Surveying for hazel dormice

Day #5 #30DaysWild

What fun!!

‘The Chubster’ dormouse during licensed survey work in a Nottinghamshire wood in the autumn.

Surveying for previously unrecorded garden hazel dormouse populations. We’re trialling three footprint tunnels in the garden with the remainder being sited by members of the Friends of Bestwood Country Park Wildlife Group.

Preparing footprint tunnels

Footprint tunnels being prepared with inky pads which little mammals will run over, leaving telltale footprints.. Perhaps hazel dormice?

Footprint tunnels were wired onto branches of hedgerow gorse, apple and bramble growing thickly around George’s pond.

Demonstrating

Lorna shows us how..

The footprint tunnels are best sited where dormice can access food throughout the seasons - petals, flowers, berries, seeds, fruits, invertebrates, foliage, nuts..

There will be fortnightly checks.

Ready for action!!

It’s a long shot but well worth a try.

Thanks to Lorna Griffiths and Michael Walker for site visit and advice.

Bedtime reading is now the Hazel Dormouse Conservation Handbook.

Wilder Nottinghamshire podcasts!!

Our Wilder Nottinghamshire podcasts launch soon.

Our first features hazel dormice!

Watch this space…!