============================================ || || Wildnews Bulletin - 4th Sept 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: Great to hear about the remarkable breeding success of redshanks in our area. These birds provide a major contribution to the historic sound-track of saltmarsh habitats with their ephemeral piping songs. Songbird migration is well underway and there is only one species that qualifies for ‘bird of the week’ this time – Pied Flycatcher! It has been reported in significant numbers all along the coast despite Lincolnshire being of no use to it during the breeding season. If only the Spotted Flycatcher could be as successful! I’ve had another look at the BTO Cuckoo tracking site and you can only wonder what the Worcestershire-tagged bird ‘Hafren’ was thinking. It was in southern Morocco sometime on 24/7, but a day later it logged a position over 1300 kilometers south-west into the Atlantic, to be relocated in northern Senegal, (sometime on 27/7), a slightly longer trip again. Phil Porter's email is: philporterento@outlook.com Roger Parsons' email is: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk BTO's tracked Cuckoos - 8 already south of the Sahara - in the Sahel. https://www.bto.org/cuckoos Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World - Sahel https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?region=BF12 *** This week's mostly-local news stories: *** Survey discovers hotspot for threatened species https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8jl37xnex9o When does autumn start? https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/seasons/autumn/when-does-autumn-start Conservationist on importance of beavers in the UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78ljxv9n3lo Badger culling to end in England within five years https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qg52r7jzxo Job losses confirmed at horse welfare charity https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62400e99e4o Plea for pictures of Spitfire leading up to crash https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy48j025nqo Shoots of hope for critically endangered marsh pea https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gejelgke2o Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days 6th-15th September 2024 https://www.heritagelincolnshire.org/heritage-open-days Work begins on creating £7.3m wildlife haven https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mngnnzkgjo *** 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 5th September - Sunday 8th September Headline: A band of showery rain, locally heavy, moves eastwards. Thursday: A rather cloudy and murky day, with outbreaks of patchy light rain and drizzle at times. Perhaps some limited brightness in the west. Feeling more humid. Breezy on the coast. Maximum temperature 20 °C. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Extensive low cloud with patchy drizzle will continue to drift in off the North Sea during Friday. Chance of heavy and thundery downpours over the weekend. Feeling warm and humid. UK long range weather forecast Sunday 8th September - Tuesday 17th September Towards the end of the week higher pressure is likely to be focussed north west of the UK, with low pressure over the south or the nearby continent. The driest conditions are most likely over Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a greater chance of rain or showers over southern UK. As the new week begins a trend toward a cooler more northerly flow is most likely, though with temperatures closer to average in the far south and east. Some showers or spells of rain at times in the north but again more likely further south. Winds mostly around average though a low risk of a shorter periods of stronger winds towards mid-month as a more westerly, Atlantic flow resumes. *** 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 *** *** Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Field Meeting *** *** Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Field Meeting *** Kirton Marsh NNR. – Saturday 7th September Saturday 7th September. 11.00 for 12.00 start and finish about 16.00. Car parking at Kirton Marsh car park. Habitats: Saltmarsh, neutral grassland Leaders: Luke Hartley 07399 322211 hartley026@gmail.com Sarah Lambert 07784169260 sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com Grid reference: TF 34930 35810 What3Words: astounded.feelers.sleeps Nearest postcode: E20 1NA Keith Scarrott writes… *** The Natural History and Geology Section of the Scunthorpe Museum Society. *** Our first meeting for the new indoor season takes place on Monday, 9th September. Oliver Weeks of the Yorkshire Natural History Museum will give us an illustrated talk about Mammoths. The meeting starts at 7.15pm in Room 1, the small Hall, of the Old Brumby United Church which is on Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, post code DN16 2AQ. The church is immediately next to the Applegreen filling station on Ashby Road, opposite the St Hugh's Church. ALL ARE WELCOME TO OUR MEETINGS. There is free parking at the Church and also on the roadside nearby. There is a £3 entry charge for non-members of the Society. Anyone can join the Society at any of our meetings. The annual subscription is £15 with an enrolment form completed to provide contact details. There will be a comfort break mid-way through the talk during which light refreshments are available for a small charge. *** South Lincs RSPB Group *** Jeremy Eyeons writes: The South Lincs RSPB Group's details of their 2024 "Seal and Birdwatching" cruises aboard "The Boston Belle". There are twelve cruises organised for 2024, ending on 24th October. Full details on this 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.... The Heat-health Alert Service - sign up. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/heat-health-alert-service 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 26/8 Alkborough Flats, 2 Curlew Sandpipers on pool by River Trent. Frampton Marsh, 25 juv. Curlew Sandpipers and Baird's Sandpiper from sea bank viewpoint, 2 Spoonbills. 4 juv. Little Stints, 2 Wood Sandpipers.. Gibraltar Point, Curlew Sandpiper on outer beach north of Churchill Lane. 14 Spoonbills, Skegness, Caspian Gull juv., Garganey at Middlemarsh Farm 27/8 Frampton Marsh, c25 Curlew Sandpipers all juvs., Wood Sandpiper, 33 Spoonbills on reedbed. Freiston Shore, Spoonbill on lagoon. Gibraltar Point, Little Stint on Tennyson's Sands. 28/8 Alkborough Flats, 7 Spoonbills from Prospect Hide. Baston Fen, Garganey on roadside pool near fen. Frampton Marsh, 6+ Curlew Sandpipers, 31 Spoonbills, 19 Spotted Redshanks Gibraltar Point, Black Tern flew south past, 2 Curlew Sandpipers along beach. Huttoft Bank, Pied Flycatcher. Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes, Osprey. 29/8 Alkborough Flats, Curlew Sandpiper from prospect Hide. Anderby Creek, Black Tern on beach. Frampton Marsh, 17 Curlew Sandpipers, Caspian Gull juv. on Reedbed. Gibraltar Point, Hen Harrier male over saltmarsh from Wash Viewpoint, Little Stint on Tennyson's Sands. 30/8 Alkborough Flats, Curlew Sandpiper juv. from Prospect hide. Fishtoft, Pied Flycatcher by car park at Hobhole Drain. Frampton Marsh, Garganey on Reedbed. Mablethorpe, Pied Flycatcher in orchard behind Long Acre.. Gibraltar Point, 2 Pied Flycatchers at Mill Hill, Wood Warbler in sea buckthorn at East Dunes. Saltfleetby NNR, Pied Flycatcher near Seaview. 31/8 Anderby Creek, Barred Warbler trapped and ringed at Anderby, Black Tern flew past Anderby Creek, 2 Cory's Shearwaters flew north past. Chapel Point, Sabine's Gull juv. flew past. Covenham Reservoir, Scaup drk., 2 Turnstones, 2 Sanderlings. Deeping St James, Glossy Ibis 1s. on main lake, Deeping Lakes. Frampton Marsh, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint, Caspian Gull juv.. Gibraltar Point, 4 Caspian Gulls on beach. Mablethorpe, 2 Cory's Shearwaters flew north, 2 Sooty Shearwaters. 1/9 Anderby Creek, Pied Flycatcher along Sandy Lane by lake. Caspian Gull juv.. at Anderby Marsh. Deeping St James, Glossy Ibis 1s on East Pit at Deeping Lakes. Donna Nook to Pye's Hall, 11 Pied Flycatchers. Barred Warbler near flagpole. Frampton Marsh, 7+ Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint. Gibraltar Point, 29 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Curlew Sandpipers on Tennyson's Sands. Wood Warbler at entrance to track at Sykes Farm and a Pied Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher trapped and ringed in East Dunes. 17 Spoonbills, Sabine's Gull flew north past Mill hill, Black Tern flew north, 5 Caspian Gulls Huttoft Bank, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Sooty Shearwaters flew south past car terrace. Mablethorpe, 2 Pied Flycatchers in orchard behind Long Acre. Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes, 15+ Pied Flycatchers. 2 in sycamore at Sea View, 2 in trees near Churchill Lane. 2/9 Chapel Point, Red-breasted Flycatcher at entrance, Deeping St James, Glossy Ibis 1s on East Pit at Deeping Lakes. Donna Nook, Wryneck east of Stonebridge - flew to scrub near green portacabin. 2 Pied Flycatchers, Spotted Redshank flew over, Barred Warbler on seal watching track, juv. Little Gull. Frampton Marsh, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, 18 Spoonbills, Wood Sandpiper. Gibraltar Point, Icterine Warbler at north car park, 31 Pied Flycatchers, 24 Spoonbills on lagoons, 5 Pied Flycatchers at Sykes Farm, Wryneck at Mill Hill behind old Fenland Lagoon hide, later reported at Tennyson's Sands on cycle track between North Hide and Fenella Hope Hide. Huttoft Bank to Chapel Six Marshes, 9 Pied Flycatchers Mablethorpe, Black Tern juv. flew north part, juv. Little Gull. Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes, 13 Pied Flycatchers, 5 Turtle Doves. 5 Pied Flycatchers and Greenish Warbler at Saltfleet Haven by Sea Lane. Wolla Bank, Wryneck. 3/9 Boston SE, Black Tern juv. at Cut End. Deeping St James, Glossy Ibis 1s on East Pit at Deeping Lakes. Frampton Marsh, Red-necked Phalarope on Reedbed. American Golden Plover ad. in flight, 7 Curlew Sandpipers.2 Little Stints, 3 Spotted Redshanks, 32 Spoonbills. Gibraltar Point, Wryneck on path to Mere Hide, Red-breasted Flycatcher at Aylmer Avenue in pines by road, Wood Warbler,, 3 Pied Flycatchers. Messinhgham, Garganey opposite Scallow Grove Farm, Messingham Sand Quarry. Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes, Greenish Warbler in willows by Sea Lane. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 1 September 2024 4pm - Pied Wagtail in garden. 4.30-5pm - Raven singing the nearby tree - regular spot, 20+ flock of House Sparrows BARDNEY GARDEN TF117700 Phil and Mary Porter 31st August We were delighted to see a brood of at least two Greenfinches being fed. We have Greenfinches breeding in the close vicinity of the garden every year but these were the first well-developed young that we had seen for a good while. Goldfinches are continuing to creep back into the vicinity but we still aren’t seeing more than 5-6 in the garden. At least 12 Long-tailed Tits steadily worked their way through the garden trees. We noticed that some dead heads of Hedge Woundwort were absolutely crammed with early stages of woundwort shieldbugs, excellently camouflaged as usual and also a good number of 7-spot ladybirds were using the seed heads as shelter. A Great Spotted Woodpecker visited, hammering on the trunk of a dead cherry tree 1st September Mary counted 7 Red Admirals using Buddleia and an ornamental white loosestrife we have with a flower spike that droops at the tips and usually attracts a lot of insects but also prefers damper conditions than have prevailed lately, and so hadn’t attracted much – perhaps nectar is in short supply. Sedums are almost open and we can’t wait for the flowers to be completely available. Our native green Ivy is just breaking bud now and attracted a good swarm of activity today but up on the shed roof so no insect identification was possible. We also have large-leafed ornamental ivies, which won’t be ready for a few weeks yet. Although they cause a lot of work to keep them in check, their autumn flowering is hugely valued. Just a little down the road, about 30 Swallows had gathered on wires – not really an annual sight these days. A near neighbour said there had been c. 55. SEDGE HOLE CLOSE LWT Nature Reserve Steve Hiner 29/08/24 Blackbird x 2 Blue Tit x 4 Carrion Crow x 2 Chaffinch x 23 Common Buzzard x 1 Goldfinch x 4 Green Woodpecker x 1 Jackdaw x 4 Magpie x 2 Robin x 1 Swallow x 12 Tree Sparrow x 16 Wood Pigeon x 4 Rabbit x 6 Green-veined White x 1 Small White x 3 Speckled Wood x 3 Migrant Hawker x 2 Roesel's Bush-cricket x 3 THURNHOLMES (within 300m of SK797984 unless stated) Steve Hiner & Paul Snow 21/08/24 Blackbird x 2 Black-headed Gull x 1 over Thurnholmes Goldfinch x 15 Kestrel x 1 Robin x 1 Stock Dove x 1pr. mating on stable roof Swallow x 15 Tree Sparrow x 53 Wood Pigeon x 6 Common Pipistrelle x 2 21:30hrs (45hz) Short-tailed Field Vole nest with at least 5 young in paddock Red Admiral x 1 Small White x 2 Speckled Wood x 7 Great Diving Beetle x 1 female 23/08/24 Swallow feeding 5 young, still in nest in stable 27/08/24 Common Buzzard x 1 Sparrowhawk x 1 female flew fast and low over paddocks Swallow x 5 young fledged from stables Migrant Hawker x 2 29/08/24 Four-spotted Orbweb spider Araneus quadratus x 1 30/08/24 Roesel's Bush-cricket x 1 01/09/24 Blackbird x 4 Blue Tit x 4 Carrion Crow x 2 Chaffinch x 19 Common Buzzard x 2 Goldfinch x 6 Heron x 1 over Thurnholmes Jackdaw x 2 Kestrel x 1 Magpie x 2 Robin x 1 Stock Dove x 1 on nest in box in chicken run Swallow x 11 Tree Sparrow x 32 Wood Pigeon x 8 Short-tailed Field Vole x 2 Green-veined White x 1 Speckled Wood x 1 Migrant Hawker x 2 Southern Hawker x 1 03/09/24 Barn Owl x 1 01:15hrs Blackbird x 1 Blue Tit x 2 Carrion Crow x 2 Chaffinch x 12 Common Buzzard x 6 'kettling' high over Thurnholmes, calling Mallard x 1 over Thurnholmes Robin x 1 Sparrowhawk x 1 male Stock Dove x 3 including 1 on nest Swallow x 7 Tawny Owl x 1 calling 01:50hrs Tree Sparrow x 15 Wood Pigeon x 7 Green-veined White x 2 Speckled Wood x 4 moths around security light; Flame Shoulder x 2 Little Emerald x 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character x 2 Migrant Hawker x 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR Report 28th August – 3rd September 2024 Contributors: - Peter & Janet Roworth, John Walker, Matt Blissett, Ruth Taylor, Owen Beaumont, Cliff Morrison and Dean Nicholson. Thank you to all other contributors. Daily News and Wildlife Sightings Note: Rainfall recorded on the 2nd for the previous 24 hours was 4.6mm, the most recorded in that period since July 15th when very heavy rainfall gave 37.6mm. The steady rain will do good on the dune vegetation. Interestingly the rainfall recorded on the 2nd for Theddlethorpe and North Somercotes was 10mm more than the 4.6mm at Sea View which just shows how localised rainfall can be. 280824 - Osprey again on post at Saltfleet Haven. 8+ whinchat on fences at Elm House Farm. Green sandpiper, 3 yellow wagtail and 4 snipe in fields. Warblers arriving in scrub north of Crook Bank throughout the morning; mostly blackcap with 35+ split between a few visible hawthorns. Also 4 lesser whitethroat, 2 reed warbler, sedge warbler, 6 willow warbler and 8 chiffchaff. Male redstart at Crook Bank. 14 redshank flew strongly inland, as did 33 ringed plover and 2 yellow wagtail. Hobby and 3 swift flew south. 2 green sandpiper on Sea View Washlands. 2 wheatear and 5 kestrel at Rimac, great white egret and 2 greenshank flew over. 11 wigeon on Rimac scrape. Convulvulous hawk-moth, dusky thorn and old lady at Brickyard Lane. 290824 - Redstart in hawthorn between Rimac and MOD. 5 raven drifted high north over Sea View. 4 whinchat on fences at Elm House Farm, juvenile little ringed plover, green sandpiper, snipe and 8 heron on scrapes. Tree sparrow flew over Brickyard Lane. 300824 – A few willow warblers and chiffchaffs passing through Sea View am, plus single pied flycatcher, garden warbler and goldcrest. Male merlin flew over Sea View Washlands. Pied flycatcher between Sea View and Rimac. Raven flew south-west over Mablethorpe North End. 4 turtle dove in open dunes north of Crook Bank. Redstart and wheatear in Rimac dunes. Butterflies - 13 small and 1 green-veined white, 5 red admiral, 3 small tortoiseshell and a peacock Churchill Lane. Wheatear and 2 whinchat Elm House Farm. 48 red admiral and 2 small tortoiseshell Saltfleet Haven. 310824 - 2 common sandpipers with lapwing and redshank at Paradise lagoon. Hobby flew over Churchill Lane. 2 pairs of turtle dove feeding in dunes north of Crook Bank, and a redstart in scrub. Marsh harrier and 2 yellow wagtail flew south. 2 Cory's shearwater, 2 sooty shearwater and 650+ kittiwake flew north over the sea in the evening. A great skua and manx shearwater flew south. Pied flycatcher at Sea View and another between Rimac and Sea View. 010924 - Spoonbill over Sea View. In Sea View area 4 pied flycatchers, 1 spotted flycatcher and a redstart. Sea View Washlands: 141 Canada geese and 13 greylags, single drake wigeon amongst teal and mallard. An arrival of drift migrants throughout the afternoon with totals of 5 spotted flycatcher, 15 pied flycatcher, 14 redstart, 12 whinchat and 4 wheatear between Sea View and Brickyard Lane (including Elm House Farm). Spoonbill and black-tailed godwit flew south over Sea View. 2 stoats at Paradise. 4 greenshank and a green sandpiper Rimac freshwater marsh and lagoon. Peregrine chased a greenshank but wasn't successful. Butterflies: 20+ red admiral Rimac-Churchill Lane. 020924 - Willow warbler, chiffchaff, lesser whitethroat, single pied flycatcher and juvenile great spotted woodpecker around Sea View. 14 wigeon on nearby washland. More new birds arrived overnight, with totals of 13 pied flycatcher, 14 redstart, 16+ whinchat, 29+ wheatear, 4 garden warbler and a tree pipit (flew south). 3 turtle dove in open dunes north of Crook Bank. Greenish warbler in willows near Saltfleet Haven. Male marsh harrier flew south. 030924 - Raven flew south over Churchill Lane. Greenish warbler still in willows near Saltfleet Haven. 4 wheatear and a whinchat at Elm House Farm. Singles of spotted flycatcher, pied flycatcher and redstart in willows between Rimac and Churchill Lane. Two black tern and juvenile little gull in evening roost off Crook Bank including 300 common tern, a few Arctics and 800+ sandwich tern. Other Local Reserves 280824 – Donna Nook: Redstart, 2 pied flycatcher, juvenile stonechat in scrub. Great white egret flew south and juvenile curlew sandpiper on realignment. 010924 – Donna Nook: Barred warbler in scrub near Pye's Hall. 020924 – Donna Nook: Wryneck and barred warbler along seal viewing path. 030924 – Donna Nook: Calling pectoral sandpiper flew south over Stonebridge car park. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. BARDNEY LIMEWOODS NNR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These cover a huge area. Reports always welcome. The history of the Lincolnshire Limewoods: https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/features/19111877.lincolnshire-limewoods/ The Forestry Commission visitor advice: https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/coronavirus-visitor-guide ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch: https://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html Chambers Farm Wood - Butterfly Garden - gardening dates and times: Next date: 3rd and 17th September 2024 https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/chambers-farm-wood-butterfly-garden ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. The Natural History and Geology Section of the Scunthorpe Museum Society. Our first meeting for the new indoor season takes place on Monday, 9th September. Oliver Weeks of the Yorkshire Natural History Museum will give us an illustrated talk about Mammoths. The meeting starts at 7.15pm in Room 1, the small Hall, of the Old Brumby United Church which is on Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, post code DN16 2AQ. The church is immediately next to the Applegreen filling station on Ashby Road, opposite the St Hugh's Church. ALL ARE WELCOME TO OUR MEETINGS. There is free parking at the Church and also on the roadside nearby. There is a £3 entry charge for non-members of the Society. Anyone can join the Society at any of our meetings. The annual subscription is £15 with an enrolment form completed to provide contact details. There will be a comfort break mid-way through the talk during which light refreshments are available for a small charge. 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 *** https://lnu.org/meetings/ https://lnu.org/meetings/indoor-meetings/ *** Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Field Meeting *** Kirton Marsh NNR. – Saturday 7th September Saturday 7th September. 11.00 for 12.00 start and finish about 16.00. Car parking at Kirton Marsh car park. Habitats: Saltmarsh, neutral grassland Leaders: Luke Hartley 07399 322211 hartley026@gmail.com Sarah Lambert 07784169260 sarah.lambert7@ntlworld.com Grid reference: TF 34930 35810 What3Words: astounded.feelers.sleeps Nearest postcode: E20 1NA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ National and international stories Signs of Autumn - Woodland Trust https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/08/first-signs-of-autumn/ Autumn - Forestry England https://www.forestryengland.uk/blog/signs-autumn Super rare ghost orchid rediscovered in UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/cvg3pv27vnro Baby boom prompts call to boost wild beaver population https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yk398g9dlo Russian ‘spy’ whale found dead in Norway - Telegraph https://uk.yahoo.com/news/russian-spy-whale-found-dead-141722624.html Many protected landscapes owned by English water firms in disrepair https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/31/water-companies-natural-england-sites-special-scientific-interest Profits from community windfarm to fund a million native trees in Hebrides https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/31/profits-from-community-windfarm-to-fund-a-million-native-trees-in-hebrides Country diary: This bird is about to fly non-stop to the Sahara desert https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/31/country-diary-this-bird-is-about-to-fly-non-stop-to-the-sahara-desert Seabirds: 40% of UK species in trouble – bird flu, climate change and overfishing to blame https://theconversation.com/seabirds-40-of-uk-species-in-trouble-bird-flu-climate-change-and-overfishing-to-blame-236451 Bee swarm becomes thriving colony in city farm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn02yw2zx9lo *** Mail Fails *** Hazel Allen - Undelivered Mail Returned to Sender san@alf-resco - Host not found - message could not be delivered. ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/