Rodents we have seen on the Wildlife Site and around Downlee Lodge include: Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus), House Mouse (Mus musculus), Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and Field Vole (Microtus agrestis). The Common Shrew (Sorex Araneus) has also been seen, but only rarely.
The Brown Rat has been seen on night cameras and occasionally in daylight. They have nested under the garden shed and burrowed under the chicken coops in Downlee Lodge meadow.
House Mouse have been seen on cameras in the house and have occasionally somehow found their way in and trapped themselves in chicken feed bins.
Wood Mouse have been seen on camera trap pictures and videos at night and has been inadvertently caught in traps in the house and garden at Downlee Lodge. They are attractive little creatures with large ears and white undersides.
Field Vole, which has a short tail and the Common Shrew, that is not a rodent but a relative of the Mole and has a pointed nose, have been seen fleetingly diving into tunnels in the grass around meadow margins, too quickly for us to photograph. The Kestrel and Barn Owl are presumably more able observers of these small creatures than we are. We have also seen a weasel hunting in the tunnels.
Photographs of Rodent and Shrew
Click on the photograph for larger images and captions.
Further Information
For further information on the species in this group, please click the links below:
Brown Rat House Mouse Wood Mouse Field Vole Common Shrew
