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MARSH MATTERS by Kathy Barclay, Picture by Michael Rodgers What’s New? Well we survived the winter and came out the other side a lot wetter and muddier than before! We haven’t really been able to step off the boardwalk without sinking knee deep in mud or water at any point during the winter. Which is how it should be I suppose for a marsh….but I’ve seen drier years! The wildlife seems oblivious to it really and I have a secret to share with you…..our friends the otters have been regular visitors to the pond area (I’ve heard but not seen!) during daylight hours. Their footprints were clear to see in the snow on the boardwalks. Last years cub and his Mum or Dad have really taken to a mid-morning splash in front of the bird hide. Thanks to our keen wildlife spotters and bird watchers we have some great photographs. I thought it would be interesting to tell you a little more about the lives of our handsome mammalian friends so here goes: All about Otters Our UK otter is known as the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), one of a number of species found worldwide. They have been around since after the last ice age and were widespread for 10,000 years but from the mid-1950’s they suffered a dramatic decline. By the late 1970’s the only healthy populations were in Scotland with small numbers remaining in Wales, Northern and Sout Western England. This 24 decline was closely linked with the use of organochlorine pesticides such as dieldrin. These were used in sheep dips and seed dressings but what we didn’t realise was that they built up in the food chain to such an extent that they killed the top predators including otters. When we stopped using these chemicals, bird populations recovered quickly but otters took a little longer. Today we are finding more and more across the UK sometimes in some rather surprising places, like Magor Marsh. They have been returning to traditional lowland haunts and establishing themselves firmly in busy urban centres, often becoming used to people and active in broad daylight. Like all mustelids (ferrets, weasels and mink) they have long slim bodies ideal for swimming. They are 1 – 1.5 metres long with half that length taken up with a strong muscular tail for propulsion through the water. It’s fur is short and dense and keeps the skin dry by trapping a layer of air around the body. They have four webbed feet and can close their ears and nose when underwater. So it should come as no surprise that their diet is mainly waterborne prey – 80% fish and the rest made up of amphibians, crayfish, ducks and small mammals (hopefully not too many water vole!). Otters are one of our top predators and eat about 1.5kg of fish every day. They can be distinguished from mink by their much larger size, more powerful body, paler grey-brown fur, broader snout Please mention The Villager when responding to adverts
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Page 1 and 2: The Villager In this issue Magor RF
Page 3 and 4: From the Editor Welcome to the late
Page 5 and 6: My playing days ended in 1950 when
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Page 9 and 10: In each issue, The Villager plans t
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Page 21: Undy Athletic Football Club Busines
Page 26 and 27: MARSH MATTERS CONTINUED and broader
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