============================================= || || 29th July 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... *** I hope you feel the reports, articles and news links are worth reading. Most news pieces are put in with specific readers in mind and I am delighted when they seem to attract some interest. Thanks to all this week's contributors. Please keep clicking. The BBC has been forecasting high temperatures for Friday. If that is correct we can expect butterflies in abundance. It is not too late for The Big Butterfly Count which runs Friday - 17 July to Sunday 9 August - so why not have a go at it this year? https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/ We have been trying to get to know a new plant per week during the pandemic and you may have noticed our botanical records creeping in as we identify these. It's a simple discipline that quickly results in a surprisingly long list of "new friends". When eventually decided, we will announce any resumption of LNU events through the Bulletin, LNU meetings webpages and the LNU Twitter feed. Please keep checking. Things could change for better or worse as the pandemic evolves so remain alert and keep up appropriate measures to reduce your risks. Please let me know of any interesting local "re-openings" readers might like to know. Other wildlife organisations wishing to publicise changes are welcome to get in touch with updates for the Bulletin. Always glad to help. Covid-19 News and Reminders: For those of you wondering what Covid-19 could mean for indoor meetings: Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities - GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-multi-purpose-community-facilities/ Epidemiology is a special branch of biological recording and naturalists like ourselves may wish to help such research, especially in the light of Covid-19. Public Health England run a website to monitor "Flu-like illnesses" where we can fill in their short weekly questionnaire about our health - i.e. whether on not we have any symptoms. Remember: "Negative" reports are very important too! I have been doing this for many years now and it is easy to do. For more see: https://www.flusurvey.net/ RSPB Returning to reserves: Frampton Marsh & Freiston Shore are listed as Open. https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/stories/coronavirus/reserve-reboot/ The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on Coronavirus, Covid-19 includes details of LWT reserves which are now open and the related advice and information: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus Events and activities for Love Lincs Plants remain suspended until further notice. The Forestry Commission says: Please read our guide to visiting the forest in the summer of 2020. https://www.forestryengland.uk/news/covid-19-stay-home-please-do-not-visit-the-nations-forests Forestry work is underway at Chambers Farm Wood.. The car park is open. A selection of [hopefully] interesting and entertaining links sent in by readers. Please click on a few. 'Tornado' tears through Northamptonshire https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2020-07-26/tornado-tears-through-northamptonshire-town Lincoln Cathedral faces job cuts over Covid shutdown https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-53525770 Campaign aims to preserve heritage of RAF Scampton after closure https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-53565207 Robin Hood' oak: Sherwood Forest tree 'damaged by climbers' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-53500510 Peregrine falcon seen with a face mask in its talons on Yorkshire coast https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/peregrine-falcon-seen-face-mask-its-talons-yorkshire-coast-2924046 Reversing the Decline of Insects Report - The Wildlife Trusts https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/Reversing%20the%20Decline%20of%20Insects%20FINAL%2029.06.20.pdf The Susurrations of Trees - listen - BBC Sounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000b6sm 'Injured bats hide under my sofa' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leicestershire-53491636/ Coronavirus: National Trust seeing 'record levels of beauty spot litter' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-53517143 Coronavirus: Will lockdown easing see more of us using rivers? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53500222 Many thanks for the contributions and sightings this week. All very much appreciated. Please stay safe. Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk - note - this is my best address for emails please. *** BATS – please keep your reports coming *** A big thank you to those of you have been sending your bat sightings in. Could I persuade some other contributors to go into your gardens and see if there are any bats around, from about 15 mins after sunset for half an hour. I’m more than happy to take records from all summer, but negative reports are at least as important as positive ones – I’ve had a few ‘Where are my bats?’ enquiries this year already. Annette Faulkner *** LNU Events Diary *** Website says: "All field meetings during 2020 are cancelled." We will update you if/as situation changes, including LNU Workshops and Drop-in sessions and Indoor Meetings. For details of all LNU meetings and workshops, see: https://lnu.org/meetings/ Field Meetings 2020: Website says: "All field meetings during 2020 are cancelled." https://lnu.org/meetings/field-meetings/ *** RSPB Grimsby Local Group's Meetings and Trips *** It is with much regret, but not a lot of surprise, that I have learned this week from the RSPB that all the Local Group's Meetings and Trips must be suspended until 31st December. There will be a review before the end of the year when, hopefully, we will learn when activities can resume. There will be further announcements like this one nearer the time. Best wishes - Stay Safe Martin Francis STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. *** NHS About Coronavirus [COVID-19] *** https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 *** Check for road works and hold-ups *** 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 - sign up for your area *** 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 - are you at risk? *** http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/default.aspx *** Lyme Disease *** https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/ *** July Night Sky - soon updating to August... *** 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 - Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids on 29/30th. https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/how-to-see-meteor-showers-key-dates Heads up for red Noctilucent clouds... https://spaceweather.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ [Please mention the Bulletin if you decide to subscribe.] 22/7 Knot ad on Wader pit, Baston +Langtoft pits Black-necked Grebe, Little Stint in ditch by sea bank car park. 21 Spoonbills, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpiper, Frampton Marsh 3 Common Cranes, 2 adults and young, Willow Tree Fen 23/7 Wood Sandpiper, Frampton Marsh Great White Egret on Tennyson's Sands, Gibralter Point 24/7 Turtle Dove male singing, Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Lesser Emperor dragonfly male near Greenshank Point, 16 Spoonbills, 3 Spotted Redshanks, Arctic Tern, Gibraltar Point 27 Spoonbills on Reedbed Lagoon, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Frampton Marsh Garganey off Sand Lane as Wroot Acres 25/7 20 Spoonbills, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, 2 Spoonbills flew sough over Humber, Killingholme Osprey, Tabb's Head, Frampton Marsh, flew towards River Welland Bee Eater, Stallingborough Meadows 26/7 Roseate Tern flew south past, 4 Cattle Egrets, Great White Egret, Wood Sandpiper, Gibraltar Point Black-necked Grebe, 21 Spoonbills, 6 Spotted Redshanks, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Whooper Swan, Frampton Marsh Little Stint, Freiston Shore 27/7 Garganey, Boultham Mere 28/7 Curlew Sandpiper on marsh by sea wall, Frampton Marsh 7 Spoonbills, Alkborough flats Turnstone, Baston+Langtoft pits Turnstone, East Pit, Deeping Lakes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Have you noticed a Flying Ant Day this year? Please tell us if you do. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/when-why-winged-ants-swarm-nuptial-flight.html Estimating the age of that oak tree... http://www.wbrc.org.uk/atp/Estimating%20Age%20of%20Oaks%20-%20Woodland%20Trust.pdf BTO tracked cuckoos have set off south. When I last checked they had moved from France into Spain. Follow their progress in 2020 on this link: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/cuckoo-tracking-project Bob Sheppard writes: The Loch Arkaig Osprey chicks are on the move. Already they have done a few circuits of the valley. Soon it will be Africa. Catch them while you can. https://youtu.be/FvXWTBHmUnU https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/ ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Hedgehogs? Badgers? Reports welcome. SCAMBLESBY Clare Brady 23/7/2020 Scamblesby on the A153 Polecat laid on the side of the road. I would think hit by a car. I have seen live polecats in that area before. *** 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. Include the time too if relevant - e.g. for Bat records. *** 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. ANCASTER Sunday 26.7.20 Marion Ellis Red Kite circling high above the traffic lights at Ancaster mid afternoon. BARDNEY - The Green TF120694 R & A Parsons 22/7/2020 1 Bat sp at 21.50hrs through garden. 23/7/2020 Butterflies Possible meadow brown at16.30hrs 1 Bat sp through garden at 21.40hrs. Also Large and Small Whites Holly Blue 24/7/2020 Flying ants active in garden at 17.45hrs, boiling out of their nest. 26/7/2020 Common Cudweed - Filago vulgaris - in garden https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000004403 26/7/2020 at 21.50 - 22.00 Single bat hunting very actively in garden - echolocating at 55kHz. Probably Pipistrelle. 28/7/2020 Single small bat hunting, circling garden at 21.40hrs BAUMBER - Walled Garden BB Count 24/7/2020 15.30hrs R & A Parsons Comma 1 Red Admiral 4 Large White 5 Small White 5 Small Tortoiseshell 4 Brimstone 1 Ringlet 1 Peacock Grasshopper sp Bombus terrestris - in good numbers BUCKNALL to STIXWOULD Hale Road verge TF173677 R&A Parsons 28/7/2020 Meadow Cranesbill - good patch on northern road verge. https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/meadow-cranes-bill COLLEGE WOOD near Kingthorpe TF119753 24/7/2020 11.20 hrs BB Count R&A Parsons Ringlet 5 Small White 1 Meadow Brown 5 Gatekeeper 1 Honeybees foraging outside count time: Peacock, Gatekeeper, Meadow browns FOLKINGHAM Marion Ellis Wednesday 22.7.20 Swifts wheeling above Folkingham in the afternoon. HIGH DYKE - near Woodnook SK943322 Chris Manning 23 July 2020 Stoat HUTTOFT TF511762 (my garden) Jane Pennington 17/7/2020 Peacock butterfly 1 Ringlet 1 18/7/2020 Gatekeeper 1 Volucella pellucens 1 on buddleia 19/7/2020 Bat sp. 2 9.40pm - seemed to be flying at a height of around 5ft Fox 1 Ran through the garden as the bats disappeared Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola 10+ plants I first noticed these growing just outside my gate on July 14th and had to wait until a flower opened before I could identify it. The tallest plant is about 5ft. Southern hawker 1 flying around the garden 20/7/2020 Comma 1 21/7/2020 Green-veined white 4 Two were mating 22/7/2020 Red admiral 2 23/7/2020 Small tortoiseshell 1 (I seem to have a wide range of butterflies visiting this year) LINWOOD WARREN around TF131876 A.Primavera 28/07/2020 Lesser spearwort Ling Cross-leaved heath Bell heather Tormentil Marsh pennywort whorled mint (going to try get confirmation - had more features of hybrid than corn) Skullcap Wood sage Mare's tail heath bedstraw Fen bedstraw Wavy hair grass purple moor grass common cotton grass oval sedge Polytrichum spp LOUTH - Kidgate Chris Manning 22 July 2020 Swifts screaming over Kidgate (Louth) and the peregrine calling on St James. SOUTHREY 26/7/2020 R&A Parsons Water Rail way south Butterflies Large White 5 Small White 3 Meadow Brown 4 Ringlet 4 Gatekeeper 4 Peacock 2 Weld - Reseda luteola https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/weld Great Lettuce - Lactuca virosa https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/great-lettuce Entrance to Southrey Wood Large White 1 Small White 5 Meadow Brown 2 Ringlet 2 Gatekeeper 8+ Red Admiral 3 SUDBROOKE PARK TF 049 762 Ian Dunn 23.07.20 Had an evening out around my local area, plan being to look for a barn owl that I had been told was often hunting over a certain paddock. Wasn’t to be, but noted and enjoyed watching the following: Mammals 10+ rabbits along the evening hedgerow, 2 of which were black Hares x 3 – 1 single, 2 as a pair. Came out exactly at sunset, around 9.15pm Foxes x 2 - highlight of the evening, watching them hunting voles/field mice for 10 minutes before it became too dark for the binoculars (Returned the next evening at dusk and watched 4 together in a family group – assume vixen and 3 fully grown cubs that were slightly more slender than the adult). Birds Woodpigeons Swallows x 3 Blackbirds Pheasant – cock Crows x pair Flora Common Bulrushes beginning to show Snowberries in woodland edge Common Comfrey Himalayan balsam – an invasive ornamental species I believe, growing along the dyke bank and spreading in to the edges of the wood. A bit of research on the RHS website mentions that it is a food plant for the elephant hawk moth. Also rejoices in the name (amongst others) of Gnomes Hatstand due to the shape of the flowers. Marked absence of Gnomes though, must have heard me coming. Garden A welcome addition of a pair of coal tits coming daily to the feeders. We seem to have lost our song thrush pair this week, which we have had since spring. SUTTON ON SEA Sutton on Sea. Nick Adams 26.07.2020 12noon TF532819 Single adult gannet diving for food off-shore. Seen for about 15 minutes before moving gradually south. near TETNEY LOCK - Humberstone Road - A1031 TA314020 Chris Manning 20 July 2020 Roe Buck WADDINGTON SK9755 6398 27 July2020 0015 hours Peter WILSON I’m very excited having just been watching my first bat this year , right outside my own front door. I just glanced out of the window and saw it in the light of the street light which is just outside my front gate, I went outside and watched it for a good 20 minutes. It is quite a large bat as bats go, and to my uneducated eye would say that it was a Noctule, referencing that from my British Wildlife book. I am writing this now over an hour later, time now 0138 hours and looking out of the window can still see it going backwards and forwards, I am thrilled to see it, something you could guarantee to see on a summer night years ago but now a very rare sight it seems. WOOLSTHORPE-BY-COLSTERWORTH  SK923247 Jane Ostler 21/7/20 - 27/7/20 Garden Flowering Plants. Native Plants now in flower in the pond are Water Figwort, Greater Spearwort, Purple Loosestrife and Water Mint. Insects. On 24th July 2020, at 4 p.m. sunny with temperatures reaching 25C for the first time this month, flying ants emerged like a plume of smoke from between old uneven paving slabs. On the same day , at about the same time my daughter in Norfolk recorded the same event in her garden. We both believe the ants are Lasius flavus, hers emerging more typically from the lawn, though not from mounds. Last year on 23rd of July in our garden the ants emerged from the same place on an afternoon when the temp was 30c. We were already several days into a heatwave with the hottest day locally on 24th when it was 35C. This week has been noted for the increased numbers of Peacock Butterflies and for a number of Common Blues which as well as visiting flowers for nectar have also been seen on the Birds' Foot Trefoil planted especially for them amongst the herbs. Small Tortoiseshells continue to be seen in ones and twos but only singletons of Comma and Red Admiral. The first of the new season's Brimstones in the garden on 26th July. Whites not only seen flying in mating dances but their caterpillars revealed in the Calabrese. No Humming Bird Hawk Moths which we look for on summer evenings where we watch the Evening Primrose Flowers open in an area where the honeysuckle is at its best. Dusky Sallow on some Greater Knapweed'. Marjoram, Lavender, Hyssop, Borage and Thyme are all in flower and attracting the Bumble Bees, Buff-tailed and common carder are the most frequent, followed by Red Tailed and White Tailed. Just one Early Bumble Bee seen.The lack of honey bees is in contrast to last year. Southern Hawker dragonfly seen in garden for the first time on 24th July 2020 Birds. Swifts and House Martins have been appearing flying together, but not at the same heights., before 8a.m. each morning . I have been looking out for them each morning from the bedroom window. On Sunday 26th June there were only House Martins and I haven't seen any Swifts since. Following the note on greenfinches last week has reminded myself and neighbours about cleaning bird tables - we are not feeding birds on tables at present and are agreed that we see fewer Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Chaffinches than last year. Bats. 24/7/20 Sitting in garden at 8.30p.m. delighted to see a single bat flying figure of eights over garden. Just a few circuits and it was off flying north west between the houses. The first time one has been noted this year. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. NNRs and Reserves including RSPB and LWT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RSPB Reserves: https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore/ http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/ LWT Reserves 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RSPB Frampton Marsh & Freiston Shore are listed as Open. https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/stories/coronavirus/reserve-reboot/ All events and activities for Love Lincs Plants are suspended until further notice. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on the Coronavirus, Covid-19 plus details of any LWT reserves which are now open and the related advice and information: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus See: Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog. Back in action - click to read. http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.co.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 July 2020 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Cliff Morrison, Matt Blissett, Ruth Taylor and Owen Beaumont. Daily news and wildlife sightings: 220720 - Single brown argus on wing at Sea View. Paradise lagoon 16 redshanks, 13 dunlin, 2 common sandpipers, 1 greenshank, 2 coot, 2 moorhen, 29 common gulls, 30 black-headed gulls and 3 mallard. Over saltmarsh 3 whimbrel. 230720 - A red kite drifted south over Sea View. Between 1630hrs - 1730hrs at least 1000 swifts flew south over Sea View in a continuous wave of birds. At Rimac four kestrels together along with a reeling grasshopper warbler and a whimbrel which flew south. At Churchill Lane a tawny owl flew over and a little owl was heard. 240720 - Of note at Paradise lagoon: 47 common gulls, 6 common sandpipers, 3 shoveller, singles of greenshank, black-tailed godwit and oystercatcher, 5 lapwing and 125 black-headed gulls. At Rimac: small copper, gate keeper, meadow brown, peacock, red admiral butterflies, 6 spot burnet and shaded broad-bar moths.   250720 - Interesting watching a weasel at Sea View making a huge effort to bewilder and entice a magpie to get within ‘snatching distance’. After several minutes of mad antics by the weasel the magpie became very curious as to what this crazy animal was doing and it did get very close to the weasel before seeing sense and flew off. The weasel then suddenly ran off in search of, I assume,  another prey item. (PR) 260720 - Single avocet at Paradise lagoon plus 7 black-tailed godwits, 4 common sandpipers, 6 lapwing and 7 whimbrel over the saltmarsh. 270720 - Flock of 86 ringed plovers feeding on foreshore Summer flock of 450 common scoter on the sea. Up to 400 sandwich terns on the beach. Dunlin, sanderling and knot noted flying south on several days. Good 2nd brood hatch of peacock and red admiral also holly blue, brown argus and wall brown butterflies seen over recent days. Donna Nook 230720 – Red kite flew south, sea lavender a real picture over the saltmarshes at the moment and in the dunes yellow-wort, hares-foot clover and wild carrot in full flower. Butterflies include common blue, brown argus, peacock, large white and small tortoiseshell. 240720 – 1 juvenile cuckoo. 270720 – Single peregrine chasing rooks over dunes and mobbed by kestrel. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Commission Coronavirus information. The FC says: "Please read our guide to visiting the forest in the summer of 2020." 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on the Coronavirus, Covid-19 plus details of any LWT reserves which are now open and the related advice and information: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: Why not apply for one? The LNU offers bursaries for natural history courses, or for identification materials (e.g. books or online resources) to help recording in any group of plants, animals or fungi in Lincolnshire. The upper limit is £300. You do not need to be a member of the LNU to apply, but it would help. The LNU would, however, expect you to put your newly facilitated skills into practice and derive some Lincolnshire records. If you would like to apply for a bursary for an FSC [or similar] course, or to buy books to help you, please contact Richard Chadd on: richard.chadd@environment-agency.gov.uk *** Love Lincs Plants - CANCELLATION of 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 Due to Covid-19, all events and activities for Love Lincs Plants remain suspended until further notice. LLP Project Partners and related links: Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. 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 https://www.joseph-banks.org.uk/ Lincoln University School of Life Sciences blog https://lifesciences.sites.lincoln.ac.uk/2016/09/30/heritage-lottery-funding-to-safeguard-lincolnshire-plants/ *** 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 *** Webpage says: "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). " Contact: Sarah Lambert: sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com Also see: http://bsbi.org/south-lincolnshire-v-c-53 *** BSBI Website: *** https://bsbi.org/ For beginners - Simple Guide to the Wildflowers of Britain https://www.countrylife.co.uk/gardens/a-simple-guide-to-the-wildflowers-of-britain-71271 *** Natural History Museum - Botany Collections *** https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/collections/botany-collections.html *** 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. LNU Recorders and Specialists: https://lnu.org/specialists/ *** Botany *** Botanical Group in South Lincs Contact: Sarah Lambert, who writes: sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com Also see: http://bsbi.org/south-lincolnshire-v-c-53 *** 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 - 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) 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 (of which LERC is a part) http://www.glnp.org.uk/ 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/ Woodland Trust's Ancient Trees page https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/ancient-trees/ *** Natural England *** http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ *** Lincolnshire Environmental Awards *** www.lincsenvironmentalawards.org.uk The Lincolnshire Environmental Awards have now been cancelled for 2020 and will resume in 2021, all being well. *** Field Studies Council *** Bringing Environmental Understanding to All https://www.field-studies-council.org/ Field Studies Council ~ sale still on https://www.field-studies-council.org/product-category/publications/ *** 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 *** British Geological Survey at Keyworth *** https://www.bgs.ac.uk/ *** Stone Circles - for archaeologists really - check the Lincolnshire list *** http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/index.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 instances may be difficult or impossible to verify. If further information is needed please 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/ 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. 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: "All LNU meetings are cancelled." We will update you if/as situation changes. Field Meetings: CANCELLED https://lnu.org/meetings/field-meetings/ Whisby Workshops - CANCELLED. https://lnu.org/meetings/workshops/ Whisby Natural History "drop-in" sessions - CANCELLED https://lnu.org/meetings/drop-in-sessions/ Indoor Meetings 2020 https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails Last Week *** Mail fails: None this week. ....and finally... BBC2 A Wild Year - Series 1 - 3 episodes - watch again https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000kl90/a-wild-year National Trust joins victims of Blackbaud hack https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53567699 Rosalind Franklin centenary: 'She would have been totally amazed' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-53514812 Breaching whale cheers Devon fishermen https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-devon-53543470/ Coronavirus: Cracking the secrets of how bats survive viruses https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53494566 Coronavirus lockdown prevents release of rare butterfly https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-53498814 Yeovil hay meadow foraging ground boost for rare bees https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-53565256 Poisoned buzzard had enough toxin to 'kill a child' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-53543989 Rare sea eagle found dead in Aberdeenshire had been poisoned https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53559301 Plastic pollution to weigh 1.3 billion tonnes by 2040 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53521001 Kelp found off Scotland dates back 16,000 years to last ice age https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53558308 Country diary: a toxic beauty waits among the nettles https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/17/country-diary-a-toxic-beauty-waits-among-the-nettles Country diary: emergence of an ant colony attracts a steely-eyed visitor https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/21/country-diary-emergence-of-an-ant-colony-attracts-a-steely-eyed-visitor ----------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/