2026 Calendar and Photo Competition
You can enter a maximum of three digital photos by emailing your .jpeg images to calendars@lincolnrspb.org.uk If the images are selected for the calendar, we will require high-resolution files.
The photos must have been taken in the UK by the person submitting them and the subject must be British wildlife or British wildlife habitats. No wildlife or habitats should be harmed, put at risk or unduly disturbed in the process of taking the photos and the photographer must abide by the Code of Conduct for Wildlife Photography.
The photos must be in landscape format and ideally should be 3508 x 2480 pixels. Please mark each photo with brief details of where and in which month the photo was taken.
The deadline for submitting photos is 31 July 2025. Any photos submitted after that date will not be considered.
By entering the competition you are automatically giving RSPB Lincoln Group permission to use your images free of charge, but the copyright will remain with the photographer.
This year we are going to try something a little different in the way the photos are selected for the calendar. Initially, committee members will select one photo from each person entering the competition. Then all members currently on the Group's email list will have the opportunity to vote on the final 13 photos for the calendar. Those with the highest number of votes will be the ones used for the calendar. At no point in the judging will the identity of the photographer be known.
Ban Driven Grouse Shooting
Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. Wild Justice’s driven grouse shooting petition is gaining momentum. We agree that we need to see the illegal killing of birds of prey stopped and the burning of peatland extinguished. That’s why we’re calling for the UK Government to introduce new licensing and stricter regulation in England, like they now have in Scotland.
The petition is a real opportunity to trigger an all-important government debate which could spark the action we need – it just needs to get to 100,000 signatures. To add your name to the petition please click on This Link.
Relief for seabirds as court rules that UK within its rights to end sandeel fishing
Last year, the EU challenged the UK's closure of industrial sandeel fishing in its waters. After going to Arbitration earlier this year, today the Arbitration Panel has found the ecological case against industrial sandeel fishing is sound and the UK has the right to stop this damaging fishing in its waters. We are relieved and delighted with this decision as this means that sandeels can be safeguarded for the seabirds that need them. Find out more on the RSPB Website.
RHS and RSPB join forces to champion Swifts
15% discount for RSPB volunteers & group members
We’ve teamed up with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for the first time ever to create a stunning show garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2025 in London, running from 1-6 July this year. The RSPB and RHS Swift Garden will bring to life one part of the amazing migratory journey of Swifts, one of the UK’s most remarkable yet threatened birds. It aims to raise awareness of their dramatic decline while celebrating their awe-inspiring journeys. It will represent the varied habitats that Swifts fly and feed over during their breeding season in the UK – including meadows, woodlands, and gardens – and will highlight the importance of wildlife gardening, encouraging people to grow diverse, insect-friendly plants.
A key feature of the garden will be sculptural representations of their nesting sites – such as Swift bricks – that can be introduced into domestic homes and other buildings to help Swifts thrive. The garden is being designed in collaboration between landscape architect Lilly Gomm and horticulturalist Coralie Thomas. RSPB supporters, members, group members, staff and volunteers will receive a 15% discount on all-day public tickets – just enter the code RSPBVIP15 when you purchase tickets Here.
The new Planning and Infrastructure Bill must help deliver nature’s recovery
Earlier in March, the UK Government introduced a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The UK Government says it wants the planning system to unlock economic growth, and the bill aims to speed up the delivery of new infrastructure, renewable energy, and the building of 1.5 million new houses by 2029. The Government has also said it wants a planning system that revives our natural world and has claimed the Bill offers huge opportunities to restore nature. Unfortunately, our assessment of what’s in the Bill is that this is simply not true. In fact, new powers proposed in the Bill could even weaken existing environmental protections and move us even further away from nature’s recovery. Read more at www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/planning-bill Here and take action at https://action.rspb.org.uk/page/159517.
Reserves categorisation site update
The reserves categorisation process is still ongoing and subject to legal restrictions on what we can say at the moment. It results from the fact that, like any responsible charity, we are always trying to make sure that the money that we receive from our generous members and supporters is spent in the best possible way to help nature.
The economy has not been in the best of shape in recent years. Every one of us is feeling the cost-of-living crisis and inflationary pressure, and many people are having to make difficult decisions in their day-to-day lives to make ends meet. This situation also affects the RSPB, and indeed many in our sector, in several ways, including increasing costs as prices and energy costs rise.
Our income is growing but not fast enough to keep up with rising costs. It took £150 million to deliver our work two years ago. Today that same work will cost us £165 million, a 10% rise. And so, to ensure our longer-term sustainability, we have completed a comprehensive review of our operations. We have looked across the organisation for improvements and efficiencies – from how we do our work to where we buy the things we need to do it. Further information is at www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/changes-on-our-reserves
Good news for bees!
More big news – the Government has upheld the ban on the use of neonicotinoids, the pesticide which is deadly to bees. This week they refused the application for use on sugar beet in England. So many people joined us in speaking up to make sure the ban was upheld, thank you! You can read the RSPB resonse Here.
Lakenheath Fen celebrates 30 years of nurturing wildlife
For the past three decades Lakenheath Fen Nature Reserve has built a habitat for species that were once considered rare in the UK to breed and increase in number. The wetland reserve was created in 1995 when the RSPB bought the site, which at the time was mainly arable fields. Read more at www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c77n1vk18pvo
Birdwatching cruises 2025
The times and dates of The Wash Birdwatching Cruises from Boston in 2025 can be found Here.
Tickets are £24 for RSPB members (£30 for non members) and half price for children. Bookings should be open soon via Blackfriars Art Centre 01205 363108 or www.ticketsource.co.uk/blackfriars
Now Hear This! Why suffer in silence when you could be hearing more?
Guest Dawn Chorus Blog by David Lindo
David Lindo, broadcaster, naturalist, speaker and writer a.k.a. 'The Urban Birder' is supporting our Dawn Chorus celebrations this year, with this special guest blog. David shares his journey of being profoundly deaf in one ear, how this impacted his experience of the natural world, and the tools he has found to help. As someone with a hearing impairment, this is of real interest to me. Read more and sign up to RSPB England bulletins at RSPB England - Our work - The RSPB Community
Fire in the hills: Why our uplands need your help
As autumn arrives, we can expect to see smoke rising over the northern English uplands from October to March, the heather and grass burning season. During this time, shooting estates use burning as a tool to remove unfavourable vegetation and encourage the growth of young heather – a food source for grouse and livestock. Burning often takes place on globally threatened upland habitats, such as blanket bogs, which have developed over millennia and store large amounts of carbon vital to tackling the climate crisis. We need your help to monitor where this is happening so we can protect these habitats. To find out more about the issue and how you can report burning please see this online article.
Rare Hen Harrier from Bowland disappears in suspicious circumstances
A Lancashire Hen Harrier has disappeared raising fears of illegal persecution. The young female, named Helius, hatched last summer in Bowland. Helius was fitted with a satellite tag which allowed the RSPB to monitor her movements. Her tag showed her to be exploring the wider Bowland area. She even went on to have chicks of her own, producing a brood of five chicks this summer on United Utilities land, three of which fledged. Her chicks having left, on 31 July 2024 Helius was at a location on the boundary of a United Utilities Estate between Brennand Fell and Tarnbrook Fell. The next day, her tag, which had been performing reliably, failed to transmit. It has been silent ever since.
The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and Lancashire Police were informed and a search was conducted, but they found no trace of Helius or her tag. In 2023 a total of 34 tagged Hen Harriers were killed or disappeared in suspicious circumstances. To learn more and find out you can help harriers and other raptors please see our wildlife crime web page.
How we’re helping birds to thrive
Here’s some good news. The UK may be one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, but, with your support, we’re determined to change that. The RSPB is working nationally and locally to preserve and expand our bird population. Read about how some of our most spectacular species are benefitting from our work – and your support – on this news page.
An Introduction to Bird Identification and Monitoring
The RSPB has produced a booklet which will give you an introduction to bird identification and monitoring. You can view and/or download a copy Here.
Historic win for EU’s nature: EU Council seals the deal on Nature Restoration Law
After a nail-biting last discussion, the EU Environmental Council finally adopted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), marking the last step for this long-awaited proposal to finally become law. This outcome is a huge win for Europe’s nature, climate action, citizens and future. Now we need the same commitment from the UK Government! You can find out more about this historic decision made by the EU on the BirdLife International website by clicking Here.
The Flow Country awarded prestigious World Heritage Site status
The Flow Country, including the RSPB’s nature reserve at Forsinard Flows, joins the Great Barrier Reef and the Serengeti as a UNSECO World Heritage Site.
The area is Europe’s largest expanse of blanket bog. It’s a living, working landscape. Many landowners, including the RSPB, are undertaking essential habitat restoration to protect this precious landscape for wildlife, people and the planet. The World Heritage Site will be managed by the Flow Country Partnership.
To mark the celebration, the RSPB's patron, King Charles III, visited Forsinard on Wednesday 31 July.
Volunteering at Langford Lowfields
Do you have a passion for nature?
We're looking for volunteers to spend a few hours a week chatting to visitors here at our Langford Lowfields Nature Reserve. We are looking for volunteers for Thursday morning, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays - half and full days available.
You'll be based at our lovely beach hut and be able to get involved with pond dipping and events.
Click here for more information.
Free coach travel for children on Sunday coach outings
You can book one free coach seat for a child under the age of 16 for each adult seat you book and pay for in advance - any admission charges will still apply, only the coach travel is free. We realise that it can be expensive for families to visit nature reserves so we are making this offer to encourage more people to bring children with them and encourage them to take an interest in birds, wildlife and our wonderful natural heritage.
Bird-food sales
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to sell bird food as we don't have any volunteers available to organise it.
Newsletters
The Group ceased producing paper copies of newsletters in 2024, all news is now on-line.only. Copies of all newsletters from the Group's formation in 1974 to the last one issued in 2014 are available on
Dropbox
You do not need a Dropbox account to view them.
To find out more about the RSPB click on the RSPB logo or visit www.rspb.org.uk