Worcestershire Record No. 18 April 2005 p. 27

Harry Green

John Dodgson’s article should be a stimulus to all readers! We badly need records of small mammals and he points out that the human population is scattering mammal traps throughout the county in huge numbers – all you have to do is look for discarded drinks cans! These present a remarkable opportunity to fill in gaps in distribution. Most of Worcestershire is covered with a network of roads and paths and people have thrown away cans along all of them! All you have to do is look, find and SEND IN YOUR RECORDS! John has even provided you with a simple identification key – there really is no excuse! It would also be well worth recording your ‘hit-rate’ as these cans are a considerable hazard to small mammals.

The Mammals Atlas Project aimed to cover ten years around the Millennium and as such is drawing to a close. A big effort is needed in 2005 and possibly 2006. There is still a big pile of paper records to computerise. We hope to be able to look closely at the records late in 2005 and decide then whether or not to run the project for another year.

BIRD OF PREY PELLETS

These are another useful source of records. If you find any please send or bring them to John Meiklejohn c/o WBRC, Lower Smite Farm, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SZ. John would also be interested in Burying Beetles from cans. He is usually in the office on Thursdays.

OTHER RECORDS

Please keep sending in records for all mammals. Sightings of Roe Deer are of particular interest as they seem to be spreading in the county. We also have very few records of weasels, stoats and House Mice. As mentioned in the last Worcestershire Record the latter seem to be remarkably scarce. And please tell us about your rats … …