I have a day off on Friday to go dormouse monitoring - assuming that it is dry then. Dormice don't like the rain and disturbing them when they will get wet is not something we want to be doing.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Any chance of dormouse pics, or do you not want to intrude?

[–] GreyShack 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'll see how it goes. Obviously our first priority is to minimise stress to the animals and get the checks done as quickly as possible, but there are sometimes opportunities whilst we are weighing and sexing them etc.

Also, at this time of year, they are usually very active - unlike the autumn when they are sometime semi- or fully torpid and quite fat in readiness for hibernation. They are a lot easier - and cuter - to photo then.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Didn’t realise you’d actually be handling them. So interesting. Good hunting!

[–] sideone 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

dormouse monitoring

That sounds interesting, are you doing population surveys?

[–] GreyShack 5 points 2 years ago

Yes - part of the national monitoring programme. I have been monitoring this particular site for almost 20 years now. The population is fairly steady here overall.