Last year Dean, assistant warden, installed a feeding station for Water Voles which was initially successful but as the water level at the Wildlife Watchpoint hide dropped in the dry summer they stopped coming.
Today, at the end of a busy day clearing troublesome vegetation, as we - estate team staff and volunteers - were putting the tools away Dean was locking the hides. Unusually he called us to the Wildlife Watchpoint hide. A visitor has spotted a Water Vole right in front of the windows - and it was still there. This was the first one I had seen on the reserve, and for others the first ever.
Now we will resume feeding them with apple and carrot in the cage which keeps larger animals out but lets them come and go.
No photo as we did not have a camera with us.
Peter
See my daughters photo's (she spotted it) on the Saltholme page and all creatures forum on RSPB community.
Terry
cheers Terry
my photo's here