The Law

At long last, water voles get full legal protection: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3440808.ece
and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7260000/newsid_7264200/7264289.stm
I've become aware recently of how much attention is given to great crested news and their habitat, the tight restrictions on planners, and the huge fines for those who harm this species of amphibian. If water voles can get half as much help, they'll be doing well.

Thank you North Shropshire District Council!

I only phoned NSDC a couple of days ago, and today the banks at White Lion Meadow are clear of litter - that's what I call service. As long as nobody takes it into their heads to scarify the area, as happened last year!

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Latrines show the voles are marking their territory ready for breeding. The banks are punctuated every yard or so with these runs, sort of 'chutes' into the water for an emergency exit. Just watched a vole now using the run pictured above.

It's official

A sign's gone up in the White Lion Meadow store saying coin-operated trolleys will be installed on March 3rd. So let's hope the trolley that's in the water this morning will be the last.
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The rats have been dealt with (thanks, NSDC) and I'm about to call the council and ask can they help with a litter pick as I can't manage the whole stretch on my own. It would be great to have the place looking really smart by the time the voles are installed.
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Roll on Spring!

If you have your speakers on, you'll hear how noisy it gets in the car park!

The voles are back in town!

Went to White Lion Meadow car park to litter pick and take some pics of voley-looking prints, and this chap appeared. In the top photo you can see the creamy white underbelly which helps to camouflage them from predators who might attack from beneath, eg pike (though not in the Staggs Brook). First vole of the year; it's made my week.

Prints in the Country Park today. The very tiny one immediately above is probably mouse, but I also wondered about water shrew? Because apparently they make starry prints too, but the scale's wrong for water vole. But water shrews are very rare, so I don't hold out much hope.

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There are a whole bunch of rats at White Lion Meadow. Waiting to hear from NSDC if they can help.

Another blackbird

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Thanks to Dave for this snap of another part-albino blackbird. They must be commoner that I'd thought!

Brilliant place - but take your wellies

After a litter pick down White Lion Meadow, I spent a fantastic couple of hours in Whitchurch Country Park. The Water Vole/Shropshire Wildlife group has done some really useful work in the area, installing wooden steps, and a cattle drinker to stop banks being poached, and an extra pond to encourage the voles. It is, however, incredibly muddy, so wellies and a stout stick are a must.

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I'm not seeing any definite water vole prints at White Lion Meadow yet, but I think there were some in the Country Park. The problem is, rats' prints are pretty similar - it's rat directly above, and the starrier water vole in the two above that (I hope).

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Under the bridge I found some more otter spraint, but I don't know whether it was fresh. Then I walked the length of the path, seeing coal tits and long-tailed tits and a fieldfare and, to my shock, a huge buzzard which launched itself from the bushes a few paces in front of me. I've never seen one so close - boy, are they big!