============================================= || || 1st April 2020 || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || || LNU Website: || http://lnu.org/ || ============================================ In this issue..... 1. Information, tips and requests 2. Wildlife Highlights 3. Wildlife reports from around the county 4. NNRs including RSPB and LWT Reserves 5. Bardney Limewoods NNR 6. Other Reserve Reports and Highlights 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..... ============================================ Reports here are open and are available to county recorders of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union, the Lincolnshire Bird Club and Lincolnshire Environmental Record Centre [LERC]. Text versions of past Wildnews Bulletins from Feb 2009 http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union or any associated organisations. Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Information, hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Editor writes... *** A big thank you to everyone who managed to send something in this week. I hope you will find this Bulletin an informative counterbalance to CO-19. We all need something to distract us from the "Main Event". Keep safe. Please let me have any news or announcements you would like passed on. In the 1990s a dendrochronologist was working on the roof timbers of Lincoln Cathedral. He found some old lead flashing in the associated stonework and sent it off for isotopic analysis. It proved to be of Derbyshire origin. Later research in Lincoln Archives found a letter from King John authorising the cathedral to obtain lead from Derbyshire. The story linked here tells of wider medieval lead issues: Thomas Becket: Alpine ice sheds light on medieval murder https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52095694 It should be perfectly possible to do some natural history whilst in isolation. Isaac Newton Changed the World While in Quarantine From the Plague https://www.biography.com/news/isaac-newton-quarantine-plague-discoveries Scroll down further for Chris du Feu's suggestions: "Natural History in Isolation" A few initial ideas here: The place for all answers about Frogs, the Froglife info and advice webpages. https://www.froglife.org/info-advice/ You can report your garden Herptiles [reptiles and amphibians] on Recordpool. https://www.recordpool.org.uk/index.php There are a reports of solitary bees and the associated bee flies this week. When you spot these, please do your best to identify to species and give as full a description as possible. [Photos are not always as helpful as you might think.] https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/ryan-clark/guide-solitary-bees-britain https://www.brc.ac.uk/soldierflies-and-allies/bee-flies Help is needed to rescue UK's old rainfall records - Citizen Science project https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52040822 Remember: All LNU Meetings over the next 12 weeks have been cancelled. We will monitor the "progress" of CO-19 and update you on further cancellations, and the eventual resumption of meetings at some point, through the LNU Bulletin, LNU Website meetings pages: https://lnu.org/meetings/ and the LNU Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/LincsNaturalist? Keep checking these sites for updates. Anything could change as the epidemic evolves. We must assume all such activities are OFF until we beat Covid-19. Meantime stay safe and keep your news and reports coming. Remember: The Lincolnshire Show has been CANCELLED. All events and activities for Love Lincs Plants are CANCELLED until further notice. Forestry Comission says: Stay home, stay safe – please do not come to our forests. https://www.forestryengland.uk/coronavirus-visitor-information The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on the Coronavirus, Covid-19 is here: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus A selection of topical news stories and wildlife articles can be found on the following links. Hopefully you will find them an improvement on The News Photo of the Week: 18-24 March 2020 - BirdGuides https://www.birdguides.com/articles/photo-of-the-week/photo-of-the-week-18-24-march-2020/ Coronavirus: Streets silent as people stay at home - a clip for the records https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-lincolnshire-52041142/ Coronavirus: Norfolk 'countryside beauty' shared for the self-isolating https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-52048678 Coronavirus: Police send home twitchers searching for rare bird https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-52047532 Splendid Isolation: Birding through Covid-19 - @RareBirdAlertUK - very interesting https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Splendid%20_solation_Birding_through_Covid_19.aspx? Coronavirus: The Archers to reflect global outbreak in May https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52084510 Enjoying wildlife from home: some self-isolation tips - BirdGuides https://www.birdguides.com/articles/patch-birding/enjoying-wildlife-from-home-some-self-isolation-tips/ These wild animals also practice social distancing to avoid getting sick https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/quarantine-social-distancing-bee-chimpanzees/ Your Digital Vet | FirstVet - potentially very useful to pet owners. https://firstvet.com/uk Badger cam - Cumbria Wildlife Trust - keep going back at likely times! https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/cams/badger-cam BBC - Earth - Nine rare and beautiful cloud formations http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150716-nine-rare-and-beautiful-clouds? Live from Loch of the Lowes - a story unfolds - Osprey webcam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugobxnl6cBM&feature=youtu.be Whooper Swans head home - BirdGuides https://www.birdguides.com/news/whooper-swans-head-home/ BBC News: Antarctic seal photo wins top prize - great photo. Disturbing. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-52007548 Butterflies bounce back to best year in over two decades https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/butterflies-bounce-back-best-year-over-two-decades-2504201 10 of the world’s best virtual museum and art gallery tours https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/mar/23/10-of-the-worlds-best-virtual-museum-and-art-gallery-tours David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet is a powerful call to action | New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/article/2238102-david-attenboroughs-a-life-on-our-planet-is-a-powerful-call-to-action/ Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk - this is my best address for emails please. *** Natural History in Isolation *** Chris du Feu writes: In my presidential address I noted the value of historic species records and that many such records will be lying in people's notebooks. With so many of us confined to quarters for the time being, now would be a good time to dig out those notebooks, read through them and enter all species records which you can into a spreadsheet. Some notes you will not be able to use - for instance a holiday list of birds would be no use unless each species has a date and place (preferably to at least 1km map resolution). Others will need map references to be found. I often use the Magic Map application but I am sure there are others equally suitable https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx Each record will need at least four fields: Species, Date, grid reference, Recorder. However, I separate date into 3 fields - Day, Month, Year and add a place name which is useful for checking that the grid reference is about right rather than in an adjacent 100km square. It is also useful to have columns for comments, number, activity habitat, but, of course, not all columns would be filled on every record. A typical spreadsheet might then have columns: Species, Day, Month, Year, Grid, Place, Number, Activity, Habitat, Comments Do not limit yourself to only records within the county. When that is done submit the records to Charlie Barnes at GLNP. See how many historic record can be added to GLNP's archive before the end of the crisis. Editor adds: Charlie is ready for your records: Charlie Barnes charlie@cucaera.co.uk *** Botany-type Links for LLP enthusiasts *** Love Lincolnshire Plants: A plant archive for future generations https://lnu.org/lincolnshire-plants-past-and-future/ Natural History Museum - Botany Collections https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/collections/botany-collections.html BSBI Website: https://bsbi.org/ Online with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - PropaGate Learning - online courses in Plant Science, Horticulture, and Botany - free and discounted courses... https://onlinecourses.rbge.ac.uk/index.php Heirloom plants: Saving the nation's seeds from extinction https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51315237 Coronavirus: Keeping your garden flourishing during lockdown https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-norfolk-52069870/ *** LNU Events Diary *** LNU events are also listed below in section 11. "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are cancelled." For LNU meetings and workshops, see: https://lnu.org/meetings/ [Note: Unless otherwise stated, Indoor Meetings are held on Saturdays at the Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, and start at 2pm.] Field Meetings 2020: Website says: "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are CANCELLED." We will update you if/as situation changes. *** Whisby Workshops 2020 *** "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are CANCELLED." We will update you if/as situation changes. *** Whisby Natural History "drop-in" sessions - CANCELLED *** "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are cancelled." https://lnu.org/meetings/drop-in-sessions/ *** RSPB Frampton Marsh: Visitor Centre CLOSED! *** Frampton Marsh visitor centre (including the toilets) will be closed until further notice. The hides will also be closed, as will those at our sister reserve of Freiston Shore. *** Lincolnshire Environmental Awards POSTPONED to Autumn *** The Lincolnshire Environmental Awards have been postponed to Autumn of 2020. For general information in the Awards see: www.lincsenvironmentalawards.org.uk STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. *** About Coronavirus [COVID-19] - a good starting point *** https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 *** Check for road works and hold-ups: very useful *** https://roadworks.org/ *** Met Office Severe Warnings *** https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings *** Met Office Severe Weather E-mail Service *** http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/guide-to-emails *** EasyTide *** http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx *** Environment Agency Flood Information/Floodline *** http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/default.aspx *** Lyme Disease *** https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/ *** April night sky... - still OPEN for business... *** Paul Money's 'Monthly Night Sky' webpage will be found on: http://www.astrospace.co.uk/Astrospace/monthly-sky/monthlynightsky.html "Venus is well placed to view as the evening ‘star’ and is close to Uranus on the 7th /8th as the latter drops lower into the twilight. Vesta is also viewable as an early evening object in a binocular. "In the morning twilight, Mars catches up and passes Jupiter being in conjunction with it on the 20th then closes in on Saturn being in conjunction with it on the 31st. The moon occults Epsilon Tauri on the 29th in the evening sky." Meteor Shower Guide 2020 https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/how-to-see-meteor-showers-key-dates Heads up: The Lyrid meteor shower will peak on the night of 21-22 April 2019 My pupils used to tell me the best way to watch for meteors was lying on a trampoline. https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/lyrid-meteor-shower-when-and-where-see-it-uk Total Solar Eclipse: 360 VR Video Seen From Space | Earth From Space | BBC Earth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53PvDEkgbno&feature=youtu.be *** Scunthorpe Museum Society Natural History and Geology Section *** Please check the Website for CANCELLATIONS. http://scunthorpemuseumsociety.btck.co.uk/ *** Grimsby & District RSPB *** http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/grimsby April and May Meetings and Trips of the RSPB Grimsby Local Group have been CANCELLED. *** South Lincs RSPB - please check the website *** Jeremy Eyeons writes: “Birdwatching cruises into the Wash” programme for 2020. Fourteen cruises are arranged for 2020, at various sailing times and dates, starting 16th April and ending 23rd October. Full details of all cruise dates and times, costs, 2019 Sightings and CANCELLATIONS can be found at : https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/southlincolnshire/news/ Booking is once again via Spalding's South Holland Centre (01775-764777) or online at www.southhollandcentre.co.uk *** LWT Reserves *** http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/reserves *** LWT Get Involved page - including Area Groups *** https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved *** Louth LWT *** Ray Woodcock writes - CANCELLATION. We will decide the fate of the 24 April AGM and meeting in due course. *** Grimsby & Cleethorpes LWT - CANCELLATIONS *** www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk Carolyn Davis writes: Due to the current COVID-19 situation the following events are cancelled:- Morning Walk around Weelsby Woods, Grimsby with Graham Hicks at 8am on Sunday 5th April 2020 CANCELLED Indoor meeting at Grimsby Town Hall at 7.30pm on Monday 6th April 2020 where we were to welcome Mark Schofield to give a presentation about British Butterflies and Moths CANCELLED. This event was to be preceded by our AGM at 7pm which has been POSTPONED until later in the year when it is safe to hold meetings again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Wildlife Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Bird News from Rare Bird 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: Rare Bird Alert website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ [Please mention the Bulletin if you decide to subscribe.] Dick Filby writes: Whilst it is not possible to travel for birding at this time, we are adapting the RBA news service to be more relevant to the current situation. We will report on the birds that it may be possible to see from your garden, your window, or as you walk around your neighbourhood. So we are now featuring, and invite, more reports of the ‘commoner’ regular migrants than normal including any notable ‘visible migration’ (vismig) and also ‘nocturnal migration’ (nocmig) records. For example your garden records of species such as Firecrest, Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher are welcome, records of overflying Hobby and inland waders, and interesting uncoming records such as Common Scoters and Water Rails. With this level of news you will have a much better idea of what may be possible to see each day at home, on a daily basis as spring progresses, if you are interested. The Bird Observatories and other premium sites around the country, where people are fortunate enough to live next door to great habitat, will continue to give another view of what is being seen and we will report this news to you. RBA note on visiting Middlemarsh Wetlands, Skegness: Access from A52 thru The Pines Caravan Park, TF537628 If visiting Willow Tree Fen see: LWT website for directions and updated information on parking and access. https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/willow-tree-fen What is a "ringtail" Hen Harrier? "While males are a pale grey colour, females and immatures are brown with a white rump and a long, barred tail which give them the name 'ringtail'. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/hen-harrier/ 24/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Black Redstart flew south, Anderby Creek 4 Water Pipits "recently", Alkborough Flats Hen Harrier at Howden's Pullover, Donna Nook 25/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Black Redstart male on west side of promenade between Bohemia Way and the Beach Bar, also Breakwater Bungalows in gardens, Sutton on Sea 26/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Black Redstart, Common Crane flew south, Gibraltar Point Black Redstart male on west side of promenade between Bohemia Way and the Beach Bar, also Breakwater Bungalows in gardens, Sutton on Sea 27/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Chough flew NW over garden, Cleethorpes - Oystercatcher? Swallow flew through, 2 Avocets over, Great White Egret flew north, Baston + Langtoft GPs Black Redstart male on west side of promenade between Bohemia Way and the Beach Bar, also Breakwater Bungalows in gardens, Sutton on Sea 27/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Black Redstart male on west side of promenade between Bohemia Way and the Beach Bar, also Breakwater Bungalows in gardens, Sutton on Sea 28/3 2 Garganey on Teal Lake, Whisby 29/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Northern Bullfinch, Grantham garden 30/3 31/3 Black Throated Thrush 1w male still at Grimsby Institute by trees just north of Nun's Corner/A1234 Scartho roundabout Spoonbill flew south over Huttoft Bank Pit 2 Common Scoters flew over East End, Langtoft Glaucous Gull, Pyewipe Whitethroat north of Tetford ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work and drop-in sessions at the Queen in the West pub! http://www.bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire/content/articles/2005/08/30/nature_sightings_feature.shtml Bob Sheppard has updated the peregrine news. As of 30th March these church sites have peregrines on eggs. Boston Stump. Bottesford St Mary's Louth St James Unfortunately all churches are closed due to the coronavirus so their webcams are not accessible to the public at the present time. Grantham St Wulframs' peregrines are looking very active so fingers crossed for an egg this week. STOP PRESS! Grantham peregrine egg laid today 31st March. WEBCAMS Bob Sheppard has sent the following details of his favourite webcams to occupy the hours most of us will be spending at home in the next few weeks. Put them in your favourites. There are lots of choices out there but these are the best quality. The Ospreys at Loch Arkaig are due back on Friday 3rd April https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam CJ Wildlife have fantastic webcams from Europe including little owl, tawny owl (already hatched), white stork etc. https://www.birdfood.co.uk/webcams There are lots of UK peregrine webcams but Woking is one of the best https://www.wokingperegrines.com In Lincs we have the Len Pick Trust barn owl webcam. Both birds are often in the box but no action yet https://www.lenpicktrust.org.uk/owl-project/4593449091 ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Reports welcome. ROAD KILLS B1189 south of B1191 Martin junction TF1091 5929 Barry Kirk Polecat road casualty 19/03/20 Seen from moving vehicle so ferret cannot be ruled out, but very much looked like a polecat *** County Wildlife Reports From Readers *** Thanks to our regular contributors across the county. Much appreciated. We rely on readers to send in their observations and we welcome records from everyone, experts or beginners. Please keep your reports coming. *** Find the Grid Reference - don't forget - it's important *** Grab a Grid Reference: https://www.bnhs.co.uk/focuson/grabagridref/html/index.htm UK Grid Reference Finder: http://www.gridreferencefinder.com/ Chris Manning writes: Please remember to use grid refs, If a recorder doesn't, it not only adds work but must invariably loose accuracy DON'T FORGET - TIME FLIES! Please include the year in your reports in case they are copied and thus lose their context. BARDNEY - The Green TF120694 R & A Parsons Station Road 27/3/2020 10.30hrs Small tortoiseshells est 10-20 and several honeybees working garden heathers. Bardney garden P&M Porter TF 117700  30th March 2020 Male Blackcap came down to drink from our ‘old frying pan’ birdbath. A total of about 6-7 skylarks were singing over ploughland and ryegrass ley 500m north-east. 31st March 2020 Thinned out aquatic plants in our 10x6ft pond for the benefit of breeding smooth newts which have been present ever since we created it. The main plant culprits are always crassula, water-milfoil, an ornamental, pink-tinted water-dropwort, water-cress and a species of water-moss which, between them, more or less fill the water-body each year. Newts need some clear water to do their courting, and we need it to patiently watch for their activity now and again. A sample of water-creatures gleaned from a few clumps of weed comprised damselfly nymphs, water hog-louse, leech, pond snail, ramshorn snail, a planarian worm and yes, a female newt. BOOTHBY GRAFFOE (SK986588) Caroline Steel 20 March 2020 (before lockdown) Red kite flying over Boothby Graffoe church BOSTON 30/03/2020 Roy Pearson A Sand Martin flew over this afternoon towards the pumping station of the South Forty Foot at its junction with the Witham. BURTON-BY-LINCOLN (SK9674) Caroline Steel 27 March 2020 Out for my daily exercise along the Burton Coach road green lane in late afternoon, two roe deer crossed the lane from south to north. I watched them approach across a n open field, but have no idea where they came from: cover beside the Lincoln by-pass? DUNHOLME Ashing Lane Nature Reserve, Dunholme TF043790 27/03/20 Maurice Nauta Total bird species = 28 Blackbird 10 Blue Tit 8 Buzzard 1 Chaffinch 15 Chiffchaff 5 Coot 2 Crow 11 Dunnock 7 Fieldfare 102 Goldfinch 18 Great Tit 18 Green Woodpecker 2 Greenfinch 4 Grey Lag Geese 4 House Sparrow 1 Linnet 1 Long Tailed Tit 6 Magpie 3 Moorhen 2 Pheasant 2 Red Legged Partridge 1 Redwing 3 Robin 13 Rook 3 Skylark 7 Song Thrush 1 Wood Pigeon 19 Yellowhammer 2 Total Mammal Species: 2 Grey squirrel 1 Brown hare 1 HORKSTOW 25 March 2020 Jenny Haynes On reading one of your contributor’s mentioning seeing a kill, I remembered seeing something similar. A couple of weeks ago, driving through Horkstow, on the narrow footpath, a female sparrowhawk was ‘standing’ on a wood pigeon. It was such a fleeting glance as I drove past that I thought of going back but then realised that wasn’t a good idea! Brown hares have been in a nearby field everyday this week. HORKSTOW 26 March 2020 Five brown hares here today. They appear to be sunning themselves in the field. LEGSBY to BLEASBY Stuart Britton 25/3/2020 Since the new orders on Monday I am exercising by doing a fairly long cycle ride. This morning, 25/3, I was on the back road between Legsby and Bleasby and on a mile long stretch counted 17 Yellowhammers. They were not in a flock but mostly in singles and the vast majority appeared to be females. LOUTH Bob Mortimer Westgate garden grid ref TF323872 25 March 2020.  Sunny; 15C; little southerly wind. Bee flies – three seen at the same time foraging in an area of garden about 2metres square. Last year we had an exception number of mining bees and wonder whether these bee flies are the “product” of egg-laying by last year’s bee flies in last year’s mining bee nests. We have mining bees favoured American currant in flower but no mining bees seen yet. MORKERY WOOD SK955192 Car Park Picnic Area 13/3/20 Jane Ostler A Brief visit to check on Yellow Star of Bethlehem ( Gagea lutea) where the first flowers were out but not sufficient for the annual count. There were also the first flowering spikes of Toothwort. The Moschatel continues to spread but no flowers o ut yet. Primroses and Violets were at their best. These included the Early Dog Violet (Viola reichenbachiana). Some Dog's Mercury still in flower, a few Wood Anemones and Common Whitlow grass along path edges. Elsewhere in the wood signs of activity at a Badger's sett. NETTLEHAM 22/03/20 14:15 Ashing Lane Nature Reserve Su Colman First peacock butterfly 24/03/20 12:00 Mill Hill, Nettleham Su Colman First Brimstone butterfly Goldcrest calling in conifer on patio NOCTON Jerry Gunner writes: This morning, quite late, around eight o'clock, I saw a greater spotted woodpecker in the beech hedge I can see from my chair. It was soon joined by another. They were pecking at who knows what on the spindly twigs on the top of the 'hedge'. It's about 20' tall! The thing that struck me was the vibrancy of the colours in the early morning sun which was just at the right angle to spotlight them making them look like little ruby jewels hanging in the trees. The first thing I saw out of the kitchen window this morning as I put the kettle on and after I'd let the dogs out was a blur in the the fields just beyond the garden I took to be a hare. They've been very active during the day even though the farmer has been busy ploughing and so on. I put my glasses on and it wasn't a hare. It was five hares - boxing, chasing - all the stereotypical March hare stuff. They got in with a day to spare. Firsts for me include seeing a wren having a bath. I'm certain I've never seen that. I was sat outside by the backdoor and caught a movement in my peripheral vision. It kept moving, and after a short time tight rope walked down a twig into a flooded flower pot. All this about eight feet away. It must have mistaken me for a statue. Something else new to me is the behaviour of the crows nesting in our beech hedge. Instead of taking half a tree to the nest each visit the two of them are now taking beaks full of what looks like wet leaves or such - always the same sort of stuff and in quite small quantities. I never realised they lined their nests so mentioned it to a fellow enthusiast who referred me to something I was totally unaware of. I knew some birds fix decorations to their nests to attract a mate, but that seems very unlikely in this case because the birds were acting in concert nest building so the female had obviously already decided this was the man for her. The other explanation - not proved but there are scientific papers on it - is that some birds engage in biological warfare. Apparently the plants chosen - chosen, not picked randomly, they all have specific properties - decompose in such a way they emit a smell that is offensive to parasites. In this way the inhabitants of the nest - present and future - are protected from those vermin. I know crow's nests are usually kept scrupulously clean so I imagine this is the behaviour I was witnessing. RIPPINGALE Pauline Warman 26/03/2020 I can report that we have had hedgehogs feeding in our garden and using our hoghouse all winter. Also, today, I spotted 4 Brown Hares in the field not far from our house chasing each other round, and one appears very interested in a particular patch in the field. RIPPINGALE Rippingale – observers’ garden 27th March 2020 Ian Misselbrook 1 Holly Blue (very early?) 1 Brimstone 1 Peacock 1 Small Tortoiseshell 2 Smooth Newts Frog spawn 2 Grey Squirrels 1 Pheasant 2 GS Woodpeckers (pair) 4 Woodpigeons 2 Collared Doves 1 Song Thrush 3 Blackbirds 2 Robins 2 Dunnocks 2 Wrens 2 Blue Tits 2 Coal Tits 2 Great Tits 3 Greenfnches 3 Goldfinches 6 Chaffinches 7 House Sparrows 3 Starlings 3 Jackdaws 1 Carrion Crow 1 Goldcrest – singing 1 Stock Dove – singing And over the garden;- 1 Red Kite 1 Buzzard 2 Greylag Geese © 20 Rooks Rippingale Fen 5 Mallard 1 RL Partridge 2 Pheasants 5 Redwings 1 Fieldfare Rippingale taking in Callans Lane Wood 28th March 2020 Ian Misselbrook For my allowable exercise a 7 mile walk from Rippingale taking in Callans Lane Wood . Most notable at least 800 Common Gulls just west of Rippingale flying north against the wind. Presumably, birds that have been overwintering returning north to their breeding grounds. In all my years of birding I have never seen so many Common Gulls before. Along the same road towards Callans Lane Wood; Early Dog Violet Primroses Cowslips Lesser Celandine CALLANS LANE WOOD Callans Lane Wood 6 Redwings 4 singing Chiffchaffs 2 singing Goldcrests 1 singing Mistle Thrush 2 pairs of Marsh Tits. NR TEMPLE BRUER (TF022553) Caroline Steel 20 March 2020 (before lockdown) While driving from the A15 towards Temple Bruer church, a buzzard flew low over the field beside the road. I stopped and watched as it swooped down on a hare. There wasn’t time to find the binoculars or camera, but they were close enough to see that the hare stood up and ‘saw off’ the buzzard. It would have made an amazing photograph! THEDDLETHORPE 23/3/2020 John Cowell I saw a beautiful pair of Shelduck on the beach below Brickyard Lane in Theddlethorpe on Monday. WILLINGHAM WOODS (Warren wood) TF135 883 (nominal) Richard Fox 23.03.2020 Brimstone 2 flying together Peacock Small Tortoiseshell Tawny mining bee laden with pollen doing what it's name suggests! Muntjac doe (oblivious to our presence) Chiffchaff 3 singing males WOOLSTHORPE-BY-COLSTERWORTH SK923247 23-30March 2020 Jane Ostler Garden, unless otherwise indicated Flowering Plants. Cowslips are unfolding in the garden, but on 26th March one on a sunny bank on the Nature Trail was fully out. Dandelion and Coltsfoot on the same day were covered in small black beetles. Insects. On 25th March 2 male and one female Brimstone, 2 Peacock butterflies, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and the first Small White.  By 28th March much colder and no butterflies. The first Tree Bumble Bee feeding on the yellow pea flowers of Coronopus. The White-tailed Bumble Bee feeding on white dead nettle. Watching the Buff-tailed Bumble Bee at her nest site under a hedge. She was loaded with yellow pollen. On 27th March a Bee fly seen for the first time. 7-spot ladybirds have been flying for the first time this week. Birds. Fieldfare and Redwing were along the Nature Trail on 28th March. Mistle Thrush ('the storm cock') singing from the top of a tall walnut tree opposite the house on the stormy day of 27th March. A Greenfinch may not have much of a song but it was good to hear it in the garden this week and to have visits by a Pied Wagtail to our lawn. A female Bullfinch visited. Fortunately the pear and plum blossom has been held back by the cold. In previous years it has been ripped off by Bullfinches. Frogs. On 13th March just 3 clumps of spawn had been laid in pond. There has been sight of only a very few frogs before or since and one older, silt covered mass of jelly discovered at the bottom of the pond. There was also a sharp drop in numbers of frogs and spawn last year though plenty of tadpoles reared to froglets. Since spawn was introduced to the pond over thirty years ago the numbers of frogs and spawn built up to a 'broiling mass', with the first spawn discovered almost to the day on 23rd March each year. This has been in spite of transfer of spawn to other ponds, predation by newts and grass snakes, and freezing of spawn. Odd colour forms have come and gone , with traces of them in future generations. I have kept records of them for almost every year since so perhaps now is the time to put them together. Mammals. Next door neighbour tells me 3 hedgehogs have been feeding at the dish she puts out for them for much of this month. One is smaller and seems to be bullied by the other two who push it away. Two muntjak deer reported in fields north of Nature Trail. One smaller - a young one? Several hares in same field. WOODHALL SPA area Barry Kirk Over the winter 12/19 to 2/20 Muntjac have been commonly sighted. Locations [No GR available] include: Regularly in scrub areas adjacent to the golf courses. In rough ground around he Kinema and the Petwood Hotel grounds. Along the Viking Way through the Turnberry Drive estate. In the small park on the above estate. Crossing Sylvan Avenue mid afternoon in December. Green Lane, Woodhall Spa TF 1858 6333 Ditch fronting Third Witham Drainage depot Barry Kirk 16+ clumps of frog spawn 21/03/2020 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. NNRs including RSPB and LWT Reserves - reports always welcome ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RSPB Reserves: https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/ https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore/ http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/ LWT Reserves: reports always welcome. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/wildlife/reserves https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/far-ings https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/gibraltar-point ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See: Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog. http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.co.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reports always welcome. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE DUNES NNR including DONNA NOOK http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/saltfleetby-theddlethorpe-dunes https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/38015?category=59026 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. BARDNEY LIMEWOODS NNR These cover a huge area, and records from them and records from volunteer recorders are one of the main inputs to management planning and the protection of rare/scarce and critical species. Reports always welcome. Forestry Comission Coronavirus information: Help stop the spread of coronavirus. Stay home, stay safe – please do not come to our forests. https://www.forestryengland.uk/coronavirus-visitor-information Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch. See: https://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html The Hazel Dormouse https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/cy/node/35 Lincolnshire Dormouse Group You can get in touch via lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The NNR includes the following sites: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chambers Farm Woods (comprises Ivy Wood, Little and Great Scrubbs Woods, Minting Wood, Hatton Wood, Hatton Plantation and Minting Park, and also three areas of grassland: Little Scrubbs Meadow (and extension), Small Meadow and Big Meadow. Since all have their own management plans, please give the actual location when reporting); College Wood, Cocklode & Great West Woods, Hardy Gang Wood, Newball Wood, Rand Wood, Scotgrove Wood, Southrey Wood and Wickenby Wood. Many of these include both areas of ancient woodland or important grassland, which are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and non-designated areas. Since managing the SSSI areas carries particular responsibilities to Natural England, records which provide a six-figure grid reference are of particular value to the Forestry Commission. Other woods included in the NNR but without public access: Stainfield Wood; Stainton & Fulnetby Woods (access by public bridle way only) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. OTHER RESERVE REPORTS AND HIGHLIGHTS. Examples: SNIPE DALES https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/snipe-dales WHISBY https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/whisby WILLOW TREE FEN https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/willow-tree-fen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If visiting Willow Tree Fen see LWT website for directions and updated information on parking and seasonal paths - groundwork is in progress. https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/willow-tree-fen If your favourite locations are under-reported, why not send in some information? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. Sending in reports to Roger Parsons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The purpose of the Bulletin is to encourage biological recording in Lincolnshire. 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 Thursdays or Fridays in time for the weekend. Please e-mail in contributions as early as possible, to: old.museum@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.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. Contact Information & Useful Websites ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union Website *** http://lnu.org/ LNU Twitter feed https://twitter.com/LincsNaturalist? LNU e-mail: info@lnu.org A full list of LNU Country Recorders is given on the website. Downloads of LNU books are available on: https://lnu.org/publications/books/ A list of all the articles contained in Transactions (Transactions page) and a list of the Presidents (Officers page) is also available. LNU Bursaries: The LNU offers bursaries for natural history courses. The upper limit is £250. If you would like to apply for a bursary for an FSC [or similar] course please contact Richard Chadd on: richard.chadd@environment-agency.gov.uk *** Love Lincs Plants - CANCELLATION on events and activities *** To view the LWT project page go to: LoveLincsPlants Webpage: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/what-we-do/love-lincs-plants Love Lincs Plants Twitter feed https://twitter.com/LoveLincsPlants All events and activities for Love Lincs Plants are cancelled until further notice. This includes all plant collection activities, internal and external to the [Wildlife] Trust, as this is not essential under Government Guidance. All events post the end of May will be reviewed in coming weeks. No staff or volunteers, should be doing any activity under the LLP banner, other than on a computer at home. Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union Love Lincolnshire Plants: A plant archive for future generations https://lnu.org/lincolnshire-plants-past-and-future/ LNU Twitter feed https://twitter.com/LincsNaturalist? Natural History Museum Twitter feed https://twitter.com/nhm_botany?lang=en Sir Joseph Banks Society http://www.joseph-banks.org.uk/news-events/lincolnshire-plants-project/ Lincoln University School of Life Sciences blog https://lifesciences.sites.lincoln.ac.uk/2016/09/30/heritage-lottery-funding-to-safeguard-lincolnshire-plants/ Also see: *** Collections Dataset - LNU "historic specimens" *** All of of the specimens that have been processed and digitised to date can now be viewed here: http://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/lincs-plants *** The Flora of Lincolnshire by Joan Gibbons - downloadable book *** https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/the-flora-of-lincolnshire-e-joan-gibbons.pdf *** VC54 North Lincolnshire Plant List *** Paul Kirby has produced a list which details all the vascular plant and stonewort taxa with records on the MapMate botanical database for VC54, North Lincolnshire, at the end of January 2017. You can download this on: https://lnu.org/specialists/vascular-plants/ *** Botanical Group in South Lincs *** Contact: Sarah Lambert, who writes: Following Government guidance and in the interests of health and safety, this year's field meetings are cancelled up until the end of May with immediate effect and until further notice. For further information please contact your County Recorder(s). sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com Also see: http://bsbi.org/south-lincolnshire-v-c-53 *** CONTACTS LIST *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. *** Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust *** http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ *** Lincs Bird Club Website *** http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk LBC County Bird Recorder Phil Hyde - County Recorder, Lincs Bird Club recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk *** The Sir Joseph Banks Society *** http://www.joseph-banks.org.uk *** Lincolnshire Bat Group website *** http://www.lincsbatgroup.co.uk/ *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch *** http://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html *** Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service *** http://www.lincswolds.org.uk *** Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project *** http://www.lincswolds.org.uk/chalk-streams/lincolnshire-chalk-streams *** Lincsbirders *** http://www.lincsbirders.org/ 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 Related Webpages: Rural Crime News https://www.lincs.police.uk/reporting-advice/wildlife-and-rural-crime/ SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. When asking for help: Please give the the very best information you can provide. If you are not sure, ask what is needed from you to confirm identification. Photographs are helpful but not every species can be identified from a photograph. When asked for further details, get back to them promptly. Don't forget a thank you for the help. That is always welcome. Reminder: Allan and Annette Binding are taking a break from recording. [Harvestmen, Pseudoscorpions, Spiders and Shield Bugs] Please do not send records in for now. We will let you know when alternative arrangements are in place via the LNU website and the Bulletin. *** Botany *** Botanical Group in South Lincs Contact: Sarah Lambert, who writes: We'd be happy to welcome new people, experienced or not, particularly if they are located towards the northern part of the vice county! sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com Also see: http://bsbi.org/south-lincolnshire-v-c-53 *** British Bryological Society *** http://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/ *** LNU Sawflies, Bees, Wasps and Ants Recorder *** Dr. David Sheppard Willing to examine specimens or check photos (bear in mind only a relative few of the 300+ species in the county are identifiable using photos). d.a.sheppard@btinternet.com *** Lincolnshire Mammals *** Chris Manning, Chris.LincsDeer@gmail.com Mink/Otter reports are of interest and can be sent via the Bulletin. Mammal Atlas You can download and print off a hard copy or view it online. https://glnp.org.uk/admin/resources/mammalatlas.pdf *** Spiders *** Imogen Wilde Regional Co-ordinator (RC) and Mentor for Lincolnshire for the British Arachnological Society (BAS). Imogen@imogenwilde.co.uk *** Lincs Amphibian and Reptile Group *** The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) For further information and to submit records contact: Ashley Butterfield learningoutdoors@btinternet.com Please have a look at https://www.recordpool.org.uk/index.php for an easy way to record your amphibian and reptile species records. Or you can send any records to Ashley Butterfield (Lincolnshire Amphibian and Reptile Recorder) at LearningOutdoors@btinternet.com Please include Species, Date, Time, Location, numbers as a minimum (Other useful information includes Temperature and Weather conditions.) *** Local Bat Helpline *** Grounded bats, bat problems, advice and information. Contact Annette and Colin Faulkner on 01775 766286 or e-mail: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com Annette writes: Bats are just coming out of hibernation, so do look out for them on any warmer nights, and record. We usually get a ‘blip’ in bat calls from now until about mid April, when less fit animals are found grounded because underweight and too weak to fly. If they’re lucky a person finds them before a cat or other predator does, so please take them in and don’t leave them out in the expectation that they’ll sort themselves out. They won’t, and an injured or weak bat can take 48 hours or more to die. Don’t handle with bare hands. Use a cloth or gloves instead. Bats rarely bite, but one species very occasionally carries a rabies type virus, and you don’t want to put yourself at risk (the nearest record is at Maxey in 2018). Put your bat in a shoe box (check short end for thumb holes and if found tape up), add a milk bottle top of water and call us on 01775 766286. We’ve had one call already, from South Ferriby. *** Confidential Bat Records *** You may send confidential bat records direct to Annette Faulkner on: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com *** Slug ID Help *** Chris du Feu will help with slug identification. Tel: 01427 848400 or e-mail: chris@chrisdufeu.force9.co.uk *** Non-Marine Molluscs *** Alex Pickwell is the LNU Recorder for Non-marine Molluscs Email: alex.pickwell@environment-agency.gov.uk USEFUL WILDLIFE CONTACTS Please copy and paste URLs if necessary. *** Lincs Environmental Records Centre *** Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership http://www.glnp.org.uk/ (of which LERC is a part) Contact: charlie.barnes@glnp.org.uk or for more general queries: info@glnp.org.uk *** Hedgehog Links *** https://hedgehogcare.org.uk/ http://caddingtonhedgehogs.blogspot.com/ https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/found-a-hedgehog/ https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ *** Natural England *** http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ Lincolnshire Environmental Awards Deadline for entries: 31 March 2020 www.lincsenvironmentalawards.org.uk *** Field Studies Council *** Bringing Environmental Understanding to All https://www.field-studies-council.org/ *** InsideEcology *** Online Magazine for Ecologists, Conservationists and Wildlife Professionals https://insideecology.com/ *** NHBS *** Should you need natural history equipment or books, a good place to start is: https://www.nhbs.com/ For the geologists... Lincolnshire Geodiversity Group https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/discovering/geology-1 *** British geology maps - now free to explore on web *** http://www.bgs.ac.uk/opengeoscience/ *** UKGE - Geological Supplies *** https://www.ukge.com/ The Geology of Lincolnshire - downloadable book https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/the-geology-of-lincolnshire-h-h-swinnerton-and-p-e-kent.pdf ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 a few cases may be difficult or impossible to verify. If further information is needed contact: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk Bulletins are sent to Recorders at Lincolnshire Environmental Records Centre [GNLP] , 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 sometimes withhold details 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. Please respect the interests of wildlife and site owners if you report on national networks. Interest in wildlife is not a licence to act irresponsibly or thoughtlessly to landowners, who may well be partners in important conservation work. *** Codes of Conduct *** RSPB's birdwatchers' code https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/watching-birds/code/ BTO's Birdwatchers' Code https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u10/downloads/taking-part/health/bwc.pdf BMS Code of Conduct for Responsible Collecting of Fungi https://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/mycology/conservation/code-conduct BSBI Code of conduct for picking, collecting, photographing and enjoying wild plants https://bsbi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/Code-of-Conduct-v5-final.pdf [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 https://lnu.org/meetings/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Field Meetings generally start at 12 noon for 1.00pm, but please check the website details for each event. Our indoor meetings are normally held in Lincoln at the Whisby Education Centre at Whisby Nature Park. Indoor meetings start at 2pm, with both members and non- members welcome to attend. Next Meetings: Indoor Meetings 2020 https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ Field Meetings: CANCELLED "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are cancelled." We will update you if/as situation changes. Whisby Workshops - CANCELLED. "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are cancelled." We will update you if/as situation changes. Please contact Richard Davidson on 01522 525725 or email rel.davidson@btinternet.com *** Whisby Natural History "drop-in" sessions - CANCELLED *** "All LNU meetings until the 8th June are cancelled." We will update you if/as situation changes. See the LNU website for further details: https://lnu.org/meetings/drop-in-sessions/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails Last Week *** Mail fail: If ever your Bulletin does not arrive, please let me know. Text copies of current and past Bulletins can be found on: http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Reminder: Please check and make sure that your account on Mailchimp has your GDPR email consent box ticked and that your name/details are as you want them to be. ....and finally... A Guide to Woodland Birds - listen https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00brwbl Fear and self-loathing in the Anthropocene https://theecologist.org/2019/may/02/fear-and-self-loathing-anthropocene The ozone layer is healing and redirecting wind flows around the globe https://www.newscientist.com/article/2238542 Warming oceans are causing marine life to shift towards the poles | New Scientis https://www.newscientist.com/article/2238538 China promotes bear bile as coronavirus treatment, alarming wildlife advocates https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/chinese-government-promotes-bear-bile-as-coronavirus-covid19-treatment/ Curious Questions: What did people use before toilet paper? Not an April Fool! https://www.countrylife.co.uk/comment-opinion/curious-questions-what-did-people-use-before-toilet-paper-213206 Why do snakes produce venom? Not for self-defence, study shows https://theconversation.com/why-do-snakes-produce-venom-not-for-self-defence-study-shows-134189 Fewer oaks, more conifers: Britain’s forests must change to meet climate targets https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/22/conifer-oak-britain-forest-change-to-meet-climate-targets ----------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/