Again, not a fantastic picture of a water vole, but all these photos on this blog are for records only. The trackway immediately above is another kind of field sign to look out for.
Are there more or less voles this year than last in your brook, do you think? Not sure how you'd go about counting them, other than noting how often you spot some.
My local water company are working to reintroduce voles in a nearby river (the Stour) which is good news.
Fewer than 2006 - a freak year when the banks were teeming - but more than this time 2007 when they were just about to disappear for two months, chased off by rats.
Very pleased to hear about the Stour reintroduction. I hope the people behind it are establishing several separate colonies - what they call a meta-population - controlling any mink in the area, and creating 'wildlife corridors' to maintain healthy gene stock. (Pointless releasing voles just for them be predated upon, and isolated colonies always die out eventually.)
I wonder whether Derek Gow's involved? He breeds water voles; my dream job!
Again, not a fantastic picture of a water vole, but all these photos on this blog are for records only. The trackway immediately above is another kind of field sign to look out for.
Are there more or less voles this year than last in your brook, do you think? Not sure how you'd go about counting them, other than noting how often you spot some.
ReplyDeleteMy local water company are working to reintroduce voles in a nearby river (the Stour) which is good news.
Fewer than 2006 - a freak year when the banks were teeming - but more than this time 2007 when they were just about to disappear for two months, chased off by rats.
ReplyDeleteVery pleased to hear about the Stour reintroduction. I hope the people behind it are establishing several separate colonies - what they call a meta-population - controlling any mink in the area, and creating 'wildlife corridors' to maintain healthy gene stock. (Pointless releasing voles just for them be predated upon, and isolated colonies always die out eventually.)
I wonder whether Derek Gow's involved? He breeds water voles; my dream job!
I'll see what I can find out. I only heard about the Stour reintroduction via a glossy leaflet from the water company which came through the door.
ReplyDeleteOoh, yes, let us know.
ReplyDelete