mammal tracks help!

[diggleken]

Hello everyone,
Hope I'm allowed in to the Mammal forum, I'm lost with these tracks and would be grateful for any ideas.
They were at the side of a lowland stream (albeit in the pennines), at a part where the water was slowand smooth running, with low , then becoming higher banks.
They were in the silty mud at the waters edge and followed that edge for a few yards, not going in.
The lying snow has gone and so left a number of vole type runs there exposed or at least more easily seen cos of flattened grass.
Grass/vegetation close by was grazed too.
The size of the prints is about 2 to 3 cm (maybe 4) - I initially thought one of the Voles, but now unsure.
Sorry I havent a better shot or a more precise scale................
Cheers
Ken

[Pigeon feather]

Hedgehog perhaps?

[diggleken]

Thanks PF, I'll give it some thought and look into it, not thought of that............
Cheers
Ken

[The Woodman]

Water Vole?

[diggleken]

Aah, yes, that was our first thought, but.............. you know how doubt creeps in!
Cheers
Ken

[Dogghound]

This shows the hind print and without exact size and the view of the heel I would say it would be hard to say for sure for the photo. Either water vole or brown rat. If there are lots of vole signs around then I guess they are more likely.

[diggleken]

There were, thanks Dogg, more watching needed.
Ta all
Ken

[vole-woman]

They look very voley to me. That star-shape's most characteristic (though rat prints can also splay in soft mud). Can you take a pic with a coin in it, for size? As spring progresses, look for latrines and feeding signs as they're unmistakable.

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

They look very voley to me. That star-shape's most characteristic (though rat prints can also splay in soft mud). Can you take a pic with a coin in it, for size? As spring progresses, look for latrines and feeding signs as they're unmistakable.

Hi VW, thought of you when I posted this!
Yes, will go back and try for better pic at the weekend, with a size guide.
We looked for middens, but not anything obvious to see, but lots of munched grass stalks.
Cheers
Ken

[The Woodman]

Ken, rather than use a penny on a string - how about using the metric side of a six inch ruler?

Sorry VW, your penny is your trade mark!