No lingering over breakfast this morning, as I needed to be at the reserve early to meet Dawn to check the traps. I headed for the hide first just to see if the Water Rail was showing but only a preening Mallard and a juvenile Moorhen were about. I then joined Dawn and fellow committee members, Sheila and Margaret, to check the traps.
This we did with some excitement which rapidly turned to disappointment as each one proved empty. Finally, the very last 2 traps we checked had closed doors confirming that something was inside. A quick sniff also spoke of mouse! Dawn had attended a special course on mammal trapping and dealt with our two little mice swiftly and professionally to cause minimal stress to the animals. Indeed, one sat up and happily began to wash in the big polythene bag to which it had been transferred for observation. They seemed more curious about their new surroundings than frightened.
Dawn skillfully measured and weighed our two little residents. The first was a juvenile female and the second an adult male. Both were Long Tailed Field Mice, also known as Wood Mice. Given that we had trapped them both under our ash trees this seemed entirely appropriate.
These little guys do indeed have very long tails but also big ears and large bright eyes. Dawn explained that their little white tummies distinguished them from House Mice which are more grey underneath. All vital statistics taken and recorded, they were released back into the undergrowth where they quickly vanished from sight.
The plan is to repeat the exercise in 12 months' time to see whether they have increased or declined.
We three Committee ladies are very grateful to Dawn for involving us in this science and giving us such an interesting morning. Unlike Beatrix Potter's story, this was definitely a Tale of Two Good Mice!
We were all grateful to Margaret too for providing some refreshments in the hide afterwards.
Here are a few photos -
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trap door firmly closed
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| mouse and bedding carefully transferred to large bag |
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Once in the corner of the bag observation begins
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White tummy shows this is a Wood Mouse
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| a juvenile female in this case |
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an excellent view of the long tail
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nocturnal creatures need large ears and eyes
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Dawn assesses what has been caught and Sheila makes appropriate notes
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Body length and tail length are both measured
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and carefully noted
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the mouse is weighed in the bag then weight of the bag deducted
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finally the mouse is released
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the second mouse was an adult male - a very long tail
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again statistics taken and recorded
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just a brown blur as he leaps to freedom
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a few details still to be added
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Also noted on the the reserve this morning:
Sparrowhawk kill of Goldfinch SC209694
Spiderwebs showing up well with raindrops SC209694 and throughout reserve
2 x Mallard + 1 juvenile Moorhen SC209694
Speckled Wood butterflies SC210694 , SC209693, SC208694.
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| Spiderwebs show up well when wet |
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lots of them along the paths
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Mallard.
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Noticeboard full, so photographed it before clearing some space
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A most interesting week at the Reserve and Wood Mice added to the Ballachurry records.
