Water Voles and Rats (again)

 

 

 

Above, water vole and rat at White Lion Meadow.

Below, a comparison of the two animals' droppings.

 

 

 Lizards at Prees Heath. Some are pregnant females.

 

 

 A raven at Brook Vessons

 Edgeley Road water vole. Sightings are becoming fewer now, as the autumn comes near.

Around the Reserves

 Hares and a kestrel in the evening light. I won't put the location for this as there are evil people about who like to hunt hares.

Yellowhammer, common lizard and spotted flycatchers at Prees Heath Common.

 Fox, male common blue butterfly, wheatears, meadow pipit and female redstart at The Hollies, Snailbeach.

Silver-washed fritillary, Llanymynach Rocks.

Male bullfinch, Marford Quarry.

Edgeley Road voles.

Sometimes We Climb Trees

Water voles aren't terrific at climbing - they're a bit fat for it - but they're determined. Especially if there's a blackberry at the end.

Close Encounter with a Stoat

 Stoat stalking the water vole.

Below, lizards at Prees Heath

This water vole was almost a stoat's dinner last night. I watched it slinking along the stream while the vole sat eating, oblivious. The stoat was just starting to make its way up the bank when I let out a cough and it disappeared like lightning, closely followed by the vole. Stoats do predate water voles, but there are lots of rabbits nearby and well as field and bank voles and wood mice, so it wouldn't have gone hungry.