A Mixed Picture

 Edward German Drive vole

 White-faced darter and a female Stonechat,on Whixall Moss

 Wood Yard vole

  Droppings and a vole at Edgeley Road

Below: two more Edward German Drive voles, from different days.

I'm struggling to see voles in the usual places this year. The field signs are there, but actual sightings are proving tricky. There's been some sort of scum on the water this week right the way along the Staggs Brook, plus the growth of sewage fungus, so I'm hoping that's not impacted on the health of the wildlife. (Sewage fungus isn't caused by sewage, it just gets its name because it looks unpleasant.) Perhaps rain will help. On the plus side, there's more vole activity than I've ever seen on Edward German Drive.

Water vole populations do have a natural 'boom and bust' cycle, peaking and crashing every four years, so maybe this is just a normal fluctuation. I hope so.