Spotty Voles Again

 

I've logged voles with white forehead spots several times on this blog, across several different locations, e.g. Spotty Voles I don't know what causes it, though several youngsters together with the same mark suggests it's genetic. It might also suggest how much water voles travel between different sites, keeping the populations healthy and preventing inbreeding. The photos above show two different youngsters, plus an adult, and only one of the juveniles has a spot. I don't know if any of them are related.

Differences in Colour

Above, a single dropping and below, two photos of latrines. The green one is fresher than the black one.

 Baby water voles - as you can see from the photos - are noticeably darker than adults.

If We Lose This Field to Housing!

 

I think we'll find out in June whether this field will be built on and the water vole colony destroyed. It breaks my heart that these beautiful and supposedly legally-protected animals will disappear under the pressures of building work, habitat disturbance and domestic cats.

More Latrines Appearing

 

burrow

burrow containing feeding

trampled droppings = a latrine, marking territory

Key Features of a Water Vole

 

Brown, thick fur, furry tail, small ears, blunt nose, starry toes. Water vole droppings are shaped like Tic Tacs and a similar size.

Edgeley Road Voles

 

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.