Dave Miller - The Living Sea

Our 2017 season of talks started on the 27th of January with the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's coastal warden Dave Miller, giving us a glimpse under the murky waters at the vast array of wildlife, 230 species of fish and countless varieties of invertebrates.

Dave talked about the efforts the Trust makes to increase public awareness of the rich biodiversity under the waves, and of the pressure put on government to strengthen protection of the marine environment.  We learned how we can all get involved in beach cleaning and observing and recording the porpoises and other cetaceans.

We heard of the Trust's disappointment that more Marine Conservation Zones have not been created but Dave talked positively about the progress that has, nonetheless, been made. Details of the 50 MCZs designated so far can be found at the JNCC website. 

Here are some other links that provide much information that build on Dave Miller's talk:

The Wildlife Trusts Living Seas Project.

Cetacean Watch.

The next Beach Clean event in our area is on Sunday March 4th, 10am at Anderby Creek. Here are the details.

The Norfolk Wildlife Trust website has good descriptions of marine invertebrates found in our waters.

Common Sunstar, Crossaster Papposus (Photo Jodi Warrick)

CHAIRMAN’S JOTTINGS JANUARY 2017

JANUARY EVENTS

SPEAKER MEETING

We begin the year at 7.30 pm on Friday 27 January 2017 when Dave Miller LWT Warden for the Coast and the Wash will tell us about ‘The Living Seas of Lincolnshire’.

Remember we have a new meeting venue. The indoor meetings are now held in the Methodist Church Hall at Nichol Hill, Louth. There are no stairs to climb, wheelchair access is good, so is the audio-visual system, all the chairs are set out and are comfortable and the hire charge is within the LAG budget.

Entry is £2.50 for adults. Children are most welcome and are not charged.

BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH

The weekend of 28-30 January is the time for us all to take part in the Great Garden Bird Watch. Last year many of you forwarded copies of your results to me which enabled me to collate them and to discover which species we have in the LAG area. Please do the same this year on lag2014rww@aol.com

JOTTINGS

LAPWINGS DELIVERY

We need someone to deliver Lapwings to the Newmarket, Linden Walk, Robinson Lane area of Louth. If you can help, contact Louise via lagrww2014@aol.com .

DONNA NOOK

The beach is now empty after a most successful year. 1959 seal pups were recorded which is a 3.5% increase over last year. We have seen some wonderful pictures on Facebook and on 19 December Judith, a star photographer, reported, ‘Another great day down at Donna Nook. There is always something different and today the beach patrol was done by a very elegant, healthy looking fox! I have never seen a fox on the beach in broad daylight among the seals in my 8 years of volunteering. A wonderful sight.’

AGM DIGITAL PHOTO SHOW

I hope that the fox picture will be amongst those that will be shown at April’s AGM. Let me know fairly soon if you have pictures to show - more details next month.

2018 MEETINGS PROGRAMME

The committee members are currently planning the 2018 programme. Do send me your ideas for places to visit and topics that you would like to have included in the programme.

HELP

Our committee membership is dwindling because of family commitments, ill health and relocation. There is a present requirement for at least 3 more members to join the committee/team. We meet about five times a year and administer the running of the group. We have to appoint a new Treasurer at the AGM. We also need people willing to give a hand at some of our 6 indoor meetings to help with refreshments.  If you have a glimmer of interest and want more details just let me know on 01507 606880 or on lag2014rww@aol.com

Ray Woodcock Chairman Louth Area Group

REPORT – LOUTH WATCH GROUP 15 TH January 2017

The group met at Spout Yard Gallery for a session about composting and recycling food waste. The session was led by James Pocklington.

The children began with a choice of drawing or a minibeast anagram/colouring sheet. Then James asked them about composting and about how and why it is made. They were then given trays of compost to explore for themselves, along with a variety of minibeasts that could be found within the compost. Magnifyers and a digital microscope were on hand for more intimate viewing, with the facilty to take photographs in close up if they wished. See examples below! Books and posters were used for identification.

During a break in the rain, the children then had a short period outside to find the Spout Yard compost bins and to look for some minibeasts in the garden. A large centipede was a good find.

After refreshments Emily showed us her Wildlife book that she had brought and found her favourite picture of a Brittle star.

James showed the children a ‘Rotbot’ he had made earlier that had been functioning for a couple of weeks. He then showed them how to make their own from a plastic bottle and containing among other things, some fruit and vegetable waste.

The children finished by taking home some minibeast poems if they wished.