Water vole latrine or what?

[vole-woman]

Spotted this on a brook where there were lots of water voles at the start of last year, but then we had a mink invasion and all the field signs disappeared. I've seen no other signs this year and thought hooray! when I saw the plank. But on closer inspection, I'm just not sure whether it is water vole droppings. What do you think?

[sunnydale]

They look the right size and shape VW, although they are probably a few days old by the look of them.

I wouldn't like to say for definite that they belong to Water Voles. You need an expert on the case!

Tracey

[The Woodman]

I'd agree with Tracey. I can image one sitting on the end of that piece of timber stuffing its face!

I cannot think of any other species that would sit in such a spot and produce so many pellets, brown rat wouldn't leave such a heap.

They appear to be of differing ages, the older ones are disintegrating and have gone mouldy.

[vole-woman]

That'e very encouraging, then, as I thought we'd lost that colony.