Tracking mammals

24^th July 2006

Eight silver sand patches were prepared around the woodland, including the two areas studied in the spring. Each was visited daily for a week during the period 27 June - 24 July 2006

Not surprisingly, the fine summer weather brought an increase in woodland use by children, dogs, and domestic cats, recorded in prints in the sand patches. In addition, badger tracks were found on 3 areas and fox, rabbit, and hedgehog or squirrel prints were found in 1 area. We also found our first sets of small rodent prints, on 2 areas, in almost dry sand. These footprints ranged from 10mm long by 8 mm wide to 7 mm by 6 mm and may have been left by rats, mice, or voles.

Silver sand is too coarse to record small rodent tracks well; however the many 2-5 cm diameter burrows may indicate their presence in the Community Woodland. One young crab-apple tree has been ring barked near the base, characteristic of field vole activity.

The collected prints were taken for the Oxfordshire Local Environment Groups Conference in October 2006.

2006 diary index