We Have Water Voles

This was the day when Glen’s trail cam confirmed the sighting and we all got really excited.

Whist sitting sipping tea and eating cake post flora survey and gazing at the pond, a much more able wildlife spotter than I, James, said  I’ve just seen a water vole! Well had he? We all stared. Zip. It had gone to ground.

So Glens trail cam was employed and a trap of raspberries and apple set in the reeds at the edge of the pond near the ‘sighting’.

So it was the next day it was checked and sitting enjoying the food was this little fella. This is the photo taken of Glen’s laptop with the evidence.

No, its not the best quality but it proves a point.

I took this one, still not great buts its mine. The best one was taken by Colin at the top of the page who has more patience and staked the pond out.

For much better information try this Wildlife Trust link. However in brief:

• ‘Ratty’ in Wind of the Willows is a Water Vole, not a Rat.
• We used to have millions of them but are down to the 100,000’s
• Predation by the American Mink in our rivers and habitat loss and pollution have seen a drastic decline their numbers in a matter of decades.
• Essex Wildlife Trust rescued and released a lot from development  about 5 years ago and they were translocated into our local river, the Colne.
• They don’t normally live in ponds but clearly to survive they are now migrating away from rivers.
• They are very welcome here.