Mammal of the day

[vole-woman]

It is indeed; I felt as though I was walking on air yesterday. I do love my voles.

[shirl]

Today's mammals were of course water vole (in Gallery) and the water shrew again. Sort of managed a photo of the water shrew's tail, you can see the keel shape - but nothing else anything like in focus.




Shirl

[Pete Collins]

My Mammal of the Day was this Fallow deer. I was walking through Hanger Wood at Fingest in the Chilterns when about 30 Fallow deer started to cross the track about 100 yards ahead of me. This was the best of several photos that I took.

I also twice saw Muntjac deer on my walk today, but they were off too quickly for me to get a photo. I think I saw a weasel at one point, but it was far too fleeting a glimpse to be sure.

[Rob T]

I never tire of Fallow pictures Pete but a bit jelous of your Muntjuc sightings I was speakig to a New Forest Keeper the other day 20 years in the job and not seen one on the Forest.

Now then, water voles and shrews do they share the same habitat if I went looking for one could I possibly stumble on the other. We have several rivers locally and some are more chalky and faster flowing than others could someone give me a bit of a clue as to who likes what. Ive never seen them on the same river.

The site where I used to watch Voles as a small boy has now been converted into football pitches and walkways and most of the natural marsh now tarmac and void of any small mammals.

Regards
Rob

[shirl]

Well here's another pic of the water shrew taken this afteroon, nearly got there - the water ripples over it's back when it's close to the surface so I have no idea how to get a good shot. Hasn't got me beat yet!



Shirl

[pressld2]

Saw my first ever stoat today!

Just a brief glimpse as it disappeared into the undergrowth so no pictures I'm afraid.

I thought it was a weasel at first - I never remember how to tell them apart - but looked it up when I got home and it was definitely a stoat. It had the long tail with the darker clump of fur on the end.

Dave P.

[Pete Collins]

Well done, Dave! I've seen stoats quite a few times now, but like your's today, it's always been a brief glimpse before they disappear. I'd love to get the chance to photograph one.

[glsammy]

My mammal of the day was this Wood Mouse which kept us entertained for a good half hour at one of the feeding stations at Carsington waters.
First time I've been able to get a shot of one of these little beauties.





I've made this thread a sticky so we can find it easily in future.

[vole-woman]

Aw, what a little cutie!

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by glsammy

My mammal of the day was this Wood Mouse which kept us entertained for a good half hour at one of the feeding stations at Carsington waters.
First time I've been able to get a shot of one of these little beauties.





I've made this thread a sticky so we can find it easily in future.

Im afraid its not a wood mouse Graham but a Bank vole. You can see by the rounded blunt head its a vole, the longer tail shows its a bank vole not a field vole. The wood mouse has a big long tail, much larger ears and much larger eyes.