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Today was the first opportunity to go dormousing again that I've had for ages, they're frequently during the week and I'm working. I left home just after 8.00am and drove to the meeting place near Cheddar - yep the place where the cheese comes from, and the famous gorge, plus of course the caves, which were occupied thousands of years ago. Modern archaeologists suggest that some human skulls show our ancestors were cannibals, and that their brains were cooked inside the skull. Thankfully, as far as I know they've stopped doing it now, they just leave litter instead.
The area is protected by a deer fence, to keep them out, and predatory humans. It's on a hillside and is woodland which has grown on an old quarry with landfill. It's quite hard walking in places and had me puffing and panting.
First we checked nest boxes and if we saw nesting material, we stuffed the entrance hole with leaves, then when we'd surveyed a couple of rows, maybe twenty or so boxes, we went back and checked the suspect boxes. A few had abandoned dormouse nests in them, and others had dormice.
We had two boxes with babies in them, and can they move when disturbed? Fortunately, the way we do it means that none of the babies were lost and they were going to be removed to captive rearing over the winter, which would protect both mother and her babies. The babies were only 8gm and couldn't possibly develop enough fat to survive the winter, and in feeding them, the mother might not produce enough fat to survive either. Those which survive will be released next spring near the box from which they were taken.
I got to handle three adults and a couple of babies - they are really tiny and difficult to grab and hold for weighing. It was hard work up and down the hill, but it's really enjoyable and of course it's basically research for Bike, to give authenticity to Cathy's work.
We'd also set some Longworth traps, which are live trapping devices, to see what else was about. We only caught one field vole. Longworths are very fiddly things to set and bait.
Because we ran late, I nipped up the road to a small cafe and had a late breakfast at about 2.00pm then drove the two hours back home. Given the torrential rain we had all day yesterday, it stayed fine and wasn't too bad underfoot.
Angharad
Comments
Well done girl!
Hi Angie.
I can see you now scrambling up and down gorges. (Would that be the gorgeous in the gorges?)
Anyway, by the head-count it seems you had a successful day.
Happy mousing and don't tel Bonzi or Izzy, they'll get jealous.
Beverly.
Dormouse hunting.
Hello Angharad
I was happy to read about your Dormouse hunting trip. I hope all the young ones survive the winter so that can return and gorge themselves in the gorge
Love to all
Anne G.
Now We Cook Our Brains With Cellulars.
:) Good job. I think the little fellows and girls, are so adorable.
It is so fun to watch the wild life. I am priveleged to be able to look over the top of my monitor and look out the huge window at a bird feeder, the river bank and the canal in front of me. We even have this large, cat sized furry thing that likes to eat the seeds discarded by the birds beneath the feeder. We have some Cardinals, Chickadees, Jays, Swallows, and a dozen others that I do not know.
Both my roommates are birders and I am learning so much.
Much peace
Gwendolyn
Definitely got the 'Aawww' factor
This research is above and beyond but, if it gives you enjoyment and relaxation, that's a bonus.
I've learned much more about biology, politics, economics, and other subjects since you began EAFOAB than ever I learned in 10 years of schooling.
Susie
I've often considered...
...that each Bikesode should come with a warning that readers might learn something!
It's good to see one of the authoring team getting close to furry quadripeds. It wouldn't be so good if the other two did though—I'm not sure what creative things Izzy might come up with if that were to happen.
Perpetual Student
Bike Resources
Bike Resources
Langworth traps...
Here's what a Langworth trap looks like. You can poke the little end inside the big half to make them smaller to store away. They're meant to protect the animal after capture when set out for later pickup, so often have food and water arrangements.
Here's what a rough equivalent in the USA looks like, the Havahart brand, but others have similar traps on offer. The big one folds down flat. The first version, a humane live-capture mousetrap, doesn't collapse. They sell both two-door and one-door traps, because some animals don't like to poke their noses into holes they can't see the way out from. Others prefer hidey holes. In use, the Havahart mesh traps are often covered with a bit of burlap, or even brush, to make them less obviously man-made.
They come in all sizes, from mice to rabbits to big raccoons. Other firms make very robust traps suitable for bears.
Here's one in aluminum (very important if you have to fly in and out by helicopter) and stainless steel.
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
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Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
the top one
is what they call a Longworth trap over here, and what we were using yesterday morning.
Angharad
Angharad