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 !
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....
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
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 !!