============================================ || || Wildnews Bulletin || 22nd October 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. Gibraltar Point, Coastal Country Park 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. ============================================ To interest new readers please use the "Forward to a Friend" link at the end of every Bulletin, or suggest anyone interested visits the LNU website and signs up that way. https://lnu.org/publications/wildnews-bulletin/ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Editor writes: Dr. David Sheppard. It was very sad to hear of the recent death of Dr. David Sheppard who passed away at home on 16th October, aged 73. David was the LNU specialist in the fields of bees, wasps and sawflies and had been a wonderful wildlife teacher to generations of young people via Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust WATCH groups. As well as sitting as President, he had been the longtime Deputy Chairman at the Trust, and previously had a distinguished career at English Nature as an invertebrate ecologist, including being involved in the project to re-establish the large blue butterfly in England. The Rare Brid Alert reports below refer to a putative sighting of Heuglin’s Gull at Mablethorpe. This bird is usually regarded as a Siberian subspecies of Lesser Black-backed Gull. There is a range of slightly different forms which breed in the tundra of northern Russia from the Kola Peninsula east to the Taymyr Peninsula. They are regularly reported from Finland and may breed there. They migrate south to winter in Southwest Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, East Asia and East Africa. Small numbers are seen in Southeast Asia, it has been recorded in South Africa and it may occur as a vagrant in Western Europe (Wikipedia). Phil Porter's email is: philporterento@outlook.com Roger Parsons' email is: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk Donna Nook - Weekly seal 'pupdate' https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook/weekly-update If you are likely to visit the seals at Donna Nook, please consult this site before doing so to keep up to date with site requirements to ensure the welfare of the colony throughout their breeding cycle. Luke Hartley writes re. Records from LNU Field Meetings… Would attendees to send records from LNU field meetings through to me as soon as is reasonable. Any and all records are useful, they don't all have to be long and comprehensive lists! Hopefully timely records would make for a much smoother process of writing up the field meetings, and disseminating records to the landowners who have been welcoming and accommodating to us! Many thanks, Luke. hartley026@gmail.com The Bulletin Portal -past Bulletins archive [in text format] from 2009. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Su Colman writes… *** Nettleham Woodland Trust *** are looking for help in surveying for fungi at the Ashing Lane Nature Reserve - are there any Bulletin readers who are interested? If you would like to be involved, please email admin@nettlehamwoodlandtrust.co.uk BTO's tracked Cuckoos Latest updates https://www.bto.org/cuckoos Loch of the Lowes SWT Webcam https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/ LINCOLNSHIRE CORONATION COAST NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE Delphine Suty of Natural England writes… Make a difference – volunteer with us! We are looking for individuals with good botanical skills. Your role will be to assist our team in surveying some of the rare plants on the reserve. Mainly a spring to summer activity, you will assist in the recording of the population, its location and status. The role can be done alone, with friends or other volunteers. We record data through iRecord and share with the Lincolnshire Naturalist Union and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland We will support your mileage, equipment, and further training as these become available. Please contact us at saltfleetbytheddlethorpennr@naturalengland.org.uk *** LEARN A NEW SPECIES AND BOOST LINCOLNSHIRE’S NATURAL HISTORY RECORD! *** Colin Smith, LNU President 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: https://irecord.org.uk/ This is the LNU’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. 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. The next species is the Shaggy Inkcap Coprinus comatus This is a fungus that is quite easy to spot and distinctive. It grows in many situations including roadside verges and grassy areas. It can be found singly or sometimes in large spread out groups. A close look is needed to be sure it is shaggy and not a Common Inkcap which is more smooth. Pictures and further information can be found at the Naturespot website:- https://www.naturespot.org/species/shaggy-inkcap the current record distribution Map can be seen at https://lnu.org/coprinus-comatus-shaggy-inkcap/ Thanks to those who added records for our previous map filling species. We received 4 records from 2 recorder for the Hawthorn Parornix Parornix anglicella. Please do join in as all records are valuable and help our understanding of the county's changing natural history. *** This week's mostly-local news stories: *** Train travel to be hit by £1.3m track improvement - Ancaster https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w96w344n2o Government approves 'UK's largest' solar farm - Glentworth https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0kp40ky8j4o Donkeys 'enjoying life' two years on from rescue - Lincoln https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0krx9g928o Red Tractor ad banned for misleading environmental claims https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lmnvj3n5o Pictured: Winning entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx253vrd931o Repair Shop restores 1930 design for Humber Bridge https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7094wyekkdo Mystery heatwave warms Pacific Ocean to new record https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3xynwwx4yo *** 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 October - Sunday 26th October Headline: More settled on Wednesday with most parts dry. Thursday: Cloudy with rain and strong winds through the morning. Turning drier from the west with sunny spells developing and winds easing a little through the afternoon. Turning colder. Maximum temperature 9 °C. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Occasional showers and strong winds on Friday. Perhaps sunnier Saturday, especially inland. Strong winds and coastal gales at times. Heavy rain at times on Sunday. Temperatures below average. UK long range weather forecast Sunday 12th October - Tuesday 21st October Many parts of south will be mainly dry at the start of this period, with high pressure tending to build from the Azores toward the UK. More unsettled in the north with lower pressure and weather systems moving in from the Atlantic to bring showers or longer spells of rain at times, the heaviest of which will be across hills in the northwest. Toward the end of October and into the start of November, conditions will likely turn more unsettled across the UK as whole, with low pressure systems bringing showers or longer spells of rain to most areas. Some drier and brighter interludes are likely between systems. After a cool start, temperatures will probably rise close to or slightly above normal later. *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** When and where to see the Orionid meteor shower - on now! https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/orionid-meteor-shower-2025-when-where-see-it-uk Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) On Oct. 21st, Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) will make its closest approach to Earth. The brightening comet has reached magnitude +4.5, making it an easy target for off-the-shelf cameras SpaceWeather https://spaceweather.com/ Night Sky Highlights - October 2025 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-october-2025 Five celestial events to look out for this autumn https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c39rvxz4jr1o AuroraWatch UK for geomagnetic data: https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ Full Moons https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/full-moon-calendar-2025 Meteor shower dates https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/meteor-shower-guide-2025 BBC Sky at Night Magazine website https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news Current Position of ISS https://www.astroviewer.net/iss/en/ *** For the Geologists *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary How a huge dinosaur trackway was uncovered in the UK -watch. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-5f8c77b0-92bc-40f2-bf21-6793abbe5ffe 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 https://lnu.org/publications/books/the-geology-of-lincolnshire/ UK Fossils in Lincolnshire https://ukfossils.co.uk/category/lincolnshire/ *** EVENTS *** BOSTON AREA GROUP LWT Thursday 13th November at 7.30pm Talk – “Wild London” by Gill Walsh The talk will include RSPB Rainham Marshes, Epping Forest, Walthamstow Wetlands, Brent Valley, Colne Valley, Richmond and Bushy Parks, London Wetland Centre and Hutchinson's Bank. It will feature a wide variety of mammals, insects, birds and wildflowers. Venue - Centenary Methodist Church, Red Lion Street, Boston, PE21 6NY Free parking in the car park on the right hand side of the church. Interval refreshments will be served. Non-members welcome and entry is free but there will be a retiring collection. *** Grimsby and Cleethorpes Area Group LWT *** Monday 10th November - 'The North Kent Marshes' by Rolf Williams. You are invited to join the group for this talk at our next indoor meeting where Rolf will give an illustrated presentation about the history and wildlife of this area stretching from the Dartford Thames Crossing to Ramsgate. This will take place in Grimsby Town Hall DN31 1HX and starts at 7.30pm. All are welcome, admission £5. Trust Christmas cards, raffle, tea & coffee will be available. Wednesday 26th November - Grey Seals and Winter Visitors at Donna Nook. You are invited to join this guided walk led by David Ball and Carolyn Davis. Please meet at Stonebridge Car Park entrance of Donna Nook Nature Reserve at 10am. LN11 7PD. Please note that if this carpark is full, you may be directed to park in the allocated field at £5 a car. Please dress sensibly according to the weather conditions and wear stout footwear. For further information on these events please contact our secretary David Ball 07711 716063 davidballnorthhampton@gmail.com or visit our website www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk. *** SOUTH LINCS RSPB GROUP *** 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. Last Birdwatching Cruise 2025 Thursday 30th October 10-15am Full details including availability, dates, costs, booking etc. are on the website. https://group.rspb.org.uk/southlincolnshire/ Sarah Lambert writes…. Hello everyone, The Fens East Peat Partnership led by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is working to restore damaged peat in the fens through re-wetting. This will help to preserve carbon stores and create wetland habitats encouraging plants and wildlife to return. They host a monthly live webinar on a range of lowland fen topics, and on November 17, Owen Mountford (a valued member of the Lincolnshire Flora Group and well-known to many of you) will talk about fenland flora. A summary of the webinar is given below - it's certain to be a very interesting hour! The Fenland Flora - Survival against the odds webinar, 17 November 1-2pm Fenland has all too often been dismissed as boring and with little biodiversity value outside the washes and a few NNRs. The Fenland Flora project, now ready for publication, has sought to document the history and present status of wild plants in Fenland, and has shown the vital importance of the region, especially for aquatic plants. In addition, relics of the past Fenland vegetation persist in unlikely places, and novel habitats support new species and communities. To book a free place go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-fenland-flora-survival-against-the-odds-tickets-1753814629769?aff=oddtdtcreator 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 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://www.google.com/search?q=government+flood+warnings+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 Abbreviations Juv = juvenile Ad = adult 1s/w, 2s/w = first/second summer/winter (age or plumage) 15/10/2025 Anderby Creek, Yellow-browed Warbler, just south of, in sycamores. Boston, Ring-necked Duck at Hubbert's Bridge flew from, South Forty Foot Drain. Stickney, Glossy Ibis at Carrington. Sutton-on-Sea, Long-tailed Skua flew north past Wolla Bank, Long-tailed skua flew north past. 16/10/2025 Deeping St James, 3 Glossy Ibises on East Pit, Deeping Lakes. East Halton Skitter, Glossy Ibis flew over towards Humber Gibraltar Point, Snow Bunting. Yellow-browed Warbler at Sykes Farm. Sutton-on-Sea, 2 Velvet Scoters, 1 drk. 17/10/2025 Cleethorpes, Yellow-browed Warbler, Meridian Road by Anglian Water compound. Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises, Deeping Lakes along River Welland. Donna Nook, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers at Pye's Hall. Gibraltar Point, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 3 Ring Ouzels, Twite. Humberston Fitties, 6 Ruddy Shelducks, then flew west. Huttoft, Snow Bunting flew north over. Wolla Bank, Yellow-browed Warbler, Lapland Bunting flew over. 18/10/2023 Anderby Creek, Slavonian Greve on sea, Red-necked Grebe flew south past. Far Ings, Glossy Ibis from hide. Gibraltar Point, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers at Sykes Farm. 5 Ring Ouzels 1 at West Dunes. 1 at cycle track, 1 at orchard. Red-necked Grebe off, Long- tailed Duck. 2 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Water Pipits. Huttoft Bank, Yellow-browed Warbler. Pyewipe, Little Stint juv at Novartis Ings. Saltfleet Haven, 1+ Yellow-browed Warbler. Wolla Bank Pit, Yellow-browed Warbler. 19/10/2025 Deeping St James, 2 Glossy Ibises, Deeping Lakes along River Welland. Donna Nook, Turtle Dove in scrub just south of RAD Donna Nook and Ring Ouzel. Gibraltar Point, Ring Ouzel at East Dunes,Yellow-browed Warbler. at Sykes Farm. 4 Velvet Scoters flew north past. Goxhill-Dawson City, Snow Bunting between. Goxhill Haven, Northern Bottlenose Whale east along Humber. Saltfleet, Yellow-browed Warbler. 20/10/2025 Gibraltar Point, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers at Sykes Farm. Ring Ouzel, Richard's Pipit at Freshwater Marsh the flew south towards Old Saltmarsh. Mablethorpe, possible Heuglin's Gull (form heuglini) 1w on beach. Tallington Lakes, Hawfinch at north end of main lake. Entry £5. 21/10/2025 Gibraltar Point, Yellow-browed Warbler at Sykes Farm. Pyewipe. Little Stint juv, Novartis Ings. Rimac, 2 Glossy Ibises flew south over dunes then inland along Great Eau. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. Request from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue Can You Help Us? We’re mapping wildlife fatality hotspots on roads to help improve safety for both animals and drivers. Over time, this data could support efforts to work with local authorities to make high-risk areas safer. If you come across a deceased animal or are aware of one, please report the location—when it’s safe to do so—by: Dropping a pin on the map provided Sharing a What3Words location Providing the street name While we are unable to collect deceased wildlife, your information could help prevent future incidents. Thank you! Please share to help spread the word. Report deceased wildlife on the link below: https://form.jotform.com/.../report-roadside-deceased... *** County Wildlife Reports from Readers *** We rely on readers to send in observations and welcome records from everyone, experts to beginners. Please keep your reports coming. BARDNEY GARDEN TF117700 Phil and Mary Porter 18th October 2025 Four Redwing flew over the garden, and butterflies present were Red Admiral and Peacock 19th October 2025 A red-letter day for me as first thing in the morning, a tiny splash in the pond water caused me to look out for what had caused it and a Grey Wagtail emerged tripping along the ‘shoreline’ before flying off. The previous occurrence in the garden was a similar event on 27th October 2014. A photograph I took of a handsome troupe of inkcap fungi ,apparently on the roots of our dead cherry tree, was identified at the LNU Fungus Foray by Ray Halstead and Tim Bruning as Glistening Inkcap Coprinus micaceus, while a splurge of orange-brown fungi on our old living cherry was confirmed as Honey Fungus Armillaria mellea as we had feared. 21st October 2025 c. 80 Woodpigeons rose from the surrounding garden environments. Siskins, Bullfinch and Pied Wagtail all heard. 22nd October Mary successfully rescued a male Common Darter which seemed to have crash- landed into the pond and got its wings caught in the meniscus layer. BRADLEY and DIXON WOODS Fungus Foray TA244060 NELC Ecology Team (Sian Niblo and Abi Sheriden) & LWT Grimsby and Cleethorpes Area Group 18th October 2025 This public event was attended by about 15 people meeting at Bradley Woods car-parking. The leader was Mick Binnion a long-standing local LWT member with huge experience of the site. Bradley Wood: Iodine Bolete (Hemileccinum impolitum), Butter-cap (Rhodocollybia butyracea) Fragile Brittle-gill (Russula fragilis), Rosy Bonnet (Mycena rosea) Common Puff-Ball (Lycoperdon perlatum), Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystea) Clouded Agaric (Infundibulocybe nebularis ), Blusher (Amanita rubescens) Spindle-Shank (Collybia fusipes), Poison-Pie (Hebeloma spp.) Oak-Bug Milkcap (Lactarius quietus), Honey Fungus (Armillaria mellea) Dixon Wood: Shaggy Parasol (likely Chlorophyllum brunneum), mould Hypomyces chrysospermus Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria), Bay Bolete (Imleria badia) Ochre Brittlegill (Russula ochroleuca), Ugly Milk-cap (Lactarius turpis), Matt Bolete (Xerocomellus pruinatus). “It was good to see that despite compaction and disturbance there is a diversity of fungi apparent at Bradley, with some new site records likely. Participants had a chance to sample some of this diversity and get drawn towards this compelling natural kingdom which is easy to get absorbed in!” Tim Bruning CHERRY FIELDS Cherry Willingham TF028717 Phil and Mary Porter 17th October 2025 We saw our first Fieldfares of the season as three flew over the path down to the River Witham. From the river bank we saw three Grey Herons fly from the Washingborough side. We heard a couple of Chiffchaffs calling. DUNHOLME - ASHING LANE EAST TF 03321 78977 Su Colman 18/10/25 Shaggy Inkcap growing out of a pile of sand and gravel. Recorded on iRecord. GOSLINGS CORNER WOOD TF143752 Phil Porter 19th October 2025 A small sample of flies from the LNU Fungus Foray included a female of the short- palped Cranefly Rypholophus bifurcatus https://irecord.org.uk/record-details?occurrence_id=46029072 which is a new county record. It is widespread but not uncommon in England and Wales in damper woodland areas. Also present were 2 males of the long-palped Cranefly Tipula pagana which very widespread and common in England and Wales and also present in Scotland even to the far north. The female is remarkable for being completely flightless with very short wings. Other specimens were 2 female Fannia pallitibia, 1 female Phaonia valida https://irecord.org.uk/record-details?occurrence_id=46029070 , 1 female Suillia affinis, 1 female Suillia variegata https://irecord.org.uk/record-details?occurrence_id=46029071 , 3 Opomyza florum and 1 male Sphaerophoria scripta. Not yet fully identified are 2 Suillia of another species, 1 Fannia of another species, 1 Fungus Gnat, 1 Lesser Dung-fly, 2 different drosophilid Fruitflies and 1 Lonchoptera making 20 specimens of 15 species. It is worth mentioning that I do not remember actually seeing a fly during my visit on this dull afternoon and all were revealed by sweep netting. GRANTHAM GARDEN SK930 372 Alan Lean/Gill Porter 19th October 2025 Final three sessions (17th – 19th) with the borrowed moth trap gave us the following: Feathered Thorn x 2 Green-brindled Crescent x 5 Large Yellow Underwing x 2 Barred Sallow x 2 November Moth x 3 Merveille du Jour x 6 Large Wainscot x 1 Pale Mottled Willow x 1 Turnip Moth x 3 Shuttle-shaped Dart x 1 Beaded Chestnut x 5 Black Rustic x 5 Red-green Carpet x 2 Grey Shoulder-knot x 2 Red-line Quaker x 2 Lunar Underwing x 2 Diamond-back Moth x 1 Other visitors to the trap were Mesembrina meridiana (noon fly), Limnephilus lunatus (Cinnamon Sedge caddis fly) x 1, Ophion variegatus (ichneumon wasp) x 1, Philaenus spumarius (meadow froghopper) x 1 and Mangora acalypha (cricket-bat spider) x 1. Thanks once more to Colin Smith for the loan of the equipment. NETTLETON Angela Buckle 18th October. Red campion, Dwarf mallow, Lesser hawkbit, Common cudweed, Self heal, Storksbill, Smooth hawksbeard, Fungi. Shaggy inkcap, Smooth inkcap, Puff ball. WILLINGHAM WOODS. Angela Buckle 13th October. Hairy shieldbug on Gorse. Lots of Fly agarics. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIBRALTAR POINT NNR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory https://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINCOLNSHIRE COASTAL COUNTRY PARK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dave Miller Coast and The Wolds (South) Warden Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Sykes Farm Nature Reserve Office Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve Gibraltar Road Skegness PE24 4SU 13th October: Short-eared Owl at Anderby Marsh. Kingfisher at Wolla Bank Reedbed. Black-throated Diver, 12 Pochard, Fulmar, Red-necked Grebe, Goldeneye, 4 Brambling, 2 Common Tern, 2 Purple Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting and a drake Scaup in a flock of 10 Common Scoter flying north. Arctic Skua flying south. Blackbird numbers rising in the dunes. 14th October: Yellow-browed Warbler at Anderby Creek. Merlin and 2 Stonechat at Sandilands Golf Course. 9 Pintail, Arctic Skua and Mediterranean Gull flying south. 6 Eider, all drakes, 2 Manx Shearwater and Great Skua flying north. 5 Bottlenosed Dolphin swimming south at Wolla Bank. 15th October: 51 Redwing, Yellow-browed Warbler, Brambling and lots of thrushes and chaffinches in the dunes at Anderby Creek. Goosander, 2 Swallow, 5 Velvet Scoter flying south. 3 Goldeneye, 2 Long-tailed skua flying north. 3,000 Starling and 3 Marsh Harrier into roost at Wolla Bank Reedbed. 16th October: Water Pipit on Anderby Marsh. Hawfinch and Slavonian Grebe flying south. Arctic Tern and Merlin flying north. 17th October: Lapland Bunting, 3 Swallow, 1,010 Chaffinch, Snow Bunting, 2 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing and Corn Bunting flying north. Brambling, Peregrine, 9 Redpoll and Wheatear flying south. 75 Redwing, Woodcock, Yellow-browed Warbler and 5 Fieldfare at Wolla Bank Pit. Jack Snipe in Wolla Bank Reedbed. 11 Redwing at Chapel Pit. 80 Redwing in Huttoft village. 2 Stonechat at Sandilands Golf Course with another 2 at Marsh Yard. 3 Grey Partridge a long Sea Lane. 18th October: Jay at Chapel Pit. Yellow-browed Warbler and 2 Brambling at Wolla Bank Pit. Little Gull flying north, Goldeneye, Sandwich Tern and 2 Swallow flying south. Slavonian Grebe and Goldeneye on the sea. Great White Egret seen in Wolla Bank Reedbed, and Peregrine, Coal Tit, Woodcock, Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Fieldfare and 3 Goldcrest in the dunes. 19th October: Chapel Pit had 3 Little Grebe, 4 Moorhen, 5 Coot and 2 Grey Heron whilst there were 8 Blackbird, 5 Goldcrest, Fieldfare and Redwing along path to hide at Huttoft Pit. 20th October: 3 Goosander, Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Tern, Swallow, Shelduck, 3 Arctic Tern, Cattle Egret, 5 Common Scoter and 2 Shoveler flying south. 3 drake Eider on the sea. Peregrine and 3 Lapwing coming in off the sea. Woodcock and 7 Teal at Huttoft Pit. Yellow-browed Warbler at Anderby church yard. 11 Grey Partridge near Anderby village and 5 Stonechat at Wolla Bank. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 part of the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast NNR Sea View Road, Saltfleetby St. Clements, LN11 7TR www.gov.uk/natural-england Twitter @NEEastMidlands We’ve had a few decent birds over the last week but nothing that’s lingered for very long (as is often the way!). 151025 – 3 redpoll flew over Sea View in the morning. Juvenile arctic skua on the beach at Brickyard Lane. Whinchat in cover crop bordering the dunes south of Brickyard Lane and 50 linnets. Majority of meadow pipits on the saltmarshes now replaced by rock pipits; a winter visitor to our coast. 102 cormorant roosting on outer sand banks from Rimac, gradually flying to roost in trees along Eau near Paradise Lagoon. 4 rock pipit flew north along the beach at Mablethorpe North End, where 3 eider, 9 dark-bellied brent geese, gannet, 42 wigeon and 4 teal flew north; and a sandwich tern and 8 arctic skua flew south over the sea early afternoon. Later in the afternoon, 4 eider, 2 goldeneye and a sandwich tern flew north; and a pomarine skua flew south. A great skua flew over the saltmarsh and a Lapland bunting flew south over the Haven. Water rail on the open beach around Saltfleet Haven. Butterflies – 5 large white, speckled wood Crook Bank. 161025 – 4 Cetti’s warblers Rimac to MOD and another along the Eau south of Rimac. 3 Cetti’s warblers around Churchill Lane, also grey wagtail, merlin, tawny owl, 2 sparrowhawk, 30 blackbird, 40 chaffinch, 25 robin. 6 cattle egrets with cows south of Rimac car park. Grey wagtail and 3 siskin flew north over Rimac dunes, and a group of redpoll flew south in early morning mist. 6 pintail f lew off Rimac saltmarsh lagoon and 5 whooper swan flew south. Stonechat Rimac dunes and another in scrub along outer dunes. 30 rock pipit and 15 skylark Rimac saltmarsh. Dunnocks and reed buntings in hedgerows around Sea View. Firecrest ringed at Brickyard Lane in the morning. Yellow-browed warbler Saltfleet Haven area. Butterflies – small copper, wall Rimac; 2 wall, red admiral Churchill Lane. Odonata – 2 pairs of common darters and 1 migrant hawker Churchill Lane. Sea rocket in flower along outer dune ridges out from Rimac. 171025 – Cetti’s warbler singing at Crook Bank, also stonechat and sparrowhawk. 2 siskin with linnet flock around Crook Bank and 2 redpoll flew south. Jack snipe dropped into dunes at Brickyard Lane in the morning. 30 fieldfare flew high west over Rimac dunes early afternoon and 200+ chaffinch flew north in several groups. Flock of 18 mixed chaffinch and brambling arrived and continued north- east at Brickyard Lane, and 24 fieldfare flew north-west. 21 blackbird, 4 song thrush, 30 chaffinch Churchill Lane. Great skua landed close in on the sea at Mablethorpe North End. 6 grey partridge in fields near Mablethorpe North End. 181025 – arrival of thrushes in the morning included 70 blackbird and fewer redwing, song thrush and fieldfare around Sea View. 50 redwing and 20 blackbird Churchill Lane area. 50 blackbird, 14 redwing, 3 fieldfare, 200+ starling, 4 brambling, 120 chaffinch, 2 siskin flew over Mablethorpe North End in the morning. Dusky warbler ringed late morning at Brickyard Lane but no sign after release. Woodcock also around the dunes at Brickyard Lane and a merlin flew low through the dunes. Yellow-browed warbler in willows north of Crook Bank car park in the afternoon, and another still around Saltfleet Haven area. 191025 – woodcock flew through the dunes at Brickyard Lane in the morning and another firecrest ringed in dune scrub. Firecrest in willows near Churchill Lane. Short-eared owl flew west over Mablethorpe North End mid-afternoon and another flew north-west over Brickyard Lane. Yellow-browed warbler, firecrest, 3 brambling Saltfleet Haven area. Butterflies – wall Sea View; wall, comma Churchill Lane. Odonata – 3 ruddy darter, 4 common darter, 1 migrant hawker Churchill Lane. 201025 – probable first-winter Heuglin’s gull on the beach at Mablethorpe North End – this would be the first UK record of this subspecies if accepted. Singles of first-winter and second-winter Caspian gull also on the beach. 21 blackbird, 18 redwing, 3 fieldfare Churchill Lane area. Another firecrest and 5 blackcap ringed at Brickyard Lane in the morning. Brambling, swallow and mixed winter thrushes flying south over the dunes throughout the morning.3 blackcap Sea View. 6 cattle egret at Rimac with livestock. Woodcock, green woodpecker, Cetti’s warbler and stonechat at Rimac in the evening. On Paradise Lagoon 41 shoveler, 93 teal, 4 mallard, 1 little grebe, 1 greenshank, 4 redshank, 13 black-headed gull, 19 common gull, 2 herring gull. 211025 – 2 glossy ibis flew south over Rimac dunes mid-morning and followed the Great Eau inland. A red kite, 41 redpoll, 56 siskin, brambling plus chaffinches flew south of Rimac dunes in an hour in the morning. 3 stonechat, chiffchaff, 10 goldcrest, 30 redwing, 8 song thrush, 15 blackbird, 4+ cattle egret around the dunes at Rimac. 2 Cetti’s warblers singing along the Eau near Sea View and another at Rimac. 800+ starling around hawthorn scrub between Sea View and Rimac. 300 pink-footed geese and 400 wigeon flew inland from overnight roosts around the saltmarsh/beach. 64 teal Sea View Washlands. 80 golden plover looking to land on MOD foreshore mid-morning. 2 single swallows and a great white egret flew south past Sea View throughout the day. Woodcock on open track at Brickyard Lane mid-afternoon, likely having just arrived off the sea. 5 whooper swan flew south over Crook Bank late morning and a single flew south over Rimac. 3 stonechat Crook Bank south dunes. Yellow-browed warbler Saltfleet Haven area. Butterflies – 3 wall Crook Bank. Moths – convulvulous hawk-moth recorded in moth trap at Brickyard Lane. Long-winged conehead grasshopper Brickyard Lane. Donna Nook: 171025 – 2 yellow-browed warbler in scrub near Pye’s Hall. Long-eared owl flew over the dunes in the evening harassed by corvids. 2 raven flew north over the dunes. 191025 – firecrest in scrub north of Stonebridge and a late turtle dove perched on scrub. 211025 – woodcock flew up from the dunes and a yellow-browed warbler at MOD base. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. 4th; November Email: margaretwestcott7@hotmail.co.uk https://butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/lincolnshire-branch/chambers-farm-wood-butterfly-garden *** Lincolnshire Dormouse Group *** 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 Lincolnshire County Council - Local Nature Reserves https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/coast-countryside/nature-reserves Links to "Other Reserves" are welcome. Your suggestions, please. Boston Woods Trust https://www.bostonwoods.co.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. Tuesday latest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. Local Bat Helpline Grounded bats, bat problems, advice and information. Contact the new Lincolnshire Bat Group co-ordinator as above: Email: info@lincsbatgroup.co.uk Or by phone on 01526 344726, who will be able to help you. Confidential Bat Records You may send confidential bat records direct to the above, who will make sure they are securely passed on to the new recorder. 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. How to identify ladybirds| NatureSpot https://www.naturespot.org/WildlifeGuides/12CommonLadybirds How to identify diving ducks | The Wildlife Trusts https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identify/how-identify-diving-ducks Dragonfly Identification help https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/species-and-identification/ 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 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 https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/the-flora-of-lincolnshire-e-joan-gibbons.pdf Atlas of the terrestrial and semi-aquatic Mammals of Lincolnshire https://lincsnaturalist.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/mammalatlas.pdf ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 submitting reports, e.g. unusual plants, please send 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New details to come.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** National and International Stories *** Why the legacy of Storm Amy may harm Scotland's native fish https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c201r94v3kwo Former eradicated animal species rediscovered in Dumfries and Galloway https://www.itv.com/news/border/2025-10-16/former-eradicated-animal-species-rediscovered-in-dumfries-and-galloway Popular Science: Green sea turtle no longer Endangered https://www.popsci.com/environment/green-sea-turtles-not-endangered/ This study claims we don't know 86% of the species on Earth https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/animals-ecology/number-of-species-on-earth-unknown-rep/ Orange Cats Are Genetically Unlike Any Other Mammal and Now We Know Why https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/orange-cats-are-genetically-unique-indeed/ Micro photography winner https://www.zmescience.com/other/art-other/nikons-small-world-turns-a-rice-eating-pest-into-a-microscopic-masterpiece/ Award for dog, abandoned five times but now solving wildlife crime https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c14pll3pd70o Thieves use stolen JCB to take bank's cash machine https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqx389nplvwo *** Mail Fails *** We have had reports of issues with 2 subscribers' Bulletins. If you experience any such problem in future please let Alex know. mrapickwell@gmail.com ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/