Comedy Blackbirds

Effective camouflage!

Why do blackbirds adopt such a strange pose when they're sunbathing? Here are two at White Lion Meadow, plus some new mallard ducklings (let's hope they last longer than the last brood), plus a water vole latrine and feeding.

Tonight's vole

New Camera

Summer in the Country Park

Rabbit City

Meadow Brown

common spotted orchid

water vole latrines

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The evening being so beautiful, I had a walk round Whitchurch Country Park and found plenty of evidence of water voles. It was especially concentrated round the bridge crossing at Greenfields Rise, a fact I make special note of because this area's sometimes talked about in terms of 'development'. Under the concrete bridge, the one within the park boundary, there are the usual otter signs. Further up, towards the culvert, there are water vole latrines, which is excellent news as a survey in 2006 showed little activity in this area. However, a working party's been visiting regularly and their management of the brook's banks has clearly made a big difference!

Voles in harmony

From White Lion Meadow just now: water vole latrine next to field vole droppings. I've seen several field voles there this summer, and a few days ago, a wood mouse swam across the brook.

My friend Shirl

Here's a post in appreciation of my friend Shirl, who works as a volunteer at Cromford, monitoring the water vole colonies there. As you can see from the top picture, she takes some amazing wildlife photographs, and has kindly let me use one or two on my blog. Recently, when I confided to her that I was worried about the lack of sightings at White Lion Meadow car park, she told me, 'Look for latrines: if there are latrines, then the voles are all right.' And tonight I hopped down under the bridge and found fresh water vole droppings straight away.

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I also include a snap of the maintenance work done by North Shropshire District Council. This is sympathetic strimming: a good wide margin left for cover/feeding, and the opposite bank not touched at all. It is well worth taking time to contact your local council if you know there are water voles in an area they maintain. I've found the people at the NSDC maintenance and pest control departments hugely helpful and accommodating.

Water Voles on 'Blue Peter'!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00l7xl7/Blue_Peter_16_06_2009/
Two minutes forty-five seconds in. The item concentrates on captive breeding and release, but also points out the key features of water voles. It's a nice piece. I wonder if the farm is Derek Gow's? (See links.)