Howardian Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is 32 acres tucked away between Southern Way, Eastern Avenue and Ipswich Road in the heart of Cardiff and yet here there are wonders and rarities. Many types of Orchid including the Bee Orchid are to be found but the gem of Cardiff’s Hidden Jewel must be its Dormice, which goes from strength to strength.
The Dormouse a protected species on our doorstep, you won’t see them as they have a nocturnal habit and are so small as to go about unseen. To last the winter hibernation a weight if 16 gms is needed, a very small animal indeed.
The Common or Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) has a fawn coloured coat and is the only mouse with a furry tail this and its dark eyes are its defining features. It is protected throughout Europe and any unlicensed disturbance of animals or their habitat is forbidden.
Dormice were positively identified as being resident on the reserve in Nov 2008. Following this, members of the Friends of Howardian LNR undertook a year of supervised training with an experienced handler, Sue Price of Coed Craig Ruperra, to be able to qualify for Dormouse Handling licenses so that surveying and monitoring the Dormice on the reserve could be undertaken. Nest boxes have been monitored monthly, May-November 2009-2011 and details of weight and sex recorded.
Early in the season we find Blue Tits, Great Tits and the occasional Wren’s nest in some of the boxes, this is not a problem as their chicks will have fledged and flown the nest before the Dormice take up residence, later some are found with Woodmice in residence and a Pygmy Shrew has been found.
Recent cold winters have meant good years for the Dormice as they sleep through undisturbed. From the last three years there are 226 records with October being the busiest month with 55 Dormice found 25% of the total. Figures are May 8%, June 10%, July 16%, August 20%, September 15%, October 25%, and November 6%. One month, October 2010, they found 31 dormice. The 2009 survey found an average of 8.7 dormice per survey, 2010 12.7 and over the same period in 2011 14 dormice per survey so records show an increase year on year on recorded Dormice.
Next month they will clean out the boxers in preparation for the 2012 season and start monitoring in April. Their records are lodged with local records office SEWBReC and The National Dormouse Monitoring Programme so that records can be collated on a local and national level to further understand this shy animal.
We are at the start of a traditional winter cold period but the recent mild weather is not good for the Dormice as they are liable to wake from their hibernation and finding no food available wear themselves out, only the 2012 survey can reveal how they have fared during the 2011/12 winter. It is looking forward with questions such as these that inspire us.
