I don't think I've ever seen one of these before. If I'm right, my wildlife book suggests it's a Northern Water Vole. He was quite big (at least twice the size of a house mouse) and roundish, with a short tail. I took him out with a small skimmer net, and he scuttled off between some stones.
The swirling white stuff in the photo is Pine pollen; we're inundated with the stuff at the moment.
Do you have a river nearby that he could have come from? Must say I had never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same pollen problem in spring. People often mistake it for sulphur.
No river; we haven't even had much rain. No doubt this is why he was desperate for water.
DeleteLucky you - I think they're quite rare over here.
ReplyDeleteIt is a Water Vole. I haven't seen one for years. The mink have decimated them here.
ReplyDeleteA hairy football
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a hedgehog… but I have only just got up!
ReplyDeleteLooks like it might be a field vole. Pretty little thing. We surprised one the other day when we were doing some work on a nearby footpath. They are not as common as they were over here.
ReplyDeleteHow nice - a visit from Ratty of Wind in the Willows.
ReplyDeleteSo cute but I bet he has big teeth! I thought he was a hedgehog, I haven't seen one of those for years we don't seem to have any in our garden.
ReplyDeleteVerra cute!
ReplyDeleteHe looks like a miniature ground hog.
ReplyDeleteMy cats would have had him for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteMine was still in bed.
DeleteLucky little fellow that you were in 'life preserver' mode and not Cro the destroyer.
ReplyDeleteHad he had a pointier snout, and been found chewing electric wires in my 'pump house', he would not have been treated so kindly.
DeleteLovely little chap - so pleased you were able to rescue him. I know what you mean about 'wretched' black and white cows - these are pedigree Holsteins and win prizes all over the country. When we milked we had Friesians. The trouble is that milk prices are so low that our friend and neighbour, who milks this large herd and has two sons in the business, would soon go out of business if he didn't have a breed that produced large quantities of milk - this lot are very pampered. There is one jersey herd near to us and also one Ayrshire but in both cases more of a hobby than a business.
ReplyDeleteI understand the reasons why black-n-whites are so popular; it's just that I always think they look 'wrong' out in the fields. It's one of my pet hates.
DeleteHe's so cute! The only thing we ever get in or pool is squirrels and they always look like drowned rats. Pollen, pollen every where, it was registering nearly 3000 parts per cubic meter here. ACHOOOOO!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a 'reading' here, but the pollen is thick on the ground. It'll be over in a week or so.
DeleteOur pine tree pollen here is yellow, and yes it is everywhere too. The last rains have helped get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog....we don't have water vole here in Australia...he looks a bit like a bush rat...
ReplyDeleteHi Suzie; welcome.
DeleteCute! :)
ReplyDelete