Mink on river calder. mirfield. w\yorks (1 Viewer)

[chrisrwillis]

Hi all,
i saw a mink to-day by the bridge at newgate mirfield. Just missed getting a photo., on 5 seconds viewing!!

I also talked to the man on Calder road who has a bungalow at the side of the river and he said he had trapped 27 mink last year in his garden.

The place is rife with mink here. Plenty of kingfishers around too.

anybody up here any experiences with these beautiful animals??

regards to all

Chris

 

[Farnboro John]

This reinforces what I have said recently: unless there is a co-ordinated extermination program it is a waste of time and an infliction of pointless cruelty to trap Mink, as they will move back in from undisturbed areas.

27 in a year? He must have a coat by now!

John

 

[sidwemn]

I grew up at Ferrybridge, a few miles further downstream. I remember that I use to see 5 or 6 Water Rats (Water Voles) every time I walked along the river bank. I bet you don't see any nowadays!

Martyn

 

[Apodemus]

I grew up in Mirfield and we used to watch water voles from the Halfpenny Bridge on the river Calder. Long gone now. The good news is that an otter was supposedly seen in the river in Mirfield last year.

 

[Farnboro John]

Don't misunderstand me: I advocate organised country-wide removal of Mink.

But if we're not going to do that, none should be done except maybe to clear islands.

John

 

[sidwemn]

I agree with you John, an organised programme of eradication would be the ideal, but this would be very expensive, and not necessarily successful. Would this be the best use of such money?

Just in case, I better get a move on and find one. I have to admit to not ever seeing one in the wild! :-C

Martyn

 

[chrisrwillis]

otter??

I grew up in Mirfield and we used to watch water voles from the Halfpenny Bridge on the river Calder. Long gone now. The good news is that an otter was supposedly seen in the river in Mirfield last year.

I will go and look for these lovely little critters and report back here.

The River Authority man told us that the weir at the back of the Kingdom hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Newgate was being rebuilt in 2012. So that should be interesting to all.


OTTER!! Yes I can confirm this too. But not telling anything else.

Regs to everyone.

Chris