John's Mammals 2013 (1 Viewer)

[Farnboro John]

I totally agree - the locals we rare almost universally of a tone along the lines of "oh, you're obviously looking for deer - good luck but they've all been shot" which was rather disheartening to hear. The logic a couple of people offered for this was that in addition to the forestry commission control, a couple of local landowners were hammering the deer on private land. I've no inkling as to the truth of this but thought it worth mentioning given it's frequency as a comment and a. a large number of the people we saw had huge dogs off leads which probably reduced their chance of seeing anything and b. immediately after the first of these we saw our deer. I've no doubt there's still plenty there but the feeling seems to be that the numbers are drastically lower than 3 years ago (everyone said "3 years ago"!).

Thanks. Of course, the difference is that the landowners, if they are shooting, are doing so for food and/or trophies, whereas the FC are doing it to maintain the deer herd numbers (I think I saw a figure of 350 Reds somewhere) and age structure. As you will readily appreciate, 350 deer is a population size where a local can know all the deer as individuals, so if it is true that the landowners have been heavy-handed then the FC will actually decrease their efforts - essentially their task is done for them.

I completely endorse your remarks about dog-walkers: that's one of the reasons to get there at dawn.

John

 

[MarkHows]

A very productive weekend mostly bats, greater and lesser horseshoes, daub and Natterer's, BLE and Bechstein's in Wiltshire. All three pips and noctule in Yorkshire.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Can't wait for the trip report Kimberley is one of the destinations high on my "future trip list"

Martyn

Certainly worth a visit if you're into the more unusual African mammals. I had Aardvark, Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat and my best ever Caracal views all during a 3 day visit this time last year. Happy to provide any info I if you PM me before you plan any trip there.

I'm in Florida at the moment. Mammal watching poor in comparison to South Africa but up to 10 species on what is essentially a family holiday. Highlights are undoubtably Florida Black Bear, Eastern Fox Squirrel and Eastern Spotted Skunk.

 

[sidwemn]

Certainly worth a visit if you're into the more unusual African mammals. I had Aardvark, Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat and my best ever Caracal views all during a 3 day visit this time last year. Happy to provide any info I if you PM me before you plan any trip there.

Thanks Mike, I'll PM you if I get to the stage of serious planning.

One trip I've always said I would like to do, more from the adventure side of things, would be to hire a fully equiped 4x4 and "wild camp" in Botswana. If I did this as a round trip from Johannesburg (much cheaper from an airfare point of view) I could tag on a few days before/after and go to Marrick Safari.

Cheers
Martyn

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Off you go then chaps...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24638259

... good luck.

James

 

[Farnboro John]

Off you go then chaps...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24638259

... good luck.

James

I'm tempted, simply by the bizarreness of the whole thing. Imagine photographing a wallaby hopping past Karl Marx's grave....

I imagine Mark actually is on his way for the county tick!

John

 

[lewis20126]

I'm hoping (hopping) to make a conscious effort to see a few more native mammals next year but some of the introductions seem a little thin to me. Is there any evidence that the (Red-necked?) Wallaby (excluding now extinct populations), the (Black-tailed?) Prairie-dog or the Skunk (!! sp?) have established populations? Or is seeing / listing them just a bit of fun?! Aren't they just "escapes"?

discuss!

cheers, alan

 

[MarkHows]

I have been doing some trapping at Fowlmere RSPB and will be opening the traps at 8am tomorrow (meet in the car park) if anyone want's to come along. This morning we had all three shrews, bank and field voles and wood mice.

Mark

 

[MarkHows]

I'm tempted, simply by the bizarreness of the whole thing. Imagine photographing a wallaby hopping past Karl Marx's grave....

I imagine Mark actually is on his way for the county tick!

John

You cannot imaging how close to the truth that is!

Mark

 

[Farnboro John]

I'm hoping (hopping) to make a conscious effort to see a few more native mammals next year but some of the introductions seem a little thin to me. Is there any evidence that the (Red-necked?) Wallaby (excluding now extinct populations), the (Black-tailed?) Prairie-dog or the Skunk (!! sp?) have established populations? Or is seeing / listing them just a bit of fun?! Aren't they just "escapes"?

discuss!

cheers, alan

The wallabies on the Isle of Man and Loch Lomond are pretty solid (the one in Highgate cemetery is NOT). I don't count them but I accept people can make their own decisions. The Skunks are certainly breeding but how well they are doing I couldn't tell you - just that Mark and I saw two with a minimum of info and one night looking. The Prairie Dogs are a bit of fun so far as I'm concerned but Mark might have more details about the Antrim ones.

John

 

[Farnboro John]

I have been doing some trapping at Fowlmere RSPB and will be opening the traps at 8am tomorrow (meet in the car park) if anyone want's to come along. This morning we had all three shrews, bank and field voles and wood mice.

Mark

Clare and I are coming up, don't let any Water Shrews go before we get there please!

John

 

[MarkHows]

The wallabies on the Isle of Man and Loch Lomond are pretty solid (the one in Highgate cemetery is NOT). I don't count them but I accept people can make their own decisions. The Skunks are certainly breeding but how well they are doing I couldn't tell you - just that Mark and I saw two with a minimum of info and one night looking. The Prairie Dogs are a bit of fun so far as I'm concerned but Mark might have more details about the Antrim ones.

John

I still get reports of Skunks from the Forest of Dean but have no idea of numbers. The Antrim population of Prairie dogs was existent for quite a while and they bred readily and were well established. But I understand that they were exterminated a couple of years back before they got out of hand.


Mark

 

[Farnboro John]

Cracking small mammal trap at Fowlmere yesterday with 26/50 traps occupied. The big highlight for me was my first ever in-hand view of Water Shrew with three individuals doing the business and also doing their best to annihilate Mark's glove and hand.

Field Voles also provided entertainment including a couple of co-operative animals showing on release.

Afterwards Clare and I travelled to Hemsted Forest and had good views of Two-barred Crossbill but sadly no Parrots.

Pix of all later.

John

 

[Farnboro John]

Pix from yesterday:

Wood Mouse: note throat stripe

Bank Vole

Field Vole X 3

John

 

[Farnboro John]

And some more:

Water Shrew X 2 (different individuals)

Common Shrew X 2

Two-barred Crossbill

John

 

[Farnboro John]

61 Humpback Whale.

Full report tomorrow with luck.

John

 

[prhodes]

I have been doing some trapping at Fowlmere RSPB and will be opening the traps at 8am tomorrow (meet in the car park) if anyone want's to come along. This morning we had all three shrews, bank and field voles and wood mice.

Mark

Hi Mark, sorry I missed this post. If you are planning to do this again, please post again or let me know.

The hours I've spent trying to get decent views of a Water Shrew. Just one breif view so far.

Regards, Phil

 

[MarkHows]

Hi Mark, sorry I missed this post. If you are planning to do this again, please post again or let me know.

The hours I've spent trying to get decent views of a Water Shrew. Just one breif view so far.

Regards, Phil

We will probably be doing some more work in the late spring

Mark

 

[Jhanlon]

The wallabies on the Isle of Man and Loch Lomond are pretty solid (the one in Highgate cemetery is NOT). I don't count them but I accept people can make their own decisions. The Skunks are certainly breeding but how well they are doing I couldn't tell you - just that Mark and I saw two with a minimum of info and one night looking. The Prairie Dogs are a bit of fun so far as I'm concerned but Mark might have more details about the Antrim ones.

John

What evidence is there of the skunks breeding, John?
I would be up for a search if anyone wants to look for them (plus boar of course) - got the impression it was hard work (all night?) when you went. Sounds like another (Shiants-style) military grade op is needed with bait stations, radios, traps, tanks and chinooks :eek!:

 

[prhodes]

We will probably be doing some more work in the late spring

Mark

Thanks Mark, I'll keep an eye out for any announcement.

Thank-you, Phil