============================================ || || 28th October 2020 || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || || LNU Website: || http://lnu.org/ || ============================================ In this issue..... 1. Information, tips and requests 2. Wildlife Highlights from Rare Bird Alert 3. Wildlife reports from around the county 4. NNRs including RSPB and LWT Reserves/Saltfleetby'Theddlethorpe 5. Bardney Limewoods NNR - including Chambers Wood Farm 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..... don't miss the links... ============================================ 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... *** Thank you to everyone who has sent in reports, stories, news and links. I hope we are providing something interesting for everyone to click on! I note that Autumnwatch has kicked off this week. Catch up on i-Player: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0079t1p I watched an extraordinary documentary this week: "My Octopus Teacher". It's on Netflix, Strongly recommended. There's a trailer here for a taste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0LTDhqe5A Weather forecast: "Conditions are expected to remain unsettled into the beginning of November, with outbreaks of rain at first, followed by a more showery regime." https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ Covid-19-related information: Please stay aware of updated government advice and adapt your personal precautions accordingly as the pandemic changes. See: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus "All LNU meetings are cancelled" policy continues. When eventually judged safe to do so, we will announce any resumption of LNU events through the Bulletin, the LNU Twitter feed and LNU meetings webpages. https://lnu.org/meetings/ The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on Coronavirus, Covid-19: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus Coronavirus: Donna Nook ticketing system to limit visitors to seals. 22/10/2020 - The first pup was born at Donna Nook. Seal count 271020 – 7 bulls, 44 cows, 9 pups. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust says: "Due to Government Guidance in relation to Covid-19, we have introduced an online booking system to help us manage visitor numbers. Unfortunately, if you don't book a ticket you will be turned away." To book your ticket see: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook Events/activities for Love Lincs Plants remain suspended until further notice. https://twitter.com/LoveLincsPlants RSPB: map for which reserves and facilities you can access. https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/stories/coronavirus/reserve-reboot/ Forestry England’s coronavirus guidance: https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/coronavirus-visitor-guide Please let us know of any local Covid-related changes readers might need to hear about. Wildlife organisations wishing me to publicise any alterations or new guidelines are welcome to get in touch with updates for the Bulletin. Here is a selection of links to topical local and national stories and articles sent in by fellow-readers. More links for you "...and finally..." Fears over 'weakening' of UK green watchdog - Roger Harrabin https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54706675 Billingborough cash machine thieves fled empty-handed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-54635172 Gardens help towns and cities beat countryside for tree cover - see the map! Repaired link from last week: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54311593 Knot number hit record level at RSPN Snettisham https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-54592215 An award-winning pear tree has been felled to make way for HS2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-54618144 HS2: Moving ancient woodland habitat for rail line flawed, ecologists say https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54628840 Plans to create 'largest heathland habitat' in Worcestershire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-54619198 BBC2's Inside the Bat Cave on BBC i-Player - watch again https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000nx12/inside-the-bat-cave Bats in churches on the Norfolk coast. There is a 'live' event on Wednesday - and you can access the previous presentations and watch again. https://batsinchurches.org.uk/events/norfolk-virtual-bat-nights/ Fungi Hunt in Staffordshire - a wee taster.... https://youtu.be/Xfd9_pZbGFs Starling Murmurations - advice is to watch your local roosts: https://flic.kr/p/2jZo6Fw Murmuration crowds urged not to flock to Somerset Levels https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-54567355 Starling Murmurations Roost Map - note advice/guidelines https://www.starlingsintheuk.co.uk/roost-map.html Moth and butterfly news: September 2020 - BirdGuides https://www.birdguides.com/articles/invertebrates/moth-and-butterfly-news-september-2020/ How butterflies keep their cool: taking butterfly temperatures .... https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/biodiversity/posts/how-butterflies-keep-their-cool-taking-butterfly-temperatures-to-understand-the-impacts-of-climate-change Appeal to finally bring Vulcan bomber out of the cold https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/take-appeal-finally-bring-vulcan-bomber-out-cold-3005919 Don't forget: try the ethical search engine called Ecosia which is strict about tracking rules and plants a tree every time you click! See: https://info.ecosia.org/what Please tell others about the Bulletin or use the useful "forward to a friend" link at the end of every edition. It would be good to expand the network. You can also direct people to: https://lnu.org/publications/wildnews-bulletin/ Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk - note - this is my best address for emails please. STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. NHS About Coronavirus [COVID-19] https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 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 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 - sign up if at risk. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/default.aspx Lyme Disease https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/ *** October Night Sky - soon to update to November *** 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 Next : Leonids - Peaking 17/18 November. Fast bright meteors with fine trains. https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/leonid-meteor-shower-when-and-where-see-it-uk *** Molluscs - reminder - anyone interested? *** Chris du Feu has asked me to help to find a home for an collection of mollusc- related material. If you are interested in this group of animals, pleaseg get in touch with him. This could be the start of a lifetime's fascination.... Chris writes: Mollusc journals and guides I have been given a collection of mollusc-related journals and booklets to pass on to a good home. They are all free and will go to the first person who is able to collect them, or arrange collection from Beckingham (near Gainsborough). I am happy for them to go for personal use or to an institution. Journal of Conchology 1970s to present Mollusc World all issues from No. 1 in 2003 Conchologists' Newsletter (precursor of Mollusc World) 1993 - 2002 Various guides, some fairly technical including identification using dissection. Email me if you are interested and I will let you know what is there. Contact me on chris.r.dufeu@gmail.com *** Great question: Are Spiders right-footed? *** Anne Gayfer writes: For the last 2 weeks, sitting at my dining room table to work, I have have become fixated by a garden spider who has adopted my bottom sash window as an ideal size and situation for a web. So far, she has consumed 2 males and I presume mated with them too! I watched with my own feelings of trepidation, knowing their fate was sealed, as first one, then a second gingerly entered top left and then went missing, presumed dead and eaten. This spider is right footed. Does anyone know - are all spiders right footed? Does this mean that web spirals all or mostly spiral in the same direction? Is this connected with the movement of the sun, or just random? When this spider repairs her web, she goes round clockwise (i.e. follows the sun) and always uses her back right leg to catch her silk onto the next radial strand, balancing on the remaining seven legs. She’s constantly on guard and and presumably a tasty snack for a wasp. I caught a wasp attack and even when the wasp was some 6 inches away, she dropped like a stone and the wasp flew off. She also has a daily routine. To start with she was in the centre of her web pretty much all day. Now, in the morning she goes up to the top of the web. I am not sure what she is doing, but wonder if she has eggs there. When she leaves, she has a “form’ that she leaves behind; it’s different from the rest of the web. This has led me to look up spider webs on the internet - absolutely fascinating. *** BATS - from Annette Faulkner *** On 9th October, I was contacted at dusk by an acquaintance who lives on the outskirts of Spalding, to tell me about at least 4 large bats she was watching that were foraging over the trees in her large garden and the field between her and her neighbours, who have a pipistrelle roost. The bats were flying high, then doing deep dives and up again. which sounded like typical noctule behaviour, and definitely not pipistrelles. We arranged to go over the next night with bat detectors to confirm, should they reappear. But they didn’t, nor the next nights either. It was at this point that I remembered seeing a Buglife piece about mass emergence of craneflies at around this time. Was that what they were after? And yes, her house was suddenly full of them – though she hadn’t known till then what the insects were. Noctules are not a common species in the Fens, being more common in the north, but presumably they were following the cranefly emergence across the area. Did anyone else see anything like this? Now bats are going into hibernation, and we need some good cold nights to settle them into deep torpor. We live by the River Welland, which is a major feeding area for as many as five species of bats in the summer. On 20th October, a very mild night, I took two trainees across to the river with their new bat detector to see what we could find. No Daubenton’s, but both soprano and common pipistrelles were very active. Good for the trainees to hear, but of concern. Bats put on a lot of weight in the autumn to get them through the winter. When they’re feeding their catches sound like a buzz on a detector, before they move on after the next insect – and they have to eat a lot of insects. In the summer these buzzes are very frequent, but last week there weren’t very many. It takes a lot of energy to fly, so they have to take in enough food to balance the weight being lost. Now they were dipping into their fat reserves. Not good news. And we’ve already had far too many underweight pipistrelles this year, and latterly brown long-eared bats too. Keep a look-out at dusk. I’d be most interested in any late records, and will go out to the river again this week to see if any still out here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ 21/10 Yellow-browed Warbler in garden, Huttoft Great White Egret, Boultham Mere Great White Egret flew over dykes, Fen Lane, North Thoresby, NW of of Marshchapel 22/10 2 Bean Goose sp flew over, Water Pipit, Gibraltar Point Great Whiter Egret over Huttoft Pit Hen Harrier ad, Chapel Point Yellow-browed Warbler, in willows between River Freshney and northernmost pond opposite Wybers estate, Grimsby 2 Tundra Bean Geese SW corner of Wader Pit, Black-necked Grebe, Baston+Langtoft GPs 23/10 Tundra Bean Goose juv on EastPit, Baston+Langtoft GPs - later 2 Tundra Bean Geese both ads, Black-necked Grebe, Baston+ Langtoft GPs Great White Egret flew SW just west of University of Lincoln Glossy Ibis on alignment then flew south, Richard's Pipit, Firecrest, Lapland Bunting, 2 Twite, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Donna Nook Yellow-browed Warbler, in wood by village hall, South Ferriby 7 Twite, Sutton-on-Sea Lapland Bunting flew south over, Siberian Chiffchaff in dunes, 3 White-fronted Geese over, probable Glossy Ibis over Tennyson's Sands, Gibraltar Point 24/10 Tundra Bean Goose with 7000 Pink-footed Geese, juv White-fronted Goose, near Barton-upon-Humber Black-necked Grebe juv, Baston+Langtoft GPs 25/10 2 Tundra Bean Geese, in field near Guy's Head, with 1000 Pink- footed Geese, NNE of Sutton Bridge Great White Egret, Shearman's Wath, West Ashby Black-necked Grebe juv, Baston+Langtoft GPs Mealy Redpoll flewsouth, Little Stint, ringtail Hen Harrier, Spotted Redshank, Frampton Marsh Slavonian Grebe, Covenham reservoir Scaup flew past , Spotted Redshank, Jack Snipe, Gibraltar Point 26/10 Hen Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Frampton Marsh Bittern, Whisby Hen Harrier ringtail, Paradise Lagoon, Saltfleet Great White Egret, Marston sewage works Rough-legged Buzzard juv north over Manby Great White Egret flew south over Anderby Marsh Russian White-fronted Goose with Pink-footed Geese at Guy's Head north of Sutton Bridge Long-tailed Duck, Paradise Lagoon, Saltfleet 2 Hen Harriers both ringtails, 2 Short-eared Owls, Saltfleetby 27/10 Long-tailed Duck, Paradise Lagoon, Saltfleet Jack Snipe, Gibraltar Point Little Stint, Frampton Marsh Great White Egret, Woodhall Spa airfield 28/10 Long-tailed Duck, Paradise Lagoon, Saltfleet Grey Phalarope past Huttoft Car Terrace Woodlark over East Dunes, little Stint, Gibraltar Point Short-eared Owl in off sea. Chapel Point Great White Egret, Shearman's Wath, West Ashby ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Useful Hedgehog Links https://hedgehogcare.org.uk/ http://caddingtonhedgehogs.blogspot.com/ https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/found-a-hedgehog/ https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog: http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.co.uk/ Bird Club - latest sightings: https://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/site/index.php/sightings/latest-news Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch. Latest sightings: https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/lincolnshire-latest-sightings BTO tracked cuckoos: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/cuckoo-tracking-project ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Hedgehogs? Badgers? Otters? Reports welcome. It would be helpful if readers would continue to report otter road kills and sightings to help build up relevant data. Chris Manning adds: Carcases may be sent to: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/otter-project Alas our local EA team no longer support the project by paying for transport. Chris Manning sent in the following information: Potential Bovine TB Hotspot Area - Lincolnshire Wolds "If you find a dead badger or wild deer carcase within the PHA, please report this to the Animal and Plant Health Agency [APHA] via the Defra Rural Services Helpline 03000 200301. They will need the following details: 1. The location of the carcase to assess whether it falls within the PHA and in order to find it, if it’s suitable for collection. This could be an OS grid reference, longitude-latitude co-ordinates, the what3words address (tapping on the exact square where the carcase is located), a postcode or enough detail to precisely locate the carcase 2. Whenever possible an assessment of the condition of the carcase because decomposing or extensively damaged carcases are not suitable for post mortem examination." ROAD KILLS LINCOLN David Smith 27/10/2020 15.45 A46 Lincoln Road, Nettleham SK 99132 73888 Badger - large adult A46 between the ring road and Nettleham Su Colman SK 99498 74722 27/10/20 08:45 Badger on northbound road edge *** 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. BARDNEY - The Green TF120694 R & A Parsons 21/10/2020 Wren singing from wall in garden. 23/10/2020 Pied Wagtail on local roofs. CARLTON LE MOORLAND Carlton le Moorland SK909581 Jeremy Hutchinson 27/10/2020 Flock of 300+ Starlings feeding in stubble for last 2-3 weeks. CHAMBERS' FARM WOOD R & A Parsons 25/10/2020 Fungi Cep: Boletus edulis Ghost Boletus: Leccinum holopus. [Photo taken] https://www.first-nature.com/fungi/leccinum-holopus.php Cortinarius crocolitus ..?? Or olidus? [Photo taken] White Saddle Fungus: Helvella crispa [on track verge] https://www.first-nature.com/fungi/helvella-crispa.php Hedgehog Fungus: Hydnum repandum. under Beech. Fly Agaric: Amanita muscaria Charcoal Burner: Rusula cyanoxantha Ochre Brittlegill: Russula ochroleuca Red/pink rusulas under Beech: Blackish-purple Russula R. atropurpurea Rosy Brittlegill? Russula rosea False Chanterelle: Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca - cleared beech Yellow Stagshorn: Calocera viscosa https://www.first-nature.com/fungi/calocera-viscosa.php BOSTON (Garden by A16) 21/10/20 Kathleen Pearson Young male Blackcap in garden today. SEDGE HOLE CLOSE LWT Nature Reserve Steve Hiner 15.10.20 Blackbird x 1 Blue Tit x 2 Carrion Crow x 1 Chaffinch x 2 Common Buzzard x 1 Common Gull x 1 over Fieldfare x 9 Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1 Great Tit x 2 Jay x 2 Kestrel x 1 Pink-footed Goose x 65 flying north over Robin x 1 Skylark x 2 THORPE ON THE HILL A 46 Thorpe on the Hill SK916651 Jeremy Hutchinson 22/10/2020 Male Peregrine Falcon flying north THURNHOLMES (within 300m of SK797984 unless stated) Steve Hiner & Paul Snow 30.09.20 Hedgehog x 1 crossing road SE827012 (Clare Holmes & Sam Hiner) 08.10.20 Barn Owl x 1 perched on wooden finger post SK798992 (Clare Holmes & Sam Hiner) 11.10.20 Blackbird x 2 Black-headed Gull x 4 over Blue Tit x 2 Common Buzzard x 2 Dunnock x 1 Kestrel x 1 Lesser Redpoll x 31 Little Owl x 1 Magpie x 2 Mallard x 5 over Moorhen x 7 Mute Swan x 1 Pied Wagtail x 1 Robin x 1 Stock Dove x 2 Tawny Owl x 2 calling 01:15hrs Tree Sparrow x 28 Wood Pigeon x 9 Wren x 1 Small White x 2 14.10.20 Barn Owl x 1 Blackbird x 1 Carrion Crow x 2 Golden Plover x 63 over Lesser Redpoll x 29 Mute Swan x 3 Owston Ferry Warping Drain Pied Wagtail x 1 Stock Dove x 2 Tawny Owl x 1 calling 23:15hrs Tree Sparrow x 58 Wood Pigeon x 4 Hedgehog x 1 SE836060 (Clare Holmes & Sam Hiner) 15.10.20 Barn Owl x 1 01:30hrs Black-headed Gull x 52 flying south over Thurnholmes Cormorant x 1 north over Little Owl x 1 Mute Swan x 3 Owston Ferry Warping Drain Pied Wagtail x 2 Tawny Owl x 1 Wood Pigeon x 1 Moths around security light; Autumnal Moth x 2 Merveille du Jour x 1 17.10.20 Blackbird x 2 Blue Tit x 2 Long-tailed Tit x 7 Mute Swan x 4 Owston Ferry Warping Drain Pied Wagtail x 2 Pink-footed Goose x 68 north over Thurnholmes 18.10.20 Little Owl x 1 Pink-footed Goose x 75 North East over Thurnholmes Moths around security light; Large Wainscot x 1 Northern Winter Moth x 1 November Moth x 1 19.10.20 Blackbird x 4 Chiffchaff x 1 singing Kestrel x 1 Moorhen x 6 Owston Ferry Warping Drain Mute Swan x 4 Owston Ferry Warping Drain Peregrine Falcon x 1 male North West over Thurnholmes Wood Pigeon x 1 20.10.20 Carrion Crow x 2 mobbing Common Buzzard x 1 over Thurnholmes Golden Plover x 52 over Thurnholmes Tawny Owl x 1 calling 23:50hrs 22.10.20 Barn Owl x 1 23:45hrs 24.10.20 Moths around security light; Beaded Chestnut x 1 Grey Pine Carpet x 1 26.10.20 Blackbird x 3 Black-headed Gull x 15 over Thurnholmes Blue Tit x 4 Chaffinch x 12 Dunnock x 2 Fieldfare x 4 Golden Plover x 49 over Thurnholmes Goldfinch x 2 Greylag Goose x 9 over Thurnholmes Grey Partridge x 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull x 2 over Thurnholmes Lesser Redpoll x 18 Mallard x 4 over Thurnholmes Redwing x 3 Robin x 1 Stock Dove x 2 Tree Sparrow x 29 Wood Pigeon x 4 WEST PINCHBECK TF199248 West Pinchbeck churchyard 15/10/20 Annette Faulkner et al 2 very faded migrant hawkers out in the sun. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. COASTAL NNRs and Nature Reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on Coronavirus, Covid-19 includes details of which LWT reserves are open and other advice and information: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus See: Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog. 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Donna Nook Weekly Seal "Pupdate": https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook/weekly-update IMPORTANT - Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust says "Due to Government Guidance in relation to Covid-19, we have introduced an online booking system to help us manage visitor numbers. Unfortunately, if you don't book a ticket you will be turned away." To book your ticket see: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR Report 21st – 27th October 2020 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Cliff Morrison, Matt Blissett, Ruth Taylor and Owen Beaumont. Daily news and wildlife sightings: 211020 - Sea View: 1 chiffchaff, 3 goldcrest, 1 grey wagtail flew north, 2 kestrel, 2 marsh harrier, 2 mistle thrush, 14 redwing, 1 sparrowhawk, 2 yellowhammer 221020 - A yellowhammer was with a mix of redwing, blackbirds, reed buntings, great and blue tits, 2 chiffchaff and 1 blackcap in scrub near Sea View. A party of 11 whooper swans flew south over the saltmarsh. Honeybee and buff tail bumblebees, ruddy and common darters in the Churchill Lane area. 4 marsh harriers, c4500 pink foot geese, 3 stonechat all along the foreshore. 251020 - Evening flight of at least 4500 pink-feet over Sea View, 13 whooper swans flying south over saltmarsh and 2 marsh harriers and a ringtail hen harrier hunting over the area. Tawny owl calling at Sea View. Single peacock butterfly on the wing mid-day. 261020 - On Paradise lagoon: 60 teal, 9 mallard, 45 shoveler and an immature long- tailed duck, 21 curlew feeding in pasture field near Paradise. Sea View: 1 ringtail hen harrier over saltmarsh, 2 goldcrest. 3 marsh harrier, 2 hen harrier, 2 short eared owl, 2 little owl, 2 stonechat, 47 cormorant all along the foreshore. 271020 - On Paradise lagoon 96 Canada geese, 1 grey lag; long-tailed duck present. Sea View: C4000 pink-footed geese, 9 whooper swan flew west, 2 goldcrest, 1 Cetti’s warbler singing along Great Eau. 9 pied wagtail, 81 crows along the foreshore. Donna Nook (booked visits only https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook) Seal count 271020 – 7 bulls, 44 cows, 9 pups ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Forestry Commission says: "We are open and ready to welcome you" https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/coronavirus-visitor-guide 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. LWT Top Reserves: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 LWT Reserves List: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/nature-reserves-list ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Recorders and improve the quality and quantity of reports 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! 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.] Bulletin mailing times vary, depending on what I am doing. The Bulletin usually goes out on Wednesdays/Thursdays in time for the weekend. Please e-mail in contributions as early as possible, to: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. LNU Recorders and Specialists: https://lnu.org/specialists/ Downloads of LNU books are available on: https://lnu.org/publications/books/ 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 *** Events and activities for Love Lincs Plants remain suspended until further notice. 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 - active... https://twitter.com/LoveLincsPlants 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 Dr Anke Timmermann FLS discusses Joseph Banks’ florilegium https://www.joseph-banks.org.uk/ Lincoln University School of Life Sciences https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/lifesciences/ 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 ... 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/ 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 *** 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 https://butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/BC%20Policy%20on%20collecting%2C%20breeding%20and%20photography%202018.pdf *** 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: Lincolnshire Police Advice on Hare Coursing https://www.lincs.police.uk/reporting-advice/wildlife-and-rural-crime/hare-coursing/ 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/ *** 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 British wasp guide: how to identify common species https://www.countryfile.com/wildlife/insects-invertebrates/british-wasp-guide-how-to-identify-common-species-lifecycle-and-why-wasps-sting-in-autumn/ *** 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 NatureSpot on Spiders: https://www.naturespot.org.uk/taxonomy/term/19515 *** Identifying British bugs - an online identification guide *** https://www.britishbugs.org.uk/gallery/heteroptera/Pentatomoidea/pentatomoidea.html *** Fungi Families/Types Identity Parade *** https://www.first-nature.com/fungi/ *** 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 *** 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/ *** 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/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 *** BMS Code of Conduct for Responsible Collecting of Fungi https://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/mycology/conservation/code-conduct RSPB's birdwatchers' code https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/watching-birds/code/ [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/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** LNU Events - Important message for LNU members *** Précis of Nick Tribe's announcement on future events - full text in 7th Oct Bulletin. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletin2020oct07.txt As the Covid 19 risk remains high the Executive has taken the decision to cancel the first two meetings and (hopefully) postpone the AGM to July/August/September 2021. i.e. January 16th joint talk with Lincolnshire Bird Club February 27th Recorders’ meeting March 27th AGM The Executive will explore dates in the summer for the AGM. ...If a delayed AGM is not possible, the Executive is happy to remain in post until March 2022. We have considered alternatives such as an online AGM, but none appear to be workable. We hope to publish a summary of the accounts in the Spring 2021 Communiqué and should be able to update members on the delayed AGM at that time. Any queries about the accounts can be sent to Chris Manning. The Executive continues to be active via email and telephone and is monitoring the situation with an eye on the 2021 field meeting programme. As with the AGM, the Union may be able to run some field meetings in 2021. If you have any questions, please contact Richard Chadd or Nick Tribe." LNU Officers & Executive https://lnu.org/about/officers-executive/ Richard Davidson says of the Whisby Workshops: "All are cancelled for this year. I am hoping to run them this time next year if at all possible, but that depends on whether something approaching normal life has returned by then." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails Last Week *** Mail fails: None this week - all plus.com addresses got through. None this week. Plus.com customers received their Bulletins again. ....and finally... Readers have a wide range of interests which I try to reflect in the news and information given in the Bulletin. You can help with suggestions for future links. Dormice population warning after Swanwick habitat destroyed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-54623660 Deep-diving whale dies after swimming up river https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-54705567 Lowther Estate: Beavers released as part of five-year trial https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-54690598 Birders' Choice Awards - BirdGuides https://www.birdguides.com/awards/birders-choice-awards/ 'The Survivor' rowan near Moffat is named Scotland's Tree of the Year https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54629745 Wales Tree of the Year: Margam Abbey's Chapter House beech wins https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54629745 Liverpool's Allerton Oak crowned England's tree of the year https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-50141031 Norway funds satellite map of world's tropical forests https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54651453 Satellites picture methane across the globe https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54597764 Cambridge University plant collection 'most accessible in the world' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-54646670 What Victorian-era seaweed pressings reveal about our changing seas https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/27/what-victorian-era-seaweed-pressings-reveal-about-our-changing-seas ----------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/