14
board) and turn buttons or hinges for
access "door".
Build a frame from the softwood and secure to
the base. Fix the chicken wire over this so
that the four sizes and about half the roof are
covered to form a cage. Secure the wire under
the base board to prevent cats, rats, birds,
etc. from entering the feeding area. Cut the
perspex or board for the "door" slightly larger
than the opening left in the roof of the cage
and secure with hinge and/or turn buttons.
Siting of the table is very important. It is
essential that the animals can reach the table
without leaving cover. Therefore, a position
by a hedge, bank or bushes is necessary. In
order to get the best sightings, a position
close to the house is ideal, and such proximity
did not seem to discourage our visitors. Much
of the activity occurs under the cover of
darkness. We found positioning the table
outside a window where the light was regularly
on gave sufficient light to observe from an
adjacent window. A red torch light or porch
light may also be successful.
Baiting the table with hamster food mix,
hazelnuts, peanuts and odd household scraps
provided temptation for shrews, mice and voles
and also an opportunity to study food
preferences.
In addition, we found putting in a seed tray
filled with fine raked moist loam provided both
an aid to identification and records for when
the table wasn't being watched, and some nice