Mammal of the day

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by shirl

Hi Pete

Great to see and a good shot despite the distance, we lived in Herts for a few years and of course were always in the Chilterns, never really got close to the Muntjac though, and I haven't seen once since we left. Memories eh?

Shirl

Thanks, Shirl. My home village is in Beds but it's on the county boundary with Herts, so I do a lot of walking there. I visit Ashridge a lot, on the Herts/Bucks border, where there are a lot of Muntjac and several hundred Fallow deer.

I've enjoyed seeing the photos of Roe deer on this thread, as I've very rarely seen them in this part of the country.

[vole-woman]

My first water vole of the year!

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

My first water vole of the year!

Wow he is lovely..What a good photo of him..

[vole-woman]

It's right in the middle of a town too, by a supermarket car park and with all sorts of noise going on. But I've been watching a colony there for three years now.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Ahh what a cutie. I've only seen one this year and that was at a distance. Plenty of foot prints though. Glad to hear your colony are doing fine. I must check out your blog again and see what the latest news is.

BWD

[shirl]

Isn't it gorgeous, they really are and have been so active this year I reckon won't be long for those little ones to appear. Here's one of mine from yesterday's expedition to the canal



Shirl

PS Got the top of the water shrews back too! Not worth showing I am afraid

[vole-woman]

Aw, Shirl!!!

[shirl]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Aw, Shirl!!!

I will keep trying, you never know a chance shot perhaps? Still always a good excuse to see water voles, not that I need one of course!

Shirl

[vole-woman]

I was awing at the smashing water vole shot, Shirl. The shrew business makes me jealous beyond the power of speech.

[shirl]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

I was awing at the smashing water vole shot, Shirl. The shrew business makes me jealous beyond the power of speech.

I still can't believe it myself, I want to go down to the canal every day! Isn't nature fantastic.

Shirl

[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.

[vole-woman]

Do you know, I thought it looked a bit voley but I didn't like to say.

[tufftie]

Ahhh, very cute They're lovely photos

[shirl]

Originally Posted by Rob T

I

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.


Regards
Rob

Hi Rob

Generally water voles generally prefer slow moving /static water, with banks which are steepish and soft, easy to burrow into and with good vegetation close by for cover /nesting material and food. I have found them by canals, streams, ponds, lakes and rivers. When visiting a new site, I always look for possible burrow holes first as that might be an indication that they have been or are there.

Water shrews generally prefer fast flowing rivers and streams but they have been found in drainage ditches and ponds (including garden ponds) and of course I have seen them in my local canal which is definitely not fast flowing! Water shrews eat invertebrates which they acquire by diving under water, the ones by the canal stir up sediment when they are foraging so look for murky patches in otherwise clear water. Water voles are mainly herbivorous and can often be seen in the entrance to their burrows munching reeds etc or even grazing on top of a grass bank.

Let me know if you locate some.

Shirl

[Rob T]

Shirl,
Thanks for your help and time, thats very helpfull the sort of info that will get me looking in the right place. If I get any luck Ill be straight back here with any results. I now have renewed enthusiasm.

I tend to look at deer every other week end and pick some other form of wildlife in between so water courses will be a couple of weeks away yet but fingers crossed.
Thank you once again.

Regards

Rob

[shirl]

Originally Posted by Rob T

Shirl,
Thanks for your help and time, thats very helpfull the sort of info that will get me looking in the right place. If I get any luck Ill be straight back here with any results. I now have renewed enthusiasm.

I tend to look at deer every other week end and pick some other form of wildlife in between so water courses will be a couple of weeks away yet but fingers crossed.
Thank you once again.

Regards

Rob

Will look forward to your pics, hope you won't be disappointed, they are such gorgeous mammals.

Shirl