========================================= || || 28th December 2022 || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || || LNU Website: http://lnu.org/ || ============================================ In this issue..... 1. Information, events, news and requests - mostly local. 2. Wildlife Highlights from Rare Bird Alert. 3. Wildlife reports around the county - contributions welcome... 4. NNRs, RSPB and LWT Reserves/Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe. 5. Bardney Limewoods NNR - Chambers Farm Wood. 6. Other Reserve Reports - links and highlights. 7. Sending in Bulletin Reports - contributors please read! 8. Contact information - recorders and specialists... 9. Notes about these wildlife reports. 10. Bulletin publicity policy. 11. Events Diary - what's on. 12. ...and finally. Mostly national/international wildlife stories. ============================================ Reports here are open. They are available to county recorders of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union; the Lincolnshire Bird Club and Lincolnshire Environmental Record Centre [LERC]. Compare earlier years. Past Bulletins archive [text] from 2009: http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union or associated organisations. Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. INFORMATION, EVENTS, NEWS AND REQUESTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Editor writes: The next issue will be on the 4th January 2022, so this is the last Bulletin of the year. Many thanks for your encouragement and support. Please help us start 2023 with some coverage across the county. I have just received my RSPB mailing about the Big Garden Birdwatch. This takes place 27-29 January 2023, so I've pencilled it into the diary! LNU Meetings: updates for Indoor Meetings 2023 https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ This week's links to Lincolnshire and wildlife-related news stories. Lincolnshire: 'Significant' fall in hare coursing offences - police https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-63956765 Scotland's Amazing Christmas Trees https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63903914 Why some cats just go where they want https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-63665614 Antarctic post office: A home for Christmas among the penguins https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63979982 Love the headline! Bath scientists find diving birds could be at evolutionary 'dead end' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-64080877 Lost bumblebee rediscovered at Devon's Prawle Point https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-63943801 Lincoln: High Street level crossing work to begin https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-64079139 Cleethorpes: Pleasure Island site plans submitted https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-64075762 Lincoln: Walled garden taken over by new community group https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-64069932 Kyra King: Mother admits losing control of dog that killed baby https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-64078112 Plans for UK's biggest solar farm face review https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd1vx4p679lo Immingham: Company awarded £27m to make jet fuel from rubbish https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-64052727 Grimsby: Ex-councillor counts dozens of dumped trolleys on walks https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-64000682 Fox hunting: Fresh demands to toughen laws ahead of hundreds of meets https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64092254 To celebrate the end of the year - New Scientist’s very best features of 2022. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2352754-read-new-scientists-5-best-long-reads-of-2022-for-free/ More links in "..and finally ..." at the end of the Bulletin. Please stay informed on Co-19 and 'flu advice. Adapt appropriately to future advice at indoor meetings and in the field. If you have any event postponements or changes please let us know. Thank you for all the interesting news links, wildlife information and useful species reports. Please keep them coming. Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk - note - my best address for emails. Please join the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union If you are not yet an LNU member please consider the possibility of joining. Click for the application form. If you are a member, please remember to give the LNU a "plug " to others. https://lnu.org/join-the-lnu/ Weather Forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#? 1 - 10 January "The start of January may bring showers or longer spells of rain for many, with the potential for some heavier bursts at times, particularly for western facing hills. Snow most likely restricted to higher ground in Scotland. Some drier and brighter spells remain possible, particularly in eastern parts. Generally windy, with temperatures remaining near normal, perhaps slightly below average in the north. Further into the period, changeable conditions are expected to continue. A northwest-southeast split may develop, bringing drier conditions to eastern areas with the most frequent rainfall and strongest winds in the north and west. Temperatures likely to remain near normal, but perhaps locally rather cold in the north whilst remaining mild in the south. " For Astronomers and Sky-watchers James Webb telescope: Amazing images show the Universe as never before https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64051171 The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak on 3-4 January 2023. The total period of this shower is from 28 December 2022 – 12 January 2023. https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/quadrantid-meteor-shower-when-where-see-it-uk Cosmic Links... for more information... http://rogerparsons.info/cosmic.html Stellarium - open source and very useful https://stellarium.org/ Len Pick Trust Owl-box Camera A pair of owls is in residence. https://www.lenpicktrust.org.uk/owl-project Hedgehog Advice https://hedgehogcare.org.uk/ https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Area Groups webpage Please let me have your "plugs" for coming events. https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/area-groups *** Boston Area Group LWT *** Gill Walsh writes: Talk - Gibraltar Point, Birds and Migration by Kevin Wilson Thursday 12th January at 7.30pm Centenary Methodist Church Red Lion Street Boston PE21 6NY Admission is free but there will be a retiring collection. Refreshments will be served in the interval Non members welcome *** RSPB Lincoln Local Group *** THE RSPB Lincoln website https://www.lincolnrspb.org.uk/events.htm INDOOR MEETING Thursday 12 January 2023 meeting, Shetland: Britain's Northern Edge by Jack Perks. After spending a month living in Shetland, Jack was able to see and photograph its fantastic wildlife, from puffins, gannets, skuas, divers and orcas. Sponsored by Carol Harvey in memory of her husband Alan Harvey. 7.30 pm in the Robert Hardy Building, Bishop Grosseteste University, Longdales Road, Lincoln LN1 3DY. Admission charge for RSPB members and students £4, for members of the public £5, please pay on the door. Fiona McKenna Committee member RSPB Lincoln Local Group *** RSPB Grimsby Local Group *** https://group.rspb.org.uk/grimsby/ The RSPB Grimsby Local Group won't be holding an Indoor Meeting in January. Instead, the Group will be hosting a 'Zoom' talk on Monday 16th January 2023 at 7.30pm. "Birds and Wildlife of Lundy' by Andrew Cleave Andrew is a frequent lecturer to National Trust and RSPB groups, and has also run courses on dormouse conservation and ecology. He is a committee member of the Lundy Field Society and is presently involved with a survey of the island's flora. Andrew was appointed MBE in 1995 for services to Environmental Education. The Zoom link to the talk will be emailed to usual circulation list about a fortnight beforehand. It is then just a question of following the instructions in that email if you want to take part. If you would like to take part but are not on the circulation list, please contact me as soon as possible at martin.francis2@ntlworld.com Do not be put off by Zoom. Our earlier Zoom talks have been very successful, and a number of participants have used Zoom for the first time. The Group's next Trip is on Sunday 26th February 2023 to Rufford Park and Sherwood Forest - more details nearer the time All the Group's activities are open to everybody - you do not need to belong to the RSPB, or to have attended Group Meetings to take part. Martin Francis Group Leader - RSPB Grimsby Local Group *** Scunthorpe Museum Society *** Keith Scarrott writes: The Natural History and Geology Section of the Scunthorpe Museum Society Our first meeting for 2023 will be on Monday, 9th January when we have another visit by Graham Catley to give his illustrated talk on "Rare and Scarce Birds in Britain". Graham has exceptional knowledge of the state of wildlife in our area from his unique engagements to study them. He has given us many informative and interesting talks in the past. Here is another opportunity to find out about some special birds. We meet at 7.15 pm in St Bernadette's Church Hall, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 2RS, almost opposite the Priory Hotel on Ashby Road. ALL ARE WELCOME TO OUR MEETINGS. There is a large, free car park at the Church. There is no charge for entry to our meetings but a donation bowl is provided. Light refreshments are provided at the mid-talk break for a small charge. STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Bird flu: Defra advice to the general public is to leave corpses alone and report the findings - but that landowners should dispose of birds themselves. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-latest-situation-avian-influenza-prevention-zone-declared-across-great-britain Lyme Disease reminder https://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/zoonoses-data-sheets/lyme-disease.pdf 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. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/guide-to-emails EasyTide http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx Environment Agency Flood Warnings - Lincolnshire https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings?location=lincolnshire Environment Agency Flood Information/Floodline - sign up https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Bird News from Rare Bird Alert *** Rare Bird Alert has kindly given permission to reproduce their pager reports. A big thank you from us all. Readers interested in a pager - have a look at the RBA website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ For RBA's excellent articles: https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/Articles.asp 21/12 Cattle Egret in sheep field opposite Windmill Farm caravan park, Baston Fen 8 Common Cranes - 7 roosted, one flew west, Cattle Egret , Willow Tree Fen WSW of Pode Hole, WSE of Spalding Hen Harrier, Frampton Marsh Caspian Gull, Middlemarsh Wetlands, Skegness Hen Harrier flew north past, 12 Snow Buntings on beach, Saltfleetby 8 + Velvet Scoters with Common Scoters off Sea View car park. Mablethorpe 11 Water Pipits, Alkborough Flats 22/12 27 Snow Buntings, Gibraltar Point 3 Waxwings by Premier Inn, in tree at Brewers Fayre car park, Grimsby 23/12 4 Common Cranes, 4 Cattle Egret , Willow Tree Fen WSW of Pode Hole, WSE of Spalding Lapland Bunting, then flew south, 2 Snow buntings, Black-throated Diver flew north, Huttoft Bank Pit Waxwing by Methodist church from, path between Station Road and The Avenue, Healing 19 Russian White-fronted Geese off Marsh Lane in field near Winter's Pond, south of East Halton Skitter 24/12 22 Snow Buntings, Water Pipit, Hen Harrier, Gibraltar Point probable Couse's Arctic Redpoll form exilipes, + 2 Mealy Redpolls, in trees, North Hykeham Pits Mealy Redpoll in trees at start of Pig Lane, then flew SE, Birchwood, SE of Lincoln Water Pipit, East Halton Skitter 25/12 Swallow, Huttoft Bank 26/12 20 Snow Buntings, Gibraltar Point 4 Mealy Redpolls with 170 Lesser Redpolls, North Hykeham Pits 27/12 20 Snow Buntings, Scaup at Tennyson's Sands, Gibraltar Point Smew ad drk on lake at at Fillingham ENE of Willingham-by-Stow 19 Russian White-fronted Geese [4 ads] off Marsh Lane in field near Winter's Pond, south of East Halton Skitter Iceland Gull juv, 2 1w Caspian Gulls, Novartis Ings, Pyewipe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. WILDLIFE NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Roger Goy Column Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work and drop-in sessions. Roger died on 6th March 2009 at the age of 61. 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/ *** Links "not to be missed" *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog: http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.co.uk/ Lincs Bird Club: https://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/site/index.php/sightings/latest-news Butterfly Conservation - Lincolnshire Branch: https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/ Which moth species might be on the wing tonight in your area? https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/whats-flying-tonight Atlas of the terrestrial and semi-aquatic Mammals of Lincolnshire by C. J. Manning, LNU Mammal Recorder. Download /print off. https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/mammalatlas.pdf VC54 North Lincolnshire Plant List - LNU Paul Kirby has produced a list of all the vascular plant & stonewort taxa with records on the MapMate botanical database for VC54, North Lincolnshire, at the end of January 2017. Download this on: https://lnu.org/specialists/vascular-plants/ Record Pool - recommended by Ashley Butterfield An easy way to record your amphibian and reptile species records. https://www.recordpool.org.uk/index.php ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Hedgehogs? Badgers? Otters? Reports welcome. *** 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 welcome records from everyone, experts or beginners. Please keep your reports coming. BARDNEY - The Green TF120694 R & A Parsons w/o 25/12/2022 Blue Tit 2+ Great Tit 2 Pied Wagtail Blackbird Robin Starling 20 Jackdaw 8 Carrion Crow 1 Woodpigeon 8 Collared Dove 2 Blackheaded Gull 20+ BARDNEY Bardney Garden Grid ref TF 117 701 Mary and Phil Porter Christmas week 2022 Great tits started calling on 20th December. Interestingly, I noticed this last year too, wondering if they were anticipating the turning of the year and the approach of longer days. 25th December: Our first close sighting of a redwing feeding on the lawn, just a few feet from the window. It stayed sometime and we haven’t seen it since. All week: two pied wagtails have been calling and fluttering across the garden between the top of our cherry tree and the neighbour’s roof. We have quite an enclosed, shrubby garden so we rarely see them on the ground. The bird-feeders have been dominated by goldfinches, often squabbling. The house sparrow colony is still going strong, with lots of “chatting”, especially in the morning. Also, good numbers of greenfinches (a change from almost no sightings last year), a few chaffinches, great tits, and blue tits. Also, occasional visits from long-tailed tits, and a few starlings. Blackbird numbers have increased since the cold snap, with one very aggressive one, picking fights with the others. We have a lot of ivy berries, and he seems to be very territorial. One fight was so violent, with one being pinned to the ground and a lot of pecking going on, I went out and clapped my hands to break them up. They were still locked in mortal combat, so I sent the dog out and she soon had them flying in different directions! Both the collared doves and the wood pigeons seem to be getting “frisky”, billing and coo-ing at each other. A family party of jackdaws and three squirrels are quickly clearing the bird feeders. Dunnocks and robins present every day. FISKERTON FEN LWT RESERVE David Smith TF084719 27/12/2022 11.00 Goosander pair (on River Witham) Mute swan Magpie Moorhen x3 Mallard x4 Blackbird f Carrion crow NETTLEHAM Nettleham TF 005756. Brenda Edlington 20/12/2022 Medium to small sized hedgehog caught on trail camera 7.05pm – first sighting since 20/11. Looks very similar so possibly the same one. Have continued to put cat biscuits out in the hedgehog feeding box; the blackbirds go in to eat anything left. Put some food under an upturned hanging basket (to keep out the crows, magpies and pigeons). Pieces from a fat block kept being moved from the centre without the culprit being caught on the trail cam. Left the trail cam on all day and about 11am finally caught a small vole eating and then dragging a piece of fat that was bigger than him to the edge of the cage where the larger birds could reach it. A great spotted woodpecker visited a hanging fat block so I put up a log with holes in it filled with a fat, peanut and seed mixture. A squirrel baffle prevents the squirrels from reaching it. The magpies fly up at it to peck pieces off but the woodpecker is now a regular visitor. WATER RAIL WAY between Southrey and Stixwould R and A Parsons 24/12/2022 6 Goosanders on River Witham. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. NNRs and NATURE RESERVES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's policy on Coronavirus, Covid-19 includes details of LWT reserves and other advice and information: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/coronavirus Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory blog: http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.co.uk/ LWT Reserves List: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/nature-reserves-list RSPB Frampton Marsh: http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Visitor Leaflet - Natural England http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/38015?category=59026 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR No report this week - not surprising after all the hard work at Donna Nook! Huge thanks for that. We hope you all have had a cracking Christmas break and look forward to a Jumbo report next week! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. BARDNEY LIMEWOODS NNR These cover a huge area. Records from them are one of the main inputs to management planning and the protection of rare/scarce and critical species. Reports always welcome. The history of the Lincolnshire Limewoods https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/features/19111877.lincolnshire-limewoods/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Forestry Commission visitor advice: https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/coronavirus-visitor-guide Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch. https://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html Chambers Farm Wood - Butterfly Garden https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/chambers-farm-wood-butterfly-garden Lincolnshire Dormouse Group You can get in touch via lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com Gemma Watkinson writes: Winter coppicing dates 2023 Sunday 15th January Saturday 11 February Sunday 12th March Throughout the winter we meet at 10am at the Wood Centre at Chambers Farm Woods. We carry out coppicing in the woodland and box maintenance and cleaning, and always welcome new volunteers. Tools are provided. If anyone wants to know more, they can get in touch at 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. Many are also designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest. 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Links to "Other Reserves" are welcome. South Humber Heritage Trail, Alkborough Flats - LWT leaflet - downloadable https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-04/south_humber_heritage_trail_alkborough.pdf New haven for wildlife on shores of Humber Estuary in North East Lincolnshire https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2022/08/new-haven-for-wildlife-on-shores-of-humber-estuary-in-north-east-lincolnshire/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. SENDING IN BULLETIN REPORTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The purpose of the Bulletin is to encourage biological recording in Lincolnshire. We aim to increase the number of people reporting observations to Recorders. The Bulletin is a 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! Please help us to help you. 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. It 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. CONTACTS AND USEFUL WEBSITES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACTS LIST Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union LNU Website: http://lnu.org/ LNU Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/LincsNaturalist? LNU Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lincsnaturalists/ LNU e-mail: info@lnu.org Downloads of LNU books are available on: https://lnu.org/publications/books/ LNU webpage on the Officers and Executive Committee https://lnu.org/about/officers-executive/ Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust https://twitter.com/LincsWildlife Lincs Bird Club Website https://twitter.com/Lincsbirding LBC County Bird Recorder Phil Hyde - County Recorder, Lincs Bird Club recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk The Sir Joseph Banks Society https://twitter.com/sirjosephbanks Lincolnshire Bat Group website http://www.lincsbatgroup.co.uk/ Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch https://twitter.com/BC_Lincolnshire Lincsbirders https://twitter.com/lincsbirders Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project https://lincolnshirechalkstreams.org/events/ South Lincolnshire Flora Group https://bsbi.org/south-lincolnshire-v-c-53 The Wolds Fungi Group Contact Paul Nichol via email pnichol20@gmail.com Lincolnshire Dormouse Group Contact: lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com FIGHTING WILDLIFE CRIME Wildlife Crime https://www.lincs.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/wc/wildlife-crime/ SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. LNU Recorders and Specialists: https://lnu.org/specialists/ Downloads of LNU books are available on: https://lnu.org/publications/books/ Recording with "irecord" https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ irecord is recommended by the LNU as an appropriate platform for on-line recording. 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 Spiders, Pseudoscorpions, Harvestmen Imogen Wilde Regional Co-ordinator (RC) and Mentor for Lincolnshire for the British Arachnological Society (BAS). Email: Imogen@imogenwilde.co.uk Amphibians and Reptiles Ashley Butterfield The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) Email: LearningOutdoors@btinternet.com Local Bat Helpline Grounded bats, bat problems, advice and information. Contact Annette Faulkner on 01775 766286 Email: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com Bat rescue instructions: If you find a grounded bat please don't try and release it. Put it in an escape proof box . Remember, a pipistrelle can get out of a hole the size of your thumb nail. Wear gloves or use a cloth to pick it up with, and phone us on 01775 766286. We'll do the rest. 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: 01383 669 124 Email: chris.r.dufeu@gmail.com Non-Marine Molluscs Alex Pickwell is the LNU Recorder for Non-marine Molluscs Email: mrapickwell@gmail.com 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 welcomed. USEFUL WILDLIFE LINKS 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/ Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership newsletter: If you would like to keep up to date with the Partnership, follow the link below to subscribe to our newsletter or connect with us on social media. https://linktr.ee/GLNPnature Contact in case link does not work: Emily Todd: emily.todd@glnp.org.uk Natural England http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ InsideEcology - Online Magazine for Ecologists, Conservationists and Wildlife Professionals https://insideecology.com/ NHBS - Should you need natural history equipment or books: https://www.nhbs.com/ NHM - Final report on LoveLincsPlants This report along with previous progress reports can be viewed/ downloaded from the LNU website. https://lnu.org/lincolnshire-plants-past-and-future/ Collections Dataset - LNU "historic specimens" All of the LNU 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 LNU book For the Geologists... Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Suggestions for Geology news, events or new useful links always welcome. BGS Geology Viewer https://geologyviewer.bgs.ac.uk/ Lincolnshire Geodiversity Group https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/discovering/geology-1 Geology - the Collection https://www.thecollectionmuseum.com/explore/geology Geology of the Lincolnshire Wolds https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/special-features/geology The Geology of Lincolnshire - downloadable LNU book BGS webpage: Earthquakes around the UK last 60 days http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/home.html BGS British geology maps - now free to explore on web http://www.bgs.ac.uk/opengeoscience/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9. NOTES ABOUT THESE WILDLIFE REPORTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We do our best to ensure accuracy in our reporting. However, records are sent in by a variety of reporters; from complete beginners to professionals. They may vary in reliability and occasionally 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10. BULLETIN 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. When sending in reports, e.g. unusual plants, please report any sensitive news directly to recorders. Not the Bulletin. We don't want to spoil things with untimely or unwise publicity. Thank you. 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. [Remember: Views expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the LNU or associated organisations. In particular this applies to such agencies, especially charities, taking a political stance.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11. LNU EVENTS DIARY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** LNU Events - Important updates *** We will post any changes to LNU events in the Bulletin; the LNU Twitter feed; LNU Facebook page and LNU meetings webpage. Please refer to the LNU website for details of any Zoom arrangements for watching online. LNU Meetings: updates for Indoor Meetings 2023. https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ The changing nature of the Covid situation may mean alterations or cancellations at short notice, so check back regularly and keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook for updates. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails Last Week *** None ....and finally... The Senegal man on a mission to plant five million trees https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-64022938 The surprising origin of sprouts, the vegetable we either love or hate https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634171-600-the-surprising-origin-of-sprouts-the-vegetable-we-either-love-or-hate/ Small and speedy animals perceive time faster than big, slow creatures https://www.newscientist.com/article/2352665-small-and-speedy-animals-perceive-time-faster-than-big-slow-creatures/ Christmas beetles: Scientists ask Australians for help finding missing festive bugs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-64041547 Most Antarctic animals and plants are set to decline by 2100 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2353021-most-antarctic-animals-and-plants-are-set-to-decline-by-2100/ Country diary: A handful of rose chafer larvae is a reassuring promise https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/23/country-diary-a-handful-of-rose-chafer-larvae-is-a-reassuring-promise Svalbard reindeer thrive as they shift diet towards ‘popsicle-like’ grasses https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/25/svalbard-reindeer-thrive-develop-taste-popsicle-like-grasses ----------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/