Water Voles 2009

[Chumley]

Originally Posted by shirl

Hi there

Enjoy Millersdale, haven't been up there for a while, if you get chance there are some good water vole populations at Lathkill Dale too. Hope you get some good pics.

Shirl

Thanks for the tip Shirl. I went back to Miller's Dale with the camera and didn't see a single vole. Got lots of nice toad pics though , will get a couple posted this weekend.

[camo]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Nothing the last two days. Trouble is, where they've moved to is harder to see as it's very overgrown and there's no handy bridge.

Had a set-back last night: I met two wildlife friends on the bridge and one asked me to show him where I'd taken the photos. So I took him and his wife down, and there was a gang of youths who started swearing and throwing stones at us and saying they'd kill all the voles. Clearly the sight of an elderly man and two middle-aged women were a bit threatening for this group of 15 or so teenagers!

I chose not to confront them and walked my friends back slowly, as if we were going anyway, but I can't pretend it hasn't shaken me. Why do people have to be such gits?

Thats disgraceful VW and you will need to be particularly careful with Easter holidays on us. Is the area one of their hanging our locations? I am also surprised thay knew about the Water Voles. You must not put yourself at risk as the Voles in built reaction may be to move to a quieter stretch. Be careful.

Roy

[vole-woman]

Yes, I will. Most of the kids in that general area are used to people hanging over the bridge and looking for voles, so that's how they knew what we were after. 99 times out of 100 they either ignore me or are politely interested. This attack came out of the blue.

Anyway, I shan't go to that spot again unless it's mid afternoon (I wasn't seeing anything in the evenings anyway).

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Kate, what a terrible situation to have found yourselves in. It's no wonder that today’s youth are given such bad press when you hear of such needless behaviour. I suspect that they might have had something to hide.

It is something we all have to be weary of especially with the surveying season looming. I always went out alone when I lived in Oxfordshire feeling quite safe, but now living in Andover I'll be teaming up with another surveyor.

James

[vole-woman]

Crazy, isn't it?

[camo]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Crazy, isn't it?

Absolutely bazonkers!

[camo]

2 hours up and down a stream full of latrines feeding signs and holes and still no photo of a Beds Ratty, one big brown Rat who clearly didn't want his photo taken.

Teachers report, must try harder!

Roy

[shirl]

Hi Kate

You must we so worried, aren't some people just awful, not sure if there is anyone you could alert about their threats.

Hi Roy,

Well sorry they didn't come out to play, but they will, have you tried dawn / dusk when they are at their most active? You probably have, I am quite spoilt with our local populations really.

Shirl

[camo]

Hi Shirl

I am going to try an early morning stint this week. The site I am concentrating on is very close to a travellers park so I am concerned about disturbing the neighbours. I will catch them before too long or else I may need to try a bit of chopped apple!

Roy

[vole-woman]

Pointy poo! But definitely w-v, due to the size, colour, and siting. Just goes to show, they don't always read the text books.