Good News for the Grocontinental Voles

 Latrine in the ditch near Grocontinental. This tells us there's a breeding female there.

 Edgeley Road juvenile and baby

Grocontinental vole

I know many of you have been waiting for an update on this particular colony: well, I’m pleased to tell you that after discussions, the outcome has been pretty positive. In the longer term, habitat will be improved and there is potential for further enhancement of the site, under the guidance of a team including a professional ecologist who understands about the importance of timings to works, and about best environmental practice generally.  

I'm delighted to add that I've had two sightings there recently, and we look forward to water voles thriving in this stretch of the brook.

Vocalising

 Adult water voles

 Dead mole by the path

Juvenile water voles

It's rare to hear water voles vocalising, in my experience, but when they do it seems to be as a threat or protest towards another vole. The two in the top photo were apparently matched in size and age, but the one holding the apple was piping at the other to back off, which it did. I've heard an adult pipe at a baby to get out of the way, too. But they don't waste time squeaking about predators - they just vanish under water or down a burrow.

Populations getting to a peak now

 Baby water vole

 Adults

 Very fresh droppings indeed!

 Silver Studded Blue

 Burnet moth

Orchids from Wybunbury Moss and Prees Heath - Pyramid and Common Spotted, I think.

Water vole populations will be peaking about now, and families dispersing. Lots of fights going on over territory.

Back at Wybunbury

 Vole from Edgeley Road.

 Grass snake - one of two on Wybunbury Moss last week.

Large Red damselfly, also from the Moss.