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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: Robert_Brenchley on February 10, 2006, 23:43:03

Title: Field vole
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on February 10, 2006, 23:43:03
I spotted something moving by my wood pile this afternoon, and watched for a bit. Sure enough, out came a field vole, busy looking for food. I don't mind sharing the plot with them, it's just the rats I object to.
Title: Re: Field vole
Post by: agapanthus on February 11, 2006, 08:19:45
They are pretty little things......we have lots on our field ;D
Title: Re: Field vole
Post by: redimp on February 11, 2006, 13:26:43
I am definitley with you on that one Robert.  Love everything and even quite partial to brown rats - but I know they are a hazardess pest that need dealing with.  Currently have some mice in two of my compost bins and I am hoping that I still have a toad in another.
Title: Re: Field vole
Post by: Carol on February 11, 2006, 13:50:25
I too like the Field voles and living next to fields we get plenty. 

Few summers back we had a day of torrential rain and I was watching the rain out the kitchen window.  I spotted a Field vole carrying something in its mouth.  I got the bins. out and it was carrying a baby vole.  She was a busy busy vole, she went back and forward from her nest in our grass to another place in our garden carefully carrying a baby each time.  I went outside and watched her (in the rain), she paid no heed to me just carried on obviously saving them from drowning.  Lovely little things ..... and then they go into our attic for the winter months!!!!!
Title: Re: Field vole
Post by: Paulines7 on February 11, 2006, 14:45:37
What a lovely story Carol.  :D  :D
Title: Re: Field vole
Post by: agapanthus on February 12, 2006, 12:37:13
That was so nice to read ;D
Title: Re: Field vole
Post by: Mrs Ava on February 12, 2006, 13:12:39
Tis a love hate relationship with me.  I love to see the critters and animals going about their business - even share some of my soft fruit with the birds, and actually don't object to sharing some of everything with the critters - the muntjac are rather partial to the runner bean shoots, but so are the voles, and thanks to the voles I completely lost my first major runner bean harvest last year.  Ended up having to resow late in the summer somewhere else on the plot, and had a late, small harvest, in October and November.  However, rather than harm the voles, I have decided to move my runner bean patch altogether, and sow flowers where the voles are living.  Then I can have the flowers for the house and to encourage all that flutters and buzzes, and have the voles eating my slugs and amusing me as they scarper from one hole to another!