John's Mammals 2015 (1 Viewer)

prhodes · Jul 22, 2015

Looking like they've just wandered out of the local farmyard, but these may be 'Feral' Goats. They were out wandering on The Burren yesterday. I get to visit the area briefly after working nearby, a few times a year - although it's the first time I've met the goats.

Good to see quite a few Grayling also. Phil

davewalters · Jul 23, 2015

Bit of help please?
I've just bought a tiny bit of land adjacent to my garden but it's well wooded with around 15 mature trees, Scot's Pine, Ash, Sycamore, Birch, Bay Willow and some lovely Hazel which was coppiced but not for about 20 years. Sadly it's infested with Laurel so I've got to get most of that out. Anyway, two things, firstly I have a large unused telegraph pole. I tested it for stability and it immediately fell over. It's completely hollow inside so I thought I might drill loads of holes for mice and then partially bury it. What do you think and what diameter holes? We do have plenty of Wood Mice and Bank Voles and occasional Field Voles and House Mice. Brown Rat too obviously but some neighbours aren't impressed so we cage trap these and release them in the local forest.
Finally and sorry to bore you all, there is a very slight possibility that Polecats may visit. Over the years I've probably seen 10 road casualties within a two mile radius with three or four live road crossers. It's sort of mature gardens with a bit of woodland on the side of a hill adjacent to a forest so not the worst habitat. Anything I can do to attract them. Obviously I'll be camera trapping when the work is complete. Thanks
Luv from Dave

Farnboro John · Jul 23, 2015

davewalters said:
Bit of help please?
I've just bought a tiny bit of land adjacent to my garden but it's well wooded with around 15 mature trees, Scot's Pine, Ash, Sycamore, Birch, Bay Willow and some lovely Hazel which was coppiced but not for about 20 years. Sadly it's infested with Laurel so I've got to get most of that out. Anyway, two things, firstly I have a large unused telegraph pole. I tested it for stability and it immediately fell over. It's completely hollow inside so I thought I might drill loads of holes for mice and then partially bury it. What do you think and what diameter holes? We do have plenty of Wood Mice and Bank Voles and occasional Field Voles and House Mice. Brown Rat too obviously but some neighbours aren't impressed so we cage trap these and release them in the local forest.
Finally and sorry to bore you all, there is a very slight possibility that Polecats may visit. Over the years I've probably seen 10 road casualties within a two mile radius with three or four live road crossers. It's sort of mature gardens with a bit of woodland on the side of a hill adjacent to a forest so not the worst habitat. Anything I can do to attract them. Obviously I'll be camera trapping when the work is complete. Thanks
Luv from Dave

I agree with drilling the telegraph pole, I suggest holes 3/4 to 1 inch, no more ( but defer to suggestions from those more experienced). I also think it would be good if it was partly off the ground - between two low ridges say - as it might then be used as a pathway and camera trapping the pole itself might pay dividends.

Let me know when you have a Polecat habitually using the pole....

Good luck,

John

Coronatus · Jul 29, 2015

Nobody seems to have answered Crazyfingers post #114 with the swimming mammal.
It's a Beaver. Rough coat and ears set well back on the head. Shame we cannot see the muzzle.

Looks like folks post their own on here so here is one of mine. Too cute.

Farnboro John · Jul 29, 2015

Coronatus said:
Nobody seems to have answered Crazyfingers post #114 with the swimming mammal.
It's a Beaver. Rough coat and ears set well back on the head. Shame we cannot see the muzzle.

Looks like folks post their own on here so here is one of mine. Too cute.

Very cute Marten.

Crazyfingers' picture was dealt with in the Mammals section of BF. It is unmistakably a Muskrat. You can see the vertically flattened tail, it lacks the broad bulk and gingery tones of Beaver (Muskrat also has a rough coat) and the head is too small, relatively big-eyed and not blocky enough.

Cheers

John

Coronatus · Jul 29, 2015

Thanks John, I just could not see a reply here. Muskrat. Never occurred to me.
That Pine Marten actually came and put her paws on my knee and made eye contact. I am still in shock! And pain from twisting round under the bench that I was sitting on to get the shot.

Farnboro John · Jul 29, 2015

Coronatus said:
Thanks John, I just could not see a reply here. Muskrat. Never occurred to me.
That Pine Marten actually came and put her paws on my knee and made eye contact. I am still in shock! And pain from twisting round under the bench that I was sitting on to get the shot.

Crikey! That is some experience and some site. I assume it is actually American Marten and not our own Pine Marten? Its a lot less yellowy than the ones I've seen.

Cheers

John

Coronatus · Jul 29, 2015

Crikey! That is some experience and some site. I assume it is actually American Marten and not our own Pine Marten? Its a lot less yellowy than the ones I've seen.>
It was an experience indeed. One I was certainly not expecting when sitting outside in the sun at 3pm overlooking the Sound of Mull. I think it was a kitten. It was with us for maybe 15 mins and lay under my car before leaving. So as you will no doubt have worked out this was 'one of ours'.

Farnboro John · Jul 30, 2015

Coronatus said:
Crikey! That is some experience and some site. I assume it is actually American Marten and not our own Pine Marten? Its a lot less yellowy than the ones I've seen.>
It was an experience indeed. One I was certainly not expecting when sitting outside in the sun at 3pm overlooking the Sound of Mull. I think it was a kitten. It was with us for maybe 15 mins and lay under my car before leaving. So as you will no doubt have worked out this was 'one of ours'.

Goodness gracious me!

John

MarkHows · Jul 30, 2015

Just a quick catch up

I spent a weekend in Devon catching up with the edible dormice on the way, no photos torrential rain stopped play. But Hazel dormice had better weather and some wood mice to contend with. Exmoor ponies, red deer, grey squirrel and rabbits on Exmoor and some dodgy Feral goats in Cheddar Gorge.
No sign of the Devon beavers but American mink put in a brief appearance and a badger on the way home.

Mark

Farnboro John · Jul 31, 2015

Tried Arundel castle moat for Water Vole this evening. I dipped, but locals assured me they see them regularly and there were signs that they are still about - maintained holes, cut vegetation and so on.

From there I went to a private site to watch Barbastelles emerging from a regular roost using a nightscope and bat detector. I only had eight but the tree is still in use, which is nice. When I got back to the car park a Noctule came across banging like Cozy Powell, I didn't see it but it must have been really close. A couple of Soprano Pipistrelles, a Wood Mouse and some Rabbits finished the evening off.

John

Coronatus · Aug 1, 2015

I would love to see Glis Glis, indeed any Dormouse.
Can I do a trade in?

Farnboro John · Aug 1, 2015

Coronatus said:
I would love to see Glis Glis, indeed any Dormouse.
Can I do a trade in?

Come down and we'll sort it out for you. They are not difficult. Great wallaby pix!

On Sunday my brother is coming back from his two week holiday with his in-laws in Finland. I know he got Saimaa Seal point blank, which is bad enough, but he is being evasive about what he got with two camera traps (mine and his new one), so I suspect I'm about to get gripped quite hard....

John

Farnboro John · Aug 2, 2015

Bat trapping with the Surrey Bat Group as part of the Nathusius's Pipistrelle survey last night, somewhere along the Thames (all right, it was off Magna Carta Lane.)

The usual early night rush of Soprano Pipistrelles was succeeded by a long fallow period (any fallow period feels long when you are sitting in the dark being eaten by mosquitos) then more Sopranos and a couple of Daubenton's Bats. We were occasionally serenaded by a couple of Egyptian Geese roosting on the far side of the river, and the peeps of Mandarins with insomnia.

Finally, and by no means a given on these surveys, our target species clanged into the harp strings and slid down into the trap. A male Nathusius's Pipistrelle - woo hoo! Our bat experts were disappointed it wasn't a female. I was ecstatic because it was a year-tick! I took a few photos and tried to nail it on launch, but at that time of night my reactions were shot so only the in-hand pictures worked.

Walking back to the cars, one of the group found a Hedgehog trundling about near a very short boardwalk. It promptly scuttled underneath out of sight but a patient wait in the dark resulted in views with nightscope before it once again retreated under its human-provided lair. No photos but a very satisfying sighting of an animal that used to be an annual gimme.

Even the motorways, ignoring for a second the frustrating 50mph "temporary" limit that's been there for months and will probably persist for years, provided a quick and easy journey home.

John

Coronatus · Aug 2, 2015

I settled for a foray to check on our wild Goats but just found a few in the long grass. Took a few record shots and one of our distinctly dodgy looking sheep for good measure.

snlw · Aug 2, 2015

Walking back to the cars, one of the group found a Hedgehog trundling about near a very short boardwalk. It promptly scuttled underneath out of sight but a patient wait in the dark resulted in views with nightscope before it once again retreated under its human-provided lair.

John[/QUOTE]

It must have known who was coming along! ;-)

Farnboro John · Aug 2, 2015

snlw said:
Walking back to the cars, one of the group found a Hedgehog trundling about near a very short boardwalk. It promptly scuttled underneath out of sight but a patient wait in the dark resulted in views with nightscope before it once again retreated under its human-provided lair.

John

It must have known who was coming along! ;-)[/QUOTE]

I dunno, you tread on one Hedgehog in your whole life.....

John

MarkHows · Aug 10, 2015

It was my birthday last week so I took the day off and finally went on the boat trip to see the Blakney point seals. Nice close views and even a common seal pup on show and I enjoyed the trip despite being on water for an hour. Mostly common seals at this time of year but a few grey seals kicking around.

Mark

Coronatus · Aug 10, 2015

Love #4.

Farnboro John · Aug 10, 2015

Belated happy birthday Mark. Glad the boat trip wasn't too traumatic.

Cheers

John

John's Mammals 2015 (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Mostly Mammals

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Simon

Well-known member

Mostly Mammals

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread