Farnboro John
Well-known member
Thanks for that Simon. I may well have a look at the weekend.
John
John
Anyone recommend decent rookeries of Harbour Seal worth visiting, with advice on pupping month (June?)? Ta, James
Their antics kept me entertained till almost 2000 hrs by which time I couldn't feel my fingers to operate camera and night scope any longer
Blakeney Point 3
John
Other votes?
There are boat trips out to colonies in the Thames Estuary, and I remember seeing a load around the Cairns of Coll on a whale-watching trip out of Tobermory. Orkney might be a place to dig into, as well. The Orcas turn up there mid-summer and Common Seal pups swim immediately: there might be a connection?
However I don't think the species in general has really big rookeries in the way Grey Seals do.
Cheers
John
Yep, that was my feeling. It's harder to see Harbour Seal pups than Grey. Having recently left the SE, am gripped by the Thames Estuary colonies & boat trips, John. News to me! From where?
I had been wondering about Chanonry Point & environs for Harbour colony. Seen them there in spring, but unclear whether they breed.
cheers
James
I spent last week trying to trap some small mammals, the reason Stephanie and Tim from Belgium were in the UK mammal watching and I hoped to get them a few additional species. However this would be quite difficult due to the very cold weather. So the first few days I trapped in barns on a local farm, the horse stables and in my garage which I had caught yellow necked and wood mice the previous week. But results were quite poor a wood mouse who escaped, but by Thursday when Stephanie had phoned I had caught a harvest mouse in the barn. This was a good enough draw for them to visit, but I wanted to get them something extra so trapping at my work would be needed a site that holds 8 small mammal species but in temperatures around freezing or below some ingenuity would be required.
So I modified my traps encasing them in bubblewrap leaving a pocked in the bublewrap under the nest chamber of the trap, here I would place a disposable heat pad (I have a box of them) to keep it warm, I added an immense amount of food to each trap and I set these where I caught plenty of small mammals during the autumn.
With my heated traps in place I headed home. I was on site early Saturday because I was nervous of the very cold conditions overnight. I only had three captures but all were alive and well and I was pleased to show field vole, water shrew in addition to the Harvest mouse to Stephanie and Tim who showed their appreciation with a box of chocolates - many thanks.
I only took a few pics below but Tim must have worn his camera out.
Mark
Tremendous ingenuity! Well done. I shall look out for Stephanie and Tim's report with interest: I may well be asking for help from them in the spring.
John
Think I might have to keep a mammal list this year. On 5 so far, so don't think I'm ever going to be a contender really , but interesting reading/seeing how others with a little more commitment are doing.
Good stuff.
Think I might have to keep a mammal list this year. On 5 so far, so don't think I'm ever going to be a contender really , but interesting reading/seeing how others with a little more commitment are doing.
Good stuff.