Although we built the dormouse houses in February, we are just starting to put them up around the reserve in quiet places away from the main public footpaths. Dormouse nest boxes are also perfect for blue tits and we want to avoid them nesting in these boxes instead. As a result we tend to wait until after blue tits have found suitable nesting sites before putting out the dormouse boxes. Inevitably some blue tits will choose to nest in the dormouse boxes which is why we’ve made so many. Over the next few weeks, my team and I will be trying to put all 118 houses in strategic spots on the reserve. Dormice like to live near deciduous woodland, hedgerows and bramble bushes. We will be trying to put boxes near these habitats but we will also put a few in other habitats just to see.
Don’t be surprised if you don’t see them around the reserve, dormice are secretive and shy which means we are putting the houses off the beaten track as much as possible.
