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Flooding protection and Water Vole preservation work


Geoffrey Settle

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The Environmental Agency are working to prevent future flooding of Solway Close, Cinnamon Brow. Not only that but it would appear that they are taking care to cater for the Water Voles that live alongside the brook.

 

Work began at the start of the month

 

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and banks have been shaped for the Water Voles

 

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the brook was dammed

 

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the work is almost complete and they are relaying the footpath more pics to follow.

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Here's the almost finished product, the slopes will supposedly allow the water vole access especially once the seeded area grows and more natural vegetation takes root. And the residents of Solway Close won't have to wade knee deep in water when it pours down. Looking at the weather forecast they might be able to see if the new system works over the next few days. :wink:

 

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Well I agree with LP. Water Voles are lovely little things and nice to see they are being considered. I've not seen one for years :cry:

 

Sadly the numbers of water voles has been in a steady decline in the UK for many years because their habitats have been destroyed.

 

We used to find voles dead in our garden pond when we were kids cos they would jump in but then couldn't climb out because of the vertical pastic sides :cry:

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I think we saw one at Lymm Dam this summer. We sat very quietly and chucked in a bit of apple, as instructed, and something definitely vole-esqe appeared and did delightful vole-type things, swimming out, dragging the apple bits back, eating them..... I can't be definite, cos it was so tiny and so quick, and I'm no Attenborough, but it wasn't a mouse and definitely not a water rat - they're like flaming cats round here. I saw one on the bank of Slitten Brook and honestly thought it was a moggy grooming itself.

 

And anyway, the only thing wrong with rats is they don't mix with people. Pet rats are utterly charming, and I was amazed to find those long tails are warm and fuzzy and actually curl around your fingers for balance. Enchanting creatures - and far better pets than hamsters, apparently!

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The water vole is very similar to a rat and was the species to which Ratty in "Wind in the Willows" belonged. People call them water rats in error. They grow to about 8" long so maybe what you saw at the Dam was a very adventurous baby or a water-loving mouse.

 

There are plenty of water voles on the canal banks and you can tell them from rats by the tails, which are more furry.

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Here he or she is :D

 

wvole03_sm.jpg

 

For more facts and info from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/268.shtml

 

And an extract from a recent Newsletter from the Warrington Nature Conservation read:

 

Have you seen a Water vole?

Funding has been secured and two people are now in post as Water vole officers, one of which will cover the Warrington area. When you are out and about this summer please keep an eye out for Water voles, they are still clinging on in Warrington but we need to know where. If you have seen one (this year or last) please let WNCF know so we can inform the officers and focus the surveys areas. This is part of a three-year project and sightings of Mink are also needed to establish the extent of their spread throughout the town.

 

See web page http://www.warrington.gov.uk/leisureandculture/Conservation/wncf.aspx

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Oooh I was just about to post the same from the Warrington Nature Conservation details. :shock: Spooky.

 

I was taken back to my childhood with all the talk of Water Voles.

 

What I dont understand is WHY the water voles we used to find in floating in our pond didn't have long tails similar to rats as described on here.... well not what I remember anyway.

 

Ooooh again... :shock: what were they then :shock:

 

Have the older 'type' water voles since bred with rats hence their long tails now or is it just that my recollection of them has become confused over the years :shock::lol: .... I guess so !!! :oops::lol:

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I lived near the Leeds-Liverpool canal when I was a child, Dismayed, and there were always water voles around. They had long tails too and I think I'm a good few years older than you. :)

 

Were the ones floating in your pond deceased? How did they get in your pond? Did you have an unsuccessful guinea-pig breeder living nearby?

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Here's the local Cheshire conservation site

 

http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/action-plans/listing.php?id=36

 

The WNCF were treated to a very good talk by their officer at Risley Moss last within the last 12 months.

 

And here is a site to record your siting of these mammals and other wildlife and fauna, flora. It is one that WBC has ceased to sponsor & support.

 

http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/

 

By doing so WBC no longer have a reference site for planning applications that may infringe and/or bulid on sites of interest. :oops:

 

I think that both of the above organisation are based at Chester Zoo which is attracting lots of great work, expertise etc.

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The water vole is very similar to a rat and was the species to which Ratty in "Wind in the Willows" belonged. People call them water rats in error. They grow to about 8" long so maybe what you saw at the Dam was a very adventurous baby or a water-loving mouse.

 

There are plenty of water voles on the canal banks and you can tell them from rats by the tails, which are more furry.

 

It was about 5 or 6 inches long and definitely not a rat - as you say, the tails are quite distinctive. I must go and look on the canal banks - all I ever see there are flaming anglers with rods 15 feet long so the dog and I have to hurdle. :lol:

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The water vole is very similar to a rat and was the species to which Ratty in "Wind in the Willows" belonged. People call them water rats in error. They grow to about 8" long so maybe what you saw at the Dam was a very adventurous baby or a water-loving mouse.

 

There are plenty of water voles on the canal banks and you can tell them from rats by the tails, which are more furry.

 

It was about 5 or 6 inches long and definitely not a rat - as you say, the tails are quite distinctive. I must go and look on the canal banks - all I ever see there are flaming anglers with rods 15 feet long so the dog and I have to hurdle. :lol:

 

 

The place I've seen them most is where the boats moor, alongside the path next to the Youth Club. You find them all along the banks, though. I noticed them more when we had our dog as she would "flush" them into the water then jump in after them. :lol:

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Ta, Kate, I shall potter down and have a look. I've only ever seen assorted waterbirds there - although it stands to reason voles are in the bank between the culvert and the library where we can't go. Perfect territory that. Maybe it's cos I'm usually there at busy times.

 

I did watch the rats joining the pigeons eating the dropped food at the bus stop just by a major store in Alty..... I thought they were lovely, but I was oddly alone in my opinion. :lol:

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When I was working we used to watch, through the office windows, the rats "playing out" on sunny days. Our car park backed on to the back of lower Bridge St and, despite the Council's best efforts, rats thrived there.

 

To me a rat is just an animal trying to make a living. If its tail had long fur it would be a squirrel. Mother rats are excellent parents and baby rats can be just as cute as any other baby animal. I've often been fascinated by them, it's just a pity they spread so much disease.

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So how deep is it expected to get when Solway Close 'floods' :lol::wink:

 

Well at least the Environmental Agency are sorting the issue out, so that it doesn't occur again, after all Solway is in the flood zone so action needs to be taken to stop it happening.

 

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Mind you it could bring the M6 to a standstill as well as filling up the Houghton Green Pool (that's where the duck is on the map).

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