============================================ || || 9th August 2023 || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || LNU: http://lnu.org/ || || Please email Editor on: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk || ============================================ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roger writes: I contacted 30+ readers last week because Mailchimp suggested they were no longer be reading their Bulletins. I asked them if that was correct and discovered it was wrong for 9 of them! They are regular readers. I shall now start removing the 20 who did not respond or unsubscribe. Update for 16th August Field Meeting from Luke Hartley: Meeting point details. Boothby Wildland HQ, Boothby Lodge Farm, Grantham Road, NG33 4DE. What3Words: ///shuffles.ambushes.channel There is a toilet at the farmhouse. There will be the opportunity to make tea and coffee before we start. Snail Question from Anne Gayfer - with answer from Alex Pickwell: I had a snail climbing up my window which allowed me to watch it from the bottom. I noticed that its breathing hole was open all the time I was watching it, which was some 20 minutes. During this time I noticed a woodlouse on its back. I wondered whether the woodlouse had laid eggs, possibly in the snail cavity to keep them moist... Alex replied: A very interesting observation, and heart-warming to hear of another snail observer spending some quality time and postulating as to what may be occurring. In answer to the query at hand, woodlice carry their own eggs around on their underside, so it i s somewhat unlikely that this specimen of woodlouse had laid eggs in the snail cavity. In terms of the breathing hole (called a pneumostome), this opens and closes in a fairly stable rhythmic pattern, the frequency of which is dependent on the hydration levels of the snail or slug being observed. A fully hydrated snail has a typical open/close cycle of once every two minutes, however recording this can be difficult in moving specimens as the vision of the pneumostome can be obscured by the shell, etc. That being said, seeing the pneumostome remain open for 20 minutes does seem a very long time and may result from a parasite effect. Please let us have your reports and contributions for next week's Bulletin. LNU Meetings. Scroll to full details in section 11 below. Or click: https://lnu.org/meetings/ Next Meeting: Saturday 12th August Boothby Wildlands (all day) collecting https://lnu.org/meetings/field-meetings/2023-08-15-boothby-wildlands-rewilding-project-saturday-19th-august-all-day/ Workshops: "Pond Dipping for Adults " with Sam Reast, 25th August. Booking essential. Places are in demand. https://lnu.org/meetings/workshops/ Exhibition at Joseph Banks Centre Horncastle Horse Fair.  Runs 6th July - 15th September. https://horncastlejbc.info/events/ Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service events https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/events/ Len Pick Barn Owl Camera. Bob Sheppard writes: The single barn owl chick in the Len Pick owl tower on the outskirts of Bourne continues to thrive against the odds. It is seven weeks old today. Soon it will disappear into the entrance tunnel for long periods but will return to the box at feeding time. Things have improved a lot this week as the harvest is finally underway and mice are abundant. In fact there has been surplus prey this past few days so the adult female has been able to take things a bit easier after a difficult time in July. Young rats are common amongst the prey items. The lack of voles this year has meant the adult owls have had to look for other rodent species. Surprisingly, the adult male has turned up again! He hasn't been seen for a f ew weeks but now he pops into the box most nights, sometimes with prey, but mostly to bond with the female. https://www.lenpicktrust.org.uk/owl-project/ Lock of Lowes Osprey story: Although most of the time the Loch of Lowes osprey nest is empty, there have been lots of incidents this past week or two which show the difficulties these birds face even before they set off for Africa. The ranger has recorded these trials and tribulations in his blog. https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/2023/08/osprey-diary-at-loch-of-the-lowes-weeks-19-20/ BTO Cuckoo Tracking project - six have now reached the Sahel. https://www.bto.org/cuckoos Suggestions for reports or research: The Bugs Matter 2023 survey season - 1 June - 31 August. https://www.buglife.org.uk/get-involved/surveys/bugs-matter/ The Big Meadow Search (BMS) - June 1st until August 31st. The BMS is a citizen science project which aims to encourage people to record plants in an area of grassland of their own choice.  Our website has lots more information, and you can enter your findings directly there. www.bigmeadowsearch.co.uk This week's mostly-local news stories: Matthew Flinders' remains to be reburied in Lincolnshire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66405752 Geologists to speak at Theddlethorpe nuclear waste site sessions https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66397202 Lincolnshire Police use drones to crackdown on caravan crime https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66400261 Lincoln Glory Hole path repairs could cost up to £100,000 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66394732 Lincoln: Solar-powered bins to cut wind-blown litter in city centre https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66376728 Lincoln Castle visitors promised free ticket to return if it rains https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66373240 Rural crime difficult to swallow, Lincolnshire farmer says https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66377219 More links in "...and finally ..." at the end of the Bulletin. Thank you to everyone who sent something in. It really helps. Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk - note - my best address for emails. Joining Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union If you are a member, please give the LNU a "plug " to others. https://lnu.org/join-the-lnu/ *** Weather News and Forecast *** https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#? 13 - 24 Aug 2023 "Further unsettled weather is expected early in the period, bringing showers, some heavy and thundery, across the UK. Western regions are likely to see the greatest rainfall, but drier and brighter conditions are possible, the southeast of England having the greatest chance of this. Generally breezy across the country with temperatures for many around average for the time of year, perhaps slightly below in wet or windy conditions. The unsettled conditions are likely to continue through the middle of August, though western areas may see a reduction in the number of showers compared to earlier in the period. There is a low probability of spells of heavy rain and strong winds affecting southern areas towards the end of the period while temperatures are largely expected to stay around average. " *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Full Moons 2023 - There are 2 Full moons in August! Next one is: 31 August - Blue Moon - a supermoon https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/full-moon-calendar August's Night Sky: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-august-2023 Perseid Meteors peak 12-13 August https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/perseid-meteor-shower-guide-uk-when-where-to-see Space and astronomy highlights in 2023 from The Royal Observatory https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/space-astronomy-highlights-2023 Aurora Watch - when Northern Lights might be seen in the UK: https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ Stellarium - open source and very useful: https://stellarium.org/ *** Seal and Birdwatching Cruises into The Wash *** Jeremy Eyeons writes: The South Lincs RSPB Group programme of : Seal and Birdwatching Cruises into The Wash. For 2023 twelve cruises have been scheduled to take place, aboard The Boston Belle, at various sailing times, ending on 23rd October. All cruises start and end at Boston Marina, last for about five hours, and on average approximately 60 bird species are seen on each trip. Full details at: www.rspb.org.uk/groups/southlincolnshire All cruises are by advance ticket only, which, once again, can be obtained from Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston [01205-363108}, or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/blackfriars Ticket prices for RSPB members are £22 (adult) and £10  (child under 16). Non-RSPB members £25 and £11-50. Any queries please contact Blackfriars (as above) or email Jeremy Eyeons: jerry200433@hotmail.com STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Heat-health Alert service https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/heat-health-alert-service Bird flu updates: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england 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 2/8 2 Black-winged Stilts, Frampton Marsh 9 Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands, Gibraltar Point 3/8 3 Curlew Sandpipers, 4 Black-winged Stilts, 2ads, 2 juvs, Frampton Marsh 3 Curlew Sandpipers. Little Stint, Freiston Shore 5 Spoonbills, Short-eared Owl, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Gibraltar Point Roseate Tern flew north past Mablethorpe 4/8 2 Short-eared Owls over saltmarsh, Wainfleet 3 Curlew Sandpipers on Reedbed Lagoon, Temminck's Stint on island, 4 Black-winged Stilts 2ads, 2 juvs, Little Gull, Short-eared Owl, Frampton Marsh Little Gull ad on beach at Crook Bank, the flew north, Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe 5/8 4+ Black-winged Stilt from East Hide 2 juvs, 18 Spoonbills, Short-eared Owl, Curlew Sandpiper from Reedbed Hide, 10 Spotted Redshanks, Frampton Marsh 15 Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands, 3 Short-eared Ow;s, 1 flew in off sea, 2 over Stormridge, Little Gull in tern roost, Gibraltar Point Storm Petrel flew north past Huttoft Bank 7/8 2 Curlew Sandpipers, both ads, juv Little Stint, Frampton Marsh 2 Wood Sandpipers, Freiston Shore 2 Short-eared Owls, Gibraltar Point Probable Wood Warbler briefly at north end of cycle track, Short-eared Owl, south end of Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes 8/8 Quail Male singing, North Fen, Pinchbeck Wood Sandpiper from East Hide, 1+ Black-winged Stilt, 3 Little Stints, Short-eared Owl, Frampton Marsh 2 Little Stints on short, then flew towards lagoons, Long-tailed Duck flew south, Pied flycatcher in East Dunes, Gibraltar Point Osprey flew west over Rimac Wood Sandpiper from Prospect Hide, Alkborough Flats ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. WILDLIFE NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Find the Grid Reference - don't forget - it's important Grab a Grid Reference: https://www.bnhs.co.uk/focuson/grabagridref/html/index.htm UK Grid Reference Finder: http://www.gridreferencefinder.com/ *** Links "not to be missed" *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. *** Hedgehog Advice *** https://hedgehogcare.org.uk/ https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ *** Bat rescue instructions *** Annette Faulkner writes: 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 me on 01775 766286. British Bugs (Hemiptera) - online identification https://www.britishbugs.org.uk/index.html Mike's Insect Keys: illustrated identification aids for insects https://sites.google.com/view/mikes-insect-keys/ 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: https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/mammalatlas.pdf VC54 North Lincolnshire Plant List - LNU Paul Kirby's 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 - 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 Regular Hummingbird Hawk Moth working lavender, along with White-tailed Bumblebees. Meadow Brown and Small Whites, the occasional Comma, Red Admiral or Peacock butterfly. A few Swifts still hunting overheard - but only intermittently now. 8/8 Continuing flush of Suede Boletes in lawn. BARDNEY GARDEN TF117700 Phil & Mary Porter3rd August 2023 2 Green Woodpeckers calling together, at least one inside the garden. We heard a Robin ‘autumn’ singing for the first time 6th August Humming-bird Hawk-moth still visiting Phlox, mostly late afternoon/evenings. 7th August Female Silver-washed Fritillary in garden, at one point even in the house! Fewer Red Admirals and ‘Browns’ lately. At least 4 Holly Blues. Noticed the gall of the mite Cecidophyes nudus on Wood Avens causing pale blisters on the upper side of the leaves with a corresponding hairy hollow on the underside where the mites feed. The NBN Atlas map for Britain is very curious, with a dense patch of many records centred on Leicester and none anywhere else. I know Richard Davidson found it at Stourton by Stow in 2021 but that is the only Lincolnshire iRecord occurrence on that platform. I will send my record to the British Plant Gall Society and see what they say about it. 8th August Silver-washed Fritillary still showing well recognisable by a little nick out of a wing-tip. 6+ Holly Blues today, a few Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, 4-5 Red Admirals and Peacocks. ‘Flying-ant day’ in the greenhouse. Gulls were circling nearby yesterday so that was probably caused by neighbourhood flying ants too. BOSTON My garden TF 338 441 Tracey Lenton 06/08/2023 Sunday A final entry to the Big Butterfly Count: Gatekeeper Holly blue Small white Large white Numerous black caterpillars of the Small tortoiseshell on nettles and bindweed. Dragonflies were basking in the sunshine which meant I could see what they were: Female Common darter Hawkers flying around, female Migrant hawker settled, migrant hawkers are usual in my garden. It proved to be an interesting day with bugs. My neglected patch of "wildlife garden" has become overgrown with bindweed, today it was covered in several places with some creatures unknown to me. Identified by British Bugs via Phil Porter, thank you Phil, as Nettle Ground-bugs Heterogaster urticae. Also identified were Philaenus spumarius, Common froghopper, mating. 08/08/2023 19:30 - 20:00  Watching swifts flying high above the neighbourhood, numbers appear less than seen 29/07/2023. Hedgehog remains a nightly visitor. GRASBY 08/8/23 Roy Harvey Whilst walking in the garden on August 8th I caught sight of a ladybird on one of the plants. It was of particular interest being much smaller than a standard ladybird and a most unusual colour. It was black with two white marks, like eyes, near the head and a white 'nose'. At the rear were two reddish/orange marks, corresponding with the eyes at the other end. In the middle were two larger leaf shaped reddish/ orange marks, one on each wing. I guessed that it was some sort of Harlequin and this was confirmed later by Phil Porter. https://www.coleoptera.org.uk/coccinellidae/how-recognise-harlequin-ladybird HORKSTOW SE987179 Jenny Haynes 26 July 2023 A bat was seen last night flying outside my house. A few swifts were flying around Barton on Humber town centre yesterday. 28 July 2023 Two Peacock butterflies, up to ten red admirals, two commas, two gatekeepers, a meadow brown, many whites (I’m not quick enough to identify them) and a couple of dragonflies (unidentifiable as I saw them against the sky) all I my garden on a lovely sunny day! SYSTON Marion Ellis Tuesday 1st August Skein of at least 12 ducks, might have been mallards, observed from the Syston Farm Park Cafe NG32 2BZ flying due east, possibly towards Grantham and the River Witham. LLINGHAM WOODS Angela Buckle. 3rd August, 2023 Willingham woods car park. TF 136-885 Flowers. Common fleabane, Canadian fleabane, Broad leaved helleborine, Upright hedge parsley, Angelica, Mugwort. Butterflies, On common knapweed. Comma, Gatekeeper, Brimstone, Peacock, Red admiral, Meadow brown, Small skipper, Common blue, Dozens of Sloe Shield bugs on Lesser burdock. WOOLSTHORPE BY COLSTERWORTH SK923247 Jane Ostler 1-6 August 2023 Cool,wet weather throughout. Garden, unless otherwise indicated Flowering plants As last year alien plants turning up from bird seed. In addition Thorn apple has grown in a weedy corner. Neighbours who have put in wild flower seed mixes seem to have some non native inclusions which are already established on verges – for example Red Valerian and some invasive waste ground natives like Mugwort. Much more worrying is the appearance of Himalayan Balsam at a new pond. It must have been introduced since our stretch of the Witham is free of it. Insects: On 3rd August 2003, brief sunshine in the afternoon and suddenly more Butterflies in our garden than I have seen this year and 11 species. Red Admiral (8), Comma (2), Peacock (6), Ringlet (1), Brimstone (3male)Holly Blues (4), Gatekeeper(1), Speckled Wood (1) and a mixture of Whites - not separated out by species, very active in flight (8). In addition there were two Humming Bird Hawk Moths feeding on Soapwort flowers. Birds: A Sparrowhawk is making daily visits to the garden with little success as we too (like Phil and Mary Porter) are missing our House Sparrows. They have bred in numbers for over the forty years we have been here but after two years when the numbers declined steeply they are gone – just one male bird seen feeding a fledgling in the hedge adjacent to our next door neighbours. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. NNRs and NATURE RESERVES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's pages [2021] 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visitor Leaflet - Natural England: http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/38015?category=59026 http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/saltfleetby-theddlethorpe-dunes https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR Report 2nd – 8th August 2023 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Matt Blissett, Ruth Taylor, Owen Beaumont, Cliff Morrison and Dean Nicholson. Thank you to all other contributors.  Daily News and Wildlife Sightings 020823 - A very brief moment of sunshine late morning brought out a single comma, 2 peacocks, 2 large whites and a minimum of 14 red admirals at Sea View. 250 common scoter and 3 great crested grebe offshore from Mablethorpe North End. Juvenile Mediterranean gull on the beach early afternoon. 65 golden plover flew south early evening. 030823 - 8 little egrets on Sea View Washlands. On the saltmarsh: marsh harrier hunting over, 1 greenshank, 3 whimbrel feeding with 9 curlew and at least 250 black-headed gulls feeding as the tidal waters recede. Red bartsia and agrimony in flower around Rimac. Adult roseate tern, little gull, 3 manx shearwater and a fulmar flew north over the sea, along with a good passage of other terns, including over 4000 sandwich terns throughout the day. 2 red-breasted merganser flew south over the sea. Presumably the same roseate tern then seen roosting on the foreshore near Brickyard Lane, along with 2 Mediterranean gulls. 60 kittiwake lingering offshore throughout the morning. 040823 - 49 lapwing flying north over saltmarsh. Adult little gull, Mediterranean gull and 8 kittiwake on the beach around Crook Bank in the evening, along with 600 sandwich tern and 1000 other gulls. Wheatear at Elm House Farm. 050823 - 19 little egrets on saltmarsh. 060823 - Paradise lagoon: 70 lapwing, 2 redshank, 2 greenshank and 2 avocets. 4 swifts and 1 green woodpecker over Sea View. 070823 - A least 2 tatty white-letter hairstreaks flying in and around elm tree at Sea View Farm and speckled wood, holly blue and willow emerald damselfly nearby. Rimac scrape 2 green sandpipers, 1 greenshank and 2 common terns and 5 black-tailed godwits flying over. Juvenile turtle dove near Crook Bank. Juvenile cuckoo, short-eared owl, 2 whitethroat, 2 blackcap, 6 sedge warbler, 1 reed warbler, 2 chiffchaff and 3 willow warbler between Mablethorpe North End and Crook Bank. 160 swallow flew south throughout the morning. Cetti’s warbler singing next to Churchill Lane car park. Juvenile wheatear on the outer dunes from Rimac. Whimbrel on Rimac saltmarsh and a greenshank flew south. 8 wall brown between Brickyard Lane and Churchill Lane. 080823 - Single white-letter hairstreak in elm at Sea View Farm, brimstone near Sea View. An osprey flew north over the saltmarsh at Rimac before flying inland. 2 greenshank, 1 snipe and 3 little ringed plover on Rimac scrape. Brown hawker egg laying at Rimac. Green sandpiper at Elm House Farm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 - gardening dates and times: Next date: August 15th 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: Here are the dates for the summer nest box checks. As always, we meet at 9.30am in the Chambers Farm Woods car park, by the wood centre/volunteer hut. Anyone interested can get in touch at lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com for more information. Next dates: Saturday 19th August Sunday 17th September Saturday 21 October ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. Your suggestions, please. 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 Monks Wood Ashing Lane Nature Reserve https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/monks-wood-ashing-lane-nature-reserve/ Tattershall Carrs https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/tattershall-carrs/ Mareham Pastures Local Nature Reserve https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/mareham-pastures-local-nature-reserve/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 or via i-record. https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ 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 may vary. 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 Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust: https://twitter.com/LincsWildlife Lincs Bird Club: https://twitter.com/Lincsbirding LBC County Bird Recorder:  recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk The Sir Joseph Banks Society: https://twitter.com/sirjosephbanks Lincolnshire Bat Group: 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: 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. 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. Email: d.a.sheppard@btinternet.com Lincolnshire Mammals Chris Manning, Email: 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 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 and other Freshwater Invertebrates 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: http://www.glnp.org.uk/ Natural England: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ NHBS Natural history equipment or books. https://www.nhbs.com/ NHM Final report on LoveLincsPlants: https://lnu.org/lincolnshire-plants-past-and-future/ Collections Dataset - LNU "historic specimens": 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. 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 *** 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: https://lnu.org/meetings/ Summer programme - Field Meetings Boothby Wildlands (Rewilding Project) – Saturday 12th August (all day) NOTE CHANGE OF DATE FROM 19th https://lnu.org/meetings/field-meetings/2023-08-15-boothby-wildlands-rewilding-project-saturday-19th-august-all-day/ Saturday 9th September Wolla Bank Pit, Chapel Pit & Chapel Six Marshes LWT Reserves (all day) (LLP collecting?) Sunday 15th October Langholme Wood and Haxey Turbary LWT Reserves Whisby Natural History Workshops Find out more about the various subjects from our local experts. Places are limited. https://lnu.org/meetings/workshops/ Arranged in partnership by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (Lincoln Area Group) and the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union. At Whisby Nature Park near Lincoln, in the Lafarge Education Building from 13.00 pm until 4.30 pm. Free of charge. Refreshments included. Prior booking essential via Richard Davidson on 01522 525725 or Email rel.davidson@btinternet.com. Pond Dipping for Adults - Sam Reast 26th of August Harvestmen - Imogen Wilde 7th of October Owl & Other Bird Pellets - Garry Steele 28th of October Bryophytes - Steven Heathcote 4th of November ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...and finally... Golden-ringed dragonfly - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust https://www.gwct.org.uk/wildlife/species-of-the-month/2023/golden-ringed-dragonfly/ Plan for biggest Nessie search in more than 50 years https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-66393902 Ocean heat record broken, with grim implications for the planet https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66387537 Hemel Hempstead boy finds megalodon shark tooth at Walton-on-the-Naze https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-66372259 Voyager 2: Nasa picks up 'heartbeat' signal after sending wrong command https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-66371569 Voyager 2: Nasa fully back in contact with lost space probe https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66408851 Atlantic orcas 'learning from adults' to target boats https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66384045 ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/