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WATER
VOLES ON BROOK MEADOW
For
yearly records of Water Vole sightings go to . . .
Current
sightings in 2012
. . . Water
Voles 2011
. . . Water
Voles 2010
Water
Voles 2009
. . . Water
Voles 2008
. . . Water
Voles 2005-2007
WHERE
TO LOOK FOR WATER VOLES ON BROOK
MEADOW
Water Voles can be seen
almost anywhere along the River Ems in Brook Meadow.
However, they are recorded mostly in the following areas
of the River Ems:
A - from the north bridge
to the bend in the river,
A1 - parallel to the
railway embankment
B - in the area in front
of the gasholder down to the S-bend,
C - from the sluice gate
north to the S-bend
D - from the south bridge
north to the sluice gate.
The following map shows
these areas marked in red. Water Voles have also been
seen on the Lumley Stream and on Peter Pond to the east
and south of Brook Meadow - as shown in red.
Please
send your observations and photos to Brian
Fellows
. . . brianfellows at
tiscali.co.uk
SIGHTINGS
OF WATER VOLES ON BROOK MEADOW
Total
number of Water Vole sightings reported on Brook Meadow,
Emsworth from 2005 to 2011
2011 = 89 . . . 2010 = 77
. . . 2009 = 124 . . . 2008 = 161 . . . 2007 = 27 . . .
2006 = 17 . . . 2005 = 50
Note: this does not mean
there are this number of Water Voles on the river, since
most of these sightings will have been of the same
animal.
They are delightful animals, and can be seen throughout
the year swimming in the river or nibbling vegetation on
the river banks. They provide local people with a great
deal of pleasure. Their burrows are also easy to spot
just above the water line on both sides of the
river.
At the beginning of the
season we think at least four females hold territories
along with two or more males whose territories overlap
those of the females. As the season progresses the number
of voles increases dramatically and they can be seen also
anywhere.
Here
is an early digiscoped photo taken on the river bank in
Palmer's Road Copse
External link for for
further information on Water Voles . .
.
http://www.biodiversitysussex.org/watervole.htm
.
PROTECTION
OF WATER VOLES
With such a valuable
animal in our midst, protection of its habitat is
important. With this in mind the conservation group have
erected dead wood fences to restrict access to certain
parts of the river. Water Voles are easily disturbed,
particularly during the breeding season, so please do not
damage fences or walk on river banks.
Dogs can be a problem,
particularly if they are allowed into the river during
the breeding season (March - September) . So we urge dog
owners to take special care to keep their pets out of the
river and to prevent them digging into the river banks.
Signs on the river banks indicate where these areas are.
SURVEYS
The Brook Meadow
Conservation Group have conducted several Water Vole
surveys with the guidance of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust
to confirm the presence of a small but healthy population
of Water Voles along the banks of the River Ems, as it
passes through Brook Meadow. Water Voles are also present
in the Lumley Stream and on Peter Pond and near Lumley
Mill and on the mill race to Westbourne. See below for
details of the surveys.
THE
WATER VOLE IS THE MOST HIGHLY ENDANGERED MAMMAL IN
BRITAIN
The Water Vole is the
most highly endangered mammal in Great Britain, their
numbers having declined dramatically over the last 50
years. So, here in Emsworth, we are very fortunate to
have Water Voles living in our town along the banks of
the River Ems and the Lumley Stream. Numbers of Water
Voles in Great Britain have gone down dramatically over
the last 50 years. A national survey in 1998 found that
Water Voles were absent from 90% of sites occupied by
them 60 years ago. If this trend continues Water Voles
will be extinct in 2003. The Water Vole is one of only 9
mammals listed on the UK Biodiversity Action
Plan.
OTHER
LESS KNOW FACTS ABOUT WATER VOLES - thanks to Graham
Roberts
Water Voles go grey as
they age. They usually survive only 2 winters.
Brown Rats will kill young Water Voles. They also
transfer diseases to them.
There are no Water Voles in Ireland.
Water Voles are not fussy about water quality. They can
live in mucky streams.
Water Voles are found in saline habitats, but they need
to return to fresh water at least once a day to clean off
their fur.
The silt from the diggings of Water Voles is dispelled
into the stream. Brown Rats disperse their waste soil
around the holes.
The population of Water Voles depends on the quality of
habitat. Normally a male Water Vole will have a territory
of around 100 metres, but this can be down to 20 metres
in favourable habitats.
Water Voles will eat anything green. One study listed 260
species of plant that voles ate.
When rivers dry out Water Voles are easily predated.
There are only 2 sites in Sussex where Water Voles have a
foothold, Chichester flood plain and Pett Levels.
American Mink - females are the main predators of Water
Voles. Males cannot get into the burrows.
Graham Roberts of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust is
undertaking a full survey of all the Water Voles in
Hampshire, including a trapping programme with electronic
marking of animals.
Dogs and people deter Mink in urban environments while
Water Voles are fairly tolerant of their
presence.
Comment
from Charlotte Murray - Environment Agency - 31 July
2009
I
called into Brook Meadows a few weeks ago to be greeted
by a Water Vole happily swimming across the River Ems and
trout swimming up stream. Wandering along the river I was
really pleased with all the work the Operations Delivery
has undertaken following our meeting a couple of years
ago. The River is looking really good with a nice balance
of open water areas supporting good macrophyte coverage
and sections a little more shaded by trees with woody
debris in the watercourse. All of this provides a good
mosaic of habitats for the variety of species inhabiting
the river and its banks. In the future it should be a
relatively simple job to manage the vegetation to retain
this balance, including infrequent tree works. Adam Cave
from our team will be working closely with Operations
Delivery this year to help them continued the good work
as and where necessary.
Comment
from Graham Roberts - Water for Wildlife Officer with
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust - 7 May
2008
"I
really must congratulate you on compiling such a vast
amount of data re water voles and the Brook Meadow site.
I agree with your thoughts re family set ups and it is
very likely that particularly at the beginning of the
breeding season that the ratios of males to females is
what is to be expected. As the first brood start to
disperse, if the habitat is good and contiguous then
territories become reduced. This normally balances back
out again at the end of the season and after the winter
natural declines. It is good to hear that there are good
numbers of young voles being observed. This certainly
indicates that there is plenty of the right type of food
available early in the year. At some marginal sites it is
not unusual for female voles only to have one or two
young first off in the spring so this is very
encouraging."
WATER
VOLE SURVEY
19
October 2007 -
Report and photos by Frances Jannaway
Link to Andy Rothwell's
report . .
. Water
Vole Survey 2007
Andy Rothwell, a Water
Vole and Otter consultant who works all over the SE of
England, carried out a survey of both the River Ems and
Lumley Stream to determine the state of the Water Vole
population in Brook Meadow and the surrounding area. Andy
found a lot of signs of Water Vole activity, such as
recent burrows, latrines and larders. He located two hot
spots. One on either side of the channel where the Lumley
Stream flows into Peter Pond and the other one near the
dry sluice and amongst the bulrushes and reeds on the
River Ems. The signs of Water Vole activity Andy found
were more numerous on the River Ems. The larders showed
that the Water Voles on the River Ems are eating
vegetation such as Soft Rush and Reed Canary Grass
whereas on Peter Pond their diet consisted of Phragmites
(Common Reed).
On the River Ems, the area where Water Vole activity is
the highest is between the two WV notices, which is where
most sightings have been. There were few signs either
south of the sluice or north of the North bridge. Andy
said that it would be better to open up more of the
riverbank to let more light in and also reduce the amount
of Nettles on the riverbank and encourage grasses and
herbs such as Comfrey to grow. He also recorded at least
two pairs of Kingfishers one on the Lumley Stream and one
on the River Ems chasing each other up and downstream.
Andy will write a report of his findings and we will get
a copy which will be put on our website. Many thanks to
Graham Roberts of HWT for organising and funding this
survey.
Photo:
Water Vole Survey -
19.10.07
. . . Photo:
Water Vole Survey -
19.10.07
. . . Photo:
Wale Survey - 19.10.07
Water
Voles at Bosham 2005
During a visit to Bosham
in December 2005 I saw a notice near the church entitled
"Water Voles at Bosham" with my Water Vole photo on it!
(Anne de Potier had asked permission to use it on their
signs). The Bosham Mill Stream supports a good population
of these delightful creatures and details given about the
work taking place to repair the banks of the millstream
which were starting to collapse. The photo shows bundles
of Hazel (called faggots) attached to the church bank.
These will help to prevent the bank from erosion, so silt
will be trapped and plants grow. All this should provide
a good habitat for Water Voles.
Water
Vole notice at Bosham Millstream -
22.12.05
Bank
repairs to the Bosham Millstream -
22.12.05
WATER
VOLE SURVEY ON THE RIVER EMS - MONDAY APRIL 18
2005
As previously arranged
with Bob Collins, approximately 25 boys and 3 staff from
the City of Portsmouth Boys School visited Brook Meadow
for educational work. Bob had organised numerous projects
for the boys to carry out, including river depth/width
profiles at several places, invertebrate survey,
distribution of water vole burrows along the bank,
quadrat work at several places, lichen distribution on
trees, soil pH, mole hill survey and rates of flow in
stream.
Bob Collins sent me the
graphical results of the survey of Water Vole burrows.
The survey covered the area from the north bridge to the
south bridge and the graph plotted the number of burrows
observed against the number of metres from the north
bridge. Although the burrows are well distributed along
the whole stretch of the river, they tend to cluster in
theareas where most of the Water Vole sightings are made,
ie around the gasholder and by the new fence.
WATER
VOLE SURVEY 2004
Chris
Giles fom the Hampshire Wildlife Trust came to Brook
Meadow on Wednesday 19th May to investigate the Water
Vole situation. The news was good. He found plenty of
signs of activity all along the river and he concluded we
had a strong and healthy Water Vole population. Chris
also found no signs of Mink which could have a
devastating effect on Water Voles. Chris identified a
couple of problems to tackle. One concerned the luxuriant
growth of Nettles along the river banks which should be
controlled by regular cutting. This is something to
discuss with the Environment Agency before their annual
clearance of the river. The other problem was the
emerging foot path along the low west bank behind the
industrial units. This is one of the best areas for Water
Voles and the burrows are being damaged by walkers. One
solution would be to erect a fence to prevent people
walking in this sentitive area and this will be discussed
with David Sawyer of Havant Borough Council.
WATER
VOLE SURVEYs 2002
In 2002
the Brook Meadow Conservation Group took part in two
Water Vole surveys organised by Clare Bishop of the
Hampshire Wildlife Trust. Each time we discovered many
signs of their presence all along the River Ems as it
passes through Brook Meadow. We also have also had many
sightings of them in the river.
Preliminary
Water Vole Survey -
22nd
May 2002
Frances
Brettell and Brian Fellows joined Clare Bishop of the
Hampshire Wildlife Trust to conduct a preliminary Water
Vole survey along the River Ems and the Lumley Stream in
Brook Meadow. While Frances and Clare donned waders and
walked up the the river looking for signs on the banks,
Brian walked up the banks recording their observations.
There was plenty of evidence of Water Vole activity along
the River Ems, but none along the Lumley Stream. There
were 4 main areas of activity along the Ems with short
gaps between them. In all, 55 burrow holes, 6 latrines
and 5 larders were recorded. Clare found some very small
droppings of no more than 5mm in length that could be
from a Water Shrew. If so, this would be a good addition
to the mammal population of Brook Meadow.
Clare and Graham Roberts came to Emsworth in late July
2002 to give a talk about Water Voles. This was followed
by another Water Vole survey involving more group members
and other interested parties. The survey was extended
along the River Ems and related waterways as far as north
Westbourne.
Water
Vole Surveys - 12th and 16th of September
On Tues 10th September 2002 about 20 people met up with
Clare Bishop of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust in Brook
Meadow for a training session in the identification of
Water Vole signs, ie, burrows, latrine sites and feeding
remains. After the session the group were divided into
sub-groups of 3 or 4 people and allocated different
sections of the River Ems to survey in the next week or
so.
Brian Fellows joined Andrew Shaw an HWT volunteer, Peter
and Heather Archer and Liz Heath to survey the stretch of
the Ems from the A259 in the south to the A27 in the
north. As expected, they found a great deal of evidence
of Water Vole activity in the section of the Ems that
passes through Brook Meadow. They also discovered two new
areas of Water Vole activity. One was in the short
section of the river south of the A259 just before it
disappears into the culvert that takes it beneath the Old
Flour Mill and into Dolphin Lake. The other area of water
vole activity was in the section of the Ems north of
Constant Springs where it runs through the currently
neglected tree plantation. Brian Fellows subsequently saw
a Water Vole swimming under the Lumley bridge between
Constant Springs to Lumley Mill.
WATER
VOLES IN EMSWORTH 2002 - article by Clare
Bishop
In the
last issue of Wildlife, we reported that local people
from Emsworth had taken part in a successful water vole
survey last autumn along the River Ems. In this update,
Clare Bishop, Trust Conservation Officer, shows how local
action and partnership working have already yielded
results.
Water voles have suffered the most dramatic decline of
any British mammal in the last century. lost from 94% of
sites since the 1970s! Protected under the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981 (Schedule 5 Section 9) this has
still not halted their decline. It is a priority species
in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and as the South East
is the national stronghold, and Hampshire may contain the
highest populations within the region, it is of extreme
importance in the Hampshire Biodiversity Action Plan.
Although water voles can still be found on all of the
main river catchments in the county, the distribution of
water voles on the smaller rivers and tributaries in
Hampshire is largely unrecorded, and this led to last
autumn's survey involving the community, along the River
Ems. The River Ems flows from near Walderton in West
Sussex, through Westbourne and into Emsworth; it then
flows out into Chichester Harbour. As only part of the
river is in Hampshire, the Trust formed a partnership
with the Environment Agency and the Otter and Rivers
Project at Sussex Wildlife Trust.
This partnership project was kick-started by sightings of
water voles at Brook Meadow SINC (Site of Importance for
Nature Conservation) in Emsworth, which has the River Ems
along its western boundary.
Local people including volunteers from the Brook Meadow
Conservation Group surveyed each section, sending their
results into the Wildlife Trust's new database.
In Hampshire, the only positive records came from the
southernmost sections of the River Ems. Below Brook
Meadows the Ems soon becomes brackish, emptying into Mill
Pond before Chichester Harbour, and water voles rarely
tolerate this habitat.
Results show that at Brook Meadows over 90 water vole
burrows were found. However much better active indicators
are latrines (piles of fresh droppings) and larders (neat
piles of chopped vegetation with chewed ends), at burrow
entrances or on prominent stones or logs. Eleven of these
active signs were recorded on one visit. The habitat here
is reasonably good for water voles, their main threat
being disturbance by people and, particularly, dogs, on
the well used footpaths.
Unfortunately no active signs of water voles were found
on any other sections in Hampshire. There are a number of
reasons for this: very shallow banks, trampling by cows,
banks reinforced with sandbags and brick walls, heavy
shading by trees and, in places, too little vegetation to
provide cover. Much of the river has rather stony banks
and this of course makes burrowing almost impossible.
In Sussex, just one isolated population was discovered,
in an area of dense reeds, east of Westbourne. Sadly, it
would appear that the Brook Meadow population and the
Sussex population are rather fragmented and isolated. If
they are to survive here we need to look at both
protecting the existing colonies, and if possible
encouraging their spread outwards, with careful habitat
management.
This year we will be approaching neighbouring landowners
to see if we can give appropriate advice on river bank
management to encourage water voles and other
wildlife.
We are delighted to report that almost immediately
following our survey, protection of the existing colony
of Emsworth voles started. In recognition of this
priority species, the Environment Agency at Worthing has
put in place a new range of bank cutting regimes, to
reflect both the risk of flooding and the conservation
value of each site. For the first time, as a direct
result of the River Ems survey, only one bank at Brook
Meadow was cut last autumn, leaving the other side
completely untouched, to allow ample refuge for water
voles. In addition small islands of vegetation were left
in the channel to provide further cover from the myriad
of predators facing water voles.
Thanks are due to the Environment Agency at Worthing, the
Brook Meadow Conservation Group and all the volunteers
who have made a difference to the plight of the water
vole in this part of the county.
Published
in "Wildlife" (Summer/Autumn 2003)
THE SEX LIFE OF WATER VOLES
Ralph
Hollins made the
following comments in his wildlife news summary.
http://ralph-hollins.net/Diary.htm
"These are getting more
active now at Brook Meadow in Emsworth - on Apr 8 one was
watched while it moved along a 30 yard stretch of the
river bank and during that time it entered 15 different
tunnels - it then swam across the river and became lost
in the vegetation but was probably still exploring every
hole it could find, probably it was a male seeking a
female for purposes which are natural in the spring.
This led me to enquire
further into the life of the male voles - it seems that
they live totally separate lives from the females with
the one exception of the necessity to get together for
breeding purposes. The two facts which I discovered which
led me to this opinion are that each male has a territory
which spans around 130 yards of the river whereas females
do not stray outside a 70 yard stretch which they delimit
by latrines at each end - this allows the males territory
to give him access to up to three females, each of which
require his presence five times a year (they raise five
broods between April and September - normally they do not
live for more than one year).
The second fact is that
during the winter months the females allow their
daughters to share their burrow but exclude the males. I
do not know whether males also share lodgings or continue
to live a solitary existence through the
winter."
I asked
Graham
Roberts of the
Hants Wildlife Trust to comment on the two issues raised
by Ralph.
Concerning Mike Wells's
observation on Apr 8 of a Water Vole moving from burrow
to burrow, Graham thought it very likely that the Water
Vole in question was a male checking out his territory.
"They try and cover as many females as possible and
defend these territories very aggressively. Alternatively
Graham thought it may have been a female deciding which
burrow system it fancied at a potential breeding burrow,
they can be very fussy these females you
know!"
Regarding what male Water
Voles do in winter Graham said it was his understanding
that male Water Voles do in fact live a solitary
existence until raging hormones kick into place from
early spring well into the summer.
PHOTOS
OF WATER VOLES
All
photos by Brian Fellows unless otherwise stated.
Water
Vole upstream of the north bridge on Briook Meadow (photo
by Mike Wells) - 18.03.09
Water
Vole on the River Ems in Brook Meadow (photo by Caroline
French) - 05.08
Water
Vole on the River Ems in Brook Meadow (photo by Caroline
French) - 05.08
Juvenile
Water Vole on the River Ems in Brook Meadow -
06.05.08
Water
Vole swimming in the river on Brook Meadow -
01.05.08
Water
Shrew on Brook Meadow (photo by Patrick Murphy) -
30.04.08
Water
Vole peeping out of its burrow on the river bank in Brook
Meadow - 25.03.08
Water
Vole swimming across the river near the sluice gate in
Brook Meadow - 25.03.08
Water
Vole on the river bank inear the sluice gate on Brook
Meadow - 25.03.08
Pair
of Water Voles in the River Ems on Brook Meadow -
25.03.08
Water
Vole peeping through the vegetation on the bank of the
River Ems on Brook Meadow - 23.05.07
Water
Vole at Arundel WWT (photo by Tony Wootton) -
27.03.07
Water
Vole at Arundel WWT (photo by Tony Wootton) -
27.03.07
Water
Vole on River Ems in Brook Meadow -
16.03.07
Water
Vole on the River Ems on Brook Meadow (photo by Frances
Jannaway) - 10-03.07
Water
Vole feeding on river bank - 25.05.06
Water
Vole swimming up stream in the River Ems opposite the new
fence in Brook Meadow - 01.04.05
Water
Vole feeding on the east bank of the river opposite the
new fence in Brook Meadow - 01.04.05
Water
Vole on river bank opposite the new fence on Brook Meadow
(photo by Mary Colbourne) - 31.03.05
Water
Vole swimming in river by the new fence on Brook Meadow
(photo by Mary Colbourne) 31.03.05
Water
Vole: one of two on the river bank in front of the new
fence in Brook Meadow - 30.03.05
Water
Vole: on the River Ems in Brook Meadow (digiscoped) -
12.03.05
Water
Vole: looking at me across the River Ems in Brook Meadow
- 10.03.05
Water
Vole: burrow holes on the banks of the River Ems in Brook
Meadow - 10.03.05
Water
Vole with Lesser Celandine on the banks of the River Ems
in Brook Meadow - 01.04.03
Water
Vole burrows in the banks of the River Ems at Brook
Meadow - 20.3.03
Water
Vole on the bank of the River Ems in Brook Meadow
(digiscoped x40 with CP775) - 16.03.04
Water
Vole peeping out of its burrow on the bank of the River
Ems (digiscoped x40 with CP775) - 16.03.04
Water
Vole sniffing the air on the banks of the River Ems on
Brook Meadow (digiscoped x40) - 16.03.04
Water
Vole on the river bank above the north bridge on Brook
Meadow - 15.03.04
Water
Vole having lunch on the banks of the River Ems at Brook
Meadow (digiscoped x40) - 23.02.04
Debi
and David conducting a Water Vole Survey in the River Ems
at Brook Meadow - 20.06.04
Debi
and David looking for signs of Water Vole activity on
Brook Meadow - 20.06.04
Water
Vole Survey - Clare and Frances in the river -
22.5.02
Water
Vole droppings on the banks of the River Ems at Brook
Meadow - 22.5.02
Water
Vole food remains on the banks of the River Ems at Brook
Meadow - 22.5.02
Water
Vole Survey - Clare Bishop and others inspecting
burrows on River Ems - 10.9.02
