Came across this cute critter when I was raking up leaves and tidying the far corner stumpery so grabbed a tray of food and the camera ! I've seen wood mice but I wasn't convinced this was one and wondered i it could be a field or bank vole. I'm pretty sure it's not a baby rat ........ hopefully ! Any help gratefully received.
It's ears looked too small for wood mouse.
rounded shape like wood mouse .... perhaps baby wood mouse !
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Regards, Hazel
Hi Alan, unfortunately I didn't get a clear view of the tail on camera but it looked like a tad more than half the length of a rat tail; unfortunately this pic doesn't really show it clearly....
Jim
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Thanks for all the input Alan, Rob and Jim; I'm guessing we have sort of narrowed it down to a Vole but not which one ! If I get an opportunity to get more photos I'll try get a better indication of the length of tail and colouring of the fur as it was in a mix of sun and shade today. Thanks again all, much appreciated.
The little vole was there again today so I decided to try take a few video clips of it as it was hard to get clear photos with it being so speedy ! I haven't edited the video apart from adding music to cover up the auto focus whirring sound; hopefully this will give a little more detail of the tail and colouring. Tail was a bit longer than I originally thought so are we back to Bank Vole ? will leave it for you to decide ! It was hard to keep this cute critter in focus as it was ultra fast as you will see lol
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Tony
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Thanks Tony and Rob, seems my wildlife stumpery in the far corner worked well as it was intended as a home for such creatures (preferably not brown rats though ! ) and a good place for hoggies if they found our garden and also bugs and beetles as I've left quite a bit of leaf litter and used the old oak trunk off-cuts and branches. As they say, build it and they will come lol Never thought I would see a vole so this was a lovely surprise visitor. I will try put some nuts and fruit out for it but with bird nesting season almost upon us the whole nuts will now be replaced with kibbled ones ! It seems to like berry suet pellets too. @ Tony, yes, a slow-mo function on DSLR would work well but guess I could have slowed it down in post editing. I keep thinking of getting a Go-Pro but have so many gadgets already have put in on hold for a while ! btw...... Hope you've all remembered to make your pancakes tonight !!