============================================ || || 13th December 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/months. Past Bulletins archive [in 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: A thank you to Phil Porter for his work on the Bulletin this week. Phil and I have been co-editing. We will keep up this arrangement for now - with Phil drafting the content while I do the mailing. In this way I can cover for Phil where necessary. Please will you send in your news and reports to both of us for the time being. I can't overstate how vital your contributions are, so please keep up the support. Phil's email is:philporterento@outlook.com Heads up for....The Geminids Geminids meteor shower peaks on the night of 14 and 15 December 2023 the last full moon of 2023 is the Cold Moon 27th December Don't miss the Limewoods Dormouse Group Report in section 5 below! This week's mostly-local news stories: Beavers return to Lincolnshire after 400 years https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67682408 Lincoln Medieval Christmas Market 14-17th December at St Mary le Wigford Church https://www.visitlincoln.com/whats-on/medieval-christmas-market Skegness asylum seekers and police praised over sea rescue https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67670973 Lincoln Castle and crown court evacuated - 8th https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw42d5egvlno Flood warnings issued for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire after heavy rain - 8th https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/category/1-Discussion Bridges closed and properties flooded after heavy rain - 11th https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-67679248 East Yorkshire 'pop-up rainforests' plan to reduce flood risk https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-67665475 FSC Natural History Training https://www.field-studies-council.org/natural-history-training/ Plans for great crested newt ponds submitted https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-67669584 Raw sewage floods our home after heavy rain - Mum https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99ewzgr8p7o Sleaford market place £1m revamp plans deferred for second time https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67701212 South Holland council imposes 800 fly-tipping and litter fines https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67683987 More links in "...and finally ..." at the end of the Bulletin. Thanks to all who sent in news, reports and contributions this week. Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk Note - my best address for emails. Phil's email is:philporterento@outlook.com *** Weather News and Forecast *** https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#? 13-19th December Wednesday morning will continue cloudy with showers or spells of rain in places. These will gradually clear eastwards through the afternoon and some brighter breaks will develop in places. Thursday looks to start chilly and cloudy with a few spells of light rain lingering around. Turning dry and increasingly bright through the day. Friday looks to be largely dry with lengthy spells of wintry sunshine for a time but cloud will thicken from the west later in the day. Saturday looks to be a murky, generally cloudy and breezy day but staying dry. Trending milder. For most locations more settled weather continues into Sunday with high pressure close to the southwest of the UK. Though northern and western Scotland likely remaining in a more wet and windy, but exceptionally mild regime. Settled conditions in the south with well above average temperatures here too, but cloudy at times with some patchy light rain, mainly near western coasts and over hills. From next week high pressure will likely move further west into the central Atlantic, allowing a return to unsettled conditions and typically nearer average temperatures nationwide. It now looks probable that there will be at least one short-lived colder interlude next week, with a period of north or northwesterly winds that could bring some snow and ice, especially in the north. *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Geminids meteor shower peaks on the night of 14 and 15 December 2023 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/geminid-meteor-shower-uk-dates-how-to-see  Clear skies permitting.... "The Geminid meteor shower is one of the last of the year’s major showers, and can generally be relied on to put on a good display. In 2023, the Geminid meteor shower will be active between 4-20 December and will peak on 14-15 December. https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/geminid-meteor-shower-uk-dates-how-to-see https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/Geminid_radiant_Wide2.jpg Geminids meteor shower to streak across night sky https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67658650 Rare solar storms could cause rail network chaos, scientists warn https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-67681360 Last full moon of 2023 - the Cold Moon 27th December https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/full-moon-calendar  Full Moons 2023 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/full-moon-calendar December's Night Sky: Highlights. https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-december-2023 *** Boston Area Group LWT *** Gill Walsh writes: Talk – “Wildlife of The North Yorkshire Moors National Park” by Geof Lee Thursday 14th December at 7.30pm Centenary Methodist Church, Red Lion Street, Boston, PE21 6NY Free admission but there will be a retiring collection. Refreshments will be served in the interval. Non members are welcome. Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust In the run up to GWCT’s Big Farmland Bird Count 2-18 February 2024 we’ll be running free webinars to help learn the basics about how to identify farmland birds. https://www.gwct.org.uk/eventbooking?eventNodeId=28877 *** South Lincs RSPB Group*** Jeremy Eyeons writes: The South Lincs RSPB Group has released details of their 2024 “Seal and Birdwatching” cruises aboard “The Boston Belle”. There are twelve cruises organised for 2024, starting on 5th April and ending on 24th October. Full details are on our website, including ticket prices, booking arrangements, sailing times and dates etc.. Booking is essential. https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Covid advice and Services: https://www.nhs.uk/covid-19-advice-and-services/ 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 6/12 Scaup fem, Main Lake, Tallington Lakes Lesser Yellowlegs on Roads Farm grassland, Frampton Marsh 18 Waxwings near car park in sycamore, 3 Waxwings at East Dunes, 3 Snow Buntings on beach, Water Pipit, Gibraltar Point 1 Waxwing reported, Louth 7/12 Lesser Yellowlegs on Roads Farm grassland, Frampton Marsh Short-eared Owl, Long-tailed Duck flew south past, Gibraltar Point 5 Short-eared Owls at Huttoft Car Terrace, Huttoft Bank 5 Waxwings flew south over Wolla Bank 8/12 12 Bewick's Swans at Deeping High Bank 5 Shorelarks along beach at north end, Waxwing in West Dunes, Gibraltar Point Smew ad drk, Shag juv, Great Northern Diver, Covenham reservoir Lapland Bunting near warden hut, Hen Harrier, Donna Nook 7 Waxwings in town centre, Barton-upon-Humber 9/12 Hen Harrier rigntail, Willow Tree Fen 4 Waxwings at Grantham Road, Ropsley Lesser Yellowlegs juv, visitor centre car park, Frampton Marsh Smew ad drk, Shag juv, Great Northern Diver, Covenham reservoir Hen Harrier ringtail, near pumping station, Trent Port Hen Harrier ringtail, Donna Nook 10/12 Lesser Yellowlegs juv, visitor centre car park, 2 Scaup 1w drk and fem at reedbed, Hen Harrier ringtail from Sea Bank car park, Frampton Marsh 6 Waxwings on west side, 3 Water Pipits on Freshwater Marsh, Gibraltar Point Great Grey Shrike by cycle path along hedgerow in tree, between Doddingtom and Skellingthorpe Smew ad drk, SW corner, Covenham reservoir 2 Hen Harriers - 1 ad male, Donna Nook 11/12 Glossy Ibis, Long-eared Owl, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James Scaup 1w fem, Main Lake, Tallington Lakes Lesser Yellowlegs juv by visitor centre car park, Little Stint, Frampton Marsh Long-tailed Duck, 2 Velvet Scoters, Gibraltar Point 3 Short-eared Owls at Huttoft Car Terrace, Huttoft Bank Snow Bunting on beach, Wolla Bank Smew ad drk, Covenham reservoir Hen Harrier ringtail, Trent Port Great Northern Diver juv, Covenham reservoir 12/12 Russian White-fronted Goose with Greylag Geese, Wader Pit, Baston + Langtoft pits Lesser Yellowlegs juv, 2 Scaup, 1w drk + fem, on Reedbed, Frampton Marsh 14 Waxwings, 2 Water Pipits, Slavonian Grebe flew past, Gibraltar Point Shag, Rock Pipit, Covenham reservoir c 20 Waxwings on Bridge road by JET petrol station, Gainsborough 9 Waxwings flew south over Anderby Creek 12 Snow Buntings at Marsh Yard, Huttoft Bank 13/12 5 Waxwings in rowans just north of St Guthlac's Church, then flew north, Market Deeping 21 Waxwings on Bridge road by JET petrol station, Gainsborough ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. 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 Record Pool - an easy way to record your amphibian and reptile species records. https://www.recordpool.org.uk/index.php 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/ ROAD KILLS? PLEASE LET US KNOW. Every drive is a transect! Hedgehogs? Badgers? Otters? Reports welcome. POTTERHANWORTH BOOTHS TF067677 9/12/23 Steve Green dead Badger *** 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 Mary Porter TF 117700 6th December - 13th December 2023 Casual observations out the window around about 3.45pm each afternoon showed a lot of gulls going over the house, from approximately East to West. I thought there could be as many as 100. Then, the afternoon of the 12th, I happened to be walking the dog and as we approached our house, they flew over and I got a good look and count. Approximately 120, and they seemed to be heading parallel to the River Witham, possibly to roost near "Branston Island" and associated flooded fields. DUNSTON TF065631 Steve Green 5/12/23 Tawny pinion moth disturbed from stored wood and identified by Martin Gray ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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  6th – 12th December 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 061223 - 5 pintail on Haven outfall. 2 grey wagtail and 450 dunlin on the foreshore at Churchill Lane. 2600 pink-footed goose flew inland at dawn. 34 snow bunting on the foreshore at Crook Bank. Stonechat and 6 pied wagtail feeding around dune edge at Brickyard Lane. Chiffchaff gave brief snippet of song in the morning sun at Mablethorpe North End. Cattle egret and male stonechat at Elm House Farm. 071223 – Cattle egrets on Sea View Washlands and Rimac and another 2 at Elm House Farm. 25 whooper swan again in first arable field south of Rimac car park. 081223 - Marsh harrier, ringtail hen harrier and merlin hunting over saltmarsh, 1 green woodpecker around Sea View and a min of 90 wigeon, 70 teal, 28 shover and 14 mallard on Sea View washlands.  Green woodpecker feeding on newly exposed sand at Brickyard Lane. 12 redshank on saltmarsh lagoons at Brickyard Lane. 091223 – Between MOD and Brickyard Lane: 2 stonechat, 2 Cetti’s warbler, 2 water rail and hen harrier. 101223 – 2 woodcock in flight together over the dunes at Mablethorpe North End. 111223 - Minimum count at Sea View washlands: 93 redshank, 240 wigeon, 190 teal, 17 shoveler, 2 mallard, 176 Canada geese, 7 grey lags, 2 mute swans, 2 curlew and 126 black-headed gulls, 190 lapwing flew high in a westerly direction. The sun brought out a peacock butterfly at Churchill Lane. 12 snipe on the saltmarsh around Churchill Lane. 4 cattle egret with the cows in Rimac dunes. Peregrine flew north over the dunes at Mablethorpe North End. 121223 - 124 Brent geese, c250 mixed common and black headed gulls and 94 lapwing on a mown and grazed area of Elm House wet grassland. Other Local Reserves 081223 – Donna Nook: Seal Count: 1899 Pups, 792 Cows, 474 Bulls. Pup total so far: 2184. Lapland bunting, rock pipit, merlin, 2 marsh harrier, buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk with prey from the seal viewing area. 101223 – Donna Nook: Marsh harrier, merlin, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel, 3 woodcock, 150 knot, 20 black-tailed godwit, 8 whooper swan, 4 pintail. Groups of common scoter moving over the sea. Several snipe heard flying inland from off the saltmarsh. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. BARDNEY LIMEWOODS NNR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These cover a huge area. 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: 20th February 2024 https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/chambers-farm-wood-butterfly-garden Lincolnshire Dormouse Group Gemma Watkinson writes: The next winter session will be on this Saturday 16th December! In the winter we start at 10am, meeting at the same location, in the wood centre car park at Chambers Farm Wood. Future dates for winter sessions for your diary: Sunday 21 January 2024 Saturday 17th February 2024 Sunday 17th March 2024 Over the whole of the 2023 survey season we had 39 individually marked dormice, some being recaptured, and marked mice were seen a total of 47 times. There were another 68 sightings of dormice which had not been fur clipped, though some of these may have also been recaptures. This year, September and October recorded the highest numbers of dormice for a single check – a bumper 36 dormice were recorded across Ivy Wood East, Little Scrubbs and Minting Triangle in the September box check. So we seem to have a pretty decent population in Chambers Farm Woods. We recorded dormice in Ivy West, for the first time this year in the October check, with 3 recorded, but no dormice were recorded in Minting Far End this year. One dormouse was recorded in Goslings in the September check. A record number were recorded in Little Scrubbs,  with 15 individuals in the October check. Most other years we have recorded only a small number of dormice in this part of the wood." 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. 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 iRecord. 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: 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/ Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Trust: https://lincolnshirechalkstreamstrust.org.uk/ 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 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. Lincolnshire Badger Group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093647842292 or get in contact via our email lincolnshirebadgergroup@hotmail.com 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/ The Flora of Lincolnshire by Joan Gibbons: downloadable LNU book https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/the-flora-of-lincolnshire-e-joan-gibbons.pdf Atlas of the terrestrial and semi-aquatic Mammals of Lincolnshire: https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/mammalatlas.pdf For the Geologists... Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Pliosaur discovery: Huge sea monster emerges from Dorset cliffs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67650247 Independent - Geology: https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/geology 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 https://lnu.org/publications/books/the-geology-of-lincolnshire/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 unwise or untimely 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 *** https://lnu.org/meetings/ https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mail Fails: COP28 deal pledges transition away from fossil fuels for first time https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-67674841 IUCN Classifies Atlantic Salmon As Endangered - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust https://www.gwct.org.uk/blogs/fisheries-blog/2023/december/iucn-classifies-atlantic-salmon-as-endangered/? Fossil fuels: Can humanity really kick its addiction? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67661119 Mosquito-borne disease risk looms for UK - study https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-67654008 David Attenborough film tells of risky mission to excavate ‘T rex of the seas’from Dorset cliff. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/dec/09/david-attenborough-film-tells-of-risky-mission-to-excavate-t-rex-of-the-seas-from-dorset-cliff World War Two shell is detonated on beach in Norfolk https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-norfolk-67658072 Storms unearth East Runton World War Two pillbox https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-67630594 Climate change: How is my country doing on tackling it? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65754296 Mass deaths of elephant seals recorded as bird flu sweeps across the Antarctic https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/08/mass-deaths-elephant-seals-penguins-bird-flu-antarctic-ecological-disaster-aoe Orangefield Park woodland cut down by accident https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-67644344 Taiwan: The 'God Flower' vanishing because of climate change https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-67342419 Tyrannosaur’s last meal was two baby dinosaurs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67642374 Five climate change solutions under the spotlight at COP28 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67544977 ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/