============================================ || || Wildnews Bulletin 22nd January 2025 || 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: The sudden chill of last week really put a damper on wildlife observations, causing many a pedestrian to complain about being caught out with inadequate clothing. Dog walking in the evening at Bardney is currently enhanced with the clamour of nearby whooper swans on the fen and sometimes the various calls of tawny owls at the edge of the village, and in the mornings, as Roger Parsons notes, the basso profundo tones of the village raven are a highly entertaining reminder of the strangeness of the culture-shift recently undertaken by these birds. Learn a new species and boost Lincolnshire’s natural history record! Colin Smith, LNU President-elect writes… A core function of the LNU is to encourage wildlife recording. We would like everyone’s help to fill in the recording gaps for some of the more common Lincolnshire species. Each fortnight we will introduce a species with a link to a current distribution map and details of the species to look out for. Please look out for the species in your area or when you are out and about in the County. You can record what you see on iRecord at https://irecord.org.uk/ This is the LNI’s chosen digital platform for biological recording. It is free to register with and easy to use, but if you have any difficulty get in touch via the LNU website and we will try to help. There is a comprehensive guide to getting started on the iRecord home page above. Click on Help (https://irecord.org.uk/help/how-do-i). After a month, details of the records received and an updated map will be Issued here on your Bulletin. On iRecord, you will have access to millions of wildlife records from across the UK, and will be able to organise your own records within its database. Please do join in and record these species and any others you find. Take the best close-up picture you can to confirm the record if you possibly can. The second species is Bramble Leaf Miner. Stigmella aurella is a very small moth that flies during the spring and summer in two or three generations. It is common and has a very wide distribution. The caterpillars feed on bramble and mine the leaves, leaving a distinctive winding galley which turns white and is easy to find. As brambles keep their leaves during the winter it is a good time to look out for the mines and record the species. There are two other species that mine bramble, Ectoedemia rubivora and Coptotriche marginea. Both these species form a blotch and not a gallery, so their mines look quite unlike those of the Bramble Leaf Miner. There is a photo of the mine and more guidance can be found on the British Leafminers website: http://www.ukflymines.co.uk/Moths/Stigmella_aurella.php The current record distribution Map can be seen at https://lnu.org/stigmella-aurella-2/ A mating pair is pictured at https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/stigmella-aurella/pair-in-cop/ Please continue to contribute records of the first species, Grey-cushioned Grimmia Moss. Notes on how to find and recognise it appeared in the bulletin of 8th January.2025. Past Bulletins are archived at http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Phil Porter's email is: philporterento@outlook.com Roger Parsons' email is: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk *** BTO's tracked Cuckoos *** - 12 south of the Sahara https://www.bto.org/cuckoos *** This week's mostly-local news stories: *** Three arrests after hare coursers cause damage https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1lvmpeqgqeo Cull after more bird flu cases identified on farms https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3vppv5pkwlo Dog rescued from 6ft hole in frozen ground https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y7redl119o Police appeal after buzzard shot and killed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg7l4lk71qo Warning after children seen playing near icy lake - Cleethorpes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2pngxpjxjo Work to resume on delayed 205-mile water pipeline https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gxzkzjpwjo Fly-tipping 'out of control', council leader says - Cottingham https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2j8e58yqzo 'My home is a shrine to 185 cash registers' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4m7gd4mnko Lincoln Lights: Illuminated trail set for February https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75znq0rld0o Jackdaw https://www.gwct.org.uk/wildlife/species-of-the-month/2025/jackdaw/ *** 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 23rd January- Sunday 26th January Headline: Early rain and fog clearing to brighter spells. Chilly. Thursday: A chilly start with fog clearing as wind increases, becoming strong. Clouding over with rain arriving, heavy at times, then clearing later. Feeling cold. Maximum temperature 7 °C. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Storm Éowyn will bring strong winds Friday, heavy rain clearing to sunny spells. Winds easing Saturday, sunny spells perhaps wintry showers later. Further strong winds and rain likely later Sunday. UK long range weather forecast Sunday 26th January - Tuesday 4th February This looks like being and unsettled period across much of the country, but especially for northern and western parts. During Sunday and into Monday, another deep area of low pressure looks likely to move across the UK from the Atlantic, bringing wet and windy conditions to most if not all parts. Further spells of wet and windy weather look like moving east from the Atlantic to affect the UK during the rest of the period too, with drier, brighter spells in between. There is the potential for further weather warnings or even a named storm at some point. Temperatures overall are likely to end up being around or slightly above average, though wind and rain will make it feel chilly, and brief cool spells are likely between weather systems. *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Sky At A Glance - Jupiter, high in the east these evenings Waxing Moon passes Venus and Saturn, then Thursday evening it occults the Pleiades! 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 date https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/meteor-shower-guide BBC Sky at Night Magazine website Lunar eclipse visible from Europe 13-14 March 2025. https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news *** EVENTS *** *** L.N.U. / LINCOLNSHIRE BIRD CLUB JOINT MEETING *** On Saturday 25th January 2025 at Whisby Nature Park Education Centre Lincoln SK910662 at 2 pm. Refreshments will be available. Parking £2 Illustrated talk by LBC Chairman Phil Espin, “The Birds of a Lincolnshire Market Town” This talk is based on the book of the same title recently published by L.B.C. and written by Phil and his great friend John Clarkson who tragically died before publication. An appreciation of this book can be found at https://thewryneck.blogspot.com/2024/08/birds-of-lincolnshire-market-town.html *** Boston Area Group LWT *** Talk - Nature's Favourites by Neil Smith Thursday 13th February 2025 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. *** SOUTH LINCOLNSHIRE RSPB GROUP*** "The Amazing Life of the Swift". An illustrated Slideshow Talk by Alasdair McKee of the RSPB showcasing these amazing birds and what we can do to help them. Wednesday 9th April 2025 at 7-30pm at Boston Tennis Club. Full details at https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ "Waders of The Wash". An illustrated Slideshow Talk by local RSPB Volunteer and photographer Jeremy Eyeons showcasing the wide variety of waders which can be found around the Wash estuary. Wednesday 24th September 2025 at 7-30pm at Boston Tennis Club. Full details at https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ *** SOUTH LINCS RSPB GROUP *** have announced the dates for their 2025 programme of "Bird and Seal Watching Cruises" aboard The Boston Belle into The Wash estuary. There are 12 cruises scheduled for 2025 starting on Easter Monday and ending in October. Full details including availability, dates, costs, booking etc. are on the website. https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary.... 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 13/1/2025 Barton-upon-Humber, Great Northern Diver juv on Sailing Pit. Cleethorpes, 5 Snow Buntings on outer beach. Covenham Reservoir, 9 Twite flew west over, Smew ad drk at south end towards sluice tower. Freiston Shore, White-fronted Goose flew over towards fields near prison. Tallington Lakes, Ferruginous Duck ad drk, 2 Scaup ad fem and 1w drk, on Main Lake. Access £5. 14/1/2025 Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises by River Welland near car park, Deeping Lakes. 15/1/2025 Saltfleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes, 15 Snow Buntings on beach at Crook Bank Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises by River Welland near car park,. 16/1/2025 Gibraltar Point, Hen Harrier ringtail around visitor centre car park. Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises by River Welland near car park, Scaup on Main Lake, 2+ Long-eared Owls at Main Lake in ivy, Deeping Lakes 17/1/2025 Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises by River Welland near car park, Deeping Lakes. 18/1/2025 No reports. 19/1/2025 Butterwick, Hen Harrier ringtail at Butterwick Low. Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises by River Welland, Deeping Lakes. 20/1/2025 Belton near Grantham - Hawfinch flew over schoolhouse. Scrambled message. A possible transmitter failure has interrupted the pager service this week. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 13/1/2025 Blackbird 2m 1f Blue Tit 2 Collared Dove 3 Dunnock Great Tit House Sparrow 8 Jackdaw Long-tailed Tit Pied Wagtail 1 Robin 1 Wren Starling 12+ Wood Pigeon 6 Flock of 12+ Fieldfare flew north over garden 4pm. Raven heard calling most days from favourite local tree. HARTSHOLME PARK, LINCOLN SK940690 Brenda Edlington 20/1/2025 Gadwall Goosander 3m, 2f Long-tailed tits Redwing Widgeon (a lot) + 19 other species HORKSTOW SE987179 Jenny Haynes 15 January 2025 Looking out from a bedroom across the road, we spotted a buzzard, on the field side of the verge, apparently feeding on prey. Although frequently seen, it’s the first time we’ve seen one just after a kill. The unfortunate prey wasn’t visible. 16 January 2025 The buzzard (presuming it’s the same one) returned to the kill site this morning. Kill appears to be a pheasant. A female sparrowhawk flew over the garden and landed on a tree opposite. LINCOLNSHIRE COASTAL COUNTRY PARK 15th January: very foggy so difficult to see much, however walking the dune path next to Anderby Marsh the soundscape was amazing: honking Greylag Geese, alarm calls of Curlew and Redshank, the different quacks of Mallard, Shoveler and Gadwall, whistling Wigeon and wheezing Teal. 16th January: Short-eared Owl hunting on farmland behind Wolla Bank, Golden Plover and Lapwing feeding on farmland behind Chapel Pit. Kingfisher and Cetti’s Warbler at Chapel Pit. 19th January: Barn Owl at Chapel Six Marshes, Great White Egret at Anderby, 2 Stonechat and 32 Curlew Sandilands golf course, 9 Fieldfare and 16 Moorhen at Anderby Marsh. Dave Miller Coast and The Wolds (South) Warden Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Sykes Farm Nature Reserve Office Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve Gibraltar Road Skegness PE24 4SU Mobile: 07919 326646 Tel/Fax: 01754 898079 MIDDLE RASEN PLANTATION TF106920 Colin Smith 20/01/25 Took advantage of the slightly better weather to have a look for invertebrates. Brindled Buff Moth Agonopterix arenella Tawny Birch Tortrix Moth Acleris notana Common Brown Plume moth Emmelina monodactyla Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus lituratus Birch Catkin Bug Kleidocerys resedae Field Damsel Bug Nabis ferus Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus rugulipennis Plant Bug Lygus pratensis Plant bug Cardiastethus fasciiventris Tangle Web Spider Episinus angulatus Leafhoppers Empoasca vitis, Zygina angusta, Zygina flammigera and Linnavuoriana sexmaculata Velvet Mite Eutrombidium rostratus Barkfly Graphopsocus cruciatus plenty of beetles and other things as well NETTLEHAM TF 005756 Brenda Edlington 1/1/2025 Last sighting of hedgehog on trail cameras In the recent cold spell, a few more garden birds visited including 8 blackbirds, 10 long-tailed tits, mostly on the fat block, single greenfinches (the first for some time), a coal tit (also the first for some time), male and female sparrowhawks (make that 7 blackbirds!), 4 chaffinches, 8 goldfinches and 8 woodpigeons (which I could do without). No sign of the great spotted woodpecker though. WHISBY NATURE PARK SK 910 663 Brenda Edlington 15/1/2025 Buzzard Gadwall Goldeneye 4m,3f , male neck-throwing displays Little egret Long-tailed tit Pochard Redwing Shoveler Teal Widgeon +24 other species WOOLSTHORPE BY COLSTERWORTH Jane Ostler 20th January 2025 The record of plants I do every year in the first week of January showed a marked drop in species in flower this year. The check list is done in my own garden, neighbouring roadsides and a section of the Nature Trail. It covers both wild and cultivated plants. The survey showed that plants out exceptionally early in December had died back in the frosts. On the 18th January the Lesser Celandine flowers were out on a roadside verge where they had previously flowered a week or more earlier. In the gardens a very early Crocus grown for honey bees and the smaller early solitary bees is not yet in flower. Last year though there were no honey bees and fewer solitary bees. A single buff-tailed bumble bee was out feeding on a winter flowering heather in a window box. I can't be sure but in early December bumble bees out were too small to be queens. The crow family and the wood pigeons continue with their breeding activities. Two jackdaws have separated themselves from the usual lively feeding group sitting on a nearby roof together. Apart from the robin, little bird-song from passerines. I have looked more closely at the lichens long established on the oldest apple tree where some years ago there were the first signs of species intolerant to sulphur dioxide pollution. They are now competing with the 'dust' species established on nearby roadside verges. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. NNRs and NATURE RESERVES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LWT Top Reserves: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves LWT Reserves List: https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/nature-reserves-list RSPB Reserves: https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE DUNES NNR including DONNA NOOK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/saltfleetby-theddlethorpe-dunes https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/38015?category=59026 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Owen Beaumont Tel: 07900264428 Reserve Manager Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR Sea View Road, Saltfleetby St. Clements, LN11 7TR www.gov.uk/natural-england 150125 – cattle egret with ponies next to Rimac entrance and 2 fieldfare near the car park. Chiffchaff near Brickyard Lane. 15 snow bunting on the foreshore between Brickyard Lane and Crook Bank. 800+ pink-footed geese, 60 curlew, 88 golden plover on Elm House Farm grassland. 160125 – 2 cattle egret in pony paddock at Rimac entrance. 32 whooper swan flew into roost at dusk and barn owl hunting over the saltmarsh. 3 stonechat (2 male 1 female) in the dunes south of Crook Bank. 52 lapwing, 8 golden plover, 32 redshank, 40 curlew field 2 Elm House Farm, and 300 wigeon, 90 teal, 13 black-tailed godwit, 12 redshank and 26 curlew field 5. 120+ snipe and 11 woodcock also recorded across the wet grassland late evening. 170125 – great white egret Rimac freshwater marsh. Woodcock flew out of dune scrub Crook Bank south. 90 lapwing flew south and joined 100+ on wet grassland south of Crook Bank. 190125 – great white egret and water rail Rimac freshwater marsh. 2+ bearded tit (last heard 24th December), 3 more water rail and 2 cettis warbler all vocal around Rimac reedbed late afternoon. Chiffchaff calling in scrub on the saltmarsh edge. Peregrine, short-eared owl and barn owl all hunting over the saltmarsh. Pair of pintail on Sea View Washlands and 3 cattle egret in field next to Rimac car park. Whooper swans and pink-footed geese flew into roost after dusk. 200125 – 17 snow bunting on the beach at Mablethorpe North End. 50 red-throated diver flew north over the sea in an hour and 14 great crested grebe on the sea. 10 gadwall Paradise Lagoon and drake pintail on Sea View washlands. Snowdrops poking through with flowers at Sea View and great spotted woodpecker drumming Paradise wood. Wildfowl numbers building on wet grassland south of Crook Bank with 200 teal, 550 wigeon, 20 shoveler, pochard, 5 tufted duck and 4 gadwall. 210125 – 2 cattle egret in pony paddock at Rimac entrance. Great white egret on Elm House Farm wet grassland. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. BARDNEY LIMEWOODS NNR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These cover a huge area. Reports always welcome. The history of the Lincolnshire Limewoods: https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/features/19111877.lincolnshire-limewoods/ The Forestry Commission visitor advice: https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/coronavirus-visitor-guide ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch: https://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire *** Chambers Farm Wood Butterfly Garden Volunteers Gardening days for 2025. February 18th; March 4th & 18th; April 1st & 15th; May 6th & 20th; June 3rd & 17th; July 1st & 15th; August 5th & 19th; September 2nd & 16th, October 7th & 21st; November 4th. margaretwestcott7@hotmail.co.uk https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/chambers-farm-wood-butterfly-garden *** Lincolnshire Dormouse Group *** lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com All being well we should get a permit for the following dates for our winter coppicing sessions: Saturday 15th February 2025 Sunday 16th March 2025 We will meet at Chambers Farm Woods outside the wood centre at 10am over the winter, and the session normally runs until mid afternoon, with a break for a packed lunch picnic in the woods. Please be aware that the toilet block at Chambers remains closed. No experience is necessary, just enthusiasm! All tools are provided, but I would recommend that if you have your own gardening gloves to bring these along, but we have some that you can borrow too. Reminder from Gemma Watkinson: We are interested to know whether dormice have naturally dispersed into other woodlands in the Lincolnshire Limewoods area (or indeed if there are any remnant isolated populations elsewhere in the county). For anyone walking in the Limewoods area, particularly in those woodlands closest to Chambers Farm Woods (e.g. Camshaws Wood, Austacre and New Park Woods, and Broadwater Forest, Thistle Storr Wood, Glad Wood and College Wood) please keep a look out for any hazelnuts that you think may have been opened by a dormouse. More information on how to undertake a nut hunt can be found on the People’s Trust for Endangered Species website and this document illustrates the distinctive marks to look out for as well as what nuts opened by voles, birds and squirrels also look like. https://ptes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Help_us_find_hazel_dormice_generic.pdf Please let us know what you find, and send us photos of any nuts you think may have been opened by dormice. Happy Nut Hunting! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The NNR includes the following sites: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chambers Farm Woods (comprises Ivy Wood; Little and Great Scrubbs Woods; Minting Wood; Hatton Wood, Hatton Plantation and Minting Park; and also three areas of grassland: Little Scrubbs Meadow and extension), Small Meadow and Big Meadow. Since all have their own management plans, please give the actual location when reporting). College Wood; Cocklode & Great West Woods; Hardy Gang Wood; Newball Wood; Rand Wood; Scotgrove Wood; Southrey Wood and Wickenby Wood. Many of these include both areas of ancient woodland or important grassland. Many are also designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Records which provide a six-figure grid reference are of particular value to the Forestry Commission. Other woods included in the NNR but without public access: Stainfield Wood; Stainton & Fulnetby Woods (access by public bridle way only). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. OTHER RESERVE REPORTS AND HIGHLIGHTS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Discover Woodland Trust woods near you- including the best woods for walks, wildlife watching, family fun and heritage. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/#=undefined&view=map Lincolnshire County Council - Local Nature Reserves https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/coast-countryside/nature-reserves Links to "Other Reserves" are welcome. Your suggestions, please. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. SENDING IN BULLETIN REPORTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The purpose of the Bulletin is to encourage biological recording in Lincolnshire. We aim to increase the number of people reporting observations to Recorders or via iRecord. https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ The Bulletin is a FREE service. We ask you to provide reports, questions, news or relevant articles from time to time. Descriptive pieces are welcome. You don't have to stick to lists! Please help us to help you. When sending in reports please follow this layout to save re-editing: Place Name: IN CAPITALS with Grid Reference if you have it. Your Name: Real names please, not aliases. Put it in each time, for each location Date: Species list [Alphabetical?] & numbers [and observations?] e.g. Blackbird - 24 [And please, no home-grown abbreviations. Species Names in full.] Bulletin mailing times may vary. It usually goes out on Wednesdays/ Thursdays in time for the weekend. Please e-mail in contributions to the editor as early as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. CONTACTS AND USEFUL WEBSITES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Links "not to be missed" *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. CONTACTS LIST Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union LNU Website: http://lnu.org/ LNU Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/LincsNaturalist LNU e-mail: info@lnu.org Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust: https://twitter.com/LincsWildlife Lincs Bird Club: https://twitter.com/Lincsbirding LBC County Bird Recorder: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk The Sir Joseph Banks Society: https://twitter.com/sirjosephbanks Lincolnshire Bat Group: http://www.lincsbatgroup.co.uk/ Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire Branch: https://twitter.com/BC_Lincolnshire Lincsbirders: https://twitter.com/lincsbirders Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project: https://lincolnshirechalkstreams.org/ Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Trust: https://lincolnshirechalkstreamstrust.org.uk/ South Lincolnshire Flora Group: https://bsbi.org/south-lincolnshire-v-c-53 The Wolds Fungi Group: Contact Paul Nichol via email: nichol20@gmail.com Lincolnshire Dormouse Group: Contact: lincsdormousegroup@gmail.com FIGHTING WILDLIFE CRIME Wildlife Crime https://www.lincs.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/wc/wildlife-crime/ SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. LNU Recorders and Specialists: https://lnu.org/specialists/ Downloads of LNU books: https://lnu.org/publications/books/ Recording with "iRecord": https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ iRecord is recommended by the LNU as an appropriate platform for on-line recording When asking for help: Please give the very best information you can provide. If you are not sure, ask what is needed from you to confirm identification. Photographs are helpful but not every species can be identified from a photograph. When asked for further details, get back to the recorder promptly. Don't forget a thank you for the help. That is always welcomed. Dragonfly Identification help https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/species-and-identification/ Local Bat Helpline Grounded bats, bat problems, advice and information. Contact Annette Faulkner on 01775 766286 Email: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com Confidential Bat Records You may send confidential bat records direct to Annette Faulkner on: annettefaulkner@btinternet.com Bat Identification https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/what-are-bats/uk-bats/ NHBS - Frequencies of British Bats https://media.nhbs.com/equipment/British%20Bat%20Frequencies.pdf Slug ID Help Chris du Feu will help with slug identification. Tel: 01383 669 124 Email: chris.r.dufeu@gmail.com USEFUL WILDLIFE LINKS Please copy and paste URLs if necessary. Lincolnshire Badger Group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093647842292 Email: lincolnshirebadgergroup@hotmail.com Lincs Environmental Records Centre: http://www.glnp.org.uk/ Natural England: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ NHBS Natural history equipment or books.https://www.nhbs.com/ The Flora of Lincolnshire by Joan Gibbons: downloadable LNU book Atlas of the terrestrial and semi-aquatic Mammals of Lincolnshire: downloadable LNU book *** For the Geologists *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary. BGS - New global space weather hazard index launched https://www.bgs.ac.uk/news/new-global-space-weather-hazard-index-launched/ 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/ *** L.N.U. / LINCOLNSHIRE BIRD CLUB JOINT MEETING *** On Saturday 25th January 2025 at Whisby Nature Park Education Centre Lincoln SK910662 at 2 pm. Refreshments will be available. Parking £2 Illustrated talk by LBC Chairman Phil Espin, “The Birds of a Lincolnshire Market Town” This talk is based on the book of the same title recently published by L.B.C. and written by Phil and his great friend John Clarkson who tragically died before publication. An appreciation of this book can be found at https://thewryneck.blogspot.com/2024/08/birds-of-lincolnshire-market-town.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ National and international stories Fatbergs turned into perfume https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz6pje1z5dqo Brexit fishing row heads for trade court showdown https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce323q4kej1o Mesmerising ice formations cover US lake https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c360038jnndo Wales 'lacks plan' to tackle scale of nature loss https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c627741l83ro Dog walker spots rare 'hair ice' in woods https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2d34ye13z9o *** Mail Fails *** John Clarke - soft bounce - message could not be delivered. Alan Jones - hard bounce - message could not be delivered. ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/