Friday, 7 June 2013

Mossfields and Black Park Road

 Edgeley Road vole



 Above: burrow, feeding and droppings at Mossfields.

 Latrine at Black Park Road


I went to check on the colony at Mossfields, which is the field at the back of Saddler's Walk, and was pleased to count more burrows than I've ever seen before on that site. Clearly a lot of water vole activity along the whole stretch.

Black Park Road was a more mixed story, as some vegetation had been removed and I think the lower stretch was too bare to be much use to voles; however the section between the metal bridge and Yocking's Gate looked like great habitat and, sure enough, there was a latrine on top of a stone right by the public footpath. I also spotted two kestrels while I was there, and sent the record off to http://www.kestrelcount.org/

2 comments:

Kath McGurl said...

Are kestrels endangered then? We see them pretty often over the sea-cliffs near here, hovering over some poor unsuspecting mouse. I love your kestrel photo - amazing.

Kate said...

Chris Packham on Spring watch reckoned there'd been a significant decline and sightings were needed to help research. Thanks for the nice comments.