========================================== || || 25th October 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Editor writes: Unusual weather events often lead to surprising sightings. I'm hoping to have a good selection of reports this week and next. That leads me neatly to remind everyone that we have an "arrangement"! The Bulletin is free, and you help to make it interesting by sending in contributions in return. I don't push this point. Readers help in so many invisible ways too. However. reports and news help me reflect what is being seen and discussed. The hope is this occasional duty will lure us all into longer-term recording activity. A good place to start: Annette Faulkner writes: Has anyone seen any bats in the last week or so? They really are getting ready to go into hibernation now. On 28 October 2023, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible for the UK and all of continental Europe, as well as the Middle East, most of Africa and Asia. https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/solar-lunar-eclipse-guide-when-where Reminder: Clocks will go back on 29 October at 2am. https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/when-do-clocks-go-back This week's mostly-local news stories: Statue honours space scientist at former North Lincolnshire school https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-67200078 Met Office warning for further rain in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67194873 Lincolnshire Police deal with influx of 999 calls amid storm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67201265 Horncastle flooding: Farmer hits out at Environment Agency https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67203462 Sonic boom in East of England damaged garden ornament and garage https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-67157843 Christmas hope for turkey farmers as bird flu cases drop https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67159294 Cleethorpes girl saves hundreds of starfish washed up by Storm Babet https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-67195337 Companies offering hedgehog friendly fencing - Hedgehog Street https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/fencing-companies/ More links in "...and finally ..." at the end of the Bulletin. If you have not yet tried using iRecord you should give it a try? iRecord is recommended by the LNU as an appropriate platform for on-line recording. https://irecord.org.uk/ NHBS for reference books: https://www.nhbs.com/ Thanks to all who sent in news, reports and contributions this week. Roger old.museum@yahoo.co.uk - note - my best address for emails. *** Weather News and Forecast *** https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#? 29 Oct - 7 Nov 2023 "An unsettled start to this period, with a low pressure likely tracking northeastwards across the UK, bringing strong winds to many areas, as well as further, potentially persistent and heavy, rain to parts of northeast England and eastern Scotland. As this erratically clears eastwards, colder conditions may spread south into northern areas for a time. Any colder spell will probably be short-lived as further Atlantic system make inroads from the west or southwest, maintaining the broadly unsettled and often windy theme for the end of this period, whilst ushering in milder air to most if not all parts of the UK. Aside from east-facing hills in the north, western and southwestern areas are likely to be wettest into early November." *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Wallace Sargent obituary - October 29, 2012 https://baas.aas.org/pub/2022i025/release/1 Full Moons 2023 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/full-moon-calendar October's Night Sky: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-october-2023 *** Boultham Park Activities *** Information from Lizzie Oakley Boultham Park are offering some exciting new nature-based walks in the last week of October. On the 27th October join Steve Lovell for a Nature Photography Walk around Boultham Park and the surrounding areas from 10am-12pm starting at the Lincoln & District Indoor Bowling Club on Hall Drive at £4.50 per person. Please contact Boultham.park@lincoln.gov.uk to book your place or see http://www.boulthampark.co.uk/ for more information. *** Joseph Banks Centre - Horncastle *** Horncastle History Society and Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union Exhibition: It Happened on a Summer's day 21-Sep-23 - 18-Nov-23 This exhibition features the work of leading botanist Rev Adrian Woodruffe-Peacock, who took a leading role in the foundation of the Lincolnshire Naturalists’ Union in 1893. The exhibition also tells the stories of pioneering amateur naturalists who were founder members of the Union, which celebrates its 130th anniversary this year https://horncastlejbc.info/events/woodruffe-peacock/ *** Boston Area Group LWT *** Gill Walsh writes: Note change of speaker. Talk - Wildlife of North Macedonia by Gill Walsh Thursday 9th November 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. *** Grimsby and Cleethorpes Area Group LWT *** Carolyn Lovely writes: Lincolnshire’s Breeding Birds of Prey On Monday 11th November we hold our indoor meeting where Alan Ball will be giving us an illustrated talk on Lincolnshire’s Breeding Birds of Prey. Alan will tell us about installation of nest boxes and monitoring and about Barn Owls being a real success story. This will take place in Grimsby Town Hall DN31 1HX and starts at 7.30pm. Admission £4, all are welcome. Raffle and refreshments will be available and Trust Christmas cards will be on sale. Please contact Jennie Redpath 01472 502858  for further details. On Saturday 18th November you are invited to join us on a morning bird walk in Cleethorpes with Graham Hicks. Meet Graham at 8.00am in Cleethorpes Leisure Centre Car Park DN35 0BY. We will be walking along Cleethorpes Seafront & Anthony’s Bank. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and stout footwear and bring binoculars if you have them. This is a free event however donations will be welcomed for the Trust. For further information about the walk, please contact Graham Hicks 07979 089890 Details of both these events are also our website www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk and we are on Facebook STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. What you need to know about Covid as new variant rises https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66848549 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 18/10 Bittern and Glossy Ibis at Deeping Lakes Glossy Ibis by Welland Bank, Deeping High Bank Lesser Yellowlegs juv on Middle Scrape, Frampton Marsh Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Duck, 2 Long-tailed Skuas flew over hide, Cut End SE of Boston Great Northern Diver flew past, Ring Ouzel, Gibraltar Point Little Auk on sea, Chapel Point 2 Great Northern Divers off Sutton-on-Sea Pomarine Skua and Great Northern Diver flew north, Scaup fem/1w drk flew north past Mablethorpe Osprey flew north over Canada Lane, Caistor 19/10 Shorelark on Tennyson's Sands, 3 Ring Ouzels, ringtail Hen Harrier, Gibraltar Point 2 Velvet Scoters flew south past, Scaup, Mablethorpe Ring Ouzel in coastal scrub at end of Sea Lane, Short-eared Owl at grassland, Saltfleetby NNR Firecrest before carpark in small copse, Rimac Short-eared Owl near detached house in field, Huttoft Bank Hoopoe at Conisholme road, Grainthorpe 20/11 Garganey on Middle Scrape, 22 Little Gulls, Arctic Skua flew over, Frampton Marsh 5 Leach's Petrels flew [north] past, 3 Pomarine Skuas, 2 Long-tailed Skuas, 20+ Little Gulls, Cut End SE of Boston 2 Leach's Petrel flew north past. Pomarine Skua, 4 Little Gulls, Sutton-on-Sea 3 Long-tailed Skuas at Waters' Edge Country Park, east of Humber Bridge, 300+ Little Gulls, 25 Arctic Skuas,Caspian Gull at Waters' Edge Country Park, Barton-upon-Humber Little Stint, East Halton 2 Long-tailed Skuas juvs, 2 Little Hulls, on Humber, East Halton 21/11 Glossy Ibis south of River Welland, opposite car park, Deeping Lakes Lesser Yellowlegs juv, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 5 Little Gulls, Little Stint, Long-tailed Duck, Frampton Marsh Ring Ouzel male, Hen Harrier, Cut End, SE of Boston Black-throated Diver flew past, 2 Pomarine Skuas flew past, 3 Firecrests, 4 Ring Ouzels, 2 Short-eared Owls, Caspian Gull on beach, Water Pipit, Hen Harrier, Gibraltar Point 80+ Little Gulls flew north past, Scaup fem/1w drk on sea off Sea View car park, Mablethorpe Ringtail Hen Harrier, Sutton-on-Sea Bluethroat in buckthorn, south of path from Brickyard Lane, Saltfleet NNR Firecrest, before car park, SW corner, in small copse, Rimac Slavonian Grebe in SW conner of Covenham reservoir 2 Long-tailed Ducks - 1 blue-ringed, Barton-upon-Humber pits Caspian Gull at Novartis Ings, Pyewipe 22/10 Glossy Ibis opposite East Lake, Deeping Lakes Long-tailed Duck, Lesser Yellowlegs juv, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Frampton Marsh Lapland Bunting flew south over, 3 Firecrests, Gibraltar Point 3 White-fronted Geese with Pink-footed Geese flew south over Brickyard Lane Saltfleetby NNR Caspian Gull1w flew north past Mablethorpe Slavonian Grebe in SW corner, Covenham reservoir 4 Russian White-fronted Geese, East Halton Skitter Snow Bunting at Novartis Ings flew along sea wall, Pyewipe 23/10 Osprey, Glossy Inis at small pool between West Lake and river bank, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James Slavonian Grebe, Lesser Yellowlegs juv, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Frampton Marsh Grey Phalarope on sea, then flew south, 3 Lapland Buntings, Scaup, 3 Caspian Gulls, Water Pipit, Pomarime Skua on sea, Purple Sandpiper, Firecrest, Gibraltar Point 2 Hen Harriers 1m, 5 Twite, 3 Little Gulls, Scaup flew south, Caspian Gull past, Donna Nook 4 Russian White-fronted Geese with 1800 Pink-footed Geese, in field by A180, Brocklesby Caspian Gull 1w, Immingham Grange 24/10 Slavonian Grebe, Lesser Yellowlegs juv near Marsh Farm reservoir, Frampton Marsh ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. *** 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 22/10/2023 Raven calling from local perch on tree to the south 3pm. BARDNEY GARDEN TF117700 Phil and Mary Porter Beginning 18th October 2023 A pristine peacock butterfly on perennial wallflowers X2 Red admirals Several common darter dragonflies X12+ honey bees on white Michaelmas daisies X2 unidentified green shield bugs Fieldfares and redwings continue to fly overhead A lovely mixed flock of tits went through the garden on 23rd, including 10+ long-tailed tits. Mostly following tree tops, aiming for the birch trees and also feeding on the feeders. The flock of house sparrows seem more numerous, certainly more tame. Siskins could be heard but not seen. Pied wagtail flying up to the roof. Blackbirds feeding on cotoneaster berries Male sparrow hawk making frequent passes through the bird feeders. Numerous goldfinches (one sadly poorly and later found dead), and a few greenfinches and chaffinches. X1 Great spotted woodpecker and a green woodpecker often heard. The wood pigeons are getting ridiculously tame, there is one in particular that you can walk right up to. DRIVE ALONG WOODHALL SPA TO BARDNEY during flooding Grid ref approx. TF141662 Phil and Mary Porter 20th October 2023 Quite a hair-raising drive at around 10am with floodwater advancing towards us from both sides of the road (which was later flooded). Between Bucknall and Stixwould, there were literally hundreds of starlings on the fields feeding in a very animated manner. Invertebrates must have been rapidly moving to the surface as the soil became waterlogged. BOSTON Boston Garden 24/10/23 Kathleen Pearson Much of the bird interest in our garden has started to disappear with major roadworks immediately adjacent to us which have included the disappearance of a small copse and many of the trees in the old hospital grounds across the new road, but we had a first for the garden today with the appearance on the lawn of a Moorhen. There is no water nearby so can only assume it is the result of the exceptional rain at the weekend and a very wet lawn. HORKSTOW SE987179 Jenny Haynes 18 October 2023 I opened the back door tonight to find a toad on the doorstep. When I bent down to look, it tried to come in! I think it may have been trying to get out of the wind which was blowing hard on the back of the house. SANDILANDS Ian Whitaker 23/10/2023 Hummingbird Hawkmoth hovering on Salvia Hotlips in garden SEDGE HOLE CLOSE LWT Nature Reserve Steve Hiner 12/10/23 Blackbird x 1 Blue Tit x 2 Carrion Crow x 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker x 1 Jackdaw x 4 Magpie x 2 Pink-footed Goose x 190 west over Robin x 1 Starling x 15 Wood Pigeon x 4 SOUTHREY WALK ALONG WITHAM RIVERBANKS DURING FLOOD SOUTHREY Grid ref TF141662 Phil and Mary Porter 22nd October 2023 The flooding was extensive with many acres of farmland covered, obliterating footpaths, bridges etc. The river was right up to the water Rail Way footpath in places. The fields north side of the footpath resembles a huge lake and had many gulls on the water, mostly common gulls, and a few black-headed flying around. Approx x5 mute swans. A Cetti’s warbler was calling near the pumping station (which was going full-pelt). Skylarks were calling as they flitted by and siskins were amongst the tall hawthorns. Approx x5 long tailed tits. Small flocks of fieldfares overhead. X1 sparrow hawk. X1 red admiral butterfly on one of the remaining buddleia flowers. Several common darter dragonflies. A woolly bear caterpillar hurried across the path into the grass. Probably a ruby tiger moth. Common storksbill flowers were still out, along with autumnal hawkbit, which were attracting a few insects. SPALDING Allotment TF228218 23/10/23 A beautiful morning and two peacock butterflies out, one at each end. THURNHOLMES (within 300m of SK797984 unless stated) Steve Hiner & Paul Snow 11/10/23 Barn Owl x 1 20:30hrs SK778985 Blackbird x 12 Black-headed Gull x 17 Carrion Crow x 2 Jackdaw x 19 Little Owl x 1 03:00hrs Moorhen x 1 Owston Ferry Warping Drain  Pied Wagtail x 1 Robin x 2 Starling x 29 Skylark x 1 singing high Tree Sparrow x 28 Wood Pigeon x 12 Grey Squirrel x 1 House Mouse x 1 Common Frog x 1 12/10/23 Weasel x 1 14/10/23 Tawny Owl x 2 calling 01:15hrs 15/10/23 Red Admiral x 1 16/10/23 Blackbird x 4 Black-headed Gull x 2 Blue Tit x 2 Carrion Crow x 1 Common Buzzard x 1 Pied Wagtail x 1 Pink-footed Goose x 175 east over Thurnholmes Robin x 3 Tawny Owl x 1 07:45 Tree Sparrow x 15 Wood Pigeon x 6 17/10/23 Red-green Carpet moth x 1 22/10/23 Barn Owl x 1 01:15hrs Blackbird x 2 Black-headed Gull x 57 in flooded arable field at side of Thurnholmes Blue Tit x 2 Carrion Crow x 6 Chaffinch x 1 Common Buzzard x 1 Cormorant x 2 over Thurnholmes Dunnock x 1 Greylag Goose x 28 over Thurnholmes Heron x 1 over Thurnholmes Jackdaw x 6 Kestrel x 1 Little Owl x 1 calling 07:45hrs Mallard x 12 over Thurnholmes Magpie x 2 Pied Wagtail x 2 Robin x 2 Starling x 38 Tawny Owl x 1 calling 01:50hrs Tree Sparrow x 15 Wood Pigeon x 6 Common Darter x 1 23/10/23 Sparrowhawk x 1 male ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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  18th – 24th October 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 Note: Gale force north-easterlies on the 20th, a gust of 64.5mph noted near Sea View. The persistent, heavy rain all day driven by the gale force winds gave 41.1mm in a 24 hour period. The level in the Great Eau did rise enough to spill over the bank and flood the western area of the washlands. All nearby ditches and open water bodies on and around the NNR have high levels of water in them. 181023 – Over the sea in the morning were a pomarine skua, great northern diver, 13 red-throated diver, eider, 41 teal, 48 common scoter (plus 120 on the sea), goldeneye, 2 shoveler, red-breasted merganser, 10 brent goose, kittiwake, 19 gannet, sandwich tern and 100 curlew. 5 rock pipit flew south and 3 starling flew in-off the sea. 14 fieldfare flew west over Mablethorpe North End, and some small groups of redwing dropped into the dunes at Crook Bank throughout the morning. Brambling Sea View. Female/immature scaup flew north over the sea in the evening, and a red-breasted merganser and 4 kittiwake flew south. 191023 - At least 1000 starlings flying across the saltmarsh in small groups, late after- noon, to a roost near Saltfleet. Paradise lagoon: 54 shoveler and 75 teal. A great white egret flew over Sea View in a southerly direction. Sea View washlands: 16 little egrets and 30 teal. A red admiral on the wing mid-day at Sea View. Good numbers of duck and small waders over the sea throughout the morning, with 2 velvet scoter and 320 dunlin south, scaup and goldeneye with common scoter flock, 2 pintail north, plus 2 arctic skua north. Between Rimac and Churchill Lane were 5 brambling, 3 redpoll, 19 redwing, 7 fieldfare, 4 song thrush. Red-throated diver on the drain adjacent to Paradise Lagoon. Small number of thrushes, starling, pipit and skylark flew south/west over the sea. Ring ouzel, lesser whitethroat and 40 goldcrest at Brickyard Lane. Another ring ouzel at Churchill Lane and firecrest in sycamores next to Rimac car park. 18 lapwing flew in-off the sea and carried on west at Crook Bank, where 5 brambling and 20 goldcrest were in the dunes. At Sea View, 4 brambling, kingfisher, male and female blackcap, 43 little egret and several groups of winter thrushes and greenfinches arriving. Another kingfisher at Paradise Lagoon. Great white egret flew south over Sea View and continued beyond Rimac. 3 short-eared owl and 2 cattle egret at Elm House Farm. 211023 - Single woodcock flew from dunes near Sea View. 5 marsh harriers, 1 short-eared owl over the saltmarsh. Approximately 80 little gull offshore from Mablethorpe Nort End in the morning following displacement during storms the day before. Bluethroat seen in outer dune buckthorn clump at Brickyard Lane. Firecrest in sycamores next to Rimac car park again with goldcrests. In the dunes between Brickyard Lane and Crook Bank were a woodcock, brambling, bullfinch, 2 blackcap, 2 Cetti’s warbler and 8 goldcrest. A grey wagtail, 15 siskin and 4 redpoll flew south, and a snipe flew west. 3 cattle egret on Sea View washlands and 2 at Elm House Farm. In the afternoon, 145+ little gull flew north and a female scaup was still with common scoter at Mablethorpe North End. 221023 - Paradise lagoon: 74 shoveler, 1 little grebe, 92 teal, 1 moorhen, 4 coot. Sea View washlands, which is now flooded on the west side of the Eau: 48 Canada geese, 40 mallard, 70 teal, 21 curlew, 20 wigeon, 3 shoveler, 3 lapwing, 33 little egret, 2 cattle egret, 2 moorhen, 2 mute swans, 2 greylag geese, 9 redshank, 4 gadwall and 1 common snipe. 2 sparrowhawks hunting over the dunes. Red admiral, comma and peacock on the wing at Sea View. 8 whooper swan and a great white egret flew south over Rimac. 3 white-fronted geese flew south over Brickyard Lane with 70 pink-footed geese. 9 red-breasted merganser flew south and 2 arctic skua flew north. Arctic skua mobbing gulls out from Rimac and a drake goldeneye was on Rimac lagoon before flying out to sea. Red admiral, comma, peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies on the wing in the afternoon sun, as were hundreds of common darter dragonflies, with many over the saltmarshes along the NNR. First winter Caspian gull flew north over the foreshore and 12 shag flew south over the sea in the afternoon. Lapland bunting north of the old tank. 5 cattle egret and 6 short-eared owl at Elm House Farm in the evening. 231023 - Brambling with 2 greenfinch, plus 37 siskin and blackcap near Sea View. 3 common buzzards around Sea View washlands. A southerly movement of meadow pipit, chaffinch, linnet and siskin early morning. Around the outer dunes at Crook Bank were a short-eared owl, 2 jack snipe, blackcap, stonechat, 70 meadow pipit, 2 rock pipit, marsh harrier, 20 siskin, 100 linnet, 50 reed bunting and 100 skylark. 6 short-eared owl and 3 cattle egret at Elm House Farm early morning. An impressive count of 60 shag were recorded throughout the day, with most flying south (including a group of 27) and a few on the sea. 3 adult Mediterranean gull also flew south and 20 little gull lingered offshore. 241023 - At least 20 fieldfare over Sea View. A raven and 6 swallow flew north over Brickyard Lane, where 12 brambling and 7 red-legged partridge were also seen. Purple sandpiper and 4 shag flew south at Mablethorpe North End. Woodcock and 3 goldcrest around Rimac car park. Donna Nook No seals in yet. The weekends in November and first 2 in December will again see traffic management in place and blue badge holders only will be able to park in Stonebridge car park as it is the easier access route on to the viewing area. Parking in the main car park, owned and run by a local farmer, will once again be £5 all day parking. We would not be able to operate without this facility as there is no where else for the hundreds of cars we see every year to park. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: November 7th 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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: 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. People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). Volunteers can report roadkill sightings using their smartphone via a free Mammals on Roads app. To take part, search for Mammals on Roads on the App Store or Google Play. https://ptes.org/ 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 Atlas of the terrestrial and semi-aquatic Mammals of Lincolnshire: https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/mammalatlas.pdf Greater Lincolnshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Survey Local Nature Recovery Strategy - Let's Talk Lincolnshire Have your say regarding the future of nature in Lincolnshire by completing the public survey webpage: http://www.glincslnrs.org.uk/ For the Geologists... Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ Workshops Owl & Other Bird Pellets - Garry Steele 28th of October - 1 space left. Bryophytes - Steven Heathcote 4th of November - several spaces still. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mail Fails: This week: None. ...and finally... Sea-level rise: West Antarctic ice shelf melt 'unavoidable' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67171231 Cumbria seabirds' breeding success after tough few seasons https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-67158770 Rescue mission for UK rainforests’ weird treasures https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66989115 Fallow plots study aims to help lapwing chicks https://www.gwct.org.uk/news/news/2023/october/fallow-plots-study-aims-to-help-lapwing-chicks/ Fox on vandalism spree in a dog cafe caught red-handed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67157686 Challenging misinformation about fox control on BBC Radio 2 https://www.gwct.org.uk/blogs/news/2023/october/challenging-misinformation-about-fox-control-on-bbc-radio-2/ ‘Trees have no legal status’: calls rise for stronger protection in UK against felling https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/23/trees-have-no-legal-status-calls-rise-for-stronger-protection-in-uk-against-felling ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!)