Cardiff Uni plea for volunteers

Cardiff University are hoping to recruit volunteers to help with otter spraint collections - can you help?

Background
During national surveys in the 80s and 90s in Wales, spraint from some catchments (including the Teifi, Tywi, Wye, Cleddau and Severn) was collected. Initial analysis of some of these samples indicates a marked drop in eel remains between the two decades, and a shift to other prey species.

Cardiff Uni would like to repeat spraint collection on all the catchments for which we have historic spraint collections to analyse prey remains and identify both the decrease in reliance on eels (and how this varies between catchments) and what other species are making up the deficit. For example, is this causing increased pressure on other vulnerable species like amphibians, or on resources such as stillwater fisheries?

Practicalities
The hope is to collect spraint this summer; there are details of exactly where spraint was collected in the past, so they want to repeat this as closely as possible.

Funding applications are currently being written to cover costs such as volunteer travel. It will help the funding bid to have a good list of collaborators, so if you think you might like to get involved, please let me know asap. Otherwise, watch this space for more details!

Otters

Probably the same otter family at Cors Dyfi over the last few days as in the image two blogs down. Almost certainly a mother with two kits.

Short video here

Otters

Two otters were feeding this morning in a perch stocked pool on the boundary of Cors Dyfi and Morben Isaf caravan park. Here's one of them!

(Image Alan Davies)

Otters at Cors Dyfi

Three otters captured on Stealth Camera on December 11th at Cors Dyfi. An adult and two juveniles.

Great Otter footage

Today I was sent this short, but sweet video of three Otters on the Afon Cain in Llanfechain - many thanks to Jake Stephen (www.jakestephenphotography.co.uk). Two of them spraint at two different locations, under the bridge. Great footage!

Otter at LCYD part 2

Still there in the afternoon! This photo is courtesy of Val Lewis who was lucky enough to not only see this wonderful creature in the morning, but also to photograph it in the afternoon! Very confiding!

Otter at LCYD

Otter spotted mooching about at Llyn Coed y Dinas Nature Reserve this morning, seen from the hide! (Report from Len Lewis)

Some people have all the luck!

Otters in Newtown

Without doubt, Newtown must be the best place to see Otters in Montgomeryshire. I have received a number of sightings in the town over the last couple of years and they have even been tame enough to allow photos and videos to be taken of them.

The latest one of these is this lovely 3 minute video of two Otters hunting in the middle of Newtown in broad daylight. This was taken by Russ Edwards, who has filmed Otters in Newtown before. Great footage, Russ! Keep your eyes out for Water Voles too!

Today's mammal signs

Well used, fresh Badger latrine found in Dolforwyn Woods today and lots of fresh Otter spraint adorning a riverside tree at Llandinam Gravels. Plenty of molehills at Llandinam too. You've gotta love the glamorous side of being a mammalogist!

Best mammaling day ever!

Ran a woodland mammal workshop today for Dyfi Woodlands, near Machynlleth. I set six longworth small mammal traps last night and was delighted to catch four Wood Mice; two male, two female. One of the participants then set one trap and barely two hours later, a male Bank Vole was captured!

We then looked for nibbled nuts and several people discovered a remarkable number which had been nibbled by dormice!!

But the real icing on the cake was saved 'til last! A search along the stream revealed two otter spraints and whilst we were admiring one, we spotted an otter making his way towards us!!! Despite being upwind and talking loudly, he didn't notice us until the last minute, probably because the noise of the stream here was considerable. A really special moment which none of us will ever forget!

On arriving home, I persuaded the other half to go for a walk and on the way back I spotted a Stoat!

What a lucky day!

Otters at Cors Dyfi

Two otters seen swimming in the lower pool at around 9.45 this morning, after a short wait one came out on to the boardwalk.Images by Maria Wagland.

Fantastic day of mammals!

Well, what a mammaly day! After seeing the hare reported in the previous post, I heard the high-pitched squeeking emitted by shrews, part of their territorial battles over that particular section of hedgerow. Just before arriving home, I peered over the parapit of the bridge to view the river, as I do every day. With my binoculars I could clearly see a fresh otter spraint prominently displayed on top of a rock, in the middle of the river. This is not the first time I have seen spraint here, but it's good to know they are still around and I live in hope that one day I will be lucky enough to spot the real thing!

The day's mammal sightings reached their peak this evening. Whilst out admiring the wonderful starlit sky in my back garden, a parade of no fewer than four Hedgehogs took their turn at the feeder! These gorgeous little spiny friends can be very confiding indeed when there is a regular supply of Vine House Farm Hedgehog Food to enjoy!

Mammal tracks

I discovered what I think were otter tracks and a spraint in the snow on the banks of the river Dulas (south) close to my home near Aberhosan. I also found fox and 'other' mammal tracks (hare, rabbit?) in the snow on a woodland walk. I thought at one stage I had found the tracks of a big cat! But what it was I think (hope!) were badger tracks whereby the fore and hind leg paw prints were superimposed on top of each other and showing claw marks making the tracks appear as if they were from a larger animal.

The depicted images show the frozen river Dulas .The otter tracks/spraint were located on the bit of snow at the bottom right of the river shot. There was also fresh spraint deposited on top of fallen snow on a rock lower downriver. This mid stream rock is a regular sprainting site.

Its interesting what was said about possible deer tracks discovered at Cors Dyfi I don't know if you were joking or what but do you know I wouldn't mind betting that there are the odd Roe Deer in Montgomeryshire!