sign in sign up
<<
Home , Salisbury Plain, Water deer

Wiltshire Group

Spring 2015 Welcome to the spring edition of the conducting work for / on behalf of the Mammal Group newsletter. We hope you group. enjoy this newsletter, and indeed, the recent BBC Wiltshire's Marie Lennon has been out events that the group has provided. A huge recording short mammal tit-bits for her thanks you to all, whether you have helped Natural History radio piece. The Natural organise the events or supported the group History segments will be on Wednesdays at by attending them! roughly 2:45pm. They are well worth a listen Notes from the Chair and will vary between , birds and other taxa. With spring now well and truly set in there are We are now in our last year of the Wiltshire a plethora of mammals out and about. Mammal Atlas so are hoping for a big push Young are emerging and playing in the to fill in the blank spaces of the maps. To find open making it a great time to sit and out where your effort would make the watch. These often playful and charismatic biggest impact please contact us on creatures can reinvigorate anyone's interest [email protected]. in the natural world. It is a great time of the year to do some mammal surveys, with lots Lastly, but certainly not least, I am sure you of activity and vegetation at just the right would all like to join me in thanking height (long enough to make tracks / paths Catherine for all her hard work on the WMG easily visible but not too long that e.g. committee and particularly in setting up the stinging nettles are prohibitive). I encourage Wiltshire Hedgehog Project. Due to a each and every one of you to take a change in her work commitments Catherine mammal walk, whether it is along a river has stepped down from the committee but I looking for signs of otter and water vole or in am sure will still be seen at some of our a local park looking for signs of fox and events and we wish her well with everything badger. in the future. The Wiltshire Mammal Group is going through Reading University a period of reform currently; as a committee we think it necessary to put a constitution in researchers urgently need place formalising the group and many of the your help things we are already doing. A draft has already been circulated for comment and a Ben Williams final version will be put in place shortly. We Ecologists based at the University of Reading have also looked at our affiliation with the are currently conducting a project Mammal Society, which we have currently examining the possible impact of road suspended to release funds to go directly networks on hedgehog populations. It is into local mammal recording. We are also estimated that hedgehog populations in looking into the possibility of getting some parts of the UK have declined by insurance to cover members when approximately 20% in the last 20 years; the

Peoples Trust for Endangered Species and To report any sightings or if you have any British Hedgehog Preservation Society say questions, please get in touch via this email: that hedgehogs are declining at the same [email protected] rate as other globally, such as wild tigers! One possible factor contributing to this National Hedgehog Survey decline is the fragmentation effect of major Ben Williams roads on hedgehog populations i.e. hedgehogs avoid crossing these major The second, and final, year of the National roads, leading to populations becoming Hedgehog Survey is now underway! Last more and more isolated from one another, year Wiltshire volunteers came joint first with which potentially makes them more the number of sites surveyed, let's see if we vulnerable to other factors such as habitat can be top again! More sites have been loss and climate change. Essentially, we are made available this year so hopefully there asking 'Did the hedgehog cross the road'? will be one near you. The survey is a great excuse to get out and about and contribute For this study they are looking to obtain to some valuable research. It is also a good genetic samples from hedgehogs in a zone way to hone those footprint ID skills. To find approximately 10 miles north and south of out more about the survey please visit: the M4 between Swindon and Maidenhead http://ptes.org/get- and M3 between Winchester and Bagshot. involved/surveys/countryside-2/national- There are two ways you can help! First, is hedgehog-survey/ collecting the bodies of hedgehogs that If you don't have the time to commit to the have been killed on the roads. If you spot a national survey why not use one of the dead hedgehog the research team would group’s footprint tunnels in your garden. be grateful if you could collect the carcass Even if you think you don't have hedgehogs and either i) store it in the freezer until they there is a good chance you do, provisional are able to collect, or ii) post it too them. work shows that people aren't always aware Second, they are looking for people who when they have hedgehogs. This data will have hedgehogs visiting their gardens, in the then feed into our Mammal Atlas! above area, and who would be willing to help by e.g. putting out food for a few nights. The hedgehogs will tend to poo nearby; this can then be used to extract DNA. One you notice the hedgehog droppings we would be grateful if you could collect one and either i) store it in the freezer until they are able to collect, or ii) post it too them. Please do not touch the poo, this is for Health and Safety reasons and to protect the genetic integrity of the sample; we recommend the use of a plastic glove, disposable spoon or plastic bag to aid in the collecting of the sample. Inky hedgehog prints left behind in a footprint tunnel – By doing any of the above you will be Kirsty Ackerman-Hall. helping important research that aims to have a positive impact on the hedgehog population in the area. A Hare Raising Day degree vision so will spot any predator approaching. Andrew Barrett There are many great opportunities for learning new skills in this world for all us mammal lovers. Groups and societies filled with knowledgeable people who run workshops are a great opportunity to get out, meet new people and learn new skills. I was lucky enough to find this event, local to me, during the Christmas break. The Wiltshire Mammal Group ran a Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) survey workshop, which fell on a cold and very windy January day. The day began with a presentation by Mark A form in the crops - Andrew Barrett Satinet about the ecology of hare, ID skills and signs to look for when looking for them. Shortly after starting the survey walk we He also showed us other signs that might disturbed a hare only a few feet away, potentially get confused with hare, such as which got up and took off up the hill; the and sheep faeces. speed was marvellous and very exciting. This We split into two groups for the afternoon, was our first hare of the day, and we were one group with Mark and the other (my able to find the form from which it had group) with Gareth Harris and Lisa Wade, sprung. Throughout the survey we saw a total both regular surveyors who have worked a of 14 hare, most of them laid up on the south lot with the Wiltshire Mammal group. The facing slope catching the sun but out of the survey was to take place on two adjoining wind and which could only be viewed from grid squares on the Wiltshire Downs. across the valley, with binoculars. We also saw two groups of and a wide variety of birds. We finished the day gathered together in the farm yard comparing notes. Everyone had seen hares and had all enjoyed the day. Simon Smart is co-ordinating activities and getting landowners’ permission so we can do further surveys. This link is to the Wiltshire Mammal Group page with a PDF of instructions on how to conduct a hare survey. http://wiltshiremammals.wordpress.com/pu The team scan for Hare - Andrew Barrett blications/brown-hare-surveys/

Wiltshire Mammal Atlas Hare are nocturnal animals and during the day will lie up in a form. A form is a shallow Gareth Harris depression which looks like if you kneel in the Records round-up winter 2014-15 & Priorities mud. The hare lie in this so their eyes remain for recording in 2015 above earth, and they have a near 360 At the end of January, WMG submitted the gathering recent and historic bat data for 2014 mammal data to WSBRC, comprising; submission to WSBRC, and also to enable this to be included in the Wiltshire Mammal Atlas  2576 records from Living Record, of Project. This has resulted in the collation and which 1853 records were from North submission of several thousand bat records, Wiltshire, 723 records from South which will likewise make significant Wiltshire. These relate to the previous contributions to the atlas and our knowledge 12 months only, since records entered of these species in Wiltshire. to Living Record prior to this were submitted in January 2014. Records of note since the last newsletter  A few hundred records from the RSPB (autumn 2014) Team, collected during the – observations of this species course of fieldwork in South Wiltshire in continue to be submitted (often with 2014. photographs!) from sites across the county.  Records submitted from some of the In recent years, juveniles have been noted various dormouse monitoring and rutting stags, so an element of breeding schemes around Wiltshire is presumed, although since at least one  A tiny number of records were also has been seen still wearing ear-tags, submitted to irecord or the escapes from deer farms is presumably still MammalTracker smartphone app. an issue! This comprises a significant increase in Chinese water deer – rumours of this species recording and records submission since are circulating and yet no-one is able to January 2014 (and an even greater increase provide evidence or sightings to date. on the period prior to this), and comprises a Rumours persist in the north-east of the great contribution of data towards the county, and around Swindon. Further Wiltshire Mammal Atlas Project (and of information would be welcome. course the National Mammal Atlas Project). Fallow Deer – are they really scarce in It is worth noting however that many of the Wiltshire? Or just under-recorded? The records submitted to Living Record are records suggest populations in the Bentley casual observations and ad hoc records, Wood area, Lacock/ Lackham area and and they therefore were not collected Kempsford area with isolated and infrequent where mammal surveys were the primary records elsewhere. purpose. Whilst submission of data in this way – again, there have long been is very welcome, it also highlights that we rumours of Wild Boar in Wiltshire, usually need more members to help us deliver 10km associated with escapes from captive squares for the Atlas Project to help ensure populations on farms. Two recent incidents in an even spread of records across the Wiltshire have focussed attention upon this county. issue once again, with the tragic fatality of a During the past 12 months we have also motorist on the M4 following collision with a collated historic data from a number of Wild Boar (www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk- sources and submitted this to WSBRC too, -wiltshire-30691090), and then the including large datasets from Blackmoor report by Princess Anne of a Wild Boar killing Copse and Oysters Coppice (dormice and one of her prize Gloucester Old at other mammals) and Cumberwell Golf Gatcombe Estate (which gained Course (Bradford On Avon). considerable media coverage at the time). It is also worth bearing in mind that as a result The result is a government-led survey of of our close links with Wiltshire Bat Group, we Wiltshire’s Wild Boar (see have also been working together on www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire- 31041671) which a number of authorities on further records from across the county are Wild Boar, including some working in the encouraged for our emblem species! Forest of Dean, have expressed some Harvest Mouse – another species of concerns about the effectiveness of. agricultural landscapes but which is very Since January 2015 we have received poorly understood in Wiltshire, beyond photographic evidence of Wild Boar in the knowing it’s often present when looked for! area. Given the presence of Additional records arising from the analyses Wild Boar farms in the county, escapes from of owl pellets or site surveys, particularly of these are likely – the question is, will they locations on Plain Military Training establish, or have they already established, Area, again provides tantalising incentive to wild populations in the Wiltshire countryside? do more surveys in 2015! Are they breeding? Hedgehogs – thanks to the continued Given the very low number of reports and interest in this species (who doesn’t love a records I suspect not, and so I invite hedgehog!?) a large number of observers members to prove me wrong! I’d welcome continue to report hedgehogs in their any reports of Wild Boar and photographs of gardens and villages, with records feeding signs, wallows, footprints etc. supplemented by the WMG’s Hedgehog Project during 2014, which provided survey Mustelids – it is heartening to see a range of tunnels and ink for surveys across the county. mustelids being recorded from across the Please continue reporting your garden county. Otter sightings from all river hedgehogs in 2015. catchments are frequent. Polecats are noted from across the county, often Big cats – probably not the species you (unfortunately) from road kills, but also from expected me to finish with. Following the sightings. The sharing of data with Lizzie excellent talk and presentation by Rick Croose of Vincent Wildlife Trust is highlighting Minter in March 2015 to WMG members, it that our polecats are generally exhibiting the was clear that interest in big cats in the UK phenotype of “pure” polecats, rather than remains high, with sightings of leopard-types, hybrids with ferrets, which is also good news. puma and even lynx perhaps becoming The number of sightings of stoat and weasel regular in some areas (if you don’t believe is also pleasing, including breeding of me, you should have come to the talk!). weasels at Langford Lakes WWT Reserve. Some excellent sightings in Wiltshire in recent Water voles – reported from several months highlight that this county has perhaps locations, including various locations in the been under-reported previously; our Salisbury Avon catchment such as Salisbury, dramatic open and unpopulated and , the Wylye, landscapes (the chalk , Salisbury and the Thames / Cotswold Plain, edge of the etc.) offer Water Park and Swindon. Numbers of considerable potential for big cats and American mink reported are thankfully low, sightings of them. If you see big cats, or perhaps a result of ongoing trapping evidence such as carcasses, please take as programmes in the count. many photos as possible and get in contact with me or Rick Minter. We are happy to take Brown Hares – seemingly ubiquitous across reports in confidence and maintain site Wiltshire in terms of distribution, it’s impossible confidentiality. Rick can be contacted on however to assess if populations are stable. [email protected]. I strongly Recording efforts following the Brown Hare recommend his book, Big Cats: Facing Survey training in January 2015 produced a Britain's Wild Predators smattering of additional dots on maps, but (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1849950423). Priorities for recording in 2015 yield significant data. Anybody interested in doing this? It would be easy to say “everything” is a  Bats – Wiltshire Bat Group is leading on priority, as we still have significant gaps in some 10km square-focussed surveys knowledge for many species in Wiltshire (for across Wiltshire (and will be informing its example, House Mouse!), but nevertheless membership shortly!) to encourage the following are the conservation priorities recording of common bat species in and priorities relating to the forthcoming under-recorded areas. WMG members Wiltshire Mammal Atlas. Records of the with experience of bat survey and following are welcome, and indeed identification are encouraged to record systematic surveys even more so. bats and submit records via Living  Deer species, particularly, red deer and Record. Known roosts can be reported to fallow deer , but also me (I am also County Bat Recorder in (colonising from Dorset) and Chinese Wiltshire) for follow up and recording. All water deer (rumoured to have information gratefully received. colonised).  Wild Boar, for reasons described above, Fishing for Mammals any information on wild or escaped Wild Boar will be gratefully received. Neil Pullen  Mustelids, particularly polecat, stoat, Simply sitting and watching is often the best weasel, otter. All records welcome but way to see wildlife and I think one of the particularly proving breeding. A main reasons why I spend so much time systematic way to survey for these fishing. This has been highlighted to me species, perhaps survey tunnels or several times in the past year when I have camera traps, would be most welcome. observed various mammals at close quarters.  Brown hare, harvest mouse (and polecat) are UK BAP species, also listed on the Wiltshire BAP. As specialists of agricultural My first encounter was at a lake I fish landscapes it is unsurprising that Wiltshire regularly owned by a friend of mine. As probably supports significant numbers. usual we always spend some time chewing Harvest mouse in particular is worthy of a the cud before the serious fishing begins. On monitoring programme in Wiltshire. this occasion my friend asked about a small  Water vole and Dormouse – as protected almost blackish mouse he had seen species, records of these species are collecting maggots that had been thrown always welcome and of paramount down for the local robins to feast on. My rd importance for their conservation and friend keeps about 1/3 of the lake for his ongoing monitoring. personal use only. Apparently this “mouse”  The “small mammals” – negligible would collect a few and then swim off with amounts of small mammal work is them underwater throwing up a cloud of delivered in Wiltshire at presence, mainly bubbles. I explained that I thought this may due to time constraints on those be a water shrew, a very unusual sight, I experienced in doing it. At present small have only ever seen three when fishing mammal recording is either comprised of usually on small streams. I continued around casual observations or a by-product of the lake and began fishing. Sometime later I other surveys (such as nestbox or reptile saw a small, dark furred “mouse” covered in refugia monitoring), or results from the translucent bubbles swimming on the edge extensive analyses of owl pellets from of the lake. It crawled out of the water and sites across Wiltshire. Site-specific under a mat I use to lay any fish I catch on to monitoring of a suite of habitats would prevent damage. It spent the next hour or so popping in and out collect maggots and casters and disappearing under the mat. I speaking to the converted here but anglers had never seen a water shrew on this lake, could contribute so many records. never heard of one until mentioned that day and have never seen another. My next encounter was with an otter. I have Big Cats – A Naturalising been incredibly lucky and seen otters Predator? throughout the UK, on the continent and even in Panama. But I had not seen one in Gareth Harris Wiltshire until last year. If you listen to some It would appear that few topics remain quite anglers, you would expect to see and otter as slippery and tantalizing as the subject of popping up in front of you every few “big cats” in the British countryside. Rick minutes, and on some sites such as the river Minter’s presentation to the mammal group Wye I do see them regularly, every third trip on the 19th March entitled “Big Cats – a or so. I am very lucky to have membership of naturalising predator?” was fascinating in an exclusive section of the upper Bristol Avon two ways. and spend many hours fishing here for everything from tiny wild brown trout to large Firstly, the data and anecdotal evidence barbel. I have occasionally heard a splash presented by Rick, clearly shows that a lot of looked around and seen nothing other than people widely spread across the country are ring of water. However, last year I was lucky consistently seeing and describing large enough to catch a glimpse of head making cats. What animal exactly these sightings its way downstream before I heard the may be of is a question I’ll return to below, splash and follow the animal downstream to but the quantity of data and records is see it reappear and almost as soon growing, and is increasingly irrefutable. One disappear not to be seen again. Knowing it of the consistencies is that in whatever was there encouraged ne to put in a few episode and whichever area of recording, more hours of fishing. I was lucky enough to the data shows that witnesses are reporting see it twice more within a month. On these the same three larger cats in the same occasions I had hidden myself away for the proportions, and the witnesses have no water’s edge so neither fish or otter could foundation knowledge of these cats, yet see me. On the final occasion it spent a seem to describe their standard form and good two minutes swimming within a few behaviour reasonably well. feet of the end of my fishing rod as I sat Secondly, the attendees of the event were frozen not wanting to move and scare it. I as fascinating as the big cats they’d come have now also seen another otter on to hear about! another site in Wiltshire, a site I have been The big cats – visiting for 35 years or more. From across the region, and elsewhere in the My final encounter was with another animal I UK, some of those interested in big cats are usually only ever seen glimpses of or hear busy recording evidence, reports of when making a kill. This was weasel. That I observations and mapping their locations. To sat and watched running, manically but with all intents and purposes, they are much like obvious purpose as it hunted a small planting more conventional mammologists including of willow and hazel. I never saw the kill but readers of this newsletter, in that they are again heard the screams of the rabbit it had scientifically and methodically recording eventually managed to track down. Chilling. observations and data as objectively as So there you have it – one of the reasons I possible. It’s worth noting that, as in any field, spend so much time fishing. I am probably some are better than others and some are prone to hyperbole and conspiracy theory, which is, in my view, a great shame as they sandy-grey puma (Puma concolor) (also do a great disservice to their more objective known as mountain lion, cougar in its native and measured peers. In my view (but you range) and less frequently lynx. There was should decide for yourself) Rick Minter and also a discussion about how some feral his team are among the best in the field – domestic cats can attain a larger-than- objectively collating data and following the expected size. It is also noteworthy that a evidence. Rick has been asked to brief number of smaller non-native cat species official countryside bodies on the subject, have been found wild in the UK, including for and he helps coordinate the big cat study at example, the Jungle Cat (Felis chaus), the Royal Agricultural University. Amongst the African Wildcat (Felis lybica) as well as the work at the RAU in Cirencester, Rick Bengal Cat (Felis catus × Prionailurus explained the phenotypic evidence being bengalensis, a selectively-bred domestic sought through tooth pit analysis, especially breed). A number of Jungle cats have been through gauging a predator/ consuming shot and described in and adjacent to animal’s carnassial imprints on skeletal Wiltshire in recent decades. remains, for which the pattern of cusps can The attendees – be distinguished between canid and felid, as explained in the recent BBC I Wonder Those attending these talks (this wasn’t the package on this subject. first talk by Rick that I’d attended) can perhaps very crudely be classified into three The data they collect tells its own story, not groups and described as follows; just of the subject matter, but of the observers. Those of us active and Group 1 are the witnesses, who have coordinating projects in the recording observations and/ or evidence to share. community have long been aware that as Group 2 are the hard core sceptics, who much of our time is spent observing the may not be convinced by evidence other recorders as the natural history. than seeing a big cat for themselves, ideally in broad daylight, unobscured and at very Rick has been studying this subject for many close quarters. There may be a spectrum years, studying the big cats and their within this group, with a greater incidence of evidence as well as the observers and their hard evidence able to influence people. local communities. How the observers and Group 3 are the “don’t knows”, often local communities react may clearly vary sceptical but open-minded and open to but hearteningly most react positively and listen to the experiences of others. with a degree of protectiveness. His blog (https://bigcat101.wordpress.com/) and All three such groups were present on the book (Big Cats-Facing Britain’s Wild Predators 19th March and included a highly plausible by Rick Minter) are full of witness accounts witness. A retired officer in the army from made all the more remarkable by their Imber Conservation Group who saw a large consistency. The images of deer and black cat, fitting a black leopard description, livestock carcasses, predated by big cats, on the Imber Ranges on Salisbury Plain confirmed with varying degrees of Military training area. With the clear and confidence are an impressive reminder of concise reporting and presentation skills the prey size taken. characteristic of officers in the armed forces, a highly credible observation was calmly Which species are we talking about here? recounted in great detail. The majority of big cat sightings in the UK are of black panthers (assumed to be melanistic It is interesting to note the hard core leopard (Panthera pardus), and some past sceptics; who admit they struggle to accept hard evidence here for leopard does exist) , the evidence, including irrefutable DNA whilst around a quarter of report fit the evidence. The sceptics are important of course – we need to continually question the data from all angles, and build the evidence base, so it is robust and stands up to scrutiny. Reporting sightings in Wiltshire Whilst neighbouring counties such as Gloucestershire and Dorset have regular reporting of big cats and their field signs, Wiltshire is yet to receive the same attention and at present, we’re not aware of anyone collating records and observations, other than on occasions via neighbouring Dorset A chewed fish on the river bank – Gill Cardy and Gloucestershire. If you feel you may have encountered big cats or their field signs in Wiltshire, please contact Rick Minter (initially via [email protected]) or myself ([email protected]). We are happy to take reports in confidence and maintain site confidentiality, and in some instances, where it may be worthwhile and appropriate to do so, reports can be followed up, to investigate potential evidence in a sensitive way. A footprint in the mud – Gill Cardy

Thanks to Gill Cardy for sending the pictures to us. Please keep your eyes peeled and Spotted Melksham! send in your records. There have been some interesting sightings on the River Avon in Melksham. Firstly a very Dormouse Surveys & silky shrew was found under a reptile tin: Monitoring

Gareth Harris With increasing interest in dormouse monitoring in Wiltshire, there is also an increasing requirement for the field equipment necessary to such monitoring. Earlier this year, the WMG emailed a number of consultancies and consultants known to be active in Wiltshire, to request their help and support, in the name of a good spring clean! We asked them if they would be A surprised shrew found under a reptile tin – Gill Cardy willing to donate any dormouse tubes (in whatever state!) that may be surplus to

requirements or cluttering up their store In addition there have also been some signs rooms. The response was incredible with of possible otter activity on this section of the large numbers of tubes donated by; river consisting of chewed fish remains and a footprint:  Richard Dodd, Wildwood Ecology  North Wood, North Wraxall NDMP  Jonathan Adey, ADE Ecology (Lead: Kip D’Aucourt)  Neil Pullen & Ellie Jones, Wiltshire  Wood (Warminster) (Lead: Wildlife Trust Gareth Harris/Lisa Wade) (unknown  Simeon Smith, Simecology status of Dormice)  Chloe Delgery, Atkins There are also additional monitoring sites, not  Simon Colenutt & Ed Venables, ECOSA listed here, that are delivered by existing  Rosy Benbow, RSK Environmental volunteer groups. Consultants, Amazingly, dormouse monitoring is currently In all, 170 brand new tubes were donated, being undertaken on 15 or more sites across plus a further 200 tubes without inserts (which Wiltshire, some of which pre-date WMG we’ll refurbish). Furthermore we received a involvement of course, but many of which donation of £50 (the donor wished to remain have arisen in recent years as a result of anonymous, but thank you!). The Wiltshire WMG members. This doesn’t include Wildlife Trust also donated a few boxes too. additional sites which have been surveyed In addition, Henry Edmunds of Cholderton but found to be negative for dormouse. Of Estate also donated £100 to support the these 15 sites, dormice are known from 11 dormouse surveys of the Estate’s woodlands, and many are monitored as part of NDMP helping to cover the costs of survey tubes, surveys. I wonder how many additional sites wire etc. are being monitoring that we don’t yet know about. If you know of some, please let us So, on behalf of Wiltshire Mammal Group, a know! huge thank you to all donors!!

Getting involved in 2015 Survey and monitoring in 2015 This activity therefore means we have It’s looking like 2015 is going to be a very opportunities to involve WMG members and busy year! New survey and monitoring friends in some of these schemes. As schemes have been (or will be!) established mentioned above, some of these schemes at several locations across Wiltshire over the are run by existing volunteer groups with their winter, including; own trainees, but the following schemes are open to involvement from WMG members  Nockatt’s Coppice (Centerparcs, and friends. If you’re not a WMG member Longleat Estate, Warminster) (Lead: already, we’d strongly encourage you to Louisa Kilgallen) join, in order to help support these monitoring  Windy Dido, Cholderton Estate schemes. Paying members will be prioritised! (Salisbury) (Lead: Sue Walker) (unknown status of Dormice)  Nockatt’s Coppice (Centerparcs,  Collingbourne Wood (Collingbourne Longleat Estate, Warminster) Ducis) (Lead: Chloe Delgery)  Lead: Louisa Kilgallen  Webbs Wood (Brinkworth) (Lead: Colin [email protected] & Jacqui) (unknown status of  Tubes and Boxes. Probable dormouse Dormice) nests found in tubes in 2014.  Windy Dido, Cholderton Estate Monitoring will also continue at; (Salisbury)  Lead: Sue Walker  Savernake Forest NDMP [email protected] (Marlborough) (Lead: Mark Satinet)  West Wood (Marlborough) (Lead:  Tubes established in 2015. Dormouse Chloe Delgery) status unknown.  Collingbourne Wood (Collingbourne The WMG Crossword Ducis)  Lead: Chloe Delgery Challenge! [email protected]  To be established in 2015 with tubes Tim Kaye and/or boxes. Historic records of Dormice.  Savernake Forest NDMP (Marlborough)  Lead: Mark Satinet [email protected]  Boxes – ongoing NDMP site with dormice.  West Wood (Marlborough)  Lead: Chloe Delgery [email protected]  Boxes, with historic records of dormice.  North Wood, North Wraxall NDMP  Lead: Kip D’Aucourt

[email protected]  Boxes – ongoing NDMP site with dormice. Across If you’d like to get involved in these schemes, please email the project lead using the email 1. The depression made by a hare 6. Now thought extinct in the Peak District address above in order to find out the 7. The author of the Animals of Farthing Wood available survey dates. Bear in mind that 11. Henry Williamsons otter schemes have varying numbers of survey 12. Squirrels home 13. Which small mammal produces venom from the dates and volunteers helping already (and grooves in its teeth? that we are all volunteers doing this in our 16. Phoca vitulina spare time). 18. Water Vole in Wind in the Willows 19. Useful pellets come from this bird I also emailed the membership during April 20. The barking deer 22. Type of vole found in the Scottish islands seeking member’s interest in being included 24. Known to smell like otter poo on a dormouse-specific email group. The intention is to create a sub-set of the Down membership who are known to be interested in dormouse survey opportunities (for 1. Microtus agrestis example, if they are working towards a 2. Seen recently at Lower Moor Farm! 3. Traditional name for badger Natural England licence). This helps to 4. Female Stoat reduce email traffic to the entire 5. Edible in Latin membership (not all of whom may be 8. Male stoat 9. The strongest of the Sandleford rabbits interested in receiving these emails) and 10. Mouse that is minutus helps us understand how many people are 12. Latin for Fallow Deer particularly interested in this aspect of the 14. Caught in Stockholm in 2014 it weighed 1kg 15. Ridiculous insectivore Group’s work. 17. Home of the mole 21. Number of native deer species in the UK If you’re keen to get involved in dormouse 23. Baby rabbit work, please email the project leaders directly as listed above.