Good news from Scotland on water voles

[vole-woman]

I've just had an email from the Scottish Water Vole Project, detailing the progress they've made with mink control and water vole conservation this year. Here's an extract I thought a few of us might find cheering:

Water vole surveys were carried out between May
and September this year. Known populations on
Balmoral estate and in Glen Feshie were resurveyed
and found to be healthy. Some new colonies were
found in Glen Feshie.

Surveys carried out in new
locations gave a mixed picture. Good populations
were found in Glen Avon which is in the centre of
the Cairngorms and on the high plateau at
Caenlochan. An exciting discovery was the
presence of water voles at the top of Glen Esk where
there had been no signs in a previous survey in 2001.

There is still an abundance of suitable habitat along
lower lying rivers and burns where water voles are
not present. We hope to see recovery of populations
away from the more central strongholds within the
next few years.

Anyone interested in hearing more detail can email the project via their website. http://www.watervolescotland.org/

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Thanks Kate that is good news. I've not seen a black Scottish water vole yet, I'll keep looking on my yearly visits though.

Any one heard how the water voles are doing in other parts of the UK.

BWD

[Hedge Witch]

Great news, vole-woman Thanks for the update.

[Ruth Daniel]

That's really good news Kate!
Thanks for the link.
Your blog is a nice interesting read and I love Watercress too!

[vole-woman]

Ta. I'm hoping there'll be plenty of water vole news round our way come the spring, but there's been a diesel tanker crash near the brook (no one hurt) and I'm worried some fuel will have leaked into the water. The EA have been involved, so I'm sure they'll have taken the best action, but it's worrying.

[shei111]

Thats good news thanks for letting us know. sheila

[shirl]

Thanks Kate that really is good news, hope there isn't any residual pollution in your brook

Shirl

[vole-woman]

I went yesterday and had a look at the stretches containing the two main colonies I follow. This is what I wrote up on my blog:

Secondly, to this news report of a diesel spillage into a stream on the outskirts of Whitchurch: Lucky escape in lorry crash : Shropshire Star: . I know the stream mentioned, but we've never surveyed it so I don't know what kind of damage the diesel will have done, and I don't know where the stream leads. There's no trace of oil at WLM, and only a tiny bit in the ditch near Grocontinental. Either those sections don't meet up with the polluted stream, or the prompt action of the Environment Agency stopped the diesel in its tracks.

If you see any pollution of water, always report it to the EA as soon as you can get to a phone. They're very good, in my experience.

[seamusagleann]

as part of one of my workshops at the last scottish coutryside rangers meet at gartmore ,i chose water voles . the visit was in aberfoyle forest at two sites now in use . all though we never seen any there was plenty evidence of vole movement ,burrows and droppings ,mink traps were also in place . unfortunenatly access could be better ,with walkways for less abled volers to get on site,but all in all its good to see the forestry commission doing something for these little creatures. the small loch at lime craig was dammed at one end to create a habitat not only for voles but waders and wintering migrants ,if anyone want's further info click on the link ,anyone with children should visit the david marshall lodge on the hill behind aberfoyle well worth a short visit

Forestry Commission - Drumry Woods -