Dwyryd Otter Survey

How many otters are there on the Dwyryd? Whereabouts are they? What is the ratio of males to females? To help build on existing knowledge and gain a fuller picture there will be a weekend survey between 17^th to 19^th May organised by Ceri Morris through the MISE project - Mammals In a Sustainable Environment.

In addition to the weekend survey, which hopefully will involve at least twenty people, there is a requirement for local volunteers to 'spot check' key sites over the course of one year. All you need to be able to do is identify and collect otter spraints (poo), put them in a bag, freeze them and send to Ireland (Waterford Institute of Technology) for DNA analysis.

This builds on the work that the Dwyryd Otter Partnership and subsequently Snowdonia Mammal Group undertook a few years ago. An analysis of spraints showed amongst other things that otters feasting on seafood could travel all the way to Trawsfynydd before having to poo.

If you would like to take part please contact Ceri Morris by email at: c.morris@ccw.gov.uk

Meanwhile here’s a film clip of some Dwyryd otters in 2011.

Natur Cymru Board visits Gilfach

The Natur Cymru Board attended the company's AGM in Llandrindod Wells recently, and then continued to the Radnor Wildlife Trust reserve at Gilfach Farm, just north of Rhayader on the A470. Here lunch was taken - see picture. From the left: David Parker (Chairman), Ivor Rees, Huw Jenkins (Development and Marketing), James Robertson (Editor), Mandy Marsh (Production Manager) and....(extreme right) Delcie Simkin (Company Secretary). In the background is the longhouse which was restored after the Radnor Trust bought Gilfach - see page 9 in the latest Natur Cymru (#43).

Part of the longhouse is open every day as a small information centre (with toilets). There is also a Visitor Centre which at present (summer holidays) is open from Wed - Sun from 1030. Tea/coffee and other light refreshments, also sales goods, books and information. See the Gilfach Farm website for details of special activities in the holidays.

After lunch the group walked down the road to the Otter Hide and then along the river, looking for otter spraints (droppings) and the Globeflowers which grow here. The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies were (sadly) finished for the year, as they fly in June and early July. The valley is an excellent place for seeing Red Kites, and of course the Gigrin Farm Feeding Station is only a short distance away, on the other side of Rhayader.

The Gilfach scarecrow

Two final thoughts: 1. If you have never been to Gilfach - you must go! AND 2. - the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust is running a campaign to reach their target of 1,000 members - why not help by joining? You do NOT have to live in the county! You can join up by visiting the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust website.

Holt Cuisine - food for posh otters

The Mammals in a Sustainable Environment project will be holding a 2-day otter diet workshop on the 18^th & 19^th February at Treborth Botanic Gardens, Bangor.

The purpose of the workshop is to analyse otter spraint collected along the north Wales coast to learn more about their diet and ecology. Training will be provided by local expert Rob Strachan, so if you would like to learn more about otter ecology, please get involved. All levels of experience welcome! 

The workshop will be free of charge, but places are limited so book early! Please contact Ceri Morris to book your place on 07881 850735 or email c.morris@ccw.gov.uk

The MISE project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A).

Coastal Otter Survey on Anglesey

Coastal otters, like coastal people, are not a different species, it’s just a lifestyle choice. They enjoy the sea food but not the salt which clogs up their fur and they need to rinse themselves out in fresh water. So this is why estuaries are a good choice when selecting an area for a coastal otter survey.

We worked our way along the mouth of the estuary at Rhosneigr, then upstream through the dunes, past the busy and noisy RAF Valley runway, towards the golf course. It wasn’t until we got to the bridge by the clubhouse that we found our first spraints – 8 one end and 1 at the other. 

Was it a single otter or many otters? Dog or bitch? In a few weeks time we will know when the DNA has been analysed at the Waterford Institute of Technology, helping us to build up a picture of the otter population and the territorial ranges of individuals.  

What we were doing was being repeated by 6 other groups of volunteers around the coast of Anglesey all organised by Menter Môn. My group leader was Ceri Morris, project officer for MISE - Mammals in a Sustainable Environment, a project looking into a range of mammals (including bats, dormice, red squirrels and harvest mice) that runs on both sides of the Irish Sea.

As well as leading our part of the survey she took time out to record an interview for the BBC Radio Wales Country Focus programme broadcast Sunday 2^nd October. 

Here’s a short clip of Ceri and Dawn seeking out otter spraints - note the very elegant footwear!