Friday 12th April 2013
Water vole observation
It then resumed its swim and we lost it after another 50 metres. Wonderful little experience.
Added later, Monday 15th April.
Went for a walk along Willow Lane this time took some binoculars, delighted to see TWO large water voles, contentedly eating stalks of grass, swimming and occasionally preening. Located towards Long Lane.
Added Friday 19th April,
Warm sunny day - 4.30pm saw a healthy large water vole in the stream off Long Lane near the pathway tp Woodmansey Mile. It was first seen on the bank scratching at the ground then entering the stream, swam a little, left the stream and explored the foliage before re- entering the stream. Interestingly, it entered the stream and disappeared, I suspect into an underwater entrance to a burrow.
Sunday 21st April
5.30pm saw two water voles in stream off Long Lane. One opp Willow Lane looking down from bridge into the stream and another about 60 metres away towards Beverley.
Monday 22nd April
Spotted a smaller water vole, very active and alert, Willow Lane, west end. Very quick swimmer.
Tuesday 23rd April
Spotted an active water vole exploring bank and swimming short distances in stream off Long Lane near footpath leading to the English Springs rail crossing. At the moment spotting them is rather easy as vegetation has not grown much - indeed at one point the vole was in danger of wearing a celandine hat as it selected tasty morsels to manipulate.
Thursday 25th April
Saw a water vole in the stream ( mostly on the bank ) along Willow Lane near the Keldmarsh nature reserve. Large, good condition, pale underchin could be seen when lifting head. Scratching / grooming. 11.30am.
Thursday 2nd May
Lovely sunny, still day, early morning walk along Willow Lane, heard sounds of, what I first thought were ducks, in the cleared, yet waterlogged land off Willow Lane. Looked over and saw GEESE( 4 ). Two in particular were watching me and being very vocal as they stood near some water. I watched them feeding on the emerging greenery before they took off. On the bank opposite I watched a Dunnock acting like a mouse weaving through the fresh grass and embryonic nettles. Suddenly, just below me in the stream, I spotted a large, preening water vole. The general vegetation has spurted into life and it moved over some surface weed before calmly swimming off downstream via one of the fast disappearing clear channels. I watched it creating a wake of waves until out of site. All the time a song thrush sang overhead.
Friday 3rd May
Walking home from Beverley town centre along Long Lane we spotted two water voles. One swimming before returning to the bank to preen and another on the other side bank which suddenly plopped into the stream causing silt to cloud the area. Earlier I met some old friends who knew of two nest sites and had indeed seen water vole activity near one of them.
Saturday 4th May
Walked to Long Lane and, standing on a bridge saw, about 40 metres away, two smallish shapes swimming side by side downstream. Definitely water voles, could they have been young ones? They swam past a lone mallard and then out of site. I walked along the road to try and spot them and saw a woodpecker in a nearby tree. Did not see them again but thought how pleasing the verges are looking now. Wild violets, bugle and dandelions are replacing the earlier celandines which covered the stream banks. Walking back along the road three mallard exploded off the stream below causing a horserider to quickly react and settle her mount " She was'nt expecting that" she said as the horse composed itself and walked off calmly.
Returning home, the swishing sound overhead made me look up to see two swans pass over heading east.
Sunday 5th May
Went to see Milo and give him an apple.
Saw a young? smallish water vole at the western end of Willow Lane. The weed has grown so much it allowed the vole to create a shallow hollow. It was happily feeding on the weed but on hearing us disappeared into the bank side now which is now covered in vegetation.
Monday 6th
Walking home and joined by a boy scouts parent guided walking group. Walked off Long Lane into Willow Lane where we were all amazed to see - probably the same vole eating weed again. This time we left it eating in peace. Weather was excellent - very hot and still.
Tuesday 7th
Morning - saw probably the same vole again, same place, this time more active and it quickly dived below some weed. We saw the tell tale signs of its reappearance when some tall vegetation was disturbed as it moved through it. The recent good weather has made the grass and weeds accelerate their growth which will hinder viewing soon.
Later in the day an ex colleague and his wife mentioned seeing a water vole in the stream which runs by the side of Long Lane near Willow Lane.
Wednesday 8th May
Saw a contented water vole sitting on compacted weed in the middle of the stream alongside Willow Lane towards the nature reserve. Looked smaller and so may well be a young from this year.
Friday 10th May.
Saw a lage water vole at 10.15am on bankside, Long Lane approaching Willow Grove, eating vegetation before grabbing a long straw and entering the stream. It swam towards us ( joined by Mrs F ) before diving with the straw. We suspect it was taking nesting material to a nearby nest. Minutes earlier Mrs F had seen another water vole at the Eastern end of Willow Lane.
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| Water vole from Willow Lane - photo courtey of Mrs F. |
Thursday 16th May
Willow Lane, eastern end near nature reserve. Spotted by two local ladies who had watched it for several minutes sitting on top of weed feeding.
Tuesday 21st May
Delighted to report that an ex student of mine, whilst walking a minature pinscher spotted two small water voles sitting on the weed in the stream near the nature reserve end of Willow Lane. The general vegetation is really growing now and as a result sightings are more difficult to record.
Wednesday 22nd May
Just spotted a very alert and quick moving water vole as it disappeared into the bankside undergrowth, Willow Lane, halfway down.
Saturday 25th May
(Halfway along)
Walking along Willow Lane and looking for water voles, caused me to spot some waterside vegetation rustling. Could not see anything due to the growth of plants so continued along. After stopping and looking back to the spot, now 25 metres away, I was pleased to see an adult water vole swimming towards me. It moved into the centre of the stream and swam stopping opposite. Again it disappeared into the bankside greenery. Then suddenly from a few metres away a small, fast swimming young water vole appeared, swimming mid stream it passed by where the older vole had embarked before moving over to the same bank, disappearing into the undergrowth.
Friday 31st May
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| campion |
Sunday 2nd June
We walked our dog, Georgie along Willow Lane, did not see any water voles so we crossed Long Lane onto a bridge which is over the stream which runs alongside Long Lane. The stream is looking wonderful, clear with weed flowing and the occasional flank flash of a territorial stickleback. Suddenly, a large vole appears immediately below us. It swam from near the Willow Lane confluence across the stream disappearing under the bridge. We quickly and quietly, walked to the other side of the bridge just in time to see the vole move into the stream centre and swim strongly away - heading south - before alighting approx 30 metres away.
Thursday 6th June
Spotted some ripples in the Willow Lane stream about half way down and whilst peering at the spot a large water vole emerged and returned a little way down stream.
Tuesday 11th June
The stream is really overgrownnow making sightings of voles difficult. Nearby, house martins are gathering mud for nest building. At a nearby culvert the sight of lots of martins gathering and fluttering mid air, creating an overall impression of busy black and white semaphores before settling down on a small promontory was graphically dramatic. Several would land one at a time before all taking off suddenly, either to nest build or to circle and settle again. We watched for a short time and then walked back via Willow Lane. We were suddenly aware that a water vole had swum into some clear water heading in our direction at our speed. We enjoyed the brief mutual peregrination before the vole went ashore to settle and eat.with little winding paths through the weed. We had been watching
Monday 17th June
After our dinner we went for a walk to give Milo some apples. As we wandered along Willow Lane and saw some compacted "duckweed" ( actually saw ducks eating this a day or so earlier off Long Lane - anyway we could see telltale signs of something having passed through the duckweed. Three thin lines could ne seen. We supposed it may have been a water vole and started to move off, when suddenly, just below us e vole emerged. We watched it go back and forth quite unaware we were standing just above it. Although largish I think it may have been born this season as I have seen bigger ones. We wandered back home after seeing mallards, inquisitive wrens, overhead swallows and lots of other birds.
Tuesday 16th July
Walking home along Long Lane we spotted a very active water vole on the far bank at the water line. Weather very hot, time 3.15pm, it scurried along, stopped, explored a burrow before quickly re-emerging and scratching itself. Good condition - small for an adult therefore suspected to be one born earlier.
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Monday 31st March 2014
Willow Lane, about 25 metres from the metal stile, West end of Willow Lane.
Warm sunny day, water in the stream alongside Willow Lane with heavy plant growth in water and emerging on banks. Butterflies in profusion including a large yellow, probably Brimstone.
Was alerted, by a friend to the presence of a medium sized, healthy looking water vole sitting in the sun at the far side of the stream approx 4 metres away. It was busy eating, sitting on its haunches and using it's front paws to hold the vegetation. Occasionally reaching back for more to eat. We all watched it for some time before moving on, with the water vole still eating away.
About a hundred metres further on we saw a more active and larger water vole at the far edge of the stream adjacent to the recently cleared land to the north of the stream opposite the large field used by motor caravans. As we watched it entered the stream and then back onto the bank. Very active though not concerned with us standing near by. It finally entered the stream and swam strongly eastwards. It was larger than the first one seen a few moments ago and it's coat a little disheveled.
Our friend had walked home along Long Lane where she had seen yet another water vole.
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12th April 2015
Just thought that you may be interested to hear that we spotted water voles again yesterday at Willow Lane, Beverley.
Regards
Alan and Liz
( Many thanks for reporting back - keep up the good work - John )
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16th April 2016
Glad to report that the stream is flowing strongly and that TWO families of water voles have been spotted. ( Ref DGy)
16th April 2016
Glad to report that the stream is flowing strongly and that TWO families of water voles have been spotted. ( Ref DGy)
