Help with Water Shrew sighting

[Chas]

I was sat in a concealed hide by a Dartmoor stream this afternoon and early evening. It was wet, gloomy and very unpleasant to be honest. I was just about to pack up when I noticed, a few feet in front of me, swimming away and across in the very shallow clear water, a shrew. I have seen shrew before and this was bigger than I had ever seen. It was black, I did not notice any white underneath or on the ears. It all happened so quickly but I did note that it was quick and purposeful. When it reached the opposite bank it quickly climbed out and disappeared behind a boulder in to the bank. I did notice that it had a black ( and it seemed furry) tail which was stout/stiff. Have I seen a Water Shrew? Can anyone suggest anything else. By the way, Water Vole are absent from Devon so it is unlikely to be a Water Vole, and anyway it was too small.

[aeshna5]

It does sound like a Water Shrew.

[The Woodman]

Yes, I think you've seen a water shrew. If you ever get to see one one at close quarters you'll notice a fringe of slightly stiffer hairs formed in a ridge along the top and bottom of the tail. These help propulsion when swimming.

When they are diving for invertebrate food, they look like silvery due to air trapped in their fur. It's possible to watch one when it is focussed on food, repeatedly diving, catching and coming to the bank to eat its prey.

As water shrews are rarely seen you might wish to report your sighting to

Devon Biodiversity Records Centre - 01392 274128 - dbrc@devonwildlifetrust.org

[Chas]

[quote=The Woodman;650807]Yes, If you ever get to see one one at close quarters you'll notice a fringe of slightly stiffer hairs formed in a ridge along the top and bottom of the tail.= Unquote]

Yes, this has me convinced because I am quite sure I saw those stiff hairs around the tail as it left the water. This sighting was in a place where I have pitched a hide 5 or 6 times before, as I said, beside a very pretty little Dartmoor stream. I sit for up to 3 or 4 hours, or as long as my knees can take it) taking, when they visit to drink and bathe, pictures of Linnets, Yellowhammer, Whinchat, Stonechat, Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail, Dipper and Meadow Pipit. As I wait I haven't really been watching the water but I certainly will now. Do you think it was going in to a burrow because it did not reappear?
I have also left an HD Video camera running until the battery runs out, very close to the water to film the Dippers. As yet no luck but I will reposition it on where It emerged from the stream, then if there is a pattern of behavior this will be repeated and I may get some video.
I know it is not good form to plug your own Blogs and websites but if anyone wants to see the pictures of the birds mentioned let me know and I will email a link so you can look. In the meantime I will post a few on to the Gallery as well. A Stonechat picture has just been approved (this is a Mammal thread so here is a link.http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/pi...hp?photo=93034
Thanks Woody for the phone number of Devon Biodiversity. I am in constant communication with them, but I wanted to make sure before I told them.

[The Woodman]

Sounds like you have it cracked!

Yes, it was probably going into a system of linked burrows, tunnels and passageways through moss, roosts and vegetation.

Regarding dippers, I watched one last year on Smardale Beck feeding. It came out and perched on a small rock and produced a small pellet. I took the pellet and it contained the remains of stonefly larvae. I've never seen this happen before but have seen pellets on rocks, have you?

[Chas]

Woodman,
No I haven't seen Dipper pellets but I will look especially now you have mentioned it. I watched a female Kingfisher regurgitate one though last February. I am very pleased that you can help me with Water Shrew, glad you are so well informed, do you think it is going to be a creature of habit, in other words use the same way in and out? If so it will slightly make it easier to film. Would you agree late evening early mornings are the best time?

[The Woodman]

Chas, I've only seen the feeding activity of Water Shrews a handful of times and never in the same place twice! That's not to say they don't use sites regularly, I just haven't seen it happen.

If I was in your position i.e. knowing where the shrew went into the bank, I would attempt to film it there. If it doesn't work you could always try to tempt it with some bait, chopped worms or maggot pupae.

If you are interested in proving small mammal presence, I have designed and had made a small mammal tube containing a sooted surface and a sheet of sticky back plastic - Fablon. The small mammal is attracted into the closed end tube to the bait, walks across the soot and leaves perfect prints on the sticky surface.

These are some images of the system, I'll shrink some of the results and stick them in the next post.

[The Woodman]

These are the results.


This is the tube after I've removed the cover, the bait has been eaten and the tracks are on the sticky backed plastic. I cut this away and stick each sheet inside a clear A4 file envelope as can be seen here



A nice reference collection can be made, a bit like fingerprints, all small mammals have a unique pattern of pads under their feet.

[Meta menardi]

Register as "the woodman's mammal recorder"! Great stuff.

[Chas]

Thanks Woodman, this seems ingenious and very interesting. I am sure I could make something similar. I will keep you informed, and thanks again for you input.