============================================= || || 22nd January 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 use the "forward to a friend" link at the end of every LNU Bulletin. We really need your help with building up reader numbers. ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Information, hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Editor writes... *** Winterwatch starts next week. Follow any missed programs on BBC i-Player. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012msk2 Note: Steven Heathcote's Bryophyte meeting - Linwood Warren. Come along. Sunday 26th January 2020. Meet 10am at reserve entrance (TF 133 877). Parking is on the road so please park safely and sensibly. We are planning to explore the reserve recording bryophytes - particularly Sphagnum and another attempt to refind the last Midlands population of Rusty Fork-moss, a nationally rare species. Please wrap up warm. We will keep going until around 3pm but people are free to leave as they wish. Please bring lunch! Photos Fred Rumsey & David Long: https://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/bbs/Activities/mosses/Dicranum%20spurium.pdf Please come along to the next Recorders Meeting next month - 8th February 2020. See information below on Bryophytes, Slugs and Hedgehogs. More follows. A selection of topical news stories and wildlife articles can be found on the following links. Most have been suggested by fellow readers. Photo of the Week: 8-14 January - see "...and finally" for photos of the year. https://www.birdguides.com/articles/photo-of-the-week/photo-of-the-week-8-14-january/ First stranded Orca found in almost 20 years in the Wash https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-51108830 Sniffer dogs search High Toynton church tower rubble https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-51173127 Deer poachers banned from entering Humberside Police area https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-51174959 Wressle oil drilling plans approved https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-51155882 Trimingham landslide: Warning of risk of further 'slips' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-51066151 Olive Ridley Turtle found injured off Seaford beach https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-51167213 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch: 25-27 January 2020 - are you ready? https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/ National Insect Week 22-28 June 2020 - dates for your diary https://www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/ Flood Alert: Barlings Eau and Duckpool Catchwater - latest update 22/1/2020 https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/target-area/053WAF117BED Short Ferry Road to reopen soon as it emerges from flood water - 27th? https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2020/01/short-ferry-road-to-reopen-soon-as-it-emerges-from-flood-water/ https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/lincoln-news/last-flooded-short-ferry-road-3748470 Major road into Lincoln to be closed for up to FIVE MONTHS - Washingborough https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/major-road-lincoln-closed-up-3652977 More links in "...and finally..." Thanks for all the contributions this week. Please keep them coming. If you need a plug for your Natural History events and activities - please let me know. Always glad to help. Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk *** LNU Events Diary *** LNU events are also listed below in section 11. 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.] Next meetings: Indoor Meetings 2020 https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ Recorders’ Meeting – 8th February 2020 Annual General Meeting – 7th March 2020 Followed by the Presidential Address by Chris du Feu *** Bryophytes *** Steven Heathcote writes: I'll be at the recorders' meeting. I'd be happy to check specimens anyone wants to bring along - a few choice plants plucked from a drive/lawn/wall/tree etc.. Best dried in a paper packet (opened envelopes from incoming post work fine - just folded over a few times to stop the specimen escaping and left to air dry or placed on a radiator for an hour) and labelled with grid reference/collector/date. Any and all records appreciated. Note: Bryophyte meeting - Linwood Warren. Sunday 26th January 2020. Meet 10am at reserve entrance (TF 133 877). Parking is on the road so please park safely and sensibly. We are planning to explore the reserve recording bryophytes - particularly Sphagnum and another attempt to refind the last Midlands population of Rusty Fork-moss, a nationally rare species. Please wrap up warm. We will keep going until around 3pm but people are free to leave as they wish. Please bring lunch! *** Look Out for Slugs *** Chris Du Feu writes: The lack of cold weather during December and early January will have allowed higher survival than normal for many of our slug species. That makes them even easier to find and record than usual. Some species can be difficult to identify so perhaps the best start is to be with three large species which are commonly found near (or even in) houses. These are Limax maximus (the Leopard Slug) and the two cellar slug species (Limacus flavus and L. maculatus). These are subject of a Royal Horticultural Society project so notes on identification an instruction for submission can be found on the RHS web site https://www.rhs.org.uk/slugssurvey All records submitted will be verified in the iRecord system. Once verified they will be freely available via the NBN Atlas https://nbnatlas.org/ Limax maximus is (or should be) unmistakeable and, being carnivorous with pestilential slugs in its diet, is a gardener’s ally. The two cellar slugs are benign, feeding primarily on algae and lichen leaving characteristic feeding trails on greenhouse glass, drain pipes etc. and avoiding your hostas etc. The green species, L. maculatus, has almost completely replaced the yellow species, L. flavus, over the past 20 years with the yellow species now being very rare indeed. The reason is unknown. All records of either of these species are welcome to help document the rapid distribution changes. Note: Chris will be at the Recorders’ day in February. He will be delighted if attenders bring slugs with them for identification. Ensure you have place name, grid reference and date of collection to ensure we can make good records for this under-recorded group. *** Hedgehog Information Please *** Chris Manning, Mammal Recorder, will welcome reports of hedgehogs. As he will not be able to attend the Recorders meeting you may send these in via the Bulletin or directly to Chris. There is the possibility that this wet, mild winter will bring hungry hedgehogs out of hibernation early. If you rescue one, spot a road kill or a live, happy hedgehog, do send in a record. Chris Manning, Chris.LincsDeer@gmail.com Useful Hedgehog links: https://hedgehogcare.org.uk/ http://caddingtonhedgehogs.blogspot.com/ https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/found-a-hedgehog/ https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ *** January Night Sky *** Paul Money's 'Monthly Night Sky' webpage will be found on: http://www.astrospace.co.uk/Astrospace/monthly-sky/monthlynightsky.html Meteor Shower Guide 2020 https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/how-to-see-meteor-showers-key-dates *** Scunthorpe Museum Society Natural History and Geology Section *** http://scunthorpemuseumsociety.btck.co.uk/ *** Grimsby & District RSPB *** http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/grimsby Martin Francis – Group Leader - writes: Our first trip of 2020 is on Sunday 16th February to Carsington Water in Derbyshire, where we have seen over 50 species, including great northern diver, in the day. This trip may also appeal to walkers and ramblers who will be most welcome to join us, because there is an excellent walk of about 8 miles round the lake. The coach leaves the Shoppers Car Park in Scartho, (next to Scartho Community Centre) at 7.30am, returning at 6-6.30pm. The cost is £20 per head. Booking is essential and closes on Thursday 30th January. Contact Tony Bryan by email at mariners4top@yahoo.co.uk or by phone at (01472) 873362 Everyone, RSPB members and non-members, is welcome to attend the meeting or join us on the trip. *** South Lincs. RSPB Group and Lincs. Wildlife Trust. *** Talk -“On The Marsh” by Simon Wilson. 11th February at 7-30pm Pinchbeck Village Hall PE11 3RB £1-50 - including refreshments Further details at https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/southlincolnshire/events/ *** South Lincs RSPB *** Jeremy Eyeons writes: The South Lincs. RSPB Group have released details of their hugely popular “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 etc., plus 2019 Sightings, 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 *** Lincoln LWT *** *** Grimsby & Cleethorpes LWT *** www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.] 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/ 14/01 45 Snow Buntings, on beach, Winthorpe [late report] 15/01 2 Bitterns from Ness Hide, Far Ings, Barton-upon-Humber Spoonbill, Great White Egret, Frampton Marsh Hen Harrier, Slavonian Grebe flew south, Gibraltar Point Ring Ouzel 1w male, Rimac 9 Snow Buntings on outer ridge, Cleethorpes 16/1 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese flew west over Far Ings, Barton-upon-Humber 2 Water Pipits flew over Sykes Farm, Gibraltar Point Spoonbill, Great White Egret, Frampton Marsh 2 Great White Egrets, Middlemarsh Wetlands. Skegness Bittern, Far Ings, Barton-upon-Humber 17/01 22 Twite, Tetney Marshes Hen Harrier 1w male, Alkborough Flats 4 Bitterns from Ness Hide, Far Ings, Barton-upon-Humber Water Pipit, Hen Harrier ringtail, Frampton Marsh 2 Hen Harriers, both ringtails, Baston Fen 2 Russian White-fronted Geese, Croft Marsh, Gibraltar Point 18/01 21 Twite, Tetney Marshes Long-tailed Duck 1w drk, Millenium Green, North Hykeham Lapland Bunting, 2 Tundra Bean Geese, Croft Marsh, Gibraltar Point Hen Harrier male over saltmarsh, Tetney Marshes Bittern from Ness Hide, Far Ings, Barton-upon-Humber 70+ Snow Buntings, south of North Sea Observatory, Chapel Point 28 Snow Buntings, off far end of seal track, Donna Nook 3 Hen Harriers, all ringtails, flew south, Rimac 3 Hen Harriers, 2 males, Frampton Marsh 2 Hen Harriers, both ringtails, Baston Fen 19/01 3 Lapland buntings, Hen Harrier male, Great Northern Diver flew south, Rimac 3 Hen Harriers, all ringtails, Smew drk at The Ocean, Baston+Langtoft gravel pits Hen Harrier male, Freiston Shore Hen Harrier ringtail, Frampton Marsh Hen Harrier male, Gibraltar Point Hawfinch flew from pond near Christmas tree yard towards Doddington Hall Turnstone at Crowland Wash, off Deeping High Bank Ring-necked Duck fem, Great WhiteEgret, Woodhall Spa airfield pits Great White Egret, Branston Island Great White Egret, Woodhall Spa Airfield Snow Bunting on beach at Wolla Bank, Anderby Creek Long-tailed Duck 1w drk, North Hykeham pits 20/01 10 Waxwings west of Brigg flew east over Castlethorpe 2 Water Pipits, Baston Fen Caspian Gull as, Kirkby on Bain landfill Long-tailed Duck 1w drk, North Hykeham pits 26 Russian White-fronted Geese flew south over Long Eau 2 Common Cranes flew over Frampton Marsh 39 Snow Buntings on beach south of North Sea Observatory, Chapel Point 21/01 2 Great White Egrets, Thorpe Tilney on River Witham NW of Billinghay Great White Egret, Woodhall Spa Airfield Long-eared Owl on island from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James Long-tailed 1w drk on Millennium Green, North Hykeham pits 22/01 2+ Scaup, 1 drk, Barton-upon-Humber gravel pits [sic] 46 Twite on beach, 2 Velvet Scoters on sea,Tetney Long-tailed 1w drk on Millennium Green, North Hykeham pits Hen Harrier ringtail, Frampton Marsh Great White Egret flew over Farm Ings, Barton-upon-Humber ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** 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/ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work. Non-native food chain. Kev Wilson writes: I had an opportunity to watch a female muntjac deer feeding this week. Initially thinking that it was grazing on grasses, I noticed that it was actually selecting Cotoneaster berries that had fallen off the adjacent hedge. Given that the animal had not been born in western China where its ancestors had derived from, it was interesting that it was targeting a food source also from that region – an ironic set of circumstances reflecting the scale of non- native flora and fauna I thought. ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Reports welcome. Ermine Street, Hibaldstow SE 95875 03349 Peter Morrell 22.01.20 Barn owl roadkill on side of A15 *** 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. 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 22/01/2020 Wren R & A Parsons BARDNEY LOCK Water Rail Way north of Bardney Lock at approx TF101702 Near north end of moorings. R & A Parsons 10.30hrs on 18/01.2020 Dead adult Water Shrew on cycleway. Unmistakable. https://www.mammal.org.uk/species-hub/full-species-hub/discover-mammals/species-water-shrew/ TF511762 (my garden) HUTTOFT Jane Pennington Thanks to last week's Bulletin piece by Chris Du Feu on slugs, I now know what was on the concrete step in my porch at the beginning of the year. After saying, "Ugh!", I carefully placed it outside: 1/1/2020 Limax maximus Leopard slug 18/1/2020 Roe deer 10 - 2 groups in the same field: 1 x 6, 1.x 4, 8.15am TF531766 20/1/2020 Chaffinch 1 21/1/2020 Song thrush 1 Singing TF513764 THURNHOLMES (within 300m of SK797984 unless stated) Steve Hiner & Paul Snow Possible male Muntjac, Owston Ferry Warping Drain, around 1st week in January (G. Watts) 08/01/20 Barn Owl x 1 hunting over paddocks, 01:15hrs Blackbird x 7 Black-headed Gull x 250+ on fields around Thurnholmes Blue Tit x 2 Common Buzzard x 1 Fieldfare x 5 Greylag Goose x 5 over Thurnholmes Magpie x 3 Redwing x 1 Robin x 1 13/01/20 Blackbird x 5 Black-headed Gull x 72 Chaffinch x 1 Goosander x 1 male, Owston Ferry Warping Drain Little Owl x 1 Starling x 140 Stock Dove x 2 Tawny Owl x 1 calling 01:20hrs Woodcock x 1 Wood Pigeon x 2 Fox x 1 Rabbit x 1 19/01/20 Barn Owl x 1 caught on security camera in stable yard 02:00hrs Blackbird x 5 Black-headed Gull x 127 Fieldfare x 12 Mute Swan x 2 over Thurnholmes Tawny Owl x 1 calling 01:15hrs Wren x 1 Small Tortoiseshell x 1 flying about in house 21/01/20 Tawny Owl x 3 calling none stop around 01:00 - 01:45hrs 21/01/20 LANGHOLME WOODS (LWT Nature Reserve) Steve Hiner Blackbird x 2 Black-headed Gull x 125 over wood Blue Tit x 6 Bullfinch x 4 Chaffinch x 4 Dunnock x 1 Goldfinch x 12 Great Tit x 2 Long Tailed Tit x 17 Mute Swan x 1 over woods Robin x 1 Starling x 250+ Tree Creeper x 1 with the above mixed tit flock Wren x 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Report 15th – 23rd January 2020 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Cliff Morrison, Matt Blissett and Ruth Taylor. Daily news and wildlife sightings: A high barometric pressure of 1047MB was noted for the 20th. Colour ring information: The two pink-footed geese seen at Elm House Farm on 17th December 2019 were ringed at WWT Martin Mere. A male, neck collar VCN, on 22nd March 2018 and a female with the GPS tag number 6 a white darvic leg ring with black 74, on 1st December 2016. 180120 - Ring ouzel near Sea View (per comms Tony Burgess), brown hen harrier hunting over saltmarsh near Sea View. 190120 - A peacock butterfly was seen on the wing, mid-day at Sea View. Tawny owl and little owl heard, a barn owl hunting over the saltmarsh was mobbed by a brown hen harrier, 3 water rails heard and 4 woodcock seen around Churchill Lane. 200120 – C1350 pink footed geese flew off foreshore roost and 82 whooper swans roosting on well flooded fresh marsh. Other Reserves 150120 Muckton Wood - Bullfinch, jays, muntjac 170120 Tetney Blow Wells - Cetti’s warbler Legbourne Wood - Jays 200120 Donna Nook – C20 snow bunting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/limewoods/visit/woods-and-nature-reserves/127031.article https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/limewoods/get-involved/ Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch Southrey Wood work party volunteers needed. See: https://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html The Hazel Dormouse https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/cy/node/35 Lincolnshire Dormouse Group Volunteers needed this winter. The group still meets over winter to carry out essential coppice management of the wood and maintenance activities and anyone is welcome to come along and help. Just get in touch via lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com Gemma Watkinson adds Please see below a link to the latest dormouse monitor magazine which includes an article on the Lincolnshire dormouse group. Also the remaining dates for the winter coppicing sessions at Chambers Farm Woods. https://ptes.org/get-informed/publications/magazines/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 - Updates from the Partnership *** 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 Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union 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: 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 *** 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/ *** 2020 Big Farmland Bird Count *** Friday 7th to Sunday 16th February 2020. 2019 results on the BFBC website: https://www.bfbc.org.uk/ 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/ STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. *** Check for road works and hold-ups: very useful *** https://roadworks.org/ *** EasyTide *** http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx *** Metcheck 6-month Forecast - maybe! *** https://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/180days.asp? *** Met Office Severe Weather E-mail Service *** http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/guide-to-emails *** Environment Agency Flood Information/Floodline *** http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/default.aspx *** Lyme Disease *** https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/ 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 Herpetofauna uk http://www.herpetofauna.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 *** 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/ Recorders’ Meeting – 8th February 2020 Annual General Meeting – 7th March 2020 Followed by the Presidential Address by Chris du Feu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails This Week *** Mail fails: Ian Macalpine-Leny - soft - mailbox full 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 does have your GDPR email consent box ticked and that your name/details are as you want them to be. ....and finally... BirdGuides Photo of the Year 2019 - BirdGuides https://www.birdguides.com/articles/photography/birdguides-photo-of-the-year-2019/ Tim Birkhead Sheffield University - Worst marine heatwave on record killed one million seabirds in North Pacific Ocean https://theconversation.com/worst-marine-heatwave-on-record-killed-one-million-seabirds-in-north-pacific-ocean-129842 Human impact on nature 'dates back millions of years' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51068816 Climate change: Last decade confirmed as warmest on record https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51111176 Our Planet Matters: What's the BBC plan all about? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-51104776 Plankton phenomenon lights up bay - watch https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-australia-51178600/ New maps reveal Scotland's seabird breeding hotspots https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51142329 Wallace & Gromit's creators make new animation to try to save the seas https://www.newscientist.com/article/2229991-wallace-gromits-creators-make-new-animation-to-try-to-save-the-seas/ Neanderthals 'dived in the ocean' for shellfish https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51128639 Dog owners warned of deadly hemlock plant on beaches https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-51149121 Dinosaur extinction: 'Asteroid strike was real culprit' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51150001 Reconnecting with nature 'triggers' eco-actions https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51110546 We found the genes that allowed plants to colonise land 500 million years ago https://theconversation.com/we-found-the-genes-that-allowed-plants-to-colonise-land-500-million-years-ago-128977 BBC Podcast 44mins A history of honey https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csyp5z Country diary: the little bird that hides in plain sight https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/21/country-diary-the-little-bird-that-hides-in-plain-sight ----------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/