I took this photo at an unofficial bird feeding station on the edge of the woods near Agden Reservoir, where local people regularly put out seeds and peanuts on an old dry stone wall. The wall is home to various small mammals, which occasionally dart out to grab bits of food. The most frequently seen species is bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus).
The current generation of voles seems to be particularly tolerant of people - possibly as a consequence of the severe weather this past winter. Provided you sit quietly and don't make sudden movements, the voles will allow you to get quite close.
I took this pic with my camera mounted on a low tripod. I had the 50-200mm zoom set at maximum zoom and (almost) minimum focussing distance. The lens was trained on the hole from which the voles usually emerge, when I suddenly realised that a youngster was squeezing out of a crack just below. I was able to tilt the lens slowly down without causing any alarm.
Like most small mammals, bank voles are very fast moving. However, observation of their behaviour reveals that they often pause for a brief moment - presumably to check for signs of danger. I managed to catch this particular vole just as it paused before emerging from the crack in the wall.
Prints and cards of this image are available from RedBubble.
Recent Comments