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Make a bird cake with Nick Baker
The latest in our series of our Wildlife Watch/Nick Baker webfilms is now on the Wildlife Watch YouTube channel. In this film Nick shows us how to make bird cake.
> Watch the film
February 2010
Far Ings Visitor Centre open again
After a period of unexpected closure in January, the Far Ings Visitor Centre is now open. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. As well as stocking a range of gifts, bird food and feeders, you can now buy binoculars from the gift shop in the visitor centre. A range of Opticron binoculars from £20 to £250 are available. There is also a new drinks machine in the viewing area: where you can sit back and enjoy the view over the Pursuits Pit and a feeding station.
Great spotted woodpeckers, reed buntings, long-tailed tits and occasionally willow tits all visit the feeding station, and if you visit before the end of the month, you may spot the male smew which has been on the reserve over the winter months. There are also regular sightings of grey heron, marsh harrier, and occasionally bittern.
The Visitor Centre is open on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holidays from 10am until 4pm. On Thursdays and Fridays, the centre may be open depending on the weather and availability of volunteers. However, the centre is staffed seven days a week, for further information please contact the centre staff on 01652 637055.
> Visit Far Ings National Nature Reserve
February 2010
Beach Clean
On Sunday 31 January a team of 40 volunteers braved the cold weather to clear litter from the beach at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve.
Equipped with nothing more than a bin bag and loads of enthusiasm they scoured the beach and collected over 37 bags of rubbish. Within the 37 bags were 1256 items of rubbish, of which a staggering 557 pieces were plastic and 366 pieces were polystyrene. Other items included old paint tins, tyres and an old shoe!
This year’s event was the best ever with a combination of volunteers from the Linkage Community Trust and the general public – thank you to all who took part.
> Visit Gibraltar Point
> Join a Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust event
February 2010
Winter days on Wildlife Trust nature reserves
Deeping Lakes
Send your snowy photos of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves to info@lincstrust.co.uk (please don't send any files larger than 1 MB)
January 2010
New website for children and families
Nature action, ‘vole-tastic’ gaming, wildlife screensavers and ringtones, plus regular Tweets by naturalist and broadcaster Nick Baker – are all part of the new Wildlife Watch digital media package on offer to children and families, from The Wildlife Trusts.
Wildlife Watch is the junior membership branch of The Wildlife Trusts and now has a new-look website, a Twitter profile where Nick Baker keeps an online nature diary, a YouTube channel which features ‘How to’ videos for budding naturalists, and an exclusive water vole game where you fight for survival against fearsome foes like the tawny owl. Users can also download illustrated activity sheets and search an online wildlife database of over 800 plants and animals.
> The new Wildlife Watch website
> Wildlife Watch on YouTube
> Nick Baker's Wildlife Watch Twitter
January 2010
Postcards from Copenhagen
Whilst the outcome of the United Nations climate change conference Copenhagen was not what we had hoped for, perhaps it was a step in the right direction. Dr Gary Mantle MBE, director of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, represented The Wildlife Trusts at the conference. His e-postcards, sent during the conference give an insight into proceedings; this is an extract from his final postcard from Copenhagen:
"The agreement reached at Copenhagen won’t stop average global temperatures rising by more than two degrees and world leaders failed to agree a deal that to millions around the world were demanding. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence and massive popular support from people all around the world, some world leaders chose national self interest over the fate of future generations and they failed to resolve the issues blocking the way to a legally binding, fair and ambitious agreement. However, while the conference was not the success we hoped for, I don’t think it was an overwhelming failure. People travelled to Copenhagen with the hope of great strides being taken in tackling climate change. But in the end only a small step was possible. But at least it wasn’t two steps backwards! It very nearly was."
> Read Gary Mantle’s postcards from Copenhagen on the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website
January 2010
Tree O'Clock World Record Attempt
2,566 trees planted as part of World Record Attempt
120 people took part in the world record tree planting attempt at the new Monks Wood near Dunholme (part of Ashing Lane Nature Reserve). From 11am until 12noon on Saturday 5 December, 2,566 trees were planted.
This was a Guinness Book of World Records attempt to plant the most number of trees in one hour in multiple locations, which was organised nationally by BBC Breathing Places and at Monks Wood by the Nettleham Woodland Trust. BBC Breathing Places are counting how many trees were planted and will announce the results, and whether the world record was broken, soon.
If you planted a tree between 11am – 12 noon on the 5 December remember to email a digital photo to breathingplacestrees@bbc.co.uk, stating which type of native tree it is and giving your full postal address, by the deadline of noon on Friday 11 December so that it can count towards the record. (Independent verification is required for plantings of more than five trees, which simply means you need to have someone with you who can sign a piece of paper to say that you did it! Go to the Breathing Places website for full details.)
> Read the press release
> Visit the Tree O'Clock website
October 2009
Re-creating the wild fen
The Trust is delighted to be able to report that funding has been secured for the purchase of 283 acres at Willow Tree Farm in the south of the county. Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, Natural England, Environment Agency and the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership we are able to embark on an ambitious scheme to recreate wild fen habitat.
Willow Tree Farm, a former fenland washland, is linked to our two existing fenland nature reserves by the River Glen and the wildlife-rich Counter Drain. This is an exceptional opportunity to increase Lincolnshire's remaining fenlands by 200%. Watch this space for more news about this exciting scheme…
> Find out more about the Lincolnshire Fens
> Visit the South Lincolnshire Fenlands website (opens in new browser window)
April 2009
Lincolnshire coastal landscape to benefit
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded an earmarked first-round pass to the Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes as part of its Landscape Partnership (LP) programme. The grant of £904,500, including £47,100 development funding, will form part of a £1.7million project to help safeguard the unique natural and historic heritage of the coastal plain.
The Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes Project has been developed by a partnership which brings together interested parties from local authorities and agriculture, environment, conservation and heritage sector bodies. Practical and financial support will be available for local farmers in the conservation and management of grassland and livestock through a capital grant scheme and training programme; there will be opportunities, through a programme of activities, for local people and visitors to learn about the history, traditions and wildlife of this forgotten part of Lincolnshire; people will be encouraged to interpret the local landscape and celebrate local legends, customs and myths through art, creative writing and performance; and a series of nature and heritage trails, themed cycle routes and new horse-riding trails will allow people to explore the area and appreciate its unique charm and beauty.
Lincolnshire County Council will be the lead partner in the next stage; to develop these themes further and produce detailed proposals and project plans. Involvement of local communities will be essential in this process to make sure that the project incorporates people’s ideas about what is special and distinctive about the local landscape and its history.
> Visit the Coastal Grazing Marshes website (opens in new browser window)
April 2009
Car Parking Season Tickets
A combined car parking season ticket for Gibraltar Point and Snipe Dales is available for £7.50 for 12 months.
The season ticket is available at the Snipe Dales Office, Gibraltar Point Visitor Centre or by post from:
Banovallum House, Manor House Street, Horncastle LN9 5HF
Please make cheques payable to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
Mark your envelope CPST and enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
February 2007
