A small visitor to the garden

The other night while eating dinner my girlfriend happened to notice something moving out by the shed. I went to the back door to take a closer look and there was indeed a very small animal whizzing backwards and forwards between the shed and a thick clump of grass. This behaviour went on for around 10 minutes and I was able to film some of it.

Field Vole (Microtus agrestis) Video  

It appeared to be a Field Vole (Microtus agrestis). Looking closer at some of the footage it seemed to be running out to the thick clumps of grass and quickly snatching a long blade and running back to underneath the shed. I can only assume that it is building a nest under there. Will keep an eye out for it over the coming days and weeks.  

Carr Vale Flash

For the first relatively warm day of the year I went to Carr Vale Flash Nature Reserve. I have visited this reserve a number of times over the last 5 months and have been really impressed by it. There are a variety of habitats present and some very good viewing platforms. Within seconds of setting up my tripod a wading bird came into view. I instantly thought it was a Moorhen but quickly realised that it was in fact a Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus). I have only seen this bird on a couple of occasions before and it was surprising to see it out in the open. After pausing for a couple of minutes it quickly made its way across the reed bed infront of me.

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) at Carr Vale Flash.

I followed the Water Rails progress through the viewfinder of my camera. Suddenly it stopped, out of the reeds came a Weasel (Mustela nivalis)  Initially I thought it was a Stoat but this animal seemed too small, it also didn't have the characteristic long tail with a black bushy tip. The Weasel briefly looked at the Water Rail for a second or two before diving into the mound of vegetation to it's left in the photo below. This is certainly not my best shot but it was one of those moments that I will never see again.

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) and a surprise visit from a Weasel (Mustela nivalis) at Carr Vale Flash.

I was being watched: a female Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) at Carr Vale Flash.

My First Visit to Poolbrooks Country Park

The other day I payed a visit to Poolbrooks Country Park. Like so many other country parks and nature reserves in the area it was once a colliery, Ireland Colliery.

It extends for a couple of miles from the South East corner of Staveley to the South West corner of Mastin Moor. It consists of patches of woodland, open grassy fields and numerous lakes. The largest of these lakes have been managed to cater for leisure activities like fishing while the smaller more numerous lakes have been manged in a way to attract wildlife with reed beds.

One of the smaller, quieter lakes near Mastin Moor.

Due to the prolonged winter weather in Derbyshire this year there have been very few signs of spring until now. Colt's Foot (Tussilago farfara) seems to grow in abundance especially in the North Eastern corner of Poolbrooks. This is one of the earliest flowering plants to be seen in spring and although common throughout the UK I don't think I have seen it as abundant as it is here anywhere else. It's name is derived from the shape of the leaves that are held close to the stem under the flower which resemble animal hoofs.

Colt's Foot (Tussilago farfara) growing at Poolbrooks

I certainly look forward to visiting Poolbrooks later on in spring and at the beginning of the summer. I suspect that the edges of some of the smaller quieter lakes will be ideal places to photography and film dragonflies and damselflies.