The reserve team had a fantastic surprise last week whilst clearing out the nest boxes around the reserve ready for the next breeding season – two tiny wood mice nestled at the bottom of one of the boxes! They had obviously made a cosy little bolt hole for themselves in amongst the hawthorn leaves, and were taking shelter from the cold using the wooden box as insulation.
Wood mice in a nest box! Image by Chris Mountain
Wood mice inhabit forests, grasslands, and cultivated fields – they burrow extensively, making nests for themselves out of plant material, and moving into buildings (and empty nestboxes apparently!) to escape the cold in the harsher months.
Although wood mice are quite common, being found across most of Europe in good numbers, it’s great to know that these lovely little creatures have a home at Fairburn Ings. We’ve repeatedly caught glimpses of them on the camera trap around the visitor centre, but thought that this close encounter was definitely worth sharing!