The vastness of the winter floods has given incredible landscape views over the Somerset levels and moors. However, as they waters now begin to recede and leave bare ground behind my eyes have been drawn to the much smaller scale of animal movements. It seemed almost impossible to miss the numerous types of footprint pressed and preserved perfectly in the muddy ground either side of the trail path at Greylake, whilst attempting the second clear up operation this winter before re-opening the reserve. I could certainly identify the deep, four toed, almost triangular swan prints. Nonetheless, it was the small mammal tracks that had me more stumped, and without an ID guide to hand I could only surmise later from one photograph and memory that the one set of tracks, for example, made up of small imprints, each 2.5cm in length, consisting five toes, and followed by a tail drag line was left by a water vole. It certainly seemed possible as they had been known to favour the spot in the past. Still, I wish now I had taken the time in making a better record- maybe through a detailed sketch (perhaps aided in its accuracy by drawing on gridlines), by taking more photos and including something better for size comparison, or best of all would have been to trial taking a simple plaster cast. Despite being such a small experience, seeing all of this made me think again about keeping an open mind ready for whatever nature can throw at me. It also spurred me on to improve my animal tracking!!!