Water Voles on Blue Peter!

[ron1863]

I seems that many Scottish Water Voles are black. See the following interesting link:

http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/species/watervole.pdf

[vole-woman]

I loved that picture from the link before.

[ron1863]

The next time I am up on our high peat and heather covered moorland I will keep an eye open for Water Vole activity as the terrain is similar.

[vole-woman]

Let us know how you get on.

I had a bit of water vole luck this week. The colony I normally watch hasn't given me many sightings this year. I don't know why - vegetation higher than normal, maybe - but I thought there might be voles in a field near my house. However, the field was on private land, so I screwed up my courage and contacted the landowner, and he said yes, I could go there as long as I went on my own, quietly, and didn't take a dog.

So I've been there for the last three evenings, and twice a water vole's come within two foot of me as I sat on the bank. Magic.

[ron1863]

Lucky you to see them so close. We have a slow moving stream where there are Water Voles, but I have rarely seen them, just the odd glimpse now and again. Will let you know if I spot any sign on the high moorland though.

Ron

[Kayleigh]

Just watched this its really great to have projects like this to give them a help in hand..
I am in that area at the beginning of July so will keep a look out for them..

[shirl]

Wev'e got some good populations on our high moors too, great news that they can live in a peat bog environment. I checked an ancient water vole site again last week, it's a little stream running at the side of a playing field and a football pitch, kids always paddling in it - but it was STUFFED full of latrines. Brilliant, wish this heavy rain would go away, it's stopping me surveying!

Shirl