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OTTER BLITZ ONE DAY SURVEY at GILLINGHAM
Seems a long time ago now, but the group had great weather for the
survey in April and identified some great new spotting sites, and
Sarah Williams from DWT found the biggest spraint she had ever seen!
Some people even saw a water vole.
HOLTS
One log pile holt was installed at Troublefield Nature Reserve in
July (see pictures below) where a camera has been installed hoping
to catch a glimpse of these elusive creatures.
Merlin Entertainments/Sealife have joined Dorset Willdife Trust
as Corporate members and a group of their staff will be building
a log pile holt on Brownsea Island in October.
OTTERS STEALING FISH
At last there is some information available to give to people who
have a problem with otters eating their fish. The link is long,
but the advice is quite thorough – please pass this on to
anyone you know may be interested. http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/conservation/wildlife-management-licensing/docs/otters_and_stillwater_fisheries.pdf
SUMMER SHOWS
DOG attended DWT’s Lorton Open Day, Weymouth, the Urban Wildlife
Day in Christchurch, St Cahterines Hill Open Day and Stour Valley
Show. Thanks to Steve Urquhart, Sheila Dawsey and Darren Fanner
for manning these. Unfortunately, due to Roy Heeler breaking his
ankle (don’t mention siamese cats) and to torrential rain
in September, the group was unable to attend either Kingston Maurward
or Sturminster Cheese Festival as planned. We borrowed Oscar (stuffed
otter) and Squishy (otter pelt) - both road traffic accident victims
- from the Environment Agency and took prints and spraint which
all helped make an impact.
OTTER ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS
2008 seems to be similar to 2007 in terms of number of road casualties
reported so far. In Spetember, the death of a large male at Grey’s
bridge , Dorchester was reported to me, and last week, I picked
up an otter which appears to have been hit on the railway at West
Stafford, near Dorchester.
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