bank vole

This little fella’s been hanging around the feeding station for weeks now but always a little quick for me. Today though, with inhibitions left in the burrow, he treated us to a stunning performance just a few feet away. Although one of our commenest rodents, Bank Voles are still very difficult to get decent views of as their predators are many and it doesn’t pay to attract too much attention.

In Menagerie Wood a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers are busy feeding young in their tree-top nest hole. The chicks are just a few days from fledging and are making a real racket everytime the adults appear. As well as me the noise also attracts unwanted attention from neighbouring Jackdaws and Kestrels – the male is seen here telling them to shut up basically!  

Something rather nasty has happened to this young Grey Heron though importantly the flight feathers are still in full working order. It might just be a fishing accident of course but a more miserable looking bird I’ve never seen!