Mammal of the day

tufftie · #51 (**permalink**) 23-01-2008, 08:15 PM

AKA - squeaking! - sorry been trying to resist it for a few hours!!! LOL

shirl · #52 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 06:05 PM

Hi all

My mammal of the day (24th Jan) is of course a water vole, it was so close it was virtually on my foot so I couldn't try and move to get a better shot - too much sun one side and too much shade the other!

Not sure if this will show the photo, not tried it before, oh well, if it doesn't it's in the archive.

Shirl

mh68 · #53 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 06:08 PM

The image shows fine Shirl. I`d give my right arm to have a colony of these locally to photograph and observe...you`re very fortunate to have them close by. Great pic too

Mark H

shirl · #54 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 06:19 PM

Thanks Mark, you will have to arrange a holiday in the Derbyshire Dales, guaranteed to see water voles. I suspect they are going to breed early this year with all that recent mild weather, lots of activity by the canal this week. Here's a pic of another water vole, same place this morning.

Shirl

mh68 · #55 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 06:24 PM

Fantastic Shirl

The saddening thing is, we had lots of individual colonies up here prior to the Mink problems, now theyre all but gone.I used to spend hours watching them near my parents house as a kid. Only rats there now.
Seeing your shots though is the next best thing, so keep `em coming

Mark H

shirl · #56 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 06:47 PM

I will Mark, we were lucky with mink in 2006, did have some casualties of course, but there is such a good population along the canal they managed to survive. I am always down there keeping my eyes and ears open, beats working!

Shirl

mh68 · #57 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 06:50 PM

Great stuff. There have actually been suggestions to reintroduce them at one reserve here, due to the increase in Otters keeping the Mink at bay. It`s only been talked about briefly so far but i`m keeping everything crossed

Mark H

tigger · #58 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 07:05 PM

Shirl. Great picture. You can't get much closer than that. We do have water voles in Dorset... but they are a lot harder to see.

I will have to try harder!

Jane

shirl · #59 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger

Shirl. Great picture. You can't get much closer than that. We do have water voles in Dorset... but they are a lot harder to see.

I will have to try harder!

Jane

Hi Jane

Some don't like you walking past but others are so used to people watching them I am sure they really do pose for you. Never had one that close to my foot before mind you, though it was going to end up on the trainer!

Shirl

Billy Wobble Dagger · #60 (**permalink**) 24-01-2008, 07:47 PM

Gosh Shirl it doesn't get much better than that. I'm off to see our local ones tomorrow. But the river has been very high and burst its banks in several places. The water voles didn't really re-establish themselves after last summers flood. I have my fingers crossed.
I can't get over how close you got, wonderful stuff.

BWD