Mammal of the day

[Kayleigh]

This is my little wood mouse again..He is getting closer to the house..He is so cute..Look at those eyes

[vole-woman]

They are a really distinctive feature, aren't they? Good shot.

[Pete Collins]

This Muntjac deer is my Mammal of the Day - the photo was taken from about 100 yards away, so not brilliant. I was walking round the Ashridge Estate (National Trust) on the Herts/Bucks border, and had seen two more Muntjacs earlier on. Curiously I didn't see any of the numerous Fallow deer there - they must still be on their Easter holidays!

[monkey]

I am so pleased to have some photos of Brown Hare that are not just blobs in the distance! I know they are not the best quality but at least I have some!! They are so difficult to get near and it was fun sitting in a newly adapted hide made out of a pop up tent and it definately worked they didn't seem to notice this strange object erected in the field and the closest encounters yet! So these are my mammals of the day and hopefully more in the future.

Linda

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by monkey

I am so pleased to have some photos of Brown Hare that are not just blobs in the distance! I know they are not the best quality but at least I have some!! They are so difficult to get near and it was fun sitting in a newly adapted hide made out of a pop up tent and it definately worked they didn't seem to notice this strange object erected in the field and the closest encounters yet! So these are my mammals of the day and hopefully more in the future.

Linda

They are really good shots monkey.

My MOTD was a very small deer miles away in a field.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Here is my contribution to the thread. Its a pine cone but if you look really carefully you can see a grey squirrel in the back ground. It was taken at Hayling Island nearly two weeks ago, during a break in dancing at the Jump Jive and Bookie weekend





Hope you like them it's not often that I post photos.

BWD

[vole-woman]

Great pics!

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

There not the best pictures but they are my first of water voles. Taken this morning on the Lower River Windrush.







I watched him for ages, so cute.

BWD

[vole-woman]

Aw, lovely, Billy. It's been too rainy here for them to come out.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Aw, lovely, Billy. It's been too rainy here for them to come out.

Thanks for the positive reply. Its lovely here today. This morning was the first time I've been to the river for a couple or three weeks. The water vole population seem to be doing fine. I stopped on two different bridges and saw a water vole from each almost immediatly. The local male ducks were busy harrassing the the lady ducks, must be that time of year I saw a tree creeper as well, the first one I've seen by the river.

BWD

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

There not the best pictures but they are my first of water voles. Taken this morning on the Lower River Windrush.







I watched him for ages, so cute.

BWD

lovely pics Bill. I have yet to see a water vole.

[Rob T]

Nice pics BWD.

Im still looking for my first Water Vole to photograph, are you saying they dont come out if its raining ? V-W.

Regards
Rob

[vole-woman]

Well, mine don't. I've been watching one colony almost obsessively for two and a half years, and I never ever see them in showery/rainy weather. I've never seen them in the winter, either (December - January), despite that wonderful film of the Cromford voles skidding about in the snow.

Maybe the voles here are just a bit feeble!

[badgerwatcher]

The only water vole I've ever seen was at Elmley in Kent, and only through the car window. It was a while before it dawned on me what it was.

[shirl]

Originally Posted by Rob T

Nice pics BWD.

Im still looking for my first Water Vole to photograph, are you saying they dont come out if its raining ? V-W.

Regards
Rob

Our local water voles definitely like a bit of sunshine, but I regularly see them in winter at well below freezing temperatures, seen them in showery weather too. Hope you locate one to photograph.

Shirl

[shirl]

Got it at last - wood mouse in the back garden taken just before dusk and through double glazing so not a sharp pic at all.



Shirl

[pressld2]

Yay! We have hedgehogs! (Well at least one, anyway).

Tomorrow is bin day and I was just going to put them out. I opened the back door and there was a hedgehog on the path just two feet away. Never seen one before that wasn't spread all over the carriageway, and now I have one in my garden. (Happy dance!)

I'm going to hunt through all the old threads about what and what not to feed them with. If I can get him / her/ them to visit the patio on a regular basis I might even manage some photos...

Dave P.

[tufftie]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Yay! We have hedgehogs! (Well at least one, anyway).

Tomorrow is bin day and I was just going to put them out. I opened the back door and there was a hedgehog on the path just two feet away. Never seen one before that wasn't spread all over the carriageway, and now I have one in my garden. (Happy dance!)

I'm going to hunt through all the old threads about what and what not to feed them with. If I can get him / her/ them to visit the patio on a regular basis I might even manage some photos...

Dave P.

There's quite a few of them I'll match tepee life photos to your hoggy ones - deal?!

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by tufftie

I'll match tepee life photos to your hoggy ones - deal?!

You're on!

[vole-woman]

Green with envy, Dave!

[pressld2]

Nipped into my local Pets At Home tonight and bought a box of something called "Spike's Dinner" - little biscuity things made from cereals and poultry. There's a plate on my patio along with a bowl of water. Fingers crossed!

Dave P.

[jennyb]

Fingers crossed, Dave. I am jealous.

I put my web cam out pointing under my bird feeder and I was so sure that I would see a hedgehog, but no sign of any. I looked it up on the Internet and it would seem that badgers kill hedgehogs. So the lovely furry badgers that hang around my garden every night are doing a great job of keeping the hedgehogs away

Jenny

[pressld2]

Well something had a good nibble on Friday night but no way of knowing if it was hedgehogs or cats or foxes. I made the mistake of leaving the remains out all day Saturday and magpies and squirrels both took an interest.

Put another plate out on Saturday night and it had all gone by the morning but I still didn't know what took it. So last night I settled down by the patio doors shortly afrer 10 pm to watch. Just after half past ten, Norman here came wondering across the lawn and started tucking in...



He didn't seem at all bothered by the flash, just stopped what he was doing briefly and then carrying on as if nothing had happened.

After he left another one came and had a good munch. My wife and I sat and watched from about two feet away the other side of the patio door. We could tell it was a different animal as it didn't have the white patches on its side.

A bit later on, Norman came back for another visit. After he'd finished and started to wander off I nipped out and took this picture just as he was disappearing into the monbretia...



Although we never saw them both together we're hoping that they might be a pair and we could have babies soon.

Dave P.

P.s. forgot to ask - if I leave the patio lights on will it discourage them or will they carry on regardless?

[vole-woman]

Fab!

[jennyb]

Great photos, Dave.

Jenny