Mammal of the day

[shirl]

I might have been to the canal this morning! Pics of a couple of the juvenile water voles, the last pic was so funny - it was definitely hiding!







Shirl

[mh68]

More great Water Vole pics Shirl

Here`s one of mine from last night of our Wood Mouse...



Mark H

[deer boy]

Lovely pics shirl & Mark

[shirl]

Originally Posted by mh68

More great Water Vole pics Shirl

Here`s one of mine from last night of our Wood Mouse...



Mark H

Keep staying out all night Mark, the pics are definitely worth less sleep. Lovely shot & thanks Deer Boy for the comments

Shirl

[mh68]

Originally Posted by shirl

Keep staying out all night Mark, the pics are definitely worth less sleep. Lovely shot

Shirl

Thanks Shirl, and Deer Boy, think i`m turning nocturnal just like the Mouse, taking all these pics

Mark H

[tufftie]

Originally Posted by shirl

I might have been to the canal this morning! Pics of a couple of the juvenile water voles, the last pic was so funny - it was definitely hiding!







Shirl

aww lovely shots

[shei111]

excellent shots shirl and mark. shei

[Tracey.A]

Decided yesterday that I'd had enough of not being able to get out because of the weather, so I went of to Lochleven (not the Lochleven beside Seamusglen, but the one in Perth & Kinross). My mission, spurred on by Shirls lovely photos of water voles, was to find some of my own. I failed - again! I did however see a stoat, that showed itself for about ten minutes, it was just beautiful and I was chuffed to bits The birds in the shrubs close by were not so chuffed and were shouting out alarm calls with fury!

[mh68]

Originally Posted by Tracey.A

Decided yesterday that I'd had enough of not being able to get out because of the weather, so I went of to Lochleven (not the Lochleven beside Seamusglen, but the one in Perth & Kinross). My mission, spurred on by Shirls lovely photos of water voles, was to find some of my own. I failed - again! I did however see a stoat, that showed itself for about ten minutes, it was just beautiful and I was chuffed to bits The birds in the shrubs close by were not so chuffed and were shouting out alarm calls with fury!

Sorry to hear you didnt find any Water Voles Tracey, but to watch a Stoat for so long is quite a result - usually when I see them it`s only for a few seconds

Mark H

[shirl]

How wonderful Tracey, pity you didn't see any water voles there too, but that would have put you on edge as stoats do eat water voles. Better that you saw the stoat alone!

Shirl

[Tracey.A]

Thanks Mark, thanks Shirl,

The problem with the areas that I was searching for water voles is that they are so over grown it is just impossible, an elephant could hide in the under growth and not be seen! I did get excited for about half a second when I heard a plop sound coming from the water, but then noticed my nine year son old sniggering I have now decided that I will try an area I used to see water voles in when I was a teenager, back then there was a healthy population, so you never know Still jealous of the photography skills that you two both have I tried my hand at photography a few nights ago up at Vane Farm looking for moths and took 81 photos, but when I downloaded them only about three were okay (ish) and the rest were deleted I've snooped in on the posts about photography, but I haven't got a clue what they are talking about, sounds like a foreign language to my ears! Och well, at least I can look at other peoples photos and enjoy them Tracey

[ron1863]

Get a camera Tracey and leave your boy at home, or tie his hands together

[shirl]

Tracey - it is a difficult time of year for water vole - ing as you say the vegetation is so dense. If I have to survey this late in the year I am sure to miss lots of signs, however try and look for "holes" and tunnels in the vegetation, might give you an idea that they are at least there. Here is a typical run emerging out of dense vegetation, you can just see that the grass is flattened in the centre of the pic. Good luck and I am sure we will be taking lots more water vole pics.

Shirl

[Tracey.A]

Thanks Shirl, I appreciate the photo. Earlier this year we found lots of signs that there were small populations around Loch Leven. It was so interesting, I can identify the holes, the feeding stations and their poo, but didn't see any actual water voles The photo of the run emerging from thick vegetation and the flattened grass in the middle of the run is something I will look out for It's certainly addictive searching for tracks and signs and hopefully finding the owner of them

Thanks again Shirl

Tracey

[Tracey.A]

Originally Posted by ron1863

Get a camera Tracey and leave your boy at home, or tie his hands together

You're not wrong Ron I could probably do with a better camera and a few (lot of) lessons as well! A friend of mine has tried to tell me about the technical stuff re cameras in the past, but I just glaze over. Must try harder to pay attention!!

I am tempted to leave hyperactive son at home sometimes! When out and about I become so absorbed in what I'm doing that hours seem to go by in a flash. When said child is with me all I hear is 'Mum, are we going soon? I'm hungry/thirsty/bored/need the toilet...............' Or worse, because he knows I'm scared of adders he'll shout out 'mind the adder mum', which then has me on red alert! Daft, as I've never seen one in my life! Yep, he's a darling little boy

Tracey

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Tracey.A

You're not wrong Ron I could probably do with a better camera and a few (lot of) lessons as well! A friend of mine has tried to tell me about the technical stuff re cameras in the past, but I just glaze over. Must try harder to pay attention!!

I am tempted to leave hyperactive son at home sometimes! When out and about I become so absorbed in what I'm doing that hours seem to go by in a flash. When said child is with me all I hear is 'Mum, are we going soon? I'm hungry/thirsty/bored/need the toilet...............' Or worse, because he knows I'm scared of adders he'll shout out 'mind the adder mum', which then has me on red alert! Daft, as I've never seen one in my life! Yep, he's a darling little boy

Tracey

Hello tracy, By you taking him with you as he gets older his interest will come out of him he too will be enjoying it as much as you do, shei.

[Tracey.A]

Originally Posted by shei111

Hello tracy, By you taking him with you as he gets older his interest will come out of him he too will be enjoying it as much as you do, shei.

Hi Shei, you're spot on! My eldest daughter is now becoming very interested in wildlife and came with me on one occasion when a group of us were doing a water vole survey with SNH. She loved it and is now telling all her friends and colleagues how they can get involved in learning more about wildlife. Through my job I am so aware that not all children are shown the joys of seeing wildlife by their parents. It's very sad!

Tracey

[shirl]

Whilst we are on the subject of water voles, I may just have been down to the canal again! Here is an adult from this morning, only saw 2 though, no juveniles today either but it was rather busy to say the least!

Shirl

[shei111]

Originally Posted by shirl

Keep staying out all night Mark, the pics are definitely worth less sleep. Lovely shot & thanks Deer Boy for the comments

Shirl

Super shots. shei

[vole-woman]

Oh, Shirl, that's gorgeous! Thanks for posting it.

It's so overgrown now where my voles are, I can never get a clear shot of them.

[ellen h]

What an endearing shot Shirl!
ellen

[deer boy]

That's a great shot shirl well done

[shirl]

Thanks all for the comments, they really are just so gorgeous I could spend every day down by the canal.

Shirl

[mh68]

Originally Posted by shirl

Whilst we are on the subject of water voles, I may just have been down to the canal again! Here is an adult from this morning, only saw 2 though, no juveniles today either but it was rather busy to say the least!

Shirl

Another great pic Shirl

The only wild animals I`ve photographed lately have been half the kids in our street, who all wanted portraits taken .....photographing wildlife is a lot less stressful, believe me!!

Mark H

[shirl]

Originally Posted by mh68

Another great pic Shirl

The only wild animals I`ve photographed lately have been half the kids in our street, who all wanted portraits taken .....photographing wildlife is a lot less stressful, believe me!!

Mark H

I know what you mean Mark, I decided to show some children a water vole grazing on the bank, all I said was stay behind me and walk slowly so we don't scare it - not a hope! They all ran staright towards it and were very surprised it wouldn't come back out!!!! Oh well, that's kids for you.

Shirl