A Little Bit of Activity at White Lion Meadow

 

 I've only had one actual sighting here this year, but this latrine under the bridge shows there is a population of water voles on the site.

Bigger latrine in the field off Edgeley Road. Below, a latrine right outside a burrow.

Sometimes it can be hard to spot droppings against mud. Look for the presence of flies!

Here's the little youngster with the spot on its head. It's now getting the lighter- milk-chocolate coat of an adult.

Who Knows How Long these Voles Will Be Here?

 

This water vole is carrying nesting materials.

water vole droppings

First sightings of water voles at Edgeley Road and at White Lion Meadow (Tesco car park). Normally I would be celebrating: now, with Edgeley Road under threat of a housing development, I don't know if I dare.

A Tentative Start

 

Voles at the wood yard and at White Lion Meadow

water vole latrine and feeding

brimstone butterfly

green tiger beetle

common lizard

green hairstreak butterfly

So What About the Voles?

The Staggsbrook at Edgeley Road has only recently subsided to its usual course. Up till now, it's been flooded. However, below are the water vole field signs that are beginning to appear.

prints

feeding station

Below, two photos of droppings.

Below, a single dropping at the Wood Yard behind Tesco, plus a print.

Orange Tip butterfly

Meadow Pipit above, and below, a male Stonechat.

Male reed bunting above and fledgeling thrush below.

Male linnet

A combination of building work at White Lion Meadow (Tesco car park), and horrendous rainfall, seems to have impacted on water vole appearances. But there are now the beginnings of signs on three sites, and I will continue to monitor those places and report any sightings.

Activity at Edgeley Road

 

Purple Hairstreak butterfly at Prees Heath. It seems to have been a bumper year for them, on that site at least.

White Lion Meadow (Tesco) vole.

Raft spiderlings seen on Whixall Moss.

Subtle Signs

 

Speckled Woods

Small Tortoiseshell

Small Heath

Skipper

Ringlet

Clouded Border moth

Meadow browns. The brighter-coloured one is the male.

common lizard

Grayling

Feeding signs and droppings at Edward German Drive.

Stones used as latrines at the timber yard.

Comma butterfly