We have embarked on a new and innovative project designed to provide information on the elusive Harvest mouse (Micromys minitus) at Parc Slip nature reserve, near Bridgend with the help of Eloise Neighbour, student at Cardiff University.
The project concentrates on the different methodology of surveying harvest mice, and has included a novel approach to studying the tiny mammal. The new technique is simple and non-invasive, it consists of a bait station filmed by a motion sensitive camera.
This method provides footage of harvest mice using the bait stations as well as presenting the opportunity to study their behaviour. The bait station design has changed throughout the project; however the recent modification has proven successful with recordings providing footage almost straight away.
The new design of bait station is simply a bird feeder suspended over grass tussocks, this can be seen within the video link as well as the bold harvest mice using the feeder.
Eloise kindly agreed to doing an interview about the mice and the methodology she has come up with and the YouTube video shows footage and photos of the work and the harvest mice – of course.
