A new family of dormice has been found living happily in a nest box for the first time since it was put up in Jan ‘07, in woodland near Chilworth.

It’s taken the choosy dormice some time to make use of the breeding boxes that were installed as part of a joint project between Surrey Wildlife Trust, Chilworth Gunpowder Mills Group and Guildford Borough Council. Since the initial discovery of a tell-tale, dormouse-nibbled hazelnut at the site prompted the installation of boxes, all that was found was 12 blue tit nests, an empty dormouse nest and a sleepy male dormouse. Things soon started to look up; in May 3 more dormice were found in different sections of the site and in June a male and female in the same box – with hopes of a family soon to come!

Read Full Story.