Subtle Latrines

 

Below: because water vole droppings are a similar colour to mud - and sometimes squashed into it by deliberate vole-trampling - they can be hard to spot. However, it's the best indicator of water vole presence bar actually seeing a vole. Burrows can be old, or belong to rats; footprints can be rat; feeding stations can be confused with field vole ones. So water vole droppings are worth scouring the banks for.

Lawns and Vole-scaping

A young vole with large feet.

The banks have been carved by water vole activity.

Ideal water vole habitat.

Water vole 'lawns' circled.

linnet

long-tailed tit

Large Skipper butterfly

 

Juvenile

 

Nose

 

Not sure what's up with this vole's nose: whether it's just dirty or it's lost a bit of skin.

Fighting

 

You can hear some squeaking as they fight.

Establishing

cuckoo, the Hollies

Latrines establishing seem to suggest the voles are getting more confident, even though the stoat is still about.

Stoat Still About

These voles fight, but then seem to tolerate each other on a second meeting. Maybe siblings?