A Little Bit of Activity at White Lion Meadow

 

 I've only had one actual sighting here this year, but this latrine under the bridge shows there is a population of water voles on the site.

Bigger latrine in the field off Edgeley Road. Below, a latrine right outside a burrow.

Sometimes it can be hard to spot droppings against mud. Look for the presence of flies!

Here's the little youngster with the spot on its head. It's now getting the lighter- milk-chocolate coat of an adult.

Differences in Colour

Ideal habitat for water voles - lush cover, slow-flowing stream with a muddy bed, soft banks for burrowing. This is why it's absolutely tragic that the field might be built on.

Above, a single dropping and below, two photos of latrines. The green one is fresher than the black one.

 Baby water voles - as you can see from the photos - are noticeably darker than adults.

More Latrines Appearing

 

burrow

burrow containing feeding

trampled droppings = a latrine, marking territory

Who Knows How Long these Voles Will Be Here?

 

This water vole is carrying nesting materials.

water vole droppings

First sightings of water voles at Edgeley Road and at White Lion Meadow (Tesco car park). Normally I would be celebrating: now, with Edgeley Road under threat of a housing development, I don't know if I dare.

Coming to the End of the Voling Season

Droppings tell me there's regular vole traffic on this stretch.

Getting very few sightings now, though a vole came up last night and sniffed my boot. The trail cam shows that the water voles are mainly nocturnal at the moment, which is a usual pattern. One of the video clips shows a bank vole: I include it to show the relative size against the water vole. (Ignore the date stamp, which keeps re-setting itself to the wrong time.)

This blog will, as usual, go into semi-hibernation now, although I'll post if I see anything interesting. Otherwise, see you in the Spring!

Feeding - Prickles Cause No Problem

 

hard-to-spot latrine

It was impressive the way this vole demolished a thistle, apparently unbothered by the sharp prickly leaves. This is all that was left after the vole felled the tall plant, leaving the characteristic 45 degree cuts at the end.

Variation in Droppings, and Bold Voles

 

wood white

peacock

silver-washed fritillary

Fresher droppings are olive green, while older ones are dark brown or even black.