“In the reed bed? Really? That’s extraordinary. I’ll let Robert know. He’ll be fascinated and down there like a dose of salts I shouldn’t be surprised!” I was on the phone to a friend of mine who had just called to say that some relatives staying with them had found a dormouse nest in the reed bed by the edge of their ‘lake’. Not only had they found the nest but the resident had obliged by coming out and letting them take photos! Robert, you see, has a bit of a reputation of never believing anyone’s natural history sightings – animal, plant or mineral – ‘proof’ is essential!
As predicted Robert was excited…though I did detect the old flicker of scepticism “Oh, and Sally has the photo to prove it.” I grinned “Though seriously, do dormice nest in reed beds? By water?”
Apparently, yes they do, though it’s more likely in those parts of the country which support good reed bed systems. I guess in Devon, with our glorious hedgerows and connected woodlands, we just don’t look for them in other places that often. Though Maggie of Wheatland Farm did say they found a nest complete with dormouse in the middle of their area of culm grassland which was well away from trees (again with photo to prove it! Do click on the link to see them).
So down Robert went to Sally’s, not just to give positive identification to nest and inhabitant, but also to continue on his quest for hoverflies (now up to well over 120 species for Devon!). He was not disappointed. It was a dormouse nest, with occupant, at the edge of the reed bed. Amazingly she, the dormouse, appeared quite unperturbed by her celebrity status, posing for these stunning photos! (…andRobert went on to successfully discover yet more hoverflies)
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August 20, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Gail
Wow what a lovely sighting – I always thought dormice were shy creature living inhazel woodland and that the only chance you had of seeing one was if you joined a guided walk with a licenced recorder when they are checking the nest boxes. I now have dormouse envy … 😉
-Gail X
August 24, 2009 at 1:50 pm
paula
Hi Gail thanks for the visit and comment. Found your site interesting too.
You’re not wrong in your thoughts!
I think last year we found around 70-80 nests in our hedgerows – haven’t looked elsewhere, but maybe should now. I’m lucky Robert has all the relevant licences. We do hold courses and things, keep checking in and maybe you’ll be able to come up and see them for yourself!
September 10, 2009 at 9:48 am
Gail
I will keep my eyes open, dormice are one of the things I would love to see!
Thanks for visiting my blog too, I don’t really put near enough time into keeping it up to date, there always seems to be too much else to do … 😉
So very true! I;ve found it hard this year…
August 21, 2009 at 8:31 pm
elizabethm
Very lovely photos. We have giant reed bed but no dormice to be seen. Ours seems to be sheltering rabbits with eyes on the veg beds.
August 24, 2009 at 1:56 pm
paula
Oh don’t speak of rabbits! We now have bank voles decimating the polytunnel…too much b****y wildlife on our farm. See where it gets you!
August 22, 2009 at 7:58 pm
heidi
So cute! I love them…they remind me of flying squirrels, only smaller.
We just have boring old field mice, and Norwegian rats the size of Jack Russells, nothing nearly so cute as doormice!
August 24, 2009 at 2:03 pm
paula
You’ve got chipmuncks…they’re cute! We won’t go on about those darn rat things…Willow is ratter-in-learning from Ness!
August 24, 2009 at 4:17 pm
karibaskets
I’ve never heard of a “Norwegian rat” … are they in Norway? Fortunately. I didn’t come across any! And no dormice that I know of in CT. LOTS of mice and chipmunks though … Life is returning to what it was, but the pressure is on to weave!
August 23, 2009 at 9:55 am
Sian
Those photos are absolutely fantastic. I can see the individual hairs on the fur, and they really demonstrate the agile nature of the dormouse. And I *know* dormice are tiny! Thanks for sharing the photos. Oooh I would so love to see a dormouse in it’s natural habitat. How beautiful. (OK soppy note here – I just want to reach out and tickle it’s tummy!! Tee hee!)
August 24, 2009 at 2:07 pm
paula
They are amazing aren’t they. Robert took them, very talented chap!
They are really wonderful to see, gives me a huge thrill every time – and you’re right, they do have oodles of cuddle factor too!
August 23, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Michelle in NZ
Oh, wow, the wee critters that we don’t have here. Amazing to see photos of a little being that I only knew about from an AA Milne poem.
August 24, 2009 at 2:11 pm
paula
Glad you enjoyed the photos Michelle. My NZ daughter-in-law is always totally amazed by our wildlife too…
August 24, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Maggie
Lovely photos – I’m so envious of seeing dormice in daylight without disturbance. I’m going checking boxes (with Jan Whittington) at the weekend though, so maybe I’ll at least get to see one in the hand…
Thanks for putting up the pictures – they’re such a charismatic part of our wildlife and people so rarely get to see them, so it’s a treat!
August 30, 2009 at 10:38 am
Jane
Very interested to read your post. I will pass this onto the guys at Dorset Wildlife Trust to see if they have ever come across it. I’ve NEVER seen one in the wild. I’d love to know when your training courses are as I’d be really interested in attending one. I’m sure we have dormice nearby… but as to finding/seeing them, I’m in the dark (so to speak). In the nature diary I have of our garden/road from 30 years ago (written by my godfather’s friend who lived 3 doors up), there was a sighting of a dormice in the hedge (laurel) in our garden. Oh how I’d love to have one in my garden now! (you never know 🙂 )
October 19, 2020 at 6:05 pm
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