============================================ || || 3rd January 2024 || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || LNU: https://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. 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: Phil and I wish you all the very best for 2024. Please keep your news, weekly reports and event information coming in. As you will know, Phil Porter and I have been co-editing. We shall keep up this arrangement for now; Phil is mostly drafting content while I do the mailing. In this way I can cover for Phil if necessary, as I have done this week. Please will you send in your news and reports to both of us for the time being. Phil's email is: philporterento@outlook.com Storm Henk information Hundreds of flood warnings and travel disruption after Storm Henk https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67870028 Lincolnshire Flood alerts and warnings https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/alerts-and-warnings?q=Lincolnshire This week's mostly-local news stories: Donna Nook Nature Reserve enjoys near-record year for seal births https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67863069 Photographer stops time to snap butterflies and birds https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-67785102 World's longest undersea and land power cable switched on in Lincolnshire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67841922 Annual Middle Rasen duck race marks quacking start to new year https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67856881 Sewage spill monitors extend reach to cover all England https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67842294 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch - 26-28th January 2024 https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2024/01/attenborough-and-the-giant-sea-monster CEH Peatlands factsheet https://www.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Peatland%20factsheet.pdf Humber Forest scheme sees more than 150,000 trees planted https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-67834066 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#? 6-15 January 2024 "The weekend sees somewhat more settled conditions introduced quite widely across the country, with colder conditions and some frosty nights (perhaps becoming widespread and severe in time). Initially there are still likely to be some showers, especially around windward coasts in the east and north, but in general most areas start to see longer, more settled spells develop. Occasional unsettled spells are still possible, but these generally much more regionalised, and infrequent than conditions of late, perhaps not even mater- ialising. As temperatures fall, the chance of any precipitation falling as sleet and snow increases, particularly over high ground and especially over northern parts of the UK, but not exclusively so by any means. As well as frost and ice by night, some freezing fog is likely to develop as well." *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Nasa mission lines up to 'touch the Sun' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67837161 Amazing images from James Webb telescope, two years after launch https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-611525eb-3a0c-4a68-bf54-485df138b6f6 Full Moons 2024 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/full-moon-calendar January's Night Sky: Highlights. https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-january-2024 *** Events *** *** Grimsby and Cleethorpes Area Group LWT *** Carolyn Lovely writes: Birding by Numbers On Monday 8th January 2024 the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Area Group LWT will hold their next indoor meeting where Matthew Capper, the Trust's Head of Public Engagement, will be giving an illustrated talk 'Birding by Numbers'. Matthew will be talking about his passion for birds and his conservation career. 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. For more information please contact Jennie Redpath 01472 502858 or visit our website www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk We are also on Facebook. Bird Walk - Resident & Winter Visitors at Covenham Reservoir On Saturday 20th January 2024 you are invited to join us on a bird walk led by Graham Hicks around Covenham Reservoir. Please meet Graham at 8am in the main entrance carpark. Grid Reference TF34632 96034 Hoping to see Golden Eye, Widgeon, Shoveler, Gadwall and Teal and perhaps Whooper Swan, Smew and Great Northern Diver. This walk will last 1 and a half - 2hrs. 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. Graham can be contacted on 07979 089890 *** Boston Area Group LWT *** Gill Walsh writes.. Talk - Mammals Of Lincolnshire by Chris Manning Thursday 11th January 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. *** 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/ *** Natural History and Geology Section of the Scunthorpe Museum Society *** Keith Scarrott writes: Our first meeting for 2024 is on Monday, 8th January, starting as usual at 7.15 pm. Our member and geology expert Paul Hildreth will be giving his illustrated talk on "Minerals - the building blocks of rocks". What is a mineral? How is it different from a rock? Come and find out about the properties of minerals and how simple tests can sometimes help in their identification. This meeting will involve some audience participation and a small display of specimens. We meet in the Small Hall in the Old Brumby United Church, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 2AQ, which is next to the Applegreen filling station on Ashby Road near to the the Brumby crossroads traffic lights. ALL ARE WELCOME TO OUR MEETINGS. There is a free car park at the Church and also at the St Hugh's Church opposite as well as roadside parking nearby. There is now a £3 entry charge to our meetings for non-members. There will be a comfort break mid-way through the talk when light refreshments will be available for a small charge. 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 For RBA's excellent articles: https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/Articles.asp 28/12 Hen Harrier ringtail, Willow Tree Fen 2 Long-eared Owls at Main lake in gully, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James 2 Scaup, 1 drk, on Reedbed, Lesser Yellowlegs by visitor centre car park, Frampton Marsh Smew ad drk at quarry on lake off Job's Lane, Whisby 29/12 Mealy Redpoll, Baston + Langtoft Pits Scaup 1w fem, Main Lake, Tallington Lakes 2 Scaup, 1 drk, on Reedbed, Lesser Yellowlegs by visitor centre car park, Spoonbill, 2 Waxwings briefly, Water Pipit, male Hen Harrier, Frampton Marsh 2 Long-tailed Ducks on sea, Gibraltar Point NNR 10+ Waxwings at B+Q car park, Boston 3 Waxwings at Scredington Road, Helpringham, nr Sleaford 2 Water Pipits in flooded fields near Rimac, 3 Hen Harriers 1 male, Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR Smew ad drk, 2 Great Northern Divers in NW corner from boathouse, Covenham reservoir 20 Waxwings on Bridge Road by Jet petrol station, in Aldi car park, Gainsborough 30/12 Lesser Yellowlegs by visitor centre car park, 2 Scaup 1 drk, Frampton Marsh Black-throated Diver, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Velvet Scoters flew south, Gibraltar Point 4 Waxwings at Amos Way, Sibsey, near Boston 12 Waxwings around Premier Court, near Asda and Market Place at The Grange, Grantham Great Grey Shrike in hedge south of track towards Birch Spring Farm, Doddington Waxwing between car park and hide, Fiskerton Fen 14 Waxwings on Bridge Road by Jet petrol station, Gainsborough 12 Waxwings flew over Maltkiln Road, Barton-upon-Humber 31/12 Hen Harrier ringtail, 5 Common Cranes, Willow Tree Fen Glossy Ibis, Deeping Lakes, then flew west, Deeping St James 5 Bewick's Swans, Lesser Yellowlegs by visitor centre car park, 2 Scaup 1 drk, Frampton Marsh 3+ Water Pipits in flooded field north of Rimac, 5 Cattle Egrets, Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe NNR 4 Shorelarks on beach at north end, 4 Snow Buntings at Greenshank Creek, Twite, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, Great Northern Diver, Gibraltar Point 2 Waxwings, Sutton-on-Sea Short-eared Owl on south side, Donna Nook 9 Waxwings around Premier Court, near Asda and Market Place at The Grange, Grantham Great Grey Shrike in hedge south of track towards Birch Spring Farm, Doddington 2 Great Northern Divers, Smew ad drk, Covenham reservoir Smew ad drk at quarry on lake off Job's Lane, Whisby Hen Harrier ringtail, Short-eared Owl over caravan field, Trent Port 1/1/2024 Hen Harrier ringtail, Willow Tree Fen Smew redhead on first pit SW of Langtoft. 2 Mealy Redpolls, Baston Langtoft Pits Scaup 1w fem, on Main Lake Tallington Lakes Glossy Ibis by "owl tree", 3 Long-eared Owl in gully at Main Lake, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James Lapland Bunting, Gedney Drove End Lesser Yellowlegs 1w by visitor centre car park, 2 Scaup on Reedbed, Frampton Marsh Waxwing behind Yacht Club in wood, 10 Waxwings just north of Aylmer Avenue, then flew off, 4 Shorelarks at north end on beach, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, Red-necked Grebe, 4 Snow Buntings on beach at north end, Water Pipit, ringtail Hen Harrier, Gibraltar Point 4 Waxwings at play area, Amos Way, Sibsey, near Boston Hen Harrier ringtail, Seaview, 21 Snow Buntings, Long-tailed Duck, 3 Water Pipits north of Rimac car park, 21 Snow Buntings on Rimac Bridge over River Eau, Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe NNR 1 Waxwing at Premier Court, Grantham Waxwing in car park, Fiskerton Smew ad drk at quarry on lake off Job's Lane at Thorpe Landfill, Whisby Great Grey Shrike in hedge south of track towards Birch Spring Farm, Doddington Scaup fem, 2 Great Northern Divers, Shag in NE corner, Covenham reservoir Hen Harrier ringtail, Trent Port 2 Waxwings, New Holland Ring-necked Duck fem on pit near Normanby - no general access 2/1 *3 Long-eared Owls in gully at Mail Lake, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James *2 Scaup 1 drk, ringtail Hen Harrier, Frampton Marsh *Waxwing at Broad Street, Grantham *9 Waxwings at Higson Road, Lincoln ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. BOSTON Maud Foster Drain Between TF334437 and TF333441 Tracey Lenton 29/12/2023 Year's end on the Maud Foster: It was late afternoon on a blustery December's day when I took a walk for a last look at the Drain in 2023. It wasn't overly cold and there were the usual water birds around. I disturbed 2 Moorhen at the start of my walk along the path, the water was low and they must have been feeding or standing in the mud. 2 Mute swans  were upending in their search for food as were Mallard close by. There were two groups of Mallard along this stretch, one of 4, 2 m 2 f and one of 6, 4 m 2 f A flock of Seagulls were circling around in the sky. Winter heliotrope is in flower and sending its strong scent in the air, there is one broad patch along the top of the bank. A small patch of white dead nettle is also flowering. Otherwise, vegetation is displaying dead stems and heads BOSTON The Haven TF337429-TF339427 Tracey Lenton 01-01-2024 14:10-15:15 A new venture for the new year is to walk along the Haven (the stretch of the River Witham from the docks to the Wash) Starting at the riverbank at St Nicholas church, I walked along a very muddy, grassy seabank 2 hours before low tide. The Maud Foster Drain (last year's study) filters into the Haven at the sluice gates; some bird species which inhabit the Drain also can be seen on the Haven, whilst some birds are typically seen out on the marsh. Curlew, one, searching for food in the exposed mud, seen further down towards Fishtoft. Mallard - one male and one female together, at the dock end Redshank - several individuals alone on the mud, 4 together on far bankside, it seems a favourable place for them from the dock area all the way along the Haven Seagulls seen on the mud and later a large flock heading seawards. BRANT BROUGHTON Jeremy Hutchinson SK 92600 55548 20/12/2003, 17.50 Fallow Deer buck/stag (only the second Fallow I've seen around this area) CARLTON LE MOORLAND Jeremy Hutchinson SK909581 21/12/23 Flock of 200-300 Fieldfares in trees around The Sands (an area of grass, scrub, trees and a pond on the edge of the village). I think that this was the largest flock I've ever seen 1/1/24 While digging compost out of a very old (and wet) heap, found a very drowsy queen Hornet. I thought this to be an unusual place to overwinter, particularly given the dampness, but I can only surmise that it had been dry when the insect had chosen it. I removed it to my small greenhouse for the duration, and just hope that I don't regret it in due course! BASSINGHAM FEN Jeremy Hutchinson SK 93917 58149 26/12/2003, 22.30 Barn Owl FRITHVILLE TF 298489 2023 Moth Records Pete and Margaret Westcott Poor overnight weather meant that we only did 3 nights of moth trapping last year, with a total of 52 species. Records include many daytime singletons, some of which were firsts for us. The July Highflyer was such a beauty, and the White-point a surprise. A memorable event was watching a hatching of Small China-marks, at least 20, dancing over the pond like a Corps de Ballet. To see a Convolvulus Hawkmoth, by the light of a torch, flitting from one Nicotiana flower to the next was magical. Less inspiring is the huge number of the Garden Mompha, Mompha subbistrigella, which overwinters as an adult in all our upstair rooms. We have let lots of Willowherb spread to attract the Elephant Hawkmoth, and I guess this is the result! Now January is here, we are ready and waiting to start again. GRIMSBY Grid ref TA265095 Joyce Attia 2nd January 2024 In the garden, the goldfinches have come back over the last few days, first time this year, perhaps they know bad weather's on the way, there were 5 on the feeders this morning squabbling about which feeder to use. Don't know why, the feeders are identical and so is the seed. The families of great tits and blue tits still flit in and out. There was a robin yesterday and today a pair of blackbirds have been very conspicuous. I threw some dried mealworms out for them. I got strange Christmas gifts from my family, a big box of suet balls from my granddaughter and 5kg of duck food from my son, all beautifully wrapped up in fancy paper! The swans on the river...we still have the adult pair and two of the cygnets are still here, occasionally they meet up with their parents. The others have moved on, I hope they survived Christmas . Wishing everyone a very happy 2024 NETTLEHAM Brenda Edlington TF 005756 Rainfall 2023 My rain gauge has collected approximately 919mm (c.36ins) of rain for 2023, the highest I’ve recorded since I began recording in 2006. 2007 and 2019 were both about the 32in mark. July was wettest with c.155mm, followed by December with c.144mm. February was the driest month with c.10mm, followed by June with c.21mm. The ground is now absolutely sodden. w/c 29/12/2023 Male and female great spotted woodpeckers are visiting the fat and peanut logs daily. A flock of at least 8 long-tailed tits were around the fat cake and on the sunflower seeds. Only one greenfinch seen. Good numbers of goldfinches.  The sparrowhawk has struck twice recently with the victims probably a blue tit and long-tailed tit from the feathers left behind. Wish they’d take some of our fat pigeons instead. A hedgehog on the trail camera was taking leaves into a hedgehog box in March so hoped it would raise a family, but no young were recorded coming out. Various sizes of hedgehog have been caught on cameras, some quite small, so they did breed somewhere. Last hedgehog to date recorded on the 19 December at 9.35pm with the temperature shown as 2C. Great tits raised a family in the sparrow terrace and robins raised 2 broods.  The blackbirds were successful at what I think was their 3rd attempt in a prickly berberis after losing nests in ivy to magpies or crows. 7/7/2023 Having never seen a shrew in the garden in over 30 years, my first sighting was unfortunately one in the jaws of a cat caught on a trail camera. The next day however another shrew was caught on camera wrestling with a very large worm twice its body length and dragging it away. Another shrew was caught on camera on 18/9/23, but nothing since then. A cat hangs out almost every night near the hedgehog box where mice and voles have also been caught on camera. Cat scarers do not deter it. Two voles are living in a compost heap. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 20th December 2023 – 2nd January 2024 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Matt Blissett, Ruth Taylor, Owen Beaumont, Cliff Morrison and Dean Nicholson. Thank you to all other contributors. Interesting weather facts recorded at Sea View from 2023:- Lowest minimum ground temperature was -10.75 degrees centigrade 17th January. Lowest minimum air temperature was -5.75 degrees centigrade on 17th January. This was at the beginning of a sharp cold spell lasting to the 28th with continual days of hard ground and air frosts. There were two more cold snaps 4th - 15th February, and 6th - 11th March but the frosts were not quite as severe. Another cold snap at the end of November - early December with moderate frosts falling to a ground minimum of -8.5 degrees centigrade and air -4.5 degrees centigrade on the 2nd. A late ground frost was recorded on 15th May as -0.75 degrees C. Worth noting a ground minimum of 2.25 degrees centigrade recorded on 17th June. First autumn ground frost of  -1.0 degrees centigrade on 15th October. Highest day-time temperature was 29.0 degrees centigrade on 25th June. Most continuous days of recorded rainfall was 18 from 26th November - 13th December. Most rainfall recorded in a 24 hour period was 41.1mm (1.63 inches) on 20th October. Wettest month was October with 122.7mm (4.83 inches) of recorded rainfall. Total rainfall for 2023 was 709.3mm (27.95 inches).  From precipitation records for Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR (taken at Sea View) for 1993 - 2022 the average annual rainfall is 579.43 mm (22.49 inches). Longest period without rainfall recorded was 19 days from 27th January - 14th February. Another spell of very dry weather was observed from 20th May - 17th June, a total of 29 days, but a trace (less than 0.1mm) was recorded on 5th and 17th June.  Driest month was June with 26.3mm (1.04 inches) rainfall. Snowfall was recorded as snow grains on 9th March with sleet the following day. Wet snow fell for a few minutes, mid-day, on November 30th, driven on by very cold north-easterlies. Snow grains overnight on 2nd December and wet snow late evening/early 3rd. Hail with thunder on 10th April. Fog observed on 14th February, 6th - 8th September, 25th and 27th October. Days of strong winds were noted in most months during the year but of note a period of very strong south-westerlies noted 1st - 15th January; a gust of 44.4 mph recorded on the 11th. Gale force SW on 13th March when a gust of 69.8 mph recorded. Very strong winds during the middle of April with an ESE gust of 37.6 mph noted. Gale force north-easterlies on 20th October with a gust of 64.5 mph noted. Very strong winds observed on 13th December with a NNE gust of 45.4mph and on the 21st and 22nd with near gale force WSW when a gust of 57.2mph recorded. Nacreous clouds - two sightings of this unusual cloud formation observed on December 21st and 24th. Daily News and Wildlife Sightings 201223 – 2 woodcock in the dunes at Brickyard Lane and a peregrine flew over. 7 yellowhammer Crook Bank outer dunes. At least 3 water pipit and 5 cattle egret at Rimac. Single barnacle goose with 220 brent geese at Elm House Farm. 211223 – Stonechat and woodcock at Sea View. 57 little egret between saltmarsh and flooded field at Sea View. 108 curlew on semi flooded fields adjacent to Churchill Lane dunes. 221223 – 3 raven and 4 whooper swan flew south over Rimac. 2 stonechat Rimac dunes, 20 each of blackbird and redwing along with a woodcock Rimac south. 2 water pipit Rimac freshwater marsh and 3 in flooded field north of Rimac car park. 5 cattle egret Sea View Washlands. At least 32 snow bunting on Crook Bank foreshore. 231223 - Ringtail hen harrier hunting over saltmarsh. On Elm House Farm: 550 pink-footed geese, 109 brent geese, 55 mallard, 60 wigeon, 45 teal and 18 curlew. 241223 - Stonechat at Rimac. Common daisy and common stork’s bill in flower and a fox moth caterpillar on the move near Sea View. 251223 - Chiffchaff, green woodpecker and peregrine falcon at Brickyard Lane. Finches also around Brickyard Lane, including siskin, greenfinch, goldfinch, bullfinch and chaffinch. 261223 - Ringtail hen harrier, marsh harrier and sparrowhawk hunting over saltmarsh. Green woodpecker near Sea View and at least 50 curlew with 120 lapwing on Elm House Farm. 291223 – 2 marsh harrier, merlin, 2 barn owl, 5 cattle egret and 2 water pipit around Rimac. 311223 - Paradise lagoon: 29 shoveler, 4 gadwall and 41 teal, 38 little egrets on the saltmarsh, single brambling Paradise wood and a pair of stonechats nearby. Minimum count at Sea View washlands: 148 teal, 290 wigeon, 20 mallard and 60 redshank. 5 cattle egret and 3 water pipit around Rimac car park. 1200 lapwing, 241 brent goose, 21 pink-footed goose and 23 curlew Elm House Farm. 010124 - Paradise lagoon: 45 mallard and 8 gadwall, great spotted woodpecker at Sea View and late afternoon 15 whooper swans flew north over the area. 90 bird species recorded on the NNR today. The best were an immature male long-tailed duck feeding on the Eau between Sea View and Rimac, and 4 waxwing around Sea View briefly before flying north. Stonechat north of Sea View. 3 water pipit, 5 cattle egret, woodcock, water rail, Cetti’s warbler, stonechat and 2 sparrowhawk Rimac dunes. 21 whooper swan left saltmarsh roost at dawn. Barn owl, 2 stonechat, 26 pintail, 7 snipe, 20+ rock pipit, 60+ skylark Rimac saltmarsh. 2 raven flew north over Churchill Lane and 6 siskin flew south. 2 grey wagtail adjacent to Churchill Lane car park. 4 woodcock and 2 bullfinch Brickyard Lane dunes. 18 snow bunting and 80 linnet Rimac beach. Later in the day, 30+ snow bunting flew off Crook Bank foreshore and went inland. Peacock butterfly in the dunes at Brickyard Lane. 2 goldcrest in scrub south of Crook Bank. Several hundred pink-footed goose flew south throughout the day, including several skeins over the sea. Gannet and 4 red-throated diver flew north over the sea, and 2 whooper swans also flew south. 020124 - A charm of 46 goldfinch feeding in birch near Sea View. 4 cattle egret and 4 water pipit at Rimac. 80 redshank on Sea View Washlands. Other Local Reserves 311223 – Donna Nook: 52 pups left within the rookery. This number is decreasing daily as they head out to sea for the first time. 020124 – Donna Nook: 25 pups visible. Skylark singing during a lighter spell of rain. "Weekly Pupdate" https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook/weekly-update ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Sunday 21st January 2024 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: Saturday 17th February 2024 Sunday 17th March 2024 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Local Nature Reserves - Lincolnshire Lincolnshire County Council - 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 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: https://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. 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 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 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 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/ https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ National or international stories... Moment quake hits Japan coastal town - watch https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-67856117 2023 - a year of extreme weather https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/67618626 Fossil hunters urged to stop using power tools on Doniford Beach https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-somerset-67841628 Mystery Anglo-Saxon object found at Langham baffles experts https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-67750556 *** Mail Fails *** None this week. ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/