- -- - - t STATUS OF MAMMALS IN THE SOUTHAMPTON AREA INTRODUCTION TABLE OF CONTENTS LAGOMORPHA The Southampton-Wildlife Link has Rabbit 8 decided to produce a report on the INSECTIVORA Hare 8 mammalian 'fauna of the Southampton Hedgehog 2 area' because, to our knowledge, Mole 2 RODENTA nobody has done so previously and it Common Shrew 2 Grey Squirrel 9 was thought that it would be a useful Pygmy Shrew 3 Red Squirrel 9 exercise ,to do sa. We consider that the Water Shrew 3 Dormouse 9 main purpose of this report is to bring Harvest Mouse 10 together information on 'the distribution CHIROPTERA Wood Mouse 10 of mammal species currently available Greater Horseshoe Bat _ 3 Yellow-necked Mouse 10 to the Link and in so' doing, inform both Daubenton's Bat • 4 House Mouse 10 the general public, and those with the Whiskered Bat 4 Black Rat 11 responsibility over the green areas of Noctule Bat 4 Brown Rat 11 the city, of the diversity of mammal Leisler's Bat 4 Bank Vole 11 species present. In addition we hope-to Serotine Bat 4 Field Vole 11 promote more interest and further Pipistrelle Bat 5 Water Vole 12 recordinq of mammals, and other Brown Long-Eared Bat 5 wildlife, within the city boundaries. Grey Long-Eared bat 5 ARTIODACTYLA .. Red Deer 12 AUTHOR CARNIVORA Fallow Deer 12 Mr Philip Budd Fox 5 RoeDeer 13 Stoat 6 Muntjac 13 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Weasel 6 Dr 'A. J. Barker Mr C. Boulton European Mink 7 PINNIPEDIA Mr J. Buckley Mr G .. C}ay American Mink 7 Common Seal 13 Mr P. Halliwell Mr N. 'Hider Domestic Ferret 7 Grey Seal 13 Mr J. Pain Mr J. Poland Otter 7 Badger 7 CETACEA Harbour Porpoise 14 Dolphin 14 1 ;. .,,'-&0., . "- ..... " ~-.!.: '_.,,:~' ......, " STATUS OF MAMMALS IN THE SOUTHAMPTON AREA . :;,....-:~- _- ~,j • , _.' ., .," .... '" :,;::~;../;" :: .~~:;':~j~i'f~t~~:iq': ..:-; , , INSECTIVORA The only recent suburban garden MOLE (Talpa europaea):- record that we have is from Fitzroy HEDGEHOG (Erinaceus europaeus):- Close, Bassett (1995). Unlike the Hedgehog the Mole is not Very widespread and usually common an animal frequently seen in small in most of the suburbs of suburban gardens but like it there are Southampton, especially in gardens. no records in the inner city parts of The majority of records are from the Southampton. It prefers the deep, Maybush/Coxford area; 'Bassett and peaty soils and ready supply of Bitterne/ThornhiIIiSholing. No records worms to be found in river and for inner city areas; the closest to the stream valleys-and is particularly centre of town being Regents Park (in common at Lower Test Reserve; the west); Southampton Common (in Shoreburs Greenway and in the the centre) and Peartree Green (in the Itchen Valley. There are also recent east). Around the city there ace records from major woodland areas records for Lower Test; Lord's Wood; around the city such as Lord's Wood; Common Shrew (top juvenile, and Bursledon; Hamble and Netley. Botley Manor Country Park; West middle adult) However, at Netley, it appears to be Wood and in the Allington Lane area. Pygmy Shrew (Bottom) absent from West Wood and rarely Additionally there are old· (1960s) seen at Victoria C~untry Park. Gaps records from Dibden Bay and Nursling It seems to be absent from much of in its distribution around the edge of Gravel Pits. the eastern suburbs including such the city may be explained by places as Netley Common, Hum Hole predation by Badgers in some areas. COMMON SHREW (Sorex araneus):- and Peartree Green and most Also the Hedgehog seems to 'be common in the south-east (including ':--.._ subject to periodic variations in Widespread and probably common in Shoreburs); the Itchen Valley area; numbers, for example it was most ~reas around the city where the Test Valley and in the Lord's frequently seen in the period 1983 to there is significant scrub and tall Wood area. There is even a recent 1 986 and again in 1994 to ,1997 but grasses but seldom seen except when record (1998) from the Sports Centre. was rarer in the period between. trapping for mammals or as cat kills. I have no record for Southampton Common since 1980, when it was 2 STA TUS OF MAMMALS IN THE SOUTHAMPTON AREA , -, . ,'" recorded in the Old Cemetery. are very recent records for both of by use of a bat detector. Bats these areas and the only additional produce sounds that are ultra-sonic, PYGMY SHREW iSorex mtnutusv: old re~ord is for Nursling Gravel Pits i.e. mostly beyond the range of (1964L human hearing, but a detector can This is the smallest mammal to be pick up these sounds and convert , found in the Southampton area. This them into something that can be species has similar habitat heard. Some species can then be requirements to the Common Shrew identified with a degree of certainty. but appears to be much rarer -around Nevertheless there is some doubt Southampton. Most recent records regarding the identification of most of are from the south-east including - the rarer species around the city, Shoreburs, West Wood and, possibly, hence the use of square brackets in Victoria Country Park. It was present Water -Shrew the accounts below. Also it has been around Mansbridge Heservoir up to at considered wise, for various reasons, least 1987 and still in the Old CHIROPTERA (Bats) to exclude reference to roost sites Cemetery on Southampton Common from the species accounts. in 1979. There are no garden records Bats, being nocturnal and able to fly, and no records in the west since the pose special problems when it comes [GREATER HORSESHOE BAT 1960s. to identification and recording of iRhinolophus ferrumeguinum)]:- species. Additionally the provisions WATER SHREW (Neomys fodiens) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act There are just two, rather doubtful, 1981 mean that it is illegal to disturb 1966 records from Nursling GPs and The Water Shrew, as its name 'bats at their roosts, capture them and Lord's Wood. As far as is known suggests, is an aquatic mammal. have them in the hand without a these specimens were not caught in . However, in the Southampton area, it special license. It goes without the hand. In fact there are very few seems to be confined to the main saying that such provisions are recent records from anywhere in - . river valley sites, namely Lower Test essential requirements if bats areto Hampshire. Reserve and the Itchen Valley up river be properly protected in this country, from Woodmill and including the area however successful identifications around Mansbridge Reservoir. There can only be made by those with special-permission to handle them or ..~ ... t ' ,. 3 . ' : .' 'f~. .1.:, ~., ._~ " ~ ._.,.. ~~. .l -_ " - ....:~:-,5.>'~~:!'-~~.,.-. :-:i~,';~; ,.. ., STATUS OF MAMMALS IN THE SOUTHAMPTON AREA _o •• :<::. .:_~::~....~: ':~/~:;;: . - .......:>:':.II' -- DAUBENTON'S BAT (Myotis [WHISKERED BAT (My~tis Eastleigh Airport; Weston; Badnam daubentom) :- mystacinus)]:- Copse at Bursledon and, probably, Netley. There are also records from a This is a common bat in river valleys There are two, somewhat doubtful, Thornhill garden {1983}; Lower Test in Hampshire, including the records for Lord's Wood (1968) and Reserve (1978) and Rownhams Southampton area. There are many Nursling GPs (1969). However the (1965). records for Riverside Park; discovery of.a dead bat, apparently of Mansbridqe and Itchen Valley Country this .specles, in Nightingale Wood [LEISLER'S BAT (Nycta/us /eis/en)]:- Park'in particular. ·~Else~here it has. (1967) cannot be verified- but makes been frequently reported on it more likely that a po~pulationof this This is a rare bat in Britain but known Southampton Common up to at least species existe~ to the 'NW of the city, to occur in Hampshire. Unfortunately 1985, when there was a davtime at least in the 1960s. It must be the only Southampton record, for sighting of one over the' Boating Lake. noted that the current species is very Townhill Park (1977) cannot be difficult to separate from either the verified. Without doubt"_ _ this species1 ... is• under-- recorde~ i!:1the ..Test,!al.!~y ~ith-the BRANDT'S ,BAT (M.bra~dtl) or the most recent record beinq for Nursling NATTERER'S BAT (M.nattteren) SEROTINE BAT (Eptisicus serotinus):- GPs (1969).'. .. .. exceptwhen in the hand. Both of .x: --.._.c _ ::..:~.: '-~; : 2~-.';~r.~·}~. 3.~;=-: ~,,~ these latter'two species have not This bat, and the Noctule, are the been reported around the city but largest species to be found in the could ,occur. ' • Southampton area. Also, along with ~ the Pipistrelle and Brown Long Eared NOCTULE BAT (NyctaJus noctu/a):- Bats, it is more likely to be found in buildings than the other species. In This is probably the second Britain the Serotine Bat is only commonest species of bat in the common south of the M4 corridor and ",_. ' ,.. I .' ])~. 4:: ' Southampton area, judging by the is probably under-recorded in the "" records .. Ttl'ere are recent (post- Southampton area. The best place to 1990) records for several sites in the find it seems to be the area around ltchen Valley area and also Lord's Woodmill in the Itchen Valley. Also ..... ] -- Wood; 'Southampton Common; there are post-1 990 records for ,,_ 4 1 ._ ..... '._ ,.. J 0_ •• : "f" STA TUS OF MAMMALS IN THE SOUTHAMPTON AREA Shirley Pond; Itchen Valley Country In a Bitterne garden it has been also recorded at Nursling GPs in Park and Eastleigh Airport. recorded as early in the year as St. 1969. Additionallv there are older records Valentine's Day (February 14th) and for West End (1981); Fawley (1964) as late as Hallowe'en (October 31 st). GREY LONG-EARED BAT (Plecotus and Nursling GPs (1963).