http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/l/laplandbunting/ Twite http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/t/twite/ Try this video: Snow Buntings on strand line at Snettisham Beach. https://www.flickr.com/photos/69732014@N02/15807236527/ There are two meteor showers due this December, the Geminids peaking on 14th, [best before moonrise says Paul Money] and the Ursids which will be at their best on 22nd December. Please tell us if you see any. To find out more, go to the meteor links on my "Cosmic" webpage. http://www.rogerparsons.info/cosmic.html One of my former pupils offered the following tip for observing meteors. "Lie back on your trampoline and look up!" I would simply add the advice that you need to wrap up well. Meteor spotting can be a cold occupation. Please mention the Bulletin to anyone who might find it useful and send them this special sign-up address to use. It would be good to see reader numbers rise towards the 1250 mark. The link is on: http://eepurl.com/zmFMT If you have any unreported 2014 records for LNU recorders, please send them in, either directly or via the Bulletin. Recorder contact details: http://www.lnu.org/recorders.php Thanks. Roger *** LNU Events - guests are welcome *** 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. To check on the details, especially if weather suggests a possible cancellation, visit: http://lnu.org/events.php Saturday, January 17th, 2015 - Joint meeting with Lincs Bird Club. Phil Espin, Chairman of the Lincolnshire Bird Club, will be speaking about' 'Rare Breeding Birds in Lincolnshire and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel." Guests are welcome at our meetings. *** Northern Lights *** Solar activity sometimes treats us to the drama of the Aurora Borealis. To receive an Aurora Alert you should visit the AuroraWatch UK website and sign up for the service. http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ *** Donna Nook Seals *** The latest numbers for the past week from Rob Scott are as follows: Rob Scott writes: The headline figure is total count of pups for the season for entire reserve: 1760 The spot count for the main colony highlights the fact that lots of animals have left: bulls 491, cows 720, pups 1452. Seal numbers at Donna Nook expected to recover http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-30255411 If you can avoid weekends you should find Donna Nook less crowded. If you plan to make a visit, please check the LWT website first as there may be important updates as the season progresses or weather changes. See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ http://lincstrust.org.uk/donna-nook http://lincstrust.org.uk/donna-nook/about-grey-seals Note the LWT guidelines - stay behind fence, no dogs etc. as listed on the web page. If we don't set a good example, who will? You also need to take weather conditions into account, especially if there should be icy roads or snowfalls. The local roads can be hazardous. *** Ray Halstead - Recorder - Fungi *** No records or queries for now, please. Due to illness, Ray has asked everyone to give him a bit of a break. Hopefully he will be back in the [Dryad's] saddle later in the new year. I will put a note in the Bulletin when he is again "open for business". *** Conserving British Eels - for those interested *** Sent in by Julia Smith: The Golden Valley Fish and Wildlife Association (GVFWA), are working to conserve eels. This clearly has spin-offs for otters, as eels are a favourite part of their diet in freshwater. Even though eels have declined drastically and they are listed on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered it is still legal to catch young eels for export. Every year tens of millions are sold to fish farms in Europe and the Far East, even though this practice is not sustainable. The eel has a life cycle of up to 50 years, so the estimated 90% decrease since the 1970s is drastic and they could be heading towards extinction. GVFWA set up an online petition to stop this at: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-thecommercial-export-of-baby-eels. They need 1,000 signatures, so please add your support and pass it on, please? *** Reminder: Mistletoe Spotting with an invertebrate difference *** Charlie Barnes writes: Now is the perfect time of year to collect up fallen mistletoe twigs to try and rear out saproxylic species, e.g. the beetle Gastrallus knizeki, which are associated with mistletoe. I would be happy to receive twigs of mistletoe with details of collection date and location or you can try rearing through yourselves (get in touch for details). I am also interested in looking for mistletoe specific species during the spring and summer - this would ideally involve easily accessible (head height!) mistletoe clumps or using a device similar to the telescopic fruit pickers available for apples if they're just out of reach. If you have any suitable clumps on your garden trees, let me know! Charlie Barnes: charlie@cucaera.co.uk Editor adds: We had a very successful Mistletoe recording campaign a couple of years back. If you decide to help Charlie research this new campaign please cc your botanical information to Paul Kirby, so he can pick up on any new mistletoe locations. Two records for the price of one! Don't forget to mention the host tree species too! *** Lincoln RSPB *** http://www.lincolnrspb.org.uk/ *** South Lincs RSPB *** Members and non-members welcome. http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/southlincolnshire *** Wildflower Seed Offer from Kew *** Sent in by Julia Smith. https://www.growwilduk.com/register-seed-kit?` "Each Grow Wild kit contains seed for five people, so please tell us how many people there are in your formal and informal group/s to the nearest five. You can apply for up to 20 seed kits. Each kit has enough seed to transform at least 10 square metres, as well as a growing guide, DIY bee house and site markers. You can only register once using with the same email address. Using an email address twice will remove your first registration. Following registration you will not receive a confirmation email. Group leaders receiving kits in 2015, will be notified shortly after the form closes at midnight on 14 February 2015. Seed kits will be sent out in late March, although this is subject to change and kits are subject to availability." Mark Schofield comments: This is definitely worth plugging but with the guidance that these packets should only be introduced into the urban, sub-urban and garden environments - not the countryside at large and certainly not on nature reserves. I have looked into the species mix and details can be found here: https://www.growwilduk.com/england-and-wales-wild-flower-seed-mix The mixture is clearly designed to cope with a range of conditions, impress in the first year and then provide some lasting interest in following years but does not resemble a natural species assemblage - so although it will provide resources for certain guilds of pollinators it cannot be credited with the more holistic aim of all-round habitat creation. It is reassuring that Kew have taken the trouble to at least assure local provenance to a national level and this type of pack will be good for schools and those who want quick results in their gardens. These are not meadow starter packs - so I would be happy for you to refer readers to me for different advice and different seed mixes sourced from within Lincolnshire for 'meadow-making' that supports the Lincolnshire Wildflower Meadow Network. email: mschofield@lincstrust.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ 5/12 55 Snow Buntings, Gibraltar Point 6/12 2 Pomarine Skuas flew south past, Gibraltar Point Lapland Bunting, 18 Snow Buntings, 12 Twite, Donna Nook 7/12 Hen Harrier ringtail, Gibraltar Point Glossy Ibis, male Hen Harrier, Frampton Marsh 2 Shorelarks, 80 Snow Buntings, Cleethorpes Coast 8/12 Lapland Bunting, 55 Snow Buntings, Gibraltar Point Mealy Redpoll male along Pike Drain, Nordic Jackdaw, Teal Lake, Whisby Nature Park 9/12 Lapland Bunting flew south over Gibraltar Point Slavonian Grebe, Snow Bunting, Freiston Shore Hen Harrier male, Frampton Marsh 10/12 39 Snow Buntings, Gibraltar Point 11/12 Hen Harrier male, Rough-legged Buzzard, Frampton Marsh 22 Snow Buntings, Gibraltar Point 12/12 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. Bird Alert website: 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. GORSE LOCATIONS: please give full information on each individual Gorse record: the location [with grid ref], your name, the date, and any habitat notes of interest. GORSE LOCATIONS: HARLAM HILL LOCK, SNITTERBY CARR TF019944 Patty Phillips 3.12.14 Small gorse bush, remnant of much larger patch killed in 2010 snows, with several flowers. On open grassy bank above Norton Beck. BRIGG Brigg Road TA 108 033 Wendy Handford 5.12.14 Open roadside verge. Two plants, one with many flowers, other with a few flowers *** 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 experts. Thanks. DON'T FORGET Please include the year in your reports in case they are copied and thus lose their context. CAISTOR Wendy Handford (WH) Reports from contributors to Caistor records Week beginning 5.12.14 Brigg Road farmland TA 106 036 Kestrel on telegraph pole 5.12.14 Brigg Road wildlife garden TA 111 026 WH Trailcam set up in spruce wood Ferret 4.30am 9.12.14 Fox sniffing everywhere and rearing up on tree trunk 5am 5.12.14 Muntjacs 2 5pm 5.12.14 Woodmouse 2-4am 6 and 9.12.14 Other sightings - Grey squirrel on nut feeder 11.12.14 Rabbits gnaw through bark on 2 newly planted Crab apple trees 7.12.14 Fieldfare 40 in Silver birch 9.12.14 Fieldfare 5 feeding on Holly berries 11.12.14 Goldcrest on apple tree 9.12.14 Jays 2 daily Treecreeper on Apple tree 9.12.14 Feeding together on frosty fallen apples: Blackbirds 10, Fieldfare 5, Great spotted woodpecker f, Redwing 3, 9.12.14 Bluebell and Snowdrop shoots well through 7.12.14 Hundon Manor Farm TA 116 024 P Robinson Grey squirrel drey in Alder, visible now leaves have fallen Mute swans 4, 11.12.14 FISKERTON Water Rail Way. Fiskerton - Lincoln. Julia Jaques 11/12/14 Large flocks of Fieldfare. RAITHBY-CUM-MALTBY, rural garden near LOUTH TF 309 847 (unless otherwise stated) Silvia Fowler 30.11.14 Brown Rat on lawn (probably cat kill) 01.12.14 Faint Blackbird song 05.12.14 Blackbirds starting to feed on Cotoneaster Cornubia berries 06.12.14 Starling x 1 (rarely seen in this location) 11.12.14 Fieldfare being chased off his patch by Mistle Thrush Pheasant (male) under hanging bird feeders Vole in compost bin 6th Woodmouse this season live-trapped in loft and released in fields a mile away THURNHOLMES (within 300m of SK797984 unless stated) Steve Hiner & Paul Snow 04/12/14 Barn Owl x 1 SK814999 05/12/14 Blackbird x 3 Dunnock x 2 Fieldfare x 56 Goldfinch x 2 Kestrel x 2 Linnet x 7 Moorhen x 3 Mute Swan x 2 Redwing x 139 Robin x 1 Wren x 1 Common Toad x 1 under recording sheet 06/12/14 Barn Owl x 1 Blackbird x 5 Dunnock x 2 Fieldfare x 29 Magpie x 2 Peregrine Falcon x 1 male Redwing x 54 Robin x 3 Rook x 34 Tree Sparrow x 12W ood Pigeon x 24 Wren x 1 Wood / Yellow Necked Mouse x 1 10/12/14 Blackbird x 3 Common Buzzard x 1 Dunnock x 2 Fieldfare x 148 Goldfinch x 1 Kestrel x 2 Robin x 1 Tree Sparrow x 7 Wren x 1 Roe Deer x 1 male 1 female SK803998 RIVER WELLAND. SPALDING TO BOROUGH FEN. R & K Heath 06/12/14 Numbers of Coot and Tufted Duck still very low. Winter visitors were: Goosander 6 Golden Plover 200 Lapwing 1050 Birds of prey were: Buzzard 2 Kestrel 2 Merlin 1 Sparrow Hawk 1 WILDMORE FEN TF216534 unless otherwise stated. R & A Parsons 6/12/2014 Many Fieldfares in the fen working the hedgerows. 2 Buzzards calling. 8/12/2014 Little Egret flew from dyke, 13.45. Great Beats Farm, TF222534 11/12 Flock of approx. 100 fieldfares iver/in orchard. Many more in hidges along Hurnbridge Road. 12/12 Marsh harrier Flock of 250+ Fieldfares over 15.30 hrs WRANGLE COMMON 10/12/2014 Roy and Kath Pearson An excellent count today of thirty-six species with a bird new to the site - a Brent Goose on the wet grassland. Numbers of Yellowhammers (24), Tree Sparrows (13) and Reed Buntings (2) were well down today and probably under counted owing to difficulties with a low sun. However we walked along a deer track across a huge field of weeds and thistles that we normally skirt around and found a flock of thirty Linnets and no fewer than thirty Skylarks which, I am sure, is a record for this species. The Curlew flock has reached eighty-four and we had the highest Snipe count of the winter so far, with nine birds. Surprisingly, two-thirds of these were in the stubble, the remainder on the wet grassland. Twenty Teal and twelve Mallard were on the wet grassland with a few Meadow Pipits (3). Four Redwings were in the hedgerows with forty-nine Blackbirds and a single Song Thrush. An infrequent visitor was a Bullfinch. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. Lincolnshire Coast NNRs and S Lincs Highlights including RSPB Wash Reserves RSPB Reserves: http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/collections/thewash_northnorfolk.aspx LWT Reserves: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ South Lincolnshire bird sightings November 2014 RSPB Frampton Marsh A Bittern was a brief visitor (27th), while the Glossy Ibis, present since June remained throughout. Up to 15 Whooper Swans (5th) roosted overnight on the scrapes. A European White-fronted Goose joined the mobile goose flocks (27th) with single Pale-bellied Brent Goose and a Black Brant hybrid also in residence. Over 3800 Wigeon (20th) was a record count, as was 2192 Teal (9th). The Rough-legged Buzzard, mainly present on fields adjacent to the reserve, was present all month. Golden Plover numbers gradually built up to a peak of 8000 (30th). Single Little Stint (1st & 2nd) and Jack Snipe (25th) were also recorded. A Little Auk (5th) flew inland to a fate unknown. A Great Grey Shrike (4th) didn’t linger either, but the reserve’s first Cetti’s Warbler (20th – 25th) remained for a few days. One or two Lapland Buntings were seen on three dates with Snow Buntings on four. RSPB Freiston Shore The highlights were mainly offshore with four Little Auks (7th) and Velvet Scoter, Pomarine Skua and a single Little Auk (26th). A new arrival was a woodcock by the reservoir (7th). Gibraltar Point NNR Awaited Other sites Awaited. John Badley [Assisted by Colin Jennings] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIBRALTAR POINT NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See: Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog. http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.co.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE DUNES NNR. http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/38015?category=59026 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE NNR. 5th-11th December 2014 Contributors: Nigel Lound, Janet Roworth, Peter Roworth, John Walker, Cliff Morrison Whilst there were sharp frost on 6th and 9th, the rest of the week was cool with gale force westerly winds on 10th and 11th. By early December, with continuing relatively mild weather, bird populations have settled down across the area now across the reserve. The monthly Wetland Bird Survey took place on Saturday 6th, yielding some reasonable counts: The most interesting being Pink-footed Geese at 590. This species has wintered locally in small numbers over the past few years, although there were up to 1,200 birds 3-4 years ago, feeding in the local fields during a period of very cold weather. However, this is the first winter that they have established a significant resident wintering group . They are roosting off Rimac around Saltfleet Haven area and are currently feeding during the day on grasslands in the Rimac Saltfleetby area. For the early risers, they can be seen flighting in from roost low over Rimac between 0730hrs and 0800hrs. This week, with a full moon, they have been flighting back to roost well after dark and at one point, could be seen silhouetted against the moon. The main wintering area for Pink-footed Goose area in North Lincs is on the upper Humber, where record numbers of around 15,000 birds have been recorded this winter, so perhaps they have needed to expand to other areas. Other goose species in the area include Canada Goose, where up to 100 flight from Mablethorpe to Saltfleet and Brent Goose, where small numbers are present, but the main feeding flock, over 0ver 400 birds, can be seen to the north of Saltfleet Haven on the marshes there. 16 Whooper swans were feeding with the Pink-footed Geese on the 10th. There is a feeding flock of 34 Whooper Swans and over 80 Mute Swans feeding in rape fields at Theddlethorpe All Saints, so the Whoopers are probably mobile in the area Curlew numbers have again been high, with over 350 birds counted flying inland to feed at dawn. Little Egret counts have been particularly high over the past couple of weeks, with up to 46 on the marshes off Rimac and small groups of 2-3 birds can regularly be seen flying down the dunes towards Mablethorpe. Other waders have included over 70 Redshank, 60 Dunlin, 40 Sanderling and 40 Bar-tailed Godwits, 7 Snipe and a Jack Snipe. Feeding on the samphire beds on the beach, between Churchill Lane and Crook Bank, are over 220 Twite, along with 12 Snow Buntings. A Merlin is occasionally seen harassing these finches and buntings, whilst a Sparrow Hawk makes sorties out from the dunes. Snow Bunting wing remains have been seen on the beach, these birds being more obvious targets for the birds of prey because of their obvious white flashing wings. Other birds of prey have included 2 Hen Harriers in the Rimac area, a wide ranging Buzzard and a Kestrel. Tawny Owls can be heard calling from the villages and presumably hunt towards the dunes, whilst 2 Little Owls have established territories close to the dunes and can be very vocal at night. At Brickyard Lane, a second brood of Barn Owls has been in the trees by the dune edge for several weeks now and 2 young birds can be seen occasionally during the day. On Thursday evening, one of the juveniles was flying along the dunes with 32 Magpies in hot pursuit. Other birds of note have included a Green Woodpecker at Sea View, 2 Stonechats in the Saltfleet Haven area, where there was also a Kingfisher, with a second Kingfisher at Brickyards Lane on 11th. A Muntjac is to be heard barking in the dunes in the Brickyard Lane area. This species can breed at any time. Upton 3 Roe Deer are also in the area. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. News from Far Ings NNR http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Far Ings News See: Far Ings NNR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-Of-Far-Ings-National-Nature-Reserve/186876774685595 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. Bardney Limewoods NNR http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/limewoods/publications/limewoods-walks/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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) For the Limewoods, see: http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/limewoods/publications/limewoods-walks/ http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/limewoods/about/conservation/bardney-limewoods-nnr/ and Adrian Royle's superb Flickr photo-site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/collections/72157624803742908/ Colin Green has produced the following video about visiting Southrey Wood in Oct 2012. Well worth a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1SpBvd9Ib0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 to bed' on Fridays. Please e-mail in 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 re-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. Species Names in full.] *** Find the Grid Reference *** Chris Manning recommended the following website for help with find grid references. http://www.bnhs.co.uk/focuson/grabagridref/html/index.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 from Wilma Gammon at the Lincs Wildlife Trust office, e-mail wgammon@lincstrust.co.uk LNU publications [listed on LNU website] may be ordered via: Ian Macalpine-Leny http://lnu.org/publications.php ian@macalpine-leny.co.uk *** Contacts List *** FIGHTING WILDLIFE CRIME *** Rural Crime Officer *** Pc 160 Nick Willey Force Wildlife, Rural Crime Officer Force Dog Training Establishment Lincolnshire Showground. Grange-De-Lings. Lincoln nicholas.willey@lincs.pnn.police.uk OFFICE: 01522-731897 MOBILE :07768-501895 PAGER : 07654-330877 Website: http://www.lincs.police.uk/Advice/Wildlife-and-Rural-Crime/ STAYING SAFE *** EasyTide *** Check tide times on Admiralty EasyTide: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx *** Local Tide Tables *** Here is a useful-looking website where you can order local tide tables. Well worth bookmarking. Everyone who uses the coast ought to have local tide tables handy. £1.50 + p&p. https://www.tidetimes.org.uk/ *** TWO - The Weather Outlook *** Check the weather forecast for the location or postcode: http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/ *** Met Office E-mail Service *** Be warned of the possibility of severe weather. 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. See: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/guide-to-emails *** Environment Agency Flood Information/Floodline *** http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/default.aspx *** Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust *** http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ Care of Sick or Injured Animals - information on LWT website *** http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/sick-and-injured-animals SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING *** iSpot Keys for computer or mobile *** If you are a beginner to identification of species, you might find the following link useful. http://www.ispot.org.uk/keys The LNU is now represented on the popular iSpot website. A full list of the organisations, recording schemes and societies represented is here: http://www.ispot.org.uk/representatives *** What's That Butterfly? *** http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/index.php http://butterfly-conservation.org/ What's That Caterpillar? http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species_family.php?name=all&stage=larva *** Identifying Dragonflies *** http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/content/uk-species http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/content/dragonfly-and-damselfly-identification-help *** Spiders *** Imogen Wilde writes: Regional Co-ordinator (RC) and Mentor for Lincolnshire for the British Arachnological Society (BAS). I will be organising a few field meetings to hunt for spiders and other arachnids in due course, but if any LNU members wish to get in touch in the meantime then please contact me on my e-mail address: Imogen@imogenwilde.co.uk *** Lincs Amphibian and Reptile Group *** The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) For further details please contact: ashleybutterfield@btinternet.com tel. 07984 66 5847 *** Report Ash Dieback in Lincolnshire *** Link for Chalara fraxinea reports: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara *** 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 *** 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 *** Mammal Records *** Mammal records can reported to Chris Manning E-mail: Chris.LincsDeer@gmail.com Mink/Otter reports are of interest and can be sent via the Bulletin. *** 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 *** Identification of Non-Marine Molluscs *** John Redshaw is still available to identify specimens of non- marine shelled molluscs, including brackish marsh species. For larger and medium sized species (down to 1cm) a digital image will usually suffice. For smaller species it may be possible, in some cases, to ID specimens from digital images, but usually actual specimens will be required. If providing specimens, they may be enclosed in old film pots (which photographic shops are usually glad to get rid of). Details of location where specimen found, (with grid reference if known), date and finder's name should be provided. If specimen is provided this information should be noted on a label stuck to the outside of the pot. Please be aware that it is illegal to send live specimens through the post. For further details please contact John by e-mail on ejred7fen@tiscali.co.uk *** Mollusc Identification *** David Feld has also kindly offered to assist readers to identify molluscs, both terrestrial and aquatic. Please e-mail him a description and he will advise you whether and where to send a photograph or an actual specimen. Contact: drf@dfeld.freeserve.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 badger reports. USEFUL WILDLIFE CONTACTS *** Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust *** http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ *** 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/ *** Lincs Bird Club *** Secretary - Robert Carr secretary@lincsbirdclub.co.uk Membership Secretary - Mike Harrison: michael@michaelharrison1.wanadoo.co.uk LBC County Bird Recorders John Clarkson - Covering the north of the county recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk John Badley - Covering the south of the county recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk Bird Club Website: http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk *** The Sir Joseph Banks Society *** Contact 01507 528223 or by e-mail: enquiries@joseph-banks.org.uk. http://www.joseph-banks.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 Environmental Records Centre *** Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership (of which LERC is a part) Contact: Charlie Barnes, charlie.barnes@glnp.org.uk or for more general queries: info@glnp.org.uk *** The Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes Project (LCGMP) *** To learn more about the project or to find out how to get involved, please visit http://www.lincsmarshes.org.uk/ *** Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service *** A dedicated service to protect and enhance the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 01507 609740 www.lincswolds.org.uk http://www.lincswolds.org.uk *** Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project *** Project Officer: Ruth Craig ruth.craig@lincolnshire.gov.uk 01507 609740 For help with chalk stream management, volunteering opportunities and educational activities on the chalk stream please visit the website http://www.lincswolds.org.uk/chalk-streams/volunteering or contact the project officer ruth.craig@lincolnshire.gov.uk *** The South Lincolnshire Fenlands Partnership *** South Lincolnshire Fenlands Partnership is working to promote enhancement and re-creation of an iconic fenland landscape and its wildlife within our highly productive and important farmlands. To learn more about the partnership please visit our website at http://www.lincsfenlands.org.uk/ or contact the project officer at slincsfens@lincstrust.co.uk Amanda Jenkins - South Lincolnshire Fenlands Project Officer *** Hartsholme Country Park *** To learn more about the park or to get in involved at the park please visit http://www.lincoln.gov.uk/hartsholmecp contact Park Rangers at hartsholmecp@lincoln.gov.uk *** RSPB Contact Details *** RSPB Website: http://www.rspb.org.uk www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh John Badley, Site Manager for RSPB Lincolnshire Wash reserves e-mail: john.badley@rspb.org.uk S Lincs RSPB http://www.southlincsrspb.org.uk Lincoln RSPB http://www.lincolnrspb.org.uk/ Lincsbirders - Lincolnshire's Alternative Birding Group http://www.lincsbirders.org/ *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire link *** http://www.lincolnshire-butterflies.org.uk/index.html *** Tornado and Storm Research Organisation *** http://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/ Hedgehog Street survey http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ For 2014 survey, see: http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/pages/hibernation-survey.html Lincsbirders - Lincolnshire's Alternative Birding Group Some great photos. http://www.lincsbirders.org/ Bardney Limewoods - the Lincolnshire Limewoods Project Bardney Limewoods NNR http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Limewoods/ limewoods@lincolnshire.gov.uk *** Grow-your-own Mistletoe *** http://www.mistle.co.uk/ Readers websites and videos - superb work well worth browsing through. If anyone else is putting work like this on the web, please let us know. Joan Gunson's Moths recorded 2013: http:www.flickr.com/photos/angleshades Alan Dale's Bugs and Weeds http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/ Les Binns: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecoheathen/sets/ Leslie Hebden http://www.flickr.com/photos/13718295@N07/ Youtube videos by Colin Green. Little Scrubbs Meadow in July 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inqCJLrTQmg&feature=relmfu Greetwell Hollow in May 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QmzLFrbjFU&feature=plcp Rimac in June 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s02O5JJoilQ&feature=plcp Starlings at Kirkby on Bain - January 2014 - excellent video by David Robinson http://www.flickr.com/photos/poppops/11685708555/ BBC Radio 4 Tweet of the day: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s6xyk *** Other Useful E-mail Addresses *** New Botanical Group in South Lincs Sarah Lambert writes: We'd be happy to welcome new people, whether experienced or not, particularly if they are located towards the northern part of the vice county! If anybody would like to join us, please get in touch with me at sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com 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 Hartsholme Country Park: hartsholmecp@lincoln.gov.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 http://www.lnu.org/events.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. 2014 Indoor meetings: Saturday, January 17th, 2015 Phil Espin, Chairman of the Lincolnshire Bird Club, will be speaking about' 'Rare Breeding Birds in Lincolnshire and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel." 2015 Indoor meetings: Saturday, February 14, 2015 Recorders’ meeting - overview and highlights in the past year's recording provided by the county recorders. Arrive at 12 noon fpr a chance to catch up with recorders and view exhibits including a demonstration of online recording software, 'Living Record' and a discussion of online recording starting at 12.30. The Overview starts at 2pm. Saturday, March 07, 2015 AGM Followed by the Presidential address by Nick Tribe: "Aspects of Dragonfly Recording in Lincolnshire". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 text copy. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html If you are having difficulties with spam folders et. please make sure you "Whitelist" my address as given in the Bulletin. A "hard bounce" usually results in you being automatically deleted from the mailing list. Latest Mailfails - see notes above. Bulletin still bouncing from: dawnwilson - soft bounce - delivery failed db.goddard - soft bounce - delivery failed Geoff Cool - soft bounce - delivery failed ian.wilson - soft bounce - delivery failed peter.wood - soft bounce - delivery failed Roger Briggs - soft bounce - delivery failed uniomystic - soft bounce - delivery failed victor.andams - soft bounce - delivery failed rattyphiljs - soft bounce - delivery failed *** And finally...... Contributions to "And finally......" are always welcome. From the Derbyshire Butterfly survey: Really interesting video footage of the life style of the White Letter Hairstreak has been put on You Tube by Pieter & Brigitte Kan which was filmed by them in their village of Callas in Southern France. It is well worth taking a look at especially on a cold December day. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdDNGF2HDr0 Blakeney Point seals to star in BBC Winterwatch http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-30310463 Shell 'art' made 300,000 years before humans evolved http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22429983.200-shell-art-made-300000-years-before-humans-evolved.html#.VIcqBWeVHSg Dancing in time makes crabs sexual failures http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26660-zoologger-dancing-in-time-makes-crabs-sexual-failures.html#.VIcqhmeVHSg ---------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons http://rogerparsons.info/