============================================ || || 10th 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 Lincolnshire Flood alerts and warnings https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/alerts-and-warnings?q=Lincolnshire This week's mostly-local news stories: Haxey Hood: Hundreds take part in ancient rugby-style game https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-67905947 Lincolnshire flooding: Drivers warned of dangers after car submerged https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67910580 International Bomber Command Centre gets National Lottery funding https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67917912 Peterborough: Proposal to restock River Nene where 100,000 fish died https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-67902286 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#? Wednesday 10th January 2024 Another chilly day with frost to start for many. Largely cloudy in the north and Peak District, with isolated showers moving inland, mainly during the morning. Drier and generally brighter in the south. Maximum temperature 6 °C. Becoming dry for all this evening with patchy cloud. Cloud spreading south overnight, with an early frost possible in parts of the south. Winds generally falling light. Minimum temperature 0 °C. Thursday 11th A dry day but rather cloudy throughout. Light winds, though a little breezier toward coasts. Feeling cold. Maximum temperature 7 °C. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Dry but mostly cloudy Friday, some sunny intervals. Cloudy Saturday, with patchy rain possible. Brighter, with showers Sunday. Light winds. Temperatures near average, overnight frosts still possible. UK long range weather forecast Sunday 14 Jan - Tuesday 23 Jan Cloud, with patchy light rain clearing central and southern areas initially. Thereafter, turning colder from the North, with brisk northerly winds likely developing widely across of the UK, bringing a risk of snow showers, most frequent across the north. Temperatures remaining cold, and a marked wind chill especially in the north. There is risk of unsettled weather pushing in from the south through this period, which could lead to a band of snow and sleet where it meets the colder air across the country. Confidence is low with regards the timing of the arrival of any such disturbance, but there is an increasing risk of something potentially disruptive at some point in this period. Widespread frosts continue to be a feature by night, with a risk of ice in places. *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** 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 *** 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/ 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 2/1 3 Long-eared Owls in gully at Mail Lake, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. 2 Scaup, 1 drk, ringtail Hen Harrier, Lesser Yellowlegs by visitor centre car park, Frampton Marsh. 4 Shorelarks at north end on beach, 2 Snow Buntings, Velvet Scoter, 3v Long-tailed Ducks, Gibraltar Point NNR. Great Grey Shrike west of B1190 in hedge south of track to Birch Spring Farm, NW of Doddington. Waxwing at Broad Street, Grantham, 9 Waxwings at Higson Road, Lincoln. 3/1 Mealy Redpoll with Lesser Redpolls, at Greatford Cut, Langtoft. 2 Hen Harriers both ringtails, flew to roost, Willow Tree Fen. Glossy Ibis, 2 Long-eared Owls in roost, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. 2 Scaup 1 drk, Lesser Yellowlegs, Frampton Marsh. 17 Waxwings in rowan along Primrose way, Grantham 3 Waxwings, 3 long-tailed Ducks, 4 Shorelarks at north end on beach, 2 Long-tailed Ducks on sea from Mill Hill, Gibraltar Point NNR. 6 Water Pipits in flooded field north of Rimac car park, Saltfleetby/ Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR. Great Grey Shrike west of B1190 in hedge south of track to Birch Spring Farm, NW of Doddington. 10 Waxwings 100 yds from A57 junction, in trees by Long Leys Road, 11 Waxwings at Carram Way, Lincoln. Great Northern Diver, Shag, Covenham reservoir. 6 Waxwings, in tree south of Fir Park Normanby-le-Wold. 50+ Snow Buntings on outer beach, Cleethorpes. 4/1 Glossy Ibis, 2 Long-eared Owls in gully at Main Lake, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. 15 Waxwings at Asda in car park by recycling bins, Grantham. Water Pipit, Freiston Shore. 3 Waxwings in garden at Fairways Lodge, for second day, Gibraltar Road. 4 Shorelarks on beach, Gibraltar Point. 2 Water Pipits in flooded field north of Rimac car park, Saltfleetby/ Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR. Snow Bunting, 3 Great Northern Diver, Anderby Creek. 2 Waxwings at Carram Way, Lincoln. 5/1 2 Hen Harriers on roost, both ringtails, 6 Bewick's Swans, Willow Tree Fen. Long-eared Owl in gully at Main Lake, Glossy Ibis, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. 2 Scaup 1 drk, Lesser Yellowlegs 1wby visitor centre car park, Frampton Marsh. 4 Shorelarks on beach north of Greenshank Creek, 4 Snow Buntings, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Water Pipits on Freshwater Marsh, 9 Snow Buntings, Long-tailed Duck on sea, Black-throated Diver flew south, Gibraltar Point. 4 Waxwings in garden of Fairways Lodge, Gibraltar Road. 4 Waxwings at Grantham Private Complex, 3 Waxwings Premier Court viewed from opposite Wellness Hub. Great Grey Shrike in hedge south of track to Birch Spring Farm, NW of Doddington. Great Northern Diver, Covenham reservoir. 4 Waxwings along Tetney Lock Road near fuel tanks, Tetney Lock. 6/1 Glossy Ibis, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James Scaup, Long-tailed Duck fem/1w drk on Cowbit Marsh from Cradge Bank, Cowbit. 3 Waxwings on inner sea bank, Lesser Yellowlegs 1w by visitor centre car park, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Scaup 1 drk, Smew/Goldeneye hybrid, Frampton Marsh. 4 Waxwings in garden of Fairways Lodge, Gibraltar Road, Seacroft. Waxwings at Grantham Private Complex, 3 Premier Court viewed from opposite Wellness Hub. 7/1 Hen Harrier ringtail. Willow Tree Fen Water Pipit by South Fen Road, Baston Fen – flew towards River Glen. Glossy Ibis, West Pit, 3 Long-eared Owls from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. Bewick's Swan on flood by South Fen Road, Bourne. Long-tailed Duck fem/1w drk on Cowbit Marsh from Cradge Bank, Cowbit. 4 Bewick's Swans, 2 Hen Harriers, Water Pipit, 2 Scaup 1 drk, Lapland Bunting flew over sea bank car park, Lesser Yellowlegs 1w at Marsh Farm resr, Frampton Marsh. 3 Long-tailed Ducks on sea from Mill Hill, Gibraltar Point. 4 Waxwings in garden of Fairways Lodge, Gibraltar Road, Seacroft. Waxwing, by west side of main road just north of the village hall, Leadenham. Great Northern Diver, Shag by sailing club, Covenham reservoir. Lapland Bunting, 38 Snow Buntings, c160 Twite on saltmarsh, Donna Nook. 4 Snow Buntings on outer beach, Cleethorpes. 2 Waxwings, New Holland. 8/1 1+ Hen Harrier ringtail in roost, 6 Bewick's Swans, Willow Tree Fen. Glossy Ibis, West Pit, Long-eared Owl from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. Scaup 1w fem on Main Lake, Red-throated Diver flew south, Tallington Lakes. 8 Waxwings at Bridge End Grove, Grantham. Lesser Yellowlegs 1w by visitor centre car park, 5 Bewick's Swans, Scaup, Frampton Marsh. 4 Shorelarks on beach near Greenshank Creek, 9 Snow Buntings, Waxwing, Velvet Scoter, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Gibraltar Point. 4 Water Pipits in flooded field north of Rimac, Saltfleetby/ Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR. 2 Waxwings at Lady Meer's Road, Cherry Willingham. 4 Lapland Buntings, 58 Snow Buntings, Tetney Marshes. 9/1 3+ Turnstones from Cradge Bank, at Cowbit Wash, Cowbit. 2 Hen Harriers both ringtails, Willow Tree Fen. Glossy Ibis, West Pit, Long-eared Owl in ivy from hide, Deeping Lakes, Deeping St James. 4 Waxwings at Primrose Way, Grantham. Lesser Yellowlegs 1w by visitor centre car park, Long-tailed Duck on Marsh Farm reservoir, 2 Scaup 1 drk, Hen Harrier from raptor viewpoint, Frampton Marsh. 4 Shorelarks on beach near Greenshank Creek, Gibraltar Point. Smew ad drk at Thorpe Landfill at quarry off Job's Lane, Whisby. 2 Russian White-fronted Geese, at Winter's Pond, Hen Harrier East Halton Marshes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 GARDEN TF117700 Phil Porter 6th January A raven flew westwards over the garden. 7th January A wood pigeon caused amusement by holding a perfect head-down, tail-up position for a minute or two while eating berries from a large, dense, semi- circular crown of ivy that has formed on a shed roof. In order to land, it had to just fly at the mass and grab hold of what it could, then reach downward. WHISBY NATURE PARK SK 911 661 Brenda Edlington 9/1/2024 Grebe and Teal lakes Cold but sunny day.  Despite the cold the dunnocks were flirting with each other. Good numbers of gadwall, shoveler, teal and wigeon Blackbird Black-headed gull Blue tit Coot Cormorant Crow Dunnock Egyptian goose 2 Gadwall Goldeneye Great crested grebe Great tit Greylag goose Heron Magpie Mallard Moorhen Mute swan Pochard Robin Shoveler Snipe Teal Tufted duck Wigeon Wood pigeon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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  3rd – 9th 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.     Note: Very cold north-easterly wind on the 8th with a gust of 31.1mph noted and a wind chill of 0.8 degrees centigrade. Wind moved around to an easterly on the 9th, remaining bitterly cold but dry. 030124 – 2 water rail calling from Rimac marsh, 3 Cetti’s warbler singing between Rimac and Churchill Lane. 2 woodcock, rock pipit and 3 stonechat around the outer dunes south of Crook Bank. 2 raven north of Crook Bank car park. Ringtail hen harrier flew south at Mablethorpe North End. 5 cattle egret, 6+ water pipit and a chiffchaff around Rimac car park. Green woodpecker at Brickyard Lane, great spotted woodpeckers at Sea View, Churchill Lane and Brickyard Lane. Male hen harrier hunting over Elm House Farm grassland, where 188 dark-bellied brent geese included 44 juveniles. A few small skeins of pink-footed goose moved south through the day.   040124 - Ringtail hen harrier and male marsh harrier hunting over saltmarsh, drake pintail with mallard on the saltmarsh and at least 165 Canada geese and 12 greylags with the wildfowl on Sea View washlands.  Long-tailed duck flew south over the sea at Brickyard Lane. 3 water pipit and 5 cattle egret still by Rimac car park. 4 woodcock Rimac south dunes. 2 Cetti’s warbler and 2 water rail Rimac reedbed. Great white egret by Rimac lagoon. 477 brent goose (46 juveniles) at Saltfleet Haven and another 234 (35 juveniles) at Elm House Farm.   050124 - Minimum count Sea View washlands: 280 wigeon, 52 shoveler, 31 mallard, 310 teal and 1 little grebe. 060124 – Female goldeneye, 3 eider, 2 shoveler, 39 red-throated diver and 55 pink-footed goose flew over the sea in an hour at Mablethorpe North End. 5 cattle egret at Rimac. On Rimac saltmarsh were at least 50 skylark, 30 rock pipit, 80 linnet, 60 goldfinch, 6 snipe, 20 brent goose, pintail, 15 mallard, 120 teal. Peregrine on Rimac foreshore.   080124 - Male marsh harrier over the saltmarsh and 36 little egrets feeding in the area. 200 pink-footed goose, 450 brent goose, 400 lapwing, 250 golden plover on roadside fields at Elm House Farm. 090124 - Ringtail hen harrier hunting over the saltmarsh, following the creeks in a bitterly cold easterly wind. Other Local Reserves 050124 – Donna Nook: Final total of grey seal pups: 2207. The seals have now headed out to sea and will return late October 2024 to pup again. Flock of at least 80 twite. 070124 – Donna Nook: 38 snow bunting, Lapland bunting, 160 twite (including a colour-ringed bird originally ringed at Spurn 03/11/22 and over-wintered at Crook Bank last winter). 090124 – Tetney Blow Wells: Buzzard mewing overhead, little grebes calling from the blow wells, great spotted woodpecker, sparrowhawk, moorhen, coot. "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... Ralph Fiennes adds voice to campaign against 112-mile pylons route https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-67925436 Rare sighting of eagle that was extinct in Wales https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-67894769 The woman who spent Christmas in search of a rare plant https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67596154 Northern Waterthrush sighting in Heybridge attracts hundreds https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-67890718 Four more animals infected with bluetongue https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cner8lzg3p2o University of Reading finds ancient traps and footprints in the Severn Estuary https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-67901154 Norway to approve controversial deep-sea mining https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67893808 *** Mail Fails *** None this week. ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/