============================================ || || Wildnews Bulletin 11th December 2024 || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || LNU: http://lnu.org/ || || Please email Editor on: philporterento@outlook.com || ============================================ 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. 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; Lincolnshire Bird Club and Lincolnshire Environmental Record Centre [LERC]. Compare earlier years/months. Past Bulletins archive [in text format] 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: As you will see at various points in the Bulletin, Storm Darragh has disrupted the wintering populations of Little Auks in the northernmost unfrozen areas of the North Sea where they have evolved to exist in extreme conditions. Ideally, they would never occur anywhere near Lincolnshire, but several have even been reported inland especially, it seems, in the Louth area. See below for information from Wildlife Rescue Charities on what to do if you should come across any of these starling-sized mariners now or in the future…. *** Donna Nook Seals ***: Information from Ruth Taylor. For "Pupdates" on the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust website, see: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook Parking is currently in Stonebridge car park at the end of Marsh Lane. The local landowner will be opening his field car park in November, £5 for all day parking and port-a-loos will be available. Currently the nearest toilets are the public ones in North Somercotes. No dogs allowed along the seal viewing area when the seals are in to avoid disturbance and disease transference between the species. If possible, avoid visiting at a weekend as it can be very busy with several thousand people arriving over the two days. There are seal wardens on site to answer any questions you might have. There is private catering on site although not guaranteed to be there every day. There is also a little shop with all proceeds coming to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to support our work at Donna Nook. Phil Porter's email is: philporterento@outlook.com Roger Parsons' email is: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk BTO's tracked Cuckoos - 12 south of the Sahara https://www.bto.org/cuckoos CLEETHORPES WILDLIFE RESCUE I felt that this Facebook post from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue merited a feature, highlighting their work dealing with the range of coastal wildlife crises that occur, in this case the recent appearance of the strictly pelagic Little Auk inshore and even inland which is where they need urgent help. *** CLEETHORPES WILDLIFE RESCUE *** 10.12.24 Little Auks (Alle alle), where we are so far… Not one to usually be admitted into our rescue, we were surprised when we had the call for the first Little Auk, and it snowballed from there… Working with other rescues and veterinary practices, we’ve got an action plan in place to support any further admissions going forward. While we don’t have an exact count, reports indicate that up to 30 Little Auks have been sighted inland at various times. Little Auks are Marine and Intertidal birds, whose diet consists of small fish, marine creatures and plankton. It’s not common to see them as far inland as the Lincolnshire Wolds, but given the recent strong winds of Storm Darragh, it’s likely that these relatively small birds have been blown off course by the winter storm. Little Auks are late autumn passage migrants and winter visitors, they’re seen in varying numbers each year with the northern part of the North Sea being an important wintering location for them. While we are confident that these birds have merely been displaced by Storm Darragh, we have not relaxed our biosecurity measures for these sea birds, currently, all birds are being assessed at their finding locations or at veterinary practices before being admitted into our care. We extend our gratitude to our partner veterinary practices, including Clee Vets, for assisting us during the day and conducting the necessary X-rays for those arriving with injuries. We also thank East Lincs Emergency Vets for providing an overnight drop-off point at their 24-hour practice. Additional thanks to our close colleagues at Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary, Wild Things Rescue, The Wildlife Alliance, and Humberside Swift and Small Bird Rescue for their support – as always, it’s a team effort! If you find a Little Auk, please get a photo prior to capture and contact us, or any of the rescues mentioned above for further advice. 9.12.24 We are currently observing an increase in Little Auks that have been blown off course due to the recent stormy weather. The highest concentration of these birds has been reported in and around Louth. To assist these birds, we are extending our hours tonight to triage them. Some already have undergone X-rays and veterinary evaluations for injuries sustained during landing. If you find a Little Auk, please take photos before handling it. Send us the images, and we will guide you on the next steps. Do not attempt to feed the birds or drip water into their beaks. Thank you for your help! CleethorpesWildlifeRescue.com For more general information go to Exceptional Displacement of Little Auks into the North Sea https://www.birdguides.com/articles/exceptional-displacement-of-little-auks-into-the-north-sea/ Margaret Westcott writes…. In response to Heather's request for gardening-for-wildlife ideas, I thought it a good time to promote the Top Ten Butterfly Plants which are a key part of the Butterfly Garden: Perennial Wallflower -Bowles Mauves - April/Sept Red Valerian - May/Sept Sweet Rocket - May/June Verbena bonariensis - June/Oct Marjoram - June/Sept Hebes - June/Aug Purple Loosestrife - July/Aug Buddleia varieties - July/Sept Sedum varieties - Aug/Oct Michaelmas Daisy - Aug/Oct As Christmas draws near, here are two excellent new books which deal with gardening for pollinators: Gardening for Bumblebees by Dave Goulson A Flower Garden for Pollinators by Rachel de Thame *** This week's mostly-local news stories: *** In pictures: Impact of Storm Darragh across region https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c140nm136vgo Fishing museum offered fish 'empathy quilt' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74x8d89v7eo Seabirds injured 'crash landing' during storm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj6z77rjg50o Seal colony thriving 'thanks to secluded site' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy3dvw14vgo *** Weather News and Forecast *** https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#? East Midlands weather forecast Thursday 12th December - Sunday 15th December Headline: Dry and largely cloudy. Feeling chilly. Thursday: Cloudy with patchy drizzle, particularly affecting coastal areas. The chance of some overnight fog patches. Maximum temperature 8 °C. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Friday, cloudy with patchy drizzle. Some overnight fog and frost patches. Light rain Saturday morning, perhaps sunny spells later. Cloudier and perhaps showers later on Sunday, becoming warmer. UK long range weather forecast Sunday 15th December - Tuesday 24th December Sunday looks like being wet and windy in the north, especially western Scotland, whilst southern parts are likely to be dry, bright and breezy. All parts will be mild or very mild. Thereafter, while high pressure may try and build at times, especially in the south, the more likely scenario is for an unsettled regime to dominate. Occasional spells of rain followed by blustery showers are likely, these most frequent and perhaps wintry at times in the northwest. It may be quite windy at times too, especially towards the north. Southern areas have a greater chance of some lengthier drier spells, although even here it is still likely to be unsettled and breezy at times. Temperatures will vary around average, with oscillations between colder and milder interludes. *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Sky At A Glance https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/sky-at-a-glance/ Night Sky - highlights https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blogs/astronomy Full Moons https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/full-moon-calendar Meteor shower dates https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/meteor-shower-guide BBC Sky at Night Magazine website https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news *** EVENTS *** *** L.N.U. / LINCOLNSHIRE BIRD CLUB JOINT MEETING *** On Saturday 25th January 2025 at Whisby Nature Park Education Centre Lincoln SK910662 at 2 pm. Refreshments will be available. Parking £2 Illustrated talk by LBC Chairman Phil Espin, “The Birds of a Lincolnshire Market Town” This talk is based on the book of the same title recently published by L.B.C. and written by Phil and his great friend John Clarkson who tragically died before publication. An appreciation of this book can be found at https://thewryneck.blogspot.com/2024/08/birds-of-lincolnshire-market-town.html *** Grimsby and Cleethorpes RSBP *** Brian Patterson writes… Our local branch of the Grimsby and Cleethorpes RSPB has a talk planned for Monday the 16th December at 7.30pm at The Holy Trinity Parish Hall in Cleethorpes, DN35 7LH. The evening starts at 7.30pm and costs £5 per person which includes the cost of refreshments. The talk will be given by Christopher Hall on "Antarctica, in search of the Emperor Penguin". *** Scunthorpe and Brigg Local Group of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust *** Our last meeting for 2024 is on Thursday, 12th December, when we will be visited by Geoff Trinder, President of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, to give his illustrated talk on "The Islands and Highlands of Scotland". Geoff is a renowned photographer of wildlife and has given us many fascinating talks to show us wildlife with their varied habitats and behaviours. This will be a meeting not to be missed giving us extra insight into the wildlife and topography of Scotland. The meeting starts at 7.30pm in the St Hugh's Church Hall, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 2AG, which opposite the Applegreen Filling Station near to the Brumby Crossroads of Ashby Road with West Common Lane/Old Brumby Street. ALL ARE WELCOME TO OUR MEETINGS. There is a £2.50 entry charge which includes light refreshments at the mid-talk break. There is free parking at the Church or on the nearby roadside. *** Boston Area Group LWT *** Talk – “British Wildfowl” by Geof Lee Thursday 12th December 2024 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. *** Lincoln Area Group LWT *** Richard Davidson writes Lincoln Area Group Talk 19th December 2024 : The Natural World and Textile Art, at Christmas An illustrated talk by Sue Fysh about the artistic aspects of nature conservation and the natural world. Including making your own natural Christmas decorations. Contributions of seasonal food to share would be appreciated. The event is at Whisby Nature Park in the Lafarge Education Building starting at 7.30 pm. Admission is £2.50 which includes refreshments in the interval. *** SOUTH LINCOLNSHIRE RSPB GROUP*** "The Amazing Life of the Swift". An illustrated Slideshow Talk by Alasdair McKee of the RSPB showcasing these amazing birds and what we can do to help them. Wednesday 9th April 2025 at 7-30pm at Boston Tennis Club. Full details at https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ "Waders of The Wash". An illustrated Slideshow Talk by local RSPB Volunteer and photographer Jeremy Eyeons showcasing the wide variety of waders which can be found around the Wash estuary. Wednesday 24th September 2025 at 7-30pm at Boston Tennis Club. Full details at https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ *** SOUTH LINCS RSPB GROUP *** have announced the dates for their 2025 programme of "Bird and Seal Watching Cruises" aboard The Boston Belle into The Wash estuary. There are 12 cruises scheduled for 2025 starting on Easter Monday and ending in October. Full details including availability, dates, costs, booking etc are on the website. https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary.... Cold-weather alerts - 1 Nov 2024 - 31st March 2025 https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts/cold Bird flu: Defra advice to the general public is to leave corpses alone and report the findings - but that landowners should dispose of birds themselves. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-latest-situation-avian-influenza-prevention-zone-declared-across-great-britain Lyme Disease reminder https://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/zoonoses-data-sheets/lyme-disease.pdf Road works and hold-ups https://roadworks.org/ Met Office Severe Warnings https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings Met Office Severe Weather E-mail Service - sign up http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/guide-to-emails EasyTide http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx Environment Agency Flood Warnings - Lincolnshire https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings?location=lincolnshire Environment Agency Flood Information/Floodline - sign up https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Bird News from Rare Bird Alert *** Rare Bird Alert has kindly given permission to reproduce their pager reports. A big thank you from us all. Readers interested in a pager - look at the RBA website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ For RBA's excellent articles: https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/Articles.asp 3/12 Baston Langtoft Pits, Ring-necked Duck 1w drk at Wader Pit. Deeping St Nicholas, 3 Bewick's Swans all ads at Deeping High Bank. Throckenholt, 3 Bewick's Swans with 196 Whooper Swans. 4/12 Covenham Reservoir, Black-necked Grebe at NE end. Donna Nook,Spoonbill at Pye's Hall, Hen Harrier. Londonthorpe Woods, north of Londonthorpe Lane, 2 Mealy Redpolls with Lesser Redpolls Tallington Lakes, Ferruginous Duck ad drk, 1w Ring-necked Duck on Mail Lake. Entry £5' 5/12 Londonthorpe Woods, north of Londonthorpe Lane, 2 Mealy Redpolls with Lesser Redpolls. East Halton Skitter, 2 Russian White-fronted Geese at Halton Marshes. Lincoln, Swallow at Hartsholme Country Park. Pyewipe, Caspian Gull 1w at Novartis Ings. Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes, 21 Snow Buntings. 6/12 Baston Langtoft Pits, Ring-necked Duck 1w drk at Wader Pit. East Halton Skitter, 2 Russian White-fronted Geese at Halton Marshes. Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes, 17 Snow Buntings. 7/12 Gibraltar Point, Long-tailed Duck on sea, 2 Velvet Scoters flew south, 2 Hen Harriers in off sea, Great Northern Diver flew north, 2 Velvet Scoters flew south, Langtoft, Hawfinch still in churchyard. 8/12 Cowbit Wash, 7+ Turnstones at north end from Cradge Bank. East Halton, 2 Russian White-fronted Geese both ads, with Greylag Geese. Freiston Shore, 17 Little Auks flew past Haven Mouth. Black-necked Grebe, 4 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Red-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Duck, 4 Puffins. Gibraltar Point, Little Auk flew south past, Long-tailed Duck offshore. Huttoft, 17+ Little Auks flew past Huttoft Car Terrace, Black-throated Diver, ad Little Gull. Sutton-on-Sea, 13 Little Auks flew past, 3 Little Gulls. 9/12 Chapel Point, Storm Petrel. 68 Little Auks flew past, Black-throated Diver. Cut End, Boston, 17 Little Auks flew past Witham mouth, Black-throated Diver. Slavonian Grebe. Donna Nook, Little Auk flrw over sakltmarsh, 11 Snow Buntings, 45 Twite. Huttoft, 20 Little Auks flew past Huttoft Car Terrace, Black-throated Diver, Sooty Shearwater, 5 Little Gulls. Gibraltar Point, 14 Little Auks flew past, Long-tailed Duck. Mablethorpe, 21 Little Auks flew past, Black-throated Diver, 2 Scaup. Pyewipe, Black-throated Diver flew NW along River Humber. 21 Little Auks flew along Humber - 11 flew NW, 1 flew SE. 2 Scaup. Sutton-on-Sea, 34 Little Auks flew past, 2 Scaup. Tallington Lakes, Ring-necked Duck 1w drk on Main Lake. Ferruginous Duck ad drk. Entry £5. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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/ 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 observations and welcome records from everyone, experts to beginners. Please keep your reports coming. BARDNEY - THE GREEN TF120694 R + A Parsons 22/11/2024 Blue Tit Great Tit Pied Wagtail House Sparrow 8+ Blackbird 2 Robin 2 Wren Dunnock Collared Dove 2 Woodpigeon 2 Domestic pigeon 7 Jackdaw 12+ Starling, 12+ Black-headed gull party 12+ BARDNEY GARDEN Tf117700 Phil and Mary Porter 10th December Two magnificent flocks totalling something like 400 Pink-footed Geese passed to the south about 11.00 going south-ish. HORKSTOW SE987179 Jenny Haynes 8 December 2024 We’ve just seen a pair of goldcrests on our Christmas tree. I was watching one through binoculars when it fluffed out its feathers and the gold stripe on its head seemed to glow like neon! We’ve quite a few blackbirds in the garden including a first year male with a dark beak. Lucky to have been sheltered from the weekend northerly gales so no damage. LAUGHTON COMMON SK829970 Colin Smith 4th December A walk across Laughton Common on the 4th Dec revealed a lot of fungi still fruiting Moss Bell - Galerina hypnorum Turkeytail - Trametes versicolor Hoof Fungus - Fomes fomentarius Silverleaf Fungus - Chondrostereum purpureum Purple Jellydisc fungus - Ascocoryne sarcoides Winter Polypore - Polyporus brumalis Velvet Shank - Flammulina velutipes Leafy Brain - Tremella foliacea Oysterling- Plicatura crispa Red edge Brittlestem - Psathyrella corrugis Hairy Curtain Crust - Stereum hirsutum Snowy Waxcap - Hygrocybe virginea Also while there, a small leafhopper landed on my leg which turned out to be Zygina rubrovittata a heather feeding species that I have not seen before. LINCOLNSHIRE COASTAL COUNTRY PARK Dave Miller Coast and The Wolds (South) Warden Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Sykes Farm Nature Reserve Office Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve Gibraltar Road Skegness PE24 4SU Mobile: 07919 326646 Tel/Fax: 01754 898079 4th December: Rock Pipits flying south, lots of birds on Anderby Marsh including 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 7 Curlew, 9 Dunlin, 24 Gadwall, Grey Heron, 2 Kestrel, 82 Lapwing, Marsh Harrier, 5 Redshank, 4 Sanderling, 12 Shoveler, 12 Snipe, 168 Teal and 325 Wigeon. 5th December: Slavonian Grebe on the sea at Huttoft Car Terrace, 3 Short-eared Owl flying in off of sea. 6th December: 500 Linnet in field of sunflowers at Wolla Bank, 37 Curlew, 2 Red-legged Partridge and 5 Grey Partridge along Huttoft Sea Lane. 8th December: flying at sea from Huttoft Car Terrace were 15 Little Auk, 23 Great Skua, Black-throated Diver, Little Gull, 174 Kittiwake. NETTLEHAM Brenda Edlington TF 005756 9/12/2024 Hedgehog caught on camera about 4.30 am. First sighting since 16 November. 6/12/2024 Heron sitting on very highest branch of tree at the end of next door's garden. 1/12/2024 Kingfisher re-visited garden (previously on 27/11) to sit above our wildlife pond. Still no fish! Clearing out the pond in November found several fat-bodied dragonfly larvae. A lot of dragonflies were seen this year in the garden with broad-bodied chasers often around. Most likely the larvae of these. They were carefully returned to the pond, along with small inch-long newts. Hope to catch dragonflies emerging in the spring. Moved a pot to find a toad underneath. Carefully covered it up again but only the second toad I've seen in the garden in over 30 years. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. NNRs and NATURE RESERVES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LWT Top Reserves: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves LWT Reserves List: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/nature-reserves-list RSPB Reserves: https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE DUNES NNR including DONNA NOOK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/saltfleetby-theddlethorpe-dunes https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/38015?category=59026 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Owen Beaumont Tel: 07900264428 Reserve Manager Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR Sea View Road, Saltfleetby St. Clements, LN11 7TR www.gov.uk/natural-england 041224 – marsh harrier hunting around Crook Bank outer dunes, plus 2 short-eared owl and 4 yellowhammer. 2 cattle egret Rimac dunes and 2 on Sea View Washlands. 2 stonechat in bushes near Rimac car park. 690 wigeon on wet grassland south of Crook Bank. 325 wigeon, 380 Canada goose, marsh harrier and buzzard Elm House Farm grassland. 051224 – 21 snow bunting reportedly on the foreshore around Crook Bank. 061224 – 17 snow bunting reported again on the foreshore near Crook Bank. 2 short-eared owl still around Crook Bank outer dunes. 6 whooper swan flew south over Sea View saltmarsh mid-afternoon. 071224 – wintering snow bunting flock on the developing saltmarsh near Sear’s Track. On Paradise Lagoon 13 black-tailed godwit, 45 teal, 37 shoveler, 12 black-headed gull, 2 herring gull and 11 redshank. Sea View Washland topped by rainfall now holding areas of open water attracting several hundred wildfowl and 23 greylag goose. 081224 – Storm Darragh passing through the coast with gusts up to 53.8mph around Sea View and heavy rainfall throughout the day. 091224 – going north over the sea through the morning were 21 little auk, 9 little gull, first winter Mediterranean gull, bonxie, 49 kittiwake, 52 gannet, great northern diver, black-throated diver, 2 scaup, 12 teal, 33 wigeon, 16 eider, goldeneye, 4 brent goose; and south went a little auk and cormorant. 3 cattle egret Rimac entrance, 6 Rimac dunes and 2 Elm House Farm. 9 pintail flew north over Rimac dunes, pair of stonechat on dune scrub and a great white egret feeding on freshwater marsh scrape. 4 black-tailed godwit Sea View Washlands. 2 goldcrest MOD track and 2 south of Crook Bank. 180 lapwing flew high NE over Sea View and woodcock flew up from dune scrub. 2 woodcock and a yellowhammer at Brickyard Lane, and a dead little auk found on beach access path. Peregrine, kestrel and whooper swan also on Elm House Farm. 3 brent goose on wet grassland south of Crook Bank. 101224 – 30+ snow bunting reportedly on the beach at Crook Bank. 2 cattle egret Rimac entrance and 3 with cattle around Rimac dunes. 22 little egret feeding on wet pasture around Sea View. Ringtail hen harrier flew over Rimac dunes early afternoon. Donna Nook: 071224 - Weekly pupdate: 1585 pups, 828 cows and 532 bulls. 091224 – little auk flew north over the saltmarsh. 11 snow bunting and 45 twite feeding on the saltmarsh edge. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire *** Chambers Farm Wood Butterfly Garden Volunteers Gardening days for 2025. February 18th; March 4th & 18th; April 1st 15th; May 6th & 20th; June 3rd & 17th; July 1st & 15th; August 5th & 19th; September 2nd & 16th, October 7th & 21st; November 4th. margaretwestcott7@hotmail.co.uk https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/chambers-farm-wood-butterfly-garden *** Lincolnshire Dormouse Group *** lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com All being well we should get a permit for the following dates for our winter coppicing sessions: Saturday 14th December 2024 Sunday 19th January 2025 Saturday 15th February 2025 Sunday 16th March 2025 We will meet at Chambers Farm Woods outside the wood centre at 10am over the winter, and the session normally runs until mid afternoon, with a break for a packed lunch picnic in the woods. Please be aware that the toilet block at Chambers remains closed. No experience is necessary, just enthusiasm! All tools are provided, but I would recommend that if you have your own gardening gloves to bring these along, but we have some that you can borrow too. Reminder from Gemma Watkinson: We are interested to know whether dormice have naturally dispersed into other woodlands in the Lincolnshire Limewoods area (or indeed if there are any remnant isolated populations elsewhere in the county). For anyone walking in the Limewoods area, particularly in those woodlands closest to Chambers Farm Woods (e.g. Camshaws Wood, Austacre and New Park Woods, and Broadwater Forest, Thistle Storr Wood, Glad Wood and College Wood) please keep a look out for any hazelnuts that you think may have been opened by a dormouse. More information on how to undertake a nut hunt can be found on the People’s Trust for Endangered Species website and this document illustrates the distinctive marks to look out for as well as what nuts opened by voles, birds and squirrels also look like. https://ptes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Help_us_find_hazel_dormice_generic.pdf Please let us know what you find, and send us photos of any nuts you think may have been opened by dormice. Happy Nut Hunting! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Discover Woodland Trust woods near you- including the best woods for walks, wildlife watching, family fun and heritage. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/#=undefined&view=map Lincolnshire County Council - Local Nature Reserves https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/coast-countryside/nature-reserves 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 to the editor as early as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. CONTACTS AND USEFUL WEBSITES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Links "not to be missed" *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. CONTACTS LIST Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union LNU Website: http://lnu.org/ LNU Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/LincsNaturalist 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/ 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: nichol20@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 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 the recorder promptly. Don't forget a thank you for the help. That is always welcomed. Dragonfly Identification help https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/species-and-identification/ 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 Bat Identification https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/what-are-bats/uk-bats/ NHBS - Frequencies of British Bats https://media.nhbs.com/equipment/British%20Bat%20Frequencies.pdf Slug ID Help Chris du Feu will help with slug identification. Tel: 01383 669 124 Email: chris.r.dufeu@gmail.com USEFUL WILDLIFE LINKS Please copy and paste URLs if necessary. Lincolnshire Badger Group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093647842292 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: downloadable LNU book *** For the Geologists *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. Lincolnshire Geodiversity Group: https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/discovering/geology-1 Geology of the Lincolnshire Wolds: https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/special-features/geology The Geology of Lincolnshire: downloadable LNU book UK Fossils in Lincolnshire https://ukfossils.co.uk/category/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 the editor: 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. [Views expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the LNU or associated organisations. In particular this applies to agencies, especially charities, taking a political stance.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11. LNU EVENTS DIARY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** LNU Events *** *** L.N.U. / LINCOLNSHIRE BIRD CLUB JOINT MEETING *** On Saturday 25th January 2025 at Whisby Nature Park Education Centre Lincoln SK910662 at 2 pm. Refreshments will be available. Parking £2 Illustrated talk by LBC Chairman Phil Espin, “The Birds of a Lincolnshire Market Town” This talk is based on the book of the same title recently published by L.B.C. and written by Phil and his great friend John Clarkson who tragically died before publication. An appreciation of this book can be found at https://thewryneck.blogspot.com/2024/08/birds-of-lincolnshire-market-town.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ National and international stories The explosive secret behind the squirting cucumber is finally out https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/why-the-squirting-cucumber-squirts/ Sycamore Gap tree felling trial delayed by illness https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czr3l06rd0jo Flood warnings as thousands without power after Storm Darragh https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewx5jd270po Thousands of forgotten bomber crews recognised https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly7j05k1ljo How citizen scientists are uncovering the secret lives of blue whales. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wq78g8842o After a disappointing COP29, here’s how to design global climate talks that might actually work https://theconversation.com/after-a-disappointing-cop29-heres-how-to-design-global-climate-talks-that-might-actually-work-244645 Eels tagged in bid to understand their river movements and migration https://www.gwct.org.uk/news/news/2024/december/eels-tagged-in-bid-to-understand-their-river-movements-and-migration/ Whale makes epic migration, astonishing scientists https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3zywxlqlxo *** Mail Fails *** ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/