American Mink

Luterola luterola vison

Description:
Long, slender body slung low, ears short, set close together, bushy tail, short legs, toes partly webbed. Dark brown fur. Head and body length 300 - 430mm, tail 130 - 230mm, weight 560 - 1020g. All sightings are descendants of animals escaped from mink farms. Often mistaken for otter, a animal, sadly, most likely extinct in our area.

Records:
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
01/01/1993 - Nidd Gorge

Clethrionomys glareolus

Description:
Upper parts are bright chestnut, the tail black above and ending in pencils of hair. Underparts are whitish varying to yellowish or buff. Head and body length 90 - 100mm, tail 40 - 65mm, weight 15g winter, probably more in summer.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common; Thinly distributed throughout the whole district.
01/09/1985 - Harrogate; Live-trapped.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
01/01/1988 - Nidd Gorge.
01/04/1996 -
01/06/1996 -

Lepus capensis

Description:
Very long black-tipped ears; large powerful hind legs Head/body length: 520-595mm; tail: 85-120mm Weight: average 3-4kg

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant; Thanks to the Ground Game Bill not nearly so abundant as formerly.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
01/04/1996 -
01/05/1996 -

(Plecotus auritus) ?

Description:
I need more information on this species, can anybody help. What distinguishes it from the Long-eared Bat, especially Speight's 1894 record?

Records:
01/01/1987 - Scotton Banks; Loft of an house.

Rattus norvegicus

Description:
Upper parts typically grey-brown. Underparts dirty white. Stout body with short tail, feet flesh coloured. Head/body length: 200 - 270mm, tail 165 - 230mm. Weight: varies up to around 500g

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant; In some places too abundant to be pleasant.
12/05/1996 - Bilton Banks.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge

Sorex araneus

Description:
Small mouse like with dark brown, almost black upper-parts. Underparts pale to dirty yellowish-grey. Thin, tapering snout with long whiskers. Feet flesh coloured. tail dark above and light below, occassionaly white-tipped. Head/body length: about 70 - 85mm, tail Usually half head and body length, Weight: average 8-12g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Muscardinus avellanarius

Description:

Orange/yellow fur; the only small mammal with a thick bushy tail.
Head/body length: about 60-90mm, tail 57-68mm
Weight: 10-15g in juveniles; 15-26g in adults; up to 43g before hibernation

The dormouse is a strictly nocturnal species, found in deciduous woodland and overgrown hedgerows. It spends most of its time climbing among tree branches in search of food, and rarely comes to the ground. It feeds on flowers, pollen, fruits, insects and nuts. During the day it sleeps in a nest, often in a hollow tree branch or a deserted bird nest or nestbox.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Local; Not common, may not have been found in Bilton.

Dama dama

Description:
This deer can be distinguished from others by its antlers. These are flattened and expanded in all the upper branches but the main stem is rounded. Only the buck has antlers. The summer coat is deep fawn or reddish-yellow above and has white spots. The underparts are usually yellowish-white. The winter coat is greyish brown with a white underside. The average height of the buck is 90cm. The hind is slightly smaller. Antlers range in length between 25 and 30 cm.

Records:
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge; First arrived in the Gorge over 30 years ago and today's small herd are the descendants of animals which escaped from Ripley Castle.

Microtus agrestis

Description:
Also known as the short-tailed vole this vole has a stumpy body with a blunt head and short round ears which just protrude from the fur. Its tail is short and somewhat rigid. The underparts vary between yellowish-brown and dark brown. The body length is 90 - 115 mm, with the tail adding an extra 30 - 45 mm. the weight varies between 20 and 40g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Very common.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
01/01/1988 - Nidd Gorge.

Vulpes vulpes

Description:
The fox or red fox as it is more accurately called suffers from much persecution from so called sportsmen and farmers who no little better. It has pointed ears and a sharp muzzle. The dog fox and vixen are similar but the vixen is slightly smaller. lacks cheek ruffs and has a shorter coat. The fur can be quite red but generally is sandy to brownish-red. The tail is a magnificent bushy affair called the brush with a white tip. The body is 60 cm for the dog fox, tail 40 cm and shoulder height 35 cm. The average dog fox weighs around 6.8 kg whereas the vixen weighs 5.5 kg.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
12/05/1996 - Bilton Banks.
01/06/1996 -

Sciurus carolinensis

Description:
This species was introduced into the British Isles from North America in the nineteenth century. It is speckled grey above and has white underparts in winter. the ear-tufts are brownish with white hairs behind the ears. The bushy tail is fringed with white in winter. In summer the coat becomes shorter and more brownish with a bright rufous streak along the flanks and on the paws. This can cause confusion with the red squirrel, which is distinguishable by its smaller length and longer ear tufts. The grey squirrel is 260 - 280 mm long with the tail adding a extra 215 mm on average. It weighs around 500 - 570 g depending upon the abundance of food.

Records:
Unsure whether following Speight record refers to grey or red squirrel.
01/01/1894 - Common.
In 1997 the grey squirrel is a common animal.

Erinaceus europaeus

Description:
A well known creature, with remarkable spines which combined with its ability to roll into a ball form a superb defence against predators. The body length is from 190 - 260 mm. its tail is around 25 mm. the female is slightly smaller. The weights can vary considerably throughout the year with the male between 900 - 1200 g and the female from 800 - 1000 g. More likely to be encountered at dusk enjoying a bowl of bread and milk in a Bilton garden than the gorge.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common.
Late 1980's -
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge

Mus musculus

Description:
A small brownish-grey mouse with slightly paler underparts. The snout is pointed and the eyes bright black. Its ears are large and sensitive, brownish in colour. The tail is ringed with scales. The size varies according to its habitat, outdoor mice are usually smaller than the indoor version. Head and body vary between 70 and 95 mm. the tail is around the same size. It weighs between 10 and 40 g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant.
01/01/1988 - Common; Rarely recorded and least studied. Probably present on most farms in the Harrogate District.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Plecotus auritus

Description:

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common.
This may be same as Brown long-eared Bat. I need to confirm this.

Apodemus sylvaticus

Description:
This mouse is also called the common field or wood mouse. It has dark yellow-brown upperparts and white underparts. There is a orange or buff spot on its chest. it has a long snout, dark eyes and prominent ears. the tail is long and dark brown, whitish underneath. The body length is around 80 - 95 mm with a tail of from 75 to 100 mm. It weighs between 15 and 30 g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Very abundant.

Mole

Talpa europaea

Description:
This creature's presence is usually evident from the mounds of earth or mole hills it produces when excavating. It dark grey in colour and has huge forelimbs with five fingered hands which it uses for digging. The highly sensitive muzzle is pointed whilst its eyes, for which it has little use underground, are very tiny. It has a short stumpy tail which if you are fortunate enough to see above ground is often carried vertically. The male is around 140 mm in length, the female slightly smaller. The tail accounts for around another 30 mm. The male weighs 110g the female around 85g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Very abundant, cream coloured examples sometimes caught.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Natterer's Bat

Selysius nattereri

Description:
This bat is greyish-brown above and whitish underneath. Its head and body are around 50 mm with a forearm and tail both of around 40 mm. It weighs about 8 - 10 g.

Records:
01/01/1987 Nidd Gorge; Solitary.

Noctule Bat

Nyctalus noctula

Description:
The fur of this bat is reddish-brown. It is around 80 mm long with a tail from 40 - 60 mm and a forearm of around 50 mm. The wings span of the narrow wings are 350 - 380 mm. It weighs from 15 - 40 g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common; Not uncommon in lower parts of the dale.
01/01/1985 - Nidd Gorge; Occupying an old woodpecker hole in an Ash tree on the north bank of the Nidd.

Otter

Lutra lutra

Description:
The last known otter sighting in Bilton, unless you know better, was in 1952

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common; More plentiful than imagined. Speight hardly ever went fishing without seeing one.

Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Description:
A common bat with short, broad, triangular, blunt tipped, ears. The silky fur is dark to reddish brown, paler on the underparts. It has a rapid jerky flight and achieves heights of up to 12 m. The body is 40 - 50 mm, tail 25 - 33 mm, forearm 27 - 32 mm and the wingspan from 200 - 235 mm. It weighs around 7 g.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant.
01/01/1987 - Bilton; Uses nursery roosts in Bilton houses.
01/01/1987 - Scotton Banks; Uses nursery roosts in houses.

Pygmy Shrew

Sorex minutus

Description:
This shrew has a long snout with long whiskers. Its small delicately built body is completed with a long, hairy tail which usually exceeds two thirds of its body length. It is sandy brown above with white underparts. The body is 52 - 64 mm, tail 32 - 42 mm. It weighs 2.5 - 5.5 g. Speight called this creature the lesser shrew.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common; Not as common as common shrew.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Description:
The body is mainly buff sprinkled with black, nape blackish and underparts are whitish. The tail is black above but is distinctively white below. Colour variations can occur including black and much less frequently white. The ears are long and prominent, these are placed well to the sides of the head. The hind feet are much longer than the front and account for its bounding run. Body length is around 400 mm, weight up to 2 kg.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant; Thanks to the Ground Game Bill not nearly so abundant as formerly.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
1996 - Seen April, May, June, July, August & September.

Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Description:
This small dainty deer has a white flash around its tail. The buck's antlers are small and nearly upright, knobbled at the base and have only three points. These are shed in late winter and grow again by the following April or May. The bright red summer coat is short and smooth. The winter coat is grey and a more grey colour. Underparts are white. ears are whitish as is the chin leading to a black muzzle. The buck stands around 75 cm at the shoulder, length 1.2 m and weight around 30 kg. The doe is smaller and weighs up to around 20 kg.

Records:
01/01/1987 - Harrogate; Colonised suitable woodland during the late 60's and early 70's.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
12/05/1996 - Bilton Banks.

1996 - April, July, September and December

Stoat

Mustela erminea

Description:
This reddish-brown animal has white underparts tinged with yellow. The tip of its tail is black and this can be the main distinguishing feature between it and its close relative the much smaller weasel. It is from 220 - 330 mm in length and its tail adds another 80 - 120 mm. the male weighs around 200 - 440 g, the female 140 - 280 g. It is rare to see a specimen in ermine at the low altitude found in our study area.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant.
Early 1980's -
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Water Shrew

Neomys fodiens

Description:
This species is now very rare probably due to predation by mink, the quality of the water or disturbance from fishermen. It has a short, broad snout, small blue eyes and white ears. Its fine, dense fur is slaty black to dark brown on the upperparts and light ash or dirty white on the underparts. Its body is 75 - 100 mm long with the tail an extra 50 - 70 mm. It weighs around 12 - 18 g, less in winter.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Everywhere; Thinly distributed.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge; Seen near the viaduct.
01/01/1987 - Scotton Banks.

Water Vole

Arvicola amphibius

Description:
This is a large vole with thick, glossy, blackish-grey fur, sometimes reddish-brown sprinkled with grey, underparts are yellowish-grey. It has a short thick head with rounded muzzle and relatively short limbs, small eyes and small brown ears which scarcely project beyond the fur. It is 200 -215 mm long with the tail adding a further 115 mm. Its weight varies from around 120 - 180 g in winter to as much as 350 g in summer.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Very common.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Description:
The smallest species of carnivore, it has reddish-brown upperparts and white underparts. It short tail is the same colour and is thus easily distinguished from its larger cousin the stoat which has a black tipped tail. Does not turn white in winter in the recording area. The male is around 200 mm long with a tail of around 60 mm and weighs around 115 g. this compares with the female which is around 25 mm shorter and half the weight.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Abundant.
Mid 1980's -
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.

Whiskered Bat

Myotis mystacinus

Description:
The body of this bat is around 50 mm long, its forearm is 32 - 37 mm and wingspan 240 mm. It weighs 4 - 6 g. It has narrow wings and long ears which are notched on the outside.

Records:
01/01/1894 - Common.
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge; Solitary.

Wood Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Description:
Dark brown fur with white/grey underside, protruding eyes, large ears, long tail. Head/body length: 81-103mm; tail 71-95mm Weight: 13-27g

Records:
01/01/1987 - Nidd Gorge.
01/01/1988 - Abundant; Frequents all types of woodland but it has also been found in most other rural, suburban and urban habitats in the Harrogate District.
01/01/1988 - Nidd Gorge.