============================================ || || Wildnews Bulletin || 7th January 2026 || 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Editor writes… Now that the worst of the frost has passed it looks as if the next couple of days will bring turmoil of a different sort, heavy rain with a Yellow Weather Warning from Thursday evening until Friday afternoon. Let us know how these disturbances affect your local wildlife. Phil Porter's email is: philporterento@outlook.com Roger Parsons' email is: old.museum@yahoo.co.uk BTO's tracked Cuckoos https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/cuckoo-tracking Read the latest updates from our Cuckoos on their epic migration https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/cuckoo-tracking/updates Loch of the Lowes SWT Webcam - camera working again. https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/ *** Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust *** “Wilder Lincolnshire Podcast” https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/what-we-do/about/wilder-lincolnshire-podcast *** LEARN A NEW SPECIES & 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 are the COMMON LINCOLNSHIRE WOODLICE For December and the Christmas holiday season I thought rather than just one species we could try to fill in the gaps for all the common species of Woodlice. This is a good time to get the children involved if you will be seeing any over Christmas. A walk in the woods on boxing day and turn over a log or two. There are links to the five common species below and you may need a magnifying glass to examine the head and tail for identification. The pygmy woodlouse is not surprisingly very small so that is the real challenge they are common in leaf litter. I have also included the pill millipede as it can be confused with the woodlouse but easily separated. Lincs for identification are as follows:- https://www.naturespot.org/species/pill-woodlouse https://www.naturespot.org/species/common-shiny-woodlouse https://www.naturespot.org/species/common-striped-woodlouse https://www.naturespot.org/species/common-rough-woodlouse https://www.naturespot.org/species/common-pygmy-woodlouse https://www.naturespot.org/species/pill-millipede Maps for all species as follows, plenty of gaps for these very common species https://lnu.org/armadillidium-vulgare-common-pill-woodlouse/ https://lnu.org/oniscus-asellus-common-shiny-woodlouse/ https://lnu.org/philoscia-muscorum-common-striped-woodlouse/ https://lnu.org/porcellio-scaber-common-rough-woodlouse/ https://lnu.org/trichoniscus-pusillus-common-pygmy-woodlouse/ https://lnu.org/glomeris-marginata-pill-millipede/ Thanks to those who added records for our previous map filling species. We received 16 records from 8 recorders for the Yellow Fieldcap Bolbitius titubans. 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: *** Ice warnings cover nearly all of UK as heavy snow forecast for parts of Scotland https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cgez72ln8wwt Foxes caught frolicking with snowman - Lincoln https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0y8rreq2do Adorable seal pup expressions caught on camera - Donna Nook https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clymndldn13o The untold story of Spider T's wartime missions - Hull https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93nvx6d9ego New boardwalk aims to improve access to nature - Barton. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5g888r1rno Solar farm 'pace of construction to rise' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrkr88pp6yo Best of Hidden East Yorkshire, from lost rivers to ghostly monks https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gpv084712o Two die and third person missing after coastal search https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3ewqew4weo Radar shedding light on cathedral's hidden past - Lincoln https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c865yw2l0pjo *** 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 8 Jan - Sunday 11 Jan Headline: Mainly dry on Wednesday. Thursday: Cloudy but mostly dry through the morning with lighter winds than of late. Rain, sleet, or snow, heavy at times, edging into the area towards the evening. Winds strengthening too. Maximum temperature 4 °C. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Rain, sleet and snow gradually easing from the west on Friday. Saturday largely fine but with frost early and late. Further rain and snow arriving from the west on Sunday. UK long range weather forecast Sunday 11 Jan - Tuesday 20 Jan A change in weather patterns is likely at the start of this period. Milder air is expected to start to arrive from the west during Sunday as a band of rain arrives. Depending on how quickly the band moves eastwards, this could lead to another spell of snow across northern and eastern areas. A change to milder, albeit unsettled conditions, is then most likely into the following week, probably persisting for the remainder of the period. All areas will see showers or longer spells of rain at times though still with some drier interludes. Potentially windy at times too. Whilst this transition is most likely occur, very cold weather is expected to remain close to the east of the UK with a small chance of it returning. *** For Astronomers and Sky-watchers *** Stunning celestial events that lit up the skies in 2025 - Watch https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c8xdw7j2v2go Why 2026 looks bright for Northern Light sightings https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/ce8nz3m3k10o Partial Solar Eclipse August 12th 2026. Put in in your new diary! https://theskylive.com/solar-eclipse?id=2026-08-12&cc=GB Night Sky Highlights - January 2026 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/astronomy/night-sky-highlights-january-2026 Full Moons - 2026 https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/full-moon-calendar-2026 Spaceweather.com https://spaceweather.com/ Comet Watch https://www.cometwatch.co.uk/ AuroraWatch UK for geomagnetic data: https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk BBC Sky at Night Magazine website https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news *** For the Geologists *** Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary 'Deep time' geological trail planned for Highland village https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyd5nw0y0no Part of Edinburgh's Radical Road to reopen within month https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7ndvv1jj4o 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 *** EVENTS *** *** LWT LINCOLN AREA GROUP TALK *** 15th January: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust chairman Libby John will take us on a tour of all the Trust nature reserves with a difference. “On Her Bike!” Which she undertook to find out more about wildlife in Lincolnshire and raise money for the Trust's Nature Recovery Appeal. The event is at Whisby Nature Park in the Lafarge Education Building starting at 7.30 pm. Admission is £2.50 which includes refreshments in the interval. *** SOUTH LINCS RSPB GROUP *** "Bird and Seal Watching Cruises" aboard The Boston Belle into The Wash estuary. Dates for their 2026 programme from Easter 2026 Full details including availability, dates, costs, booking etc. will be on the website. in due course. *** BOSTON AREA GROUP LWT *** Thursday 8th January at 7.30pm Talk - A Tour Of Borneo by Geoff Evans 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. *** SOUTH HOLLAND AREA GROUP LWT *** Tuesday 13th January at 7.30pm Talk - Wildlife of North Macedonia by Gill Walsh Venue - Pinchbeck Village Hall, Knight Street, Pinchbeck, PE11 3XA Admission £3 including interval refreshments. Non members welcome. *** GRIMSBY AND CLEETHORPES AREA GROUP LWT *** On Monday 12th January 2026 the Group will be welcoming Simon Wellock to give an illustrated presentation "Far Ings and the Humber Reserves" This will take place in Grimsby Town Hall DN31 1HX and starts at 7.30pm. Admission £5, all are welcome. Raffle and light refreshments will be available. For further information contact secretary David Ball 07711 716063 email davidballnorthhampton@gmail.com or visit our website www.grimsbywildlifetrust.org.uk We are also on Facebook. *** THE NATURAL HISTORY AND GEOLOGY SECTION OF THE NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE MUSEUM SOCIETY *** Our first meeting for 2026 is on Monday, 12th January, when Colin Smith will visit us to give his illustrated talk entitled "The Mothing Year". Colin is a specialist for Moths in the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union and is also the current President of the Union. In his talk he will be telling us about the moths of Lincolnshire, explaining how they cope with the changing seasons and why they emerge at different times of the year. Starting at 7.15pm. We meet, as always, in the St Bernadette's Church Hall, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 2RS, which almost directly opposite the Priory Hotel on Ashby Road. ALL ARE WELCOME TO OUR MEETINGS. There is a large, free car park at the Church. There is a £5 entry charge for non-members of the North Lincolnshire Museum Society. There will be a mid-talk comfort break when light refreshments will be available for a small charge. STAYING SAFE Please copy and paste URLs if/as necessary... The Cold-Health Alert Service in England You can register for alerts on this link. https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts/cold 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 Weather 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 Drk = drake Juv = juvenile Ad = adult 1s/w, 2s/w = first/second summer/winter (age or plumage) 1/1/2026 Bardney, 5 Tundra Bean Geese along Branston Causeway. Covenham Reservoir, Black-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Divers, Common Scoter. Croft Marsh, 3 Tundra Bean Geese, then flew south. 2 Water Pipits. Deeping St James, 4 Bewick's Swans in field with Whooper Swans. Snow Goose ad white morph at East Pit, Deeping Lakes, then flew NW with Whooper Swans. 2+ Long-eared Owl at Main Lake from main hide. Frampton Marsh, Glossy Ibis. 2 Scaup reported. 31+ Russian White-fronted Geese. 7 Snow Buntings on east side of sea wall east of East Hide. Gibraltar Point, 2 Water Pipits. Mablethorpe, Long-tailed duck on sea at North end south of Tide Bell. North Hykeham, probable Siberian Lesser Whitethroat [form blythi] in garden at Mulberry Avenue. Rimac, Snow Bunting. Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes, 4 Russian White-fronted Geese south of Crook Bank. Whisby, Russian White-fronted Goose at Thorpe Landfill at quarry off Job's Lane. 2/1/2026 Covenham Reservoir, 2 Tundra Bean Geese Deeping St James, 4 Bewick's Swans. Snow Goose ad white morph in field north of road with Whooper Swans. 1 Long-eared Owl at Main Lake from main hide. 1+ Glossy Ibis at Deeping Lakes by River Welland Frampton Marsh, 9 Snow Buntings on east side of sea wall east of East Hide. 2 Scaup. Gibraltar Point, 2 Glossy Ibises north of Sykes Farm on Jackson's Marsh. 2 probable Shorelarks at Greenshank Creek, then flew north. Norton Disney, Scaup drk at fishing lakes. Langtoft, Ferruginous Duck ad drk at West End GPs viewed from Greatford Cut. Rimac, 10 Russian White-fronted Geese. 5 ads, at Elm House Farm in field. 3/1/2026 Bardney, 5 Tundra Bean Geese along Branston Causeway. Covenham Reservoir, Black-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Divers, Common Scoter. Deeping St James, Snow Goose ad white morph in field north of road in roost with Whooper Swans Frampton Marsh, 9 Snow Buntings on east side of sea wall east of East Hide. 2 Scaup. 1 Long-eared Owl at Main Lake from main hide. Gibraltar Point, Long-tailed duck flew past. 4/1/2026 Covenham Reservoir, Black-throated Diver, Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Divers. Deeping St James, Snow Goose ad white morph in field north of road with in roost Whooper Swans. 2 Long-eared Owls at Main Lake from main hide. 7+ Bewick's Swans, Deeping Lakes. Gibraltar Point, 7 Snow Buntings, 2 Water Pipits. Langtoft, Ferruginous Duck ad drk at West End GPs viewed from Greatford Cut. North Hykeham, probable Siberian Lesser Whitethroat [form blythi] in garden at Mulberry Avenue. Tetney Marshes, Pale-bellied Brent Goose with Dark-bellied Brent Geese. 5/1/2026 Covenham Reservoir, Black-throated Diver, Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Divers. Deeping St James, Snow Goose ad white morph at East Pit then flew towards Crowland Road with Whooper Swans. + 8 Bewick's Swans. 2 Long-eared Owls at Main Lake from hide, Deeping Lakes. Snow Goose between Cradge Bank and Raisen's Dike. Gibraltar Point, Long-tailed duck flew past. 2 Shorelarks on foreshore, 2 Tundra Bean Geese, Snow Bunting. North Killingholme, Black Redstart along sea wall. Sandtoft, Hoopoe reported. 6/1/2026 Covenham Reservoir, Black-throated Diver, Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Divers. Deeping St James, Snow Goose ad white morph at East Pit then flew off with Whooper Swans. + 8 Bewick's Swans. 1+ Long-eared Owl at Main Lake Frampton Marsh, 6 Snow Buntings on east side of sea wall east of East Hide. Mablethorpe, Caspian Gull on beach off Sea View car park. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 *** Thank you to all contributors. We rely on readers to send in observations and welcome reports from everyone, experts to beginners. Please keep your reports coming. BARDNEY - The Green TF120694 A & R Parsons 1/122026 House Sparrows. 12+ Starling flock of 12+ at fat feeder. Pied Wagtail f. First one for some weeks. Blackbirds - more visiting garden. Dunnock 1 Col loured Dove 3. BARDNEY GARDEN TF117700 Phil and Mary Porter 1st January 2026 A good start to the year! A Great Spotted Woodpecker visited the feeder. They haven’t been regular for a while recently. Mid-morning an immaculate male Pied Wagtail paid a brief visit but was never comfortable on the ground as we have a lot of trees and large hedges. This was the first for many years. The female Sparrowhawk launched a spectacular but unsuccessful attack on the feeders. We have a colony of 10+ House Sparrows which get their special rations from Mary every day on a fence which is almost hidden by a privet bush in our yard. As a result, they don’t always come into the ’garden proper’ where the feeders are. However, they have hardly repaid us, picking out flower buds on various trees and shrubs over the years, currently spoiling a winter-flowering Viburnum! 4th January 2026 A few Fieldfares seen actually inside the garden for the first time this winter, plus two species we have missed in most recent years, a Redwing, and a female Blackcap in a small-fruited tree Cotoneaster which has borne very well despite looking terminally desiccated in July with gritty fruitlets falling out of the tree. 5th January 2026 The Redwing again favouring Cotoneaster berries, and the Blackcap likewise. Chaffinches seem to have increased in the colder weather, estimated at about 20 today, swarming around the feeders early before the Goldfinches arrived, Blackbirds about 10. A Dunnock was feeding on sunflower hearts from a squirrel-proof feeder which we have seen them do very occasionally over the years. A Little Egret flew over the house. 6th January 2026 There were a few fieldfares at the bottom of the garden out of sight, feeding on windfall apples and a Stock Dove appeared for the first time in a while, being harassed by Wood Pigeons. Around lunch time the Fieldfares took to the remaining apples still on the tree and we could see that there were at least 4. Then Redwings entered the fray in both the Cotoneaster and the apple tree, with at least 5 seen. A Blue Tit was also feeding on a hanging apple together with the Blackcap again. During the last few days, Greenfinches have gone missing again. HORKSTOW SE987179 Jenny Haynes 4 January 2026 Ray noticed a small flock of birds dropping into the field opposite and through his spotting scope they were identified as lapwings. These are the first we’ve seen for years, when there used to be large flocks of them around. Further over, on a tree at the edge of the field, a buzzard was perched. Earlier, a female sparrowhawk made its way through the garden. 6 January 2026 Brown hare in field opposite my house. We’ve seen an increase in blackbirds in the garden in the past week or so. NETTLEHAM TF 005756 Brenda Edlington 26/12/2025 Last sighting of a hedgehog caught on camera. 2/2/2026 Grey wagtail on the lawn - a first for our garden. One or two grey wagtails are now seen on Nettleham Beck between the Watermill Lane ford and Vicarage Lane all year round. A kingfisher was also seen on the same stretch on 5/1/26. Birds have been coming to the feeders in greater numbers recently. Max numbers 5 greenfinches - more than for quite a while 5 chaffinches - also up 5 blue tits 3 great tits 10 long-tailed tits 1 coal tit 8 goldfinches 1 robin 1 dunnock 2 blackbirds 5 wood pigeons (unfortunately) 2 crows (also not welcome) 2 magpies (also not welcome) Male woodpecker on a squirrel-proof seed feeder (ignoring the peanut-filled log,) holding on to the metal mesh head down. This is a trick at least one squirrel manages to do as well, getting a few seeds out with its tongue. The squirrel also took a cooking apple off the lawn and carried it away even though it was 3 times as big as its head after I forgot to cut them up. Rainfall in our garden for 2025 was approximately 628mm (c 24.7in). March, April, June and August were very dry all with less than 17mm. January, September, November and December all had more than 70mm with November exceptionally wet at about 150mm. SOUTHREY WOOD TF131682 Phil and Mary Porter 4th January 2026 2 Goldcrests in bracken, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker. There has been quite a bit of forestry clearance this year, which will good for the woodland flora, and, depending on how long the felled material stays on site, there may be a temporary benefit for the invertebrates of wood decay. In places, quite a lot of cut branches have been left on the ground and as they rot down they will definitely play an important role for these saprophytic species. Apart from the commercial trunks, there is a massive pile of miscellaneous low-growth shrubby stems, if it remains, would also be superb for hibernating creatures next winter. In my opinion these clearances help to break up the uniform ‘plantation feel’ of forestry sites. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 1st January: Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker at Anderby churchyard. Water Pipit on Anderby Marsh. 2nd January: 3 Long-tailed Duck flying south. Blackcap in Huttoft. 3 Marsh Harrier into roost at Wolla Bank Reedbed which also had Chiffchaff and Bearded Tit. 4th January: Peregrine and Marsh Harrier at Anderby Marsh. 5th January: Bean Goose flying north over Wolla Bank Pit. 6th January: 2 Long-tailed Duck flying south at sea. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Happy New Year, I hope you had a nice Christmas. It’s certainly been a chilly start to the year but we still have a good few sightings to share, thankfully! 241225 – peregrine stooped over Rimac car park scrape and lingered over Sea View Washlands area early afternoon. 6 cattle egret Rimac south dunes with cows. Chiffchaffs in dune scrub at Rimac and in willows around Churchill Lane car park. Siskin flew south over Sea View in the morning. 224 shoveler and 150 teal on Paradise Lagoon. 251225 – Easterly wind gusting to 30.8mph. 2 stonechat north of Sea View. 291225 – 5 white-fronted geese in cereal field south of Crook Bank then flew onto wet grassland. 410 wigeon and 425 lapwing Elm House Farm early afternoon. 311225 – 6 cattle egret Rimac south with cows. Stonechat, 2 goldcrest, chiffchaff and Cetti’s warbler Rimac dunes. 22 pintail Rimac saltmarsh Lagoon late afternoon. 30+ rock pipit, merlin and water rail Rimac saltmarsh, and 2 stonechat Rimac outer dune scrub. Great crested grebe on the sea out from Rimac. 90 cormorant, 150 brent geese, 120 shelduck, 450 dunlin, 60 sanderling 35 ringed plover, 160 redshank, 30 golden plover, 120 oystercatcher, 180 curlew and 1500+ mixed gulls around Rimac foreshore late afternoon. 79 shoveler, 4 gadwall, 2 stonechat Paradise Lagoon. Great spotted woodpecker Paradise Wood and hen harrier hunting over the saltmarsh. 010126 – 88 species recorded around the NNR during the New Year’s Day bird race. Snow bunting, hen harrier, merlin, peregrine (with redshank prey), sparrowhawk, water rail, jack snipe and stonechat all around Rimac saltmarsh. 4 whooper swan, 8 mute swan and 39 pintail on Rimac saltmarsh lagoon. Another 2 whooper swan flew north over the foreshore and continued. Adult herring x glaucous gull hybrid, 150+ pink-footed geese, 8 red-throated diver and a common scoter flew north over the sea, and a female type long-tailed duck was just beyond the breakers near the tide bell. 3 shorelark and 60 linnet around Crook Bank outer dunes. 2 black-tailed godwit and kingfisher Eau outfall, 8 gadwall on Paradise Lagoon and a chiffchaff in the car park. Great spotted woodpecker and 2 mistle thrush Sea View. 4 white-fronted geese on wet grassland south of Crook Bank with feral geese. Barn owl and water rail around Churchill Lane. Treecreeper and woodcock in dune scrub near Brickyard Lane. 020126 – 10 white-fronted geese feeding on Elm House Farm grassland. Woodcock Sea View dunes, green woodpecker calling Paradise Wood and 2 stonechat nearby. 2 black-tailed godwit roosting on Paradise Lagoon and another 2 on the Eau outfall. 40 rock pipit and a stonechat Rimac saltmarsh. 030126 – 2 jack snipe, 31 snipe and 50 rock pipit Rimac saltmarsh. 5 cattle egret in field south of Rimac car park and a mistle thrush. Second-winter Northern herring gull on Mablethorpe beach ringed as a chick on Rost, Nordland (small island in NW Norway) in June 2024 – this sighting 1698 miles from the ringing site was the first sighting since. First-winter Northern Herring Gull ringed at Bergen was also still present on the beach. 040126 – minimum ground temperature of -8.0°C and air -4.0°C. All freshwater areas frozen. 2 stonechat close to Paradise Lagoon. Sparrowhawk and woodcock flew over the dunes around Sea View. 10 white-fronted geese again feeding on Elm House Farm grassland. Common gull on Mablethorpe beach ringed near Stavanger, Norway, in March 2011 as a second-year making it at least 17 years old – recorded in Norway regularly since but this is the first sighting from outside of Norway. 050126 – minimum air temperature -5.75°C. 4 cattle egret beside the Eau between Sea View and Rimac. 2 woodcock in the dunes near Sea View. 4 white-fronted geese dropped onto Elm House Farm and were feeding within feral geese. Peregrine flew low over Rimac saltmarsh late morning. Fieldfare Crook Bank south dunes and a lone snow bunting feeding along the strand line near the Tide Bell. 060126 – 2 long-tailed duck on the sea at Mablethorpe North End before flying south, and a pair of goosander on the sea. 4 white-fronted geese again on wet grassland south of Crook Bank. Woodcock flew strong in-off the sea and returning Orkney ringed sanderling again on the beach. Blackcap, 2 snipe and kingfisher Mablethorpe North End. Peregrine and redwing around Sea View early afternoon and woodcock flushed from scrub. 77 skylark, 7 rock pipit, 8 crow, 48 redshank and male marsh harrier around a frozen foreshore north of Churchill Lane. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 *** https://butterfly-conservation.org/300/lincolnshire-branch.html Chambers Farm Wood Butterfly Garden Volunteers 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/find-woods/ 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/ 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/find-woods/ Lincolnshire County Council - Local Nature Reserves https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/coast-countryside/nature-reserves ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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: 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 bumblebees| The Bumblebee Conservation Trust https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/ 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 Atlas of the terrestrial and semi-aquatic Mammals of 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 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Waiting for details. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ...AND FINALLY... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** National and International Stories *** Officer committed misconduct over mushroom foraging report - Leics https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn82jqwl1jlo 'Serious pest' eradicated from UK after crop fears - Colorado Beetle - Kent . https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4gd91g2zko WWF: Favourite wildlife moments of 2025 https://youtu.be/WiOrSFYK_Wc? The growth of parakeets: exploring their numbers and impacts https://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/post/blog-the-growth-of-parakeets-exploring-their-numbers-and-impacts Record year for wind and solar electricity in Great Britain in 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz947djd3d3o ‘A silent majority’: MPs underestimate support for green policies, study reveals https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/05/mps-underestimate-support-green-policies-study ‘Extraordinary’ iron age war trumpet find in Britain may have Boudicca links https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/07/iron-age-war-trumpet-find-britain-norfolk-boudicca-links *** Mail Fails *** None this week If you experience any Bulletin problems in future please let Alex Pickwell know. mrapickwell@gmail.com ----------------- ~ THE END ~ ----------------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons old.museum@yahoo.co.uk http://rogerparsons.info/