Glorious day today. Went out for a walk this morning and played the back nine of the Red this evening.
The highlight was watching a Water Vole beside the stream at the back of the 3rd Blue first thing. Water Voles have declined by 95% in the UK since the 1970s, due to habitat loss and predation by Mink. They need slow-flowing streams like the one on the Blue course and typically range over a stretch of about 120 metres. I have seen one a couple of times before, but only very briefly. This one seemed oblivious to my presence.
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| Water Vole [3rd Blue] |
Here are the video highlights. These mostly contain eating - not surprising given that a Water Vole needs to consume 80% of its body weight each day. I've tried this a few times myself, and it's not easy to do - certainly not day after day eating grass.
On the 18th of the Red I came across this flower. Whilst it looks like the Primroses nearby - Primrose flowers only grow singly. It is either an Oxlip, which is a very scarce plant, or a False Oxlip, which is a cross between a Cowslip and a Primrose and the more likely.
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| False Oxlip Primula vulgaris x veris [18th Red] |
Easier to identify are the Fairy Foxgloves which brighten up the car park.
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| Fairy Foxglove Erinus alpinus [Car park] |
