Rabbit City
Meadow Brown
common spotted orchid
water vole latrines.
The evening being so beautiful, I had a walk round Whitchurch Country Park and found plenty of evidence of water voles. It was especially concentrated round the bridge crossing at Greenfields Rise, a fact I make special note of because this area's sometimes talked about in terms of 'development'. Under the concrete bridge, the one within the park boundary, there are the usual otter signs. Further up, towards the culvert, there are water vole latrines, which is excellent news as a survey in 2006 showed little activity in this area. However, a working party's been visiting regularly and their management of the brook's banks has clearly made a big difference!
Hi Kate
ReplyDeleteYou have a good blog and it's good to see your comments about management and the advice you give.
It's important that your work and observations are recorded as your interest in Water Voles may play a big part in conserving their habitats one day in the future.
You must be constantly vigilant for mink and take the appropriate action if they are discovered.
Good luck and keep telling us about what you're doing!
The Woodman
Thanks, John. Yes, this blog's chiefly about providing public records which could help conserve north Shropshire's water vole population. It's partly why I post so many photos of droppings - it's such a key field-sign.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet I know personally of two examples where builders/councils have sent out their surveyors to places heaving with water voles and apparently found nothing, hem hem.
So I log my data with photos, dates and location, because you never know when it might be needed.