============================================= || || 29th 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 copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Information, hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Editor writes... *** We hope you will come along to the next Recorders' Meeting next month - 8th February 2020. No formal presentations this year; choose which wildlife families you are most interested in at separate ‘conversation stations’. See: https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/2019-02-09/ Professor Mark Seaward has said that he hopes to be there and is willing to identify lichen specimens. See notes below from recorders on Weevils, Newts, Bryophytes, Slugs and Hedgehogs. A selection of topical news stories and wildlife articles can be found on the following links. Most have been suggested by fellow readers. Sorry to hear BBC radio host Nicholas Parsons [of Grantham] died on 28th January. No relation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51278023 Winterwatch. Follow any missed programs on BBC i-Player. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012msk2 Kew: The oak tree in Kew Gardens that taught the world a lesson https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-51282656/ Bats: Norwich NDR bat bridges 'are not working' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-51193389 Oaks: Northamptonshire oak: 5,000-strong petition could save tree https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-51238444 Cars abandoned on flooded Fens road by suspected hare coursers https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-51283097 Ants run secret farms on English oak trees, photographer discovers https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/24/ants-run-secret-farms-on-english-oak-trees-photographer-discovers Slugs: Volunteers needed for a year long slug survey: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51192169 Newts: Spaniel Sherlock Bones sniffing out rare newts https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51225829 Owls: The six types of owl you’ll find in Britain - Country Life https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/six-types-owl-youll-find-britain-166296 Cat: Tesco cat Pumpkin defies Norwich supermarket 'ban' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-51264786 National Insect Week 22-28 June 2020 - dates for your diary https://www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/ Short Ferry Road to reopened on 27th February https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2020/01/short-ferry-road-near-lincoln-finally-back-open-after-flooding/ Five month Washingborough Road closure to begin next month https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2020/01/five-month-washingborough-road-closure-to-begin-next-month/ More links in "...and finally..." Here's a little Brain teaser. If Recorders have any requests for information on particular species - 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 Richard Davidson has sent details for this year's Whisby Workshops All from 12.30 until 16.30 pm. Plant Pressing - Sue Fysh - 30th May. Yellow Flowered Asteraceae / Compositae Plants - Sarah Lambert - 1st August. Owl & Other Bird Pellets - Garry Steele - 21st November. A fourth workshop on Lichens led by Mark Seaward is being arranged. Further information will follow. *** Wanted: dead clematis *** Message from Charlie Barnes The minute wood boring weevil Xylocleptes bispinus feeds inside dead clematis (traveller's joy) and is likely to be present wherever this grows, but it has only recently been found in Lincolnshire. I would be very interested in receiving hand- fuls of thin, dead twigs of clematis - especially those with small (1mm) exit holes - along with the date and location of collection, to search for the weevil. Samples of clematis other than our native Clematis vitalba would also be welcome, with a note on the species involved, if this is known. With the lack of vegetation, now is a great time to look for the exit holes. If you'd like to try and find it for yourself, you just need to carefully split open suspect twigs, ideally under a microscope. The tunnels made by the weevils, along with their frass, are normally quite obvious in the otherwise dense pith and the beetles themselves standout, being a rusty red brown. Charlie Barnes - LNU recorder for beetles charlie@cucaera.co.uk *** Heads up for Amphibians *** Ashley Butterfield - LNU Recorder - Reptiles and Amphibians., writes: As we travel steadily into the new year, newts will be returning back to their watery breeding grounds and February is not too early to see these amazing animals. Armed with a good torch, it may be worth shining a light into any natural watersource, just after twilight to see if you can see any of these animals floating and swimming through the water. Any natural water, (even if it is only seasonally wet and dries up through the later summer months,) can still be a viable breeding ground for newts. Ditches running along the side of our playing field will be host to smooth newts this year as every year It is still as exciting to see them by torchlight today as it was when I first discovered them when we first moved here 10 years ago. 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.) " Ashley says he hopes to be at the Recorders' meeting if you have any reports for him or to chat about Lincolnshire Reptiles and Amphibians. *** 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. *** 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/ *** Seal Wardens wanted 2020 *** The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust are hoping to expand their current team of volunteer seal wardens for the 2020 season. Volunteers provide valuable face-to-face contact for visitors, answer questions about the seals and other wildlife, patrol the viewing area, enforce the visitor guidelines and help to run the small gift shop. This work is done alongside the Donna Nook Wardens. For more information and/or to apply for a position please follow this link to the Trust’s website: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/vacancies *** January Night Sky - soon to become February's 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: RSPB Grimsby Local Group's February Meeting and Trip for inclusion in the LNU Bulletin. The February meeting of the RSPB Grimsby Local Group features the return of Ashley Grove who will give a talk with the title “Shetland to Scilly, Birds of the British Isles”. Ashley, who is officially recommended by the RSPB and the Royal Horticultural Society, lectures widely and leads regular photographic and birding tours to The Gambia, the Shetland Islands, Isles of Scilly, Trinidad & Tobago, the Spanish Pyrenees and elsewhere. In his talk, he will take us on a journey around the British Isles, sharing wonderful images of the birds he has photographed along the way. Starting with Puffins in Shetland and finishing up with the odd rarity found on the Isles of Scilly, we will have clocked up a fair few miles from the comfort of our seat by the end of the night, but will have seen well over 100 species. The talk takes place at 7.30pm on Monday, 17th February 2020 at Holy Trinity Parish Hall, (formerly known as Corpus Christi Community Centre), Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes, DN35 7LH.  There will also be refreshments and a raffle Entry is £4, payable at the door. There are still spaces on our coach trip to Carsington Water in Derbyshire on Sunday 16th February (i.e. the day before the meeting). On previous visits to this reservoir, we have seen over 50 species, including great northern diver. 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. 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 *** Grimsby & Cleethorpes LWT *** www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk Carolyn Davis writes: On Sunday 9th February 2020 members of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust invite you to join them on a morning bird walk with Graham Hicks, starting from Anthony's Bank, Humberston. Meet Graham at 8am in the carparking area Grid Ref. TA331061 nearest postcode DN35 0PW. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and stout footwear and bring binoculars if you have them. This is a free event however donations will be welcomed for the Trust. For further details contact Graham Hicks - 07979089890. On Monday 10th February 2020 the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust invites you to join them at their next indoor meeting where Outer Humber and Coastal Warden Matt Blissett and Assistant Coastal Warden Ruth Taylor will give an illustrated presentation on the Natterjack Toad and talk about other wildlife too. This will take place in Grimsby Town Hall and starts at 7.30pm. Admission £3, all are welcome. There will be Trust sales, raffle and tea & coffee available. For further details contact Jennie Redpath - 01472 502858. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ 23/01 Long-eared Owl on island from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James 3 Short-eared Owls in stubble field near French's Farm, Dunsby 24/01 Long-eared Owl on island from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James Short-eared Owl flew over river Welland, Deeping High Bank, Crowland 26 Twite, Black Brant ad, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Short-eared Owl, Donna Nook Great Northern Diver off Mill Hill, Gibraltar Point 3 Lapland Buntings + Snow Bunting between Brickyard Lane and Rimac, Saltfleetby 25/01 2 Hen Harriers, 1 male, over saltmarsh, Frampton Marsh Great White Egret on saltmarsh, male Hen Harrier, Gibraltar Point 3+ Scaup, Red-crested Pochard, Barton-upon Humber pits 26/10 3 Whooper Swans, Alkborough Flats Slavonian Grebe, Cut End, River Witham mouth 5 mls SE of Boston Water Pipit over Wash viewpoint, Gibraltar Point Hen Harrier ringtail. Great White Egret, Frampton Marsh 27/01 Short-eared Owl, Deeping High Bank NNW of Crowland at north end 14 Snow Buntings at Greenshanks Creek, male Hen Harrier at Wash viewpoint, Gibraltar Point 28/01 2 Long-eared Owls on island from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James 3 Snow Buntings on millennium Ridge, male Hen Harrier, Gibraltar Point 10 Snow Buntings on outer beach, Cleethorpes 29/01 Ring-necked Duck fem, Great White Egret, Woodhall Spa airfield Hen Harrier ringtail near Frampton Marsh Great White Egret flew SW over Boultham Mere/Swanpool, Lincoln 2 Tundra Bean Geese in field west of River Steeping with 900 Pink- footed Geese, Water Pipit flew over Jackson's Marsh, Gibraltar Point ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work. ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Reports welcome. LINCOLN areas 16th January 2020 Sandra Bisset Road Kills Fox on the north bound carriageway of the Lincoln bypass just after the Skellinthorpe roundabout. Badger (on the same morning) at the side of the road on the eastbound carriageway of Carholme Road, not far from the Saxilby roundabout. *** 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 R & A Parsons Big Garden Birdwatch: 27/01/2020 Blackbird m 1, Collared Dove 8, House Sparrow 10, Starling 9, Woodpigeon 1, also Jackdaw Regulars not included in count: Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Black-headed Gull BASSINGHAM Bassingham SK491 359 19/1/2020 Jeremy Hutchinson Bullfinch (male) BUCKNALL A.Parsons Barn owl at 1.10 pm Wed 22 Jan 2020. From car. Bucknall, Moor Farm [probably.] CARLTON LE MOORLAND Carlton le Moorland SK909581 22/01/2019 Jeremy Hutchinson Large flock of geese ( 200+ flying very high in connected V-formations), species uncertain but looked unlike the usual Canada and Graylags seen here. STAPLEFORD Stapleford SK 489 358 17/1/2020 Jeremy Hutchinson Little Owl GRIMSBY GRID REF TA265095 Joyce Attia 23rd January 2020 17.40 hrs. My garden. The birds have finally found the bird feeders 16/01/20 1 robin on the suet block, 3 great tits on the feeder, 2 collared doves, 2 blackbirds on ground 18/01/20 1 robin, 3 starlings on the fat balls, 2 blue tits, 1 great tits, 1 dunnock and 2 blackbirds on the ground. 20/01/20 2 great tits on seed feeder, 2 blue tits,1 robin, 1 wood pigeon, 2 feral pigeons, 1 little wren creeping along the edge of the house wall looking for insects, then flew over to the planters where there are still a few plants. 23/01/20 1 robin, 2 blackbirds and a dunnock on the ground, 2 collared doves trying to g et seed from the feeder and scattering it all over for the ground feeders. This spring like weather is bringing up the flowers, we have violets, primroses (some of which are being eaten probably by slugs, which is food for someone) roses blooming, the tulip, daffodils and iris which I planted last year are all sprouting. It's been a funny year, nothing has really died off, they have just kept going - climate change, all very worrying. On the river.. There are 3 pairs of moorhens displaying and scrapping with each other, I hope they don't start breeding too soon, we are bound to get some cold weather. There is a pair of adult swans, the juveniles have been chased off I think. The mallards are also in pairs. I haven't seen the little grebe just lately. Grimsby in Bloom with Community Payback people have tidied the river bank and are going to plant wildflower seeds, so that should be nice when they start to flower - we will look forward to that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 22nd – 28th January 2020 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Cliff Morrison, Matt Blissett and Ruth Taylor. Daily news and wildlife sightings: 240120 - Tree creeper on birch trunk near Sea View 250120 - Three gadwall and 32 shoveler on Paradise lagoon. 260120 - On the saltmarsh near Sea View 26 little egrets feeding. 270120 - On Paradise lagoon amidst the usual wildfowl were 5 tufted ducks and a single coot plus 16 curlew feeding in adjacent pasture field. Male and female stonechat at Rimac. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust are hoping to expand their current team of volunteer seal wardens for the 2020 season. Volunteers provide valuable face-to-face contact for visitors, answer questions about the seals and other wildlife, patrol the viewing area, enforce the visitor guidelines and help to run the small gift shop. This work is done alongside the Donna Nook Wardens. For more information and/or to apply for a position please follow this link to the Trust’s website: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/vacancies ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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 *** 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: 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... Rescued owl was 'too fat to fly', Suffolk sanctuary says https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-51294545 Beavers in Gloucestershire's Forest of Dean 'settling in well' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-51207304 Sizewell: RSPB Minsmere nature reserve fears 'environmental impact' on wildlife https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-51211543 Pollen: Forensic science: How pollen is a silent witness to solving murders https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51139809 Wales a haven for wildlife - but for how long? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51109146 Scientists plot incredibly detailed 3D map of the fruit fly's brain wiring https://www.zmescience.com/medicine/mind-and-brain/map-brain-fruit-fly-23012020/ Beetles: How the jewel beetle's shiny shell helps it hide in plain sight https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/animals-ecology/how-the-jewel-beetles-shiny-shell-helps-it-hide-in-plain-sight/ ----------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/