A Focus On Nature

1st October 2014

AFON

Mammal workshop; a review. By Jack Barton.

Jack Barton is a nature photographer and naturalist from Wallington, Surrey. His interest in photography began in his early teenage years and along with it developed a passion for photographing wildlife, perhaps after experiencing the spectacular red deer rut in Richmond park. Since then Jack has become increasingly interested in exploring the natural world with his camera, and when not studying for his A-levels, he spends as much time as possible out at local spots watching and photographing the wildlife. He is currently volunteering with local conservation volunteers to help do my bit for the environment, and even writing a dissertation on red and grey squirrels for an extended project qualification. He is hoping to pursue a career in wildlife photojournalism or conservation in the future as he is keen to contribute to preserving our wildlife for future generations. Visit Jack’s Website – http://jackbartonphotography.zenfolio.com/

 

At the end of a long car journey from London, winding country lanes led me through the Devonshire landscape to Derek Gow’s farm and wildlife photography centre, where I was welcomed by a friendly Peter Cooper.  Peter led my down to the former film set of the BBC series ‘The Burrowers’, soon to be aptly nicknamed ‘The Hobbit Hole’, which would act as our base for the weekend. As I was first to arrive, I put myself in the shoes of Chris Packham, and had poke around the set that had formerly been inhabited by TV’s famous rabbits.

Shortly, everybody had arrived and  after making mugs of tea, we settled down for an introduction. Derek gave us a whistle-stop-tour of the history of British Mammal species and highlighted the shocking  truth about our ancestors treatment of them. Species such as wolf, lynx and brown bear have disappeared, while other species such as the beaver and wild boar are only just making a comeback. The talk made us all realise why mammals are just as important as other groups in the animal kingdom.

After the talk, we headed up to a platform overlooking a wonderful view. We were set the task of preparing 50 small mammal traps. Derek explained to us the importance of making sure everything was just right inside the traps, so that if anything spent the night inside it would be as comfortable as possible. Everybody took great care to prepare their traps. Firstly, we stuffed the traps with straw and cotton wool to keep them as warm and dry. Then, to entice any passing creatures in, we added some food. Herbivores could feast on an oaty mix accompanied by a dessert of  sweet juicy apple to keep them hydrated, while the carnivores would be treated to some stinky cat food, yum! Lastly, we lined up our traps and numbered them, so that we knew how many to collect the next morning.  Split into four groups, we headed to different areas to place our traps. I placed mine in an area of thick bramble, while others headed off to damper areas, with fingers crossed that a curious small mammal might just pass by.

We made our way back down to the farm to watch the Beavers. Entering the enclosure, it was clear that beavers were present. The wooden fence posts were well and truly chewed through, and the pond system was dotted with dams. Derek pointed out the holt and the trails which the beavers had left, explaining that mammals are often creatures of habit, so will follow the same paths over and over again. We waited for an hour and a half for the beavers to emerge, but unfortunately they seemed more content sleeping in their holt. Even so, while we were waiting we talked all things beaver related. Beaver curiosities were passed around too, including a beaver skull with the characteristic orange teeth, a very soft beaver fur and some extremely pungent scent glands, which certainly would warn off any intruders! Despite not seeing a beaver in its natural environment, we still got to see one which was temporarily being kept inside. Many of us commented how it was much bigger than expected!

The second day began with an early start as we set off in the search of Red Deer.  We crept silently through woodland until we came to a bank of trees overlooking a large field. Our eyes acutely fixed on the other side; we sat quietly under the cover of trees waiting for deer to emerge. It was a stunning morning, with soft mists producing a serene and mystical atmosphere. We waited for some time, then, in the distance, a hind and its calf emerged from the mist. They entered the field cautiously and on seeing us, bounded off into the distance. It was a brief but special encounter. Walking back through the woodland we looked for any signs that the deer had been present, taking a secret glimpse into the life of the mammal.  Derek pointed out a large muddy patch which many may just overlook. This was in fact a red deer wallow, where stags bathe in the mud to mark their territory and also clean off any parasites. There were other signs too, such as footprints, trails through the foliage, and short shrubs where the deer had been grazing.

After breakfast it was time to check the small mammal traps. We eagerly set off to find out if anything had entered our own traps. Using coloured rope that we had placed near our traps, we managed to track down where we had placed them. There were many empty traps and disappointed faces, but some lucky few had closed doors! We grouped back together to see what had ventured inside. To check the traps we used a see-through bag, and emptied the contents inside. The first trap had enticed a very energetic wood mouse, as had the next two. We were shown how to identify different mammal species, how to weigh and sex the individuals and how to handle them: which requires a fast but gentle hand to avoid being nipped.  A field vole, which is much larger and more stub-nose than the mice had ventured into the last trap.

The next session required a steady hand, very sharp eyes… and a large tray of owl pellets. I was very particular about my method of dissecting the pellets. Remove each bone, line them up, and if I was lucky enough to discover a skull, identify the species. Derek and Pete gave us good guidance on how to identify the various species. Most of the skulls that we found were that of voles, but there were a few mouse skulls too. It was interesting to compare the vole skulls to the mice: the differentiation being in the structure of the teeth. Voles have few large teeth with ridged edges and no root structure, whereas mice have more teeth with a more visible root structure. I was fascinated by the fact that you could even tell the species of mouse by the holes in which the teeth fit!

As the location of the mammal workshop was a wildlife photography centre, there were lots of captive mammals to view. First stop were the energetic European Otters, a male and a female who enjoyed gorging on food just a metre away from us. Next, a fantastic looking Red Fox, with one of the loveliest coats I have ever seen. Then, the Scottish Wildcats, who emerged sneakily from the undergrowth and pounced on their ready-meal prey. Wildcats are bigger than the domestic tabby and can be distinguished by the black stripe down their back and the clubbed tail.  Wildcats are now extremely rare in the wild and it is estimated there are as little as 40 left. We also saw Water-Voles and their deadly rivals the American Mink, as well as Polecats, Pine Martens and Red Squirrels.

The last task of the day was to check the Hazel Dormice boxes. Hazel dormice are rarely seen species, and spend most of their time curled up asleep.  We had to approach each box slowly, so as to not disturb anything that may be inside. Unfortunately, we did not find any Dormice, yet we discovered some other interesting curiosities.  Strangest of all was two abandoned blue tit’s nests containing dead chicks , that had later been inhabited by wood mice. We can only speculate why the nests were abandoned. Perhaps the parents died, or were scared off? Despite the unfortunate nests, to finish the day, we came across a family of wood mice with two adults and two young. A fantastic finale to a wonderful weekend!

On behalf of everyone that attended the trip I would first and foremost like to thank Derek Gow for expertly leading the workshop, creating interesting discussions and providing us with valuable insights into the British mammal world. Also, I would like to thank Peter Cooper for who spent lots of time organising the trip. Lastly I would like to thank Derek’s neighbours, who were so welcoming and cooked our very delicious meals.