Why is a Vole like a Squid?

 The cloud of sediment that sometimes tells you you've just missed a water vole.

 Comma

 Common Blue

 Small Copper

 Red Admiral

 Skipper

 Juvenile common newts, found under an abandoned suitcase on a brownfield site (Mile Bank)

 Large White

 Holly Blue

 Chocolate Tip

 Privet Hawk moth

 Ragged Robin

 Grass snake

OK, water voles don't produce their own ink cloud, but they do rely on a cloud of sediment they kick up to escape from predators.

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.

Failing to find Adders

 Male Brimstone

 and a Green Hairstreak, both Whixall Moss

 Buzzard and 

song thrush, both at Wybunbury Moss 

 The landscape of Whixall Moss

 A robin and a common frog put in an appearance for the Garden Bioblitz 2013

Water vole at Edgeley Road (one of two)

Spent much of Sunday hunting for adders on Whixall Moss, but didn't have any luck. I did see about a dozen green hairstreak butterflies, though, and countless brimstones, plus I heard a cuckoo (my first of the year).

Spotted a water vole latrine at the Waylands end of Edward German Drive, so that sight's looking good.

Fantastic day's wildlife spotting

Water voles from Edgeley Road

Below, photos from a morning at Wybunbury Moss reserve

Sundew

Eyed hawk moth? emerging from its pupa.

Two common lizards. We saw five altogether. 

Beautiful grass snake.

And finally, a water vole tries to steal my bag: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZoG1qrvtWo&list=UUnxzCfi9DQN0pH40VIkLeGg&index=1&feature=plcp