dormouse

[vinnychameleon]

Hi all
i know I have a population of dormice in my local wood( from nuts they have eaten and nests found) and i was wondering how can i see them as i have known they have been there 2 years and have not seen a single one in that time? thanks

[thunder]

Originally Posted by vinnychameleon

Hi all
i know I have a population of dormice in my local wood( from nuts they have eaten and nests found) and i was wondering how can i see them as i have known they have been there 2 years and have not seen a single one in that time? thanks

Wait till autumn - find a place at the edge of the wood, close to where you have found nuts or nests, where there are lots of brambles and ripe blackberries. Lie down on your back amongst the brambles at dusk and look up and out so that any Dormouse clambering in the brmbles will be silhouetted against the sky. Keep quiet, wait and hope. I am told this works, but have never been in a Dormouse area at the right time to try it.

henrya

[vole-woman]

Would it be appropriate to put up a dormouse nest box, or do you have to have a licence for that?

[paulthomas]

I like Henry's idea but it sounds like a very long shot to me. Given their protected status I'd suggest you contact whoever it that monitors your local population and see if you can tag along next time they survey the area.

[Rob_D]

Not sure you actually need a license to put up a nest-box, but you certainly do need one to open it to check if it's occupied! In any case you might need quite a few boxes to have a chance of getting one that is used. Tagging along with a licenced handler is surely the easiest way.

But if you know that there are dormice around recently from the chewed hazelnuts or nests, then maybe the idea of lying in wait for them would not be such a long-shot.

[kielder]

Interesting link:

Finding dormice

[Rob_D]

The Mammal Society runs some very nice courses Surveys: Training workshops - The Mammal Society, they have one on Dormouse Ecology and Conservation in Cheddar or Kent.