As part of a training day, we took some volunteers and ecologists round the Whitwater fishing pool to look for water vole (and field vole) signs. The banks were full of water vole latrines, trackways and feeding, and in one place we found a big group of w-v burrows set well back from the water and looking almost like a rabbit warren. Whitwater may be Whitchurch's most important colony.
This evening I went to check the field by Edgeley Road and once again a water vole raided my bag while I was sitting next to it. No photograph as it was too close to focus! All the grass around me was rustling with voles eating, and I could hear the sounds of voles further down jumping into the water. The place must be heaving with them.
I've yet to have the privilege of being pilferaged by a water vole. Do you find you're starting to take them for granted?
ReplyDeleteNever! You and I know how precarious individual colonies are, plus this massive bulding programme planned by Shrosphire Council could easily see off Whitchurch's entire water vole population within thirty years if it goes unchallenged and at maximum scale.
ReplyDeleteIronic that so may people nationally are working so hard to save this animal from extinction, while others seem bent on eradicating it.
Sad isn't it? Sometimes I wonder if the coverage of water voles is accurate. A lot is made of predation by mink, but the damage done by local planners isn't often discussed and is probably worse...
ReplyDeleteMaybe water vole hot spots should be legally protected.
Good luck with the campaign...
Water voles and their habitat are legally protected and there is a booklet called Guidance for Planners on the subject. But I'm afraid some councils just go ahead anyway and wipe the colonies out. I don't understand how ours has got away with some of their actions in the past.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm very much on the case this time and I'll be calling the Wildlife Crime Unit if I see a digger going anywhere near a burrow.
It seems one or two bag-raiding-voles might be taking Kate for granted.
ReplyDeleteHa ha!
ReplyDelete