Water Voles 2009

[camo]

Hi

Buckle up this is going to be along one, I am back on my patch and have been checking on my colonies. Not as exciting as Shirl's Cromford but hopefully some snippets.

Over the course of yesterday and today I have been able to check 7 of last years colonies, in each case I did a quick survey on the general area and a closer finger tip search on my known hot spots.

Site 1, a stretch of reeds on the main River Ivel, last year this was very active when I found it later in year. Three weeks ago I had a solutary footprint but yesterday whilst checking with Hedge Witch and Mungo I found nothing except a fairly definite Mink Scat. Not good news but I am still hopeful that this will reveal WV late rin year.

Site 2, a feeder straem running parallel to river and heavily reeded. No latrines however some minimal feeding signs which I am sure are WV. Clean cut reed blades of sufficient size to eliminate other Voles and cut in localised areas over known runs. Again without getting excited I think this site will improve during year.

Site 3, a well known reserve that focuses on WV with a stream entering the River. I saw 2 Water Voles during the Christmas holiday however I could not find any signs today. The Mink Raft had some definite Mink footprints but it was the lid was screwed down so couldn't take a great picture. the picture attached has been taken looking into the tunnel. There was a definite Otter spraint on top of the raft also shown complete with a Vole Woman penny.





Site 4, a small stream between a busy road and a market gardener, this was another new site last year and despite giving advice as to how to maintain the ditch had been cleared of a lot of its undergrowth. No signs spotted although the Water Voles may have moved up stream where there is more vegetation.

Site 5, a most unattractive stream at the rear of a travellers caravan park, the stream is strewn with rubbisch including a number of gas cylinders. Brilliant this was a good site last year and promises to be even better this year without concentrating I found footrpints, about 15-20 latrines of various sizes and strong feeding signs. The existing runs are still evident and although the stream is not fenced and there are horses grazing in the field the 150yd stretch has good reed cover which is largely undisturbed. Next to a footpath I have only seen one person walking on the path. Although this site is in a sensitive position i will concentrate my efforts on photographing Water Voles here.

Footprints




Feeding signs



Latrines



Site 6, a tiny stream parallel to River and at risk of drying, this stream is fed by a leak in the river bank which I am aware the rivers authority is keen to repair. A tiny stretch of reeds holds a small colony. today I found small evidence of feeding and the established runs were undisturbed. I chose not to disturb however I am confident there are still WV evident.

Site 7, a small stream parallel to river and behind a recently opened small commercial fishery. This is one of my favourite sites as it was the first new site I found, last year lots of activity but today after the increased disturbance of the recently opened fishery nothing! The openness of the site suggests to me that I would have found something but not a button. I suspect this colony of at least three breeding females has moved and I will try to find them in the near future.

From what I can see our habitats vary enourmously and although I have only been tracking mine for 18 months mine are forever moving. We think the original metapopulation is at site 3 but I wonder now if site 5 has taken over as the dominant colony. does anyone know if in a metapopulation the leading colony can change. For purposes of scale today I parked at site 3 and walked to sites 4-7, site 1 and 2 are about three miles away. I have some other colonies in another part of Bedfordshire which I will check on this week.

PS I will start a new thread on Otters as I keep straying from Water Voles to Otters but as Mink are the WV's main predator i will continue to discuss Mink here hope thats ok.

Roy

[shirl]

Wow, what a day! The results are very encouraging at most of your sites, site 7 may improve if the disturbance has now finished. Quite often water voles will move a little further away, but if the habitat is good they should return.

Basically a metapopulation is a group of smaller populations living in separate habitats, but where some exchange of individuals takes place between the groups. The individual groups therefore would vary in size for example if one group had a population explosion, individuals may leave and colonise an area where there are no water voles or maybe join a smaller population. So the metapopulation itself may remain fairly stable (given suitable habitat and no mink!) but the number of individuals in each group may well change.

Let's hope your voles at site 3 haven't become the latest mink casualties.

Shirl

[camo]

Hi Shirl

Thanks thats waht I hoped you would say. I fear for site 3 as they are on the main river and there is clearly mink activity. Site 5 and the most active is not covered by a raft so I will be requesting either a new or a relocation of a raft.

Roy

[vole-woman]

Great pics of field signs, and interesting set of results.

[shirl]

Hi

Given the mink situation on the river, is it possible that some of the water voles have migrated to the stream which joins it? Let's hope that might be the case and some will indeeed survive.

Shirl

[camo]

Originally Posted by shirl

Hi

Given the mink situation on the river, is it possible that some of the water voles have migrated to the stream which joins it? Let's hope that might be the case and some will indeeed survive.

Shirl

The river colonies are very weak and come and go with the streams sustaining the overall population. In 2007 I understand there was very few signs of activity on the main river and the streams sustained the population . Last year we found a number of new colonies including site 3 but as you say they are more prone to Mink attack. Bedfordshire had a dedicated but temporary co-ordinator who done a fantastic job of recruiting, re-equiping and trapping but without the funding those left are less organised.

Roy

[vole-woman]

You can still have highly effective voluntary mink patrols, though. It needs someone with knowledge and motivation. Camo?

[shirl]

We rely heavily on locals / fishermen to spot any mink tracks, we have rafts in place which are checked by rangers but there are so few people available to set live traps and perform any despatching. I know one of the locals has just offered his services but I believe he had to get a licence and go through various H&S checks first.

Shirl

[camo]

Hi Shirl and the Ratty club

I was able to visit Cromford again today and this time with camera. the light was very variable and the Water Voles not quite as outgoing as on my previous visit but I had a great time. Here are a selection of photos I took of the cheeky chaps and i suspect I may have to visit again to get the perfect shot!

Thank you again shirl for introducing me to your colony.

Roy

[vole-woman]

Oh, they're wonderful, Roy!