Some Birds

 Continental (Channel) yellow wagtail

Yellow wagtails

Corn bunting

Water vole on Edward German Drive

Keep Talking!

 Emperor moth, Whixall Moss

 Female stonechat, Whixall Moss

Male and female blackcaps and a goldcrest in my garden.

 Slow worms, Clun

 Above, Timber Yard voles, and below, Tesco (White Lion Meadow car park) voles.

Below, the back of Edward German Drive where I saw two water voles yesterday. Shropshire Council used to mow right up to the edge of the water course and spray weedkiller on the bank, but Whitchurch Water Vole Group negotiated with them over a couple of years and now they leave a good margin with the mower and they don't use chemicals. It is ALWAYS worth speaking to your local council about the way they manage wildlife habitat - they might not realise they're doing anything harmful. Make sure the message filters through to the contractors, though!

 An Edward German Drive water vole.

Training Surveyors

I had the pleasure of meeting someone from Cheshire Wildlife Trust today to give them some in-the-field experience of assessing water vole habitat and occupation. We looked at two sites and examined burrows, droppings, latrines, feeding and feeding stations - and we actually saw a vole too. I am always happy to take out individuals or small groups, whether it's enthusiastic amateurs, volunteers or professional ecologists. I've worked for the Field Studies Council and for the Wildlife Trust and I have hundreds of hours' experience. Please do contact me via Twitter or Facebook if you'd like some practical training.

A Round-up of Some Sites

Water vole signs at the Railwayman's Cottage (near Homebase)

Below, Black Park Road and water vole signs there.

 And lastly, these signs below are at the ditch in Broughall. 

buzzard

Edgeley Road's 'Spotty Vole' Population

 Is there a white spot on this vole's forehead?

 Escape chute

 latrines

I saw three different voles at Edgeley Road tonight, including a very large and dark one. However, the vole which excited me the most was the one at the top of the page which seems to have a little area of white hairs on its forehead. Could it be one of the litter of "spots" grown up? 2018 spotty voles

Moss Field

 Two sparrowhawks that visited my garden today.

Moss Field is behind the Saddler's Walk estate, land that's soon to be developed, so we need to keep our eye on that. The ditch, which is L-shaped, maintains a steady population of water voles even when the water dries up, and happens some years. It's hard to get to once the vegetation has grown up, so it's good to get a survey in now. All the key field signs are in place that mean definite (and busy) water vole presence.