Stoat v Water vole Family

Photos that are not aviation related
Post Reply
User avatar
helired3
Posts: 941
Joined: Sat 17 May 2014, 3:30 pm

Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by helired3 »

on one i my recent trips to R.S.P.B. Fowlmere i was sat in one of the hides when what look like an adult stoat and one of its young found and dispatched a family of Water Voles in about 40 mins.
i managed to get a few photos.

ImageStoat Adult by ian harris, on Flickr

ImageStoat ? Kit by ian harris, on Flickr

ImageStoat with Water Vole 3 by ian harris, on Flickr

ImageStoat with Water Vole 2 by ian harris, on Flickr

ImageStoat with Water Vole 1 by ian harris, on Flickr

Thanks for looking
Ian Harris https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_harrisuk/

Nikon D750
Nikon D500
Nikon 500mm pf
Nikon 300mm pf

FarnboroJohn
Posts: 3038
Joined: Tue 28 Aug 2012, 6:57 pm

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by FarnboroJohn »

Great behaviour photos. Love the one standing on its hind legs, they never do that for me!

User avatar
iainpeden
Posts: 3730
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 7:01 pm
Location: Great Oakley, Corby, Northants

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by iainpeden »

Having been brought up with "Tales of the Riverbank", these made me wince.
(Mark Twain: There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics)

Airwolfhound
Posts: 2707
Joined: Fri 06 Jun 2014, 12:53 pm
Contact:

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by Airwolfhound »

Superb shots, not often you get that kind of action around Fowlmere, especially this time of year (or at least I haven't witnessed it lol).

Great set mate :-)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/24874528@N04/

Agile, mobile and hostile ;-)

User avatar
capercaillie
Posts: 9336
Joined: Mon 01 Sep 2008, 3:04 pm
Location: Leominster

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by capercaillie »

Great shots, at least its a native predator, so natural to see. :clap:
"The surrogate voice of st24"

My flickr photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/146673712@N06/

User avatar
AlexC
Posts: 6040
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 6:40 pm
Location: New Forest

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by AlexC »

Not easy to look at, but at least it's not a mink doing the damage.
Pte. Aubrey Gerald Harmer, R. Suss. R. (att. to the Sherwood Foresters) KIA 26/9/1917 Polygon Wood, aged 19, NKG. RIP

FarnboroJohn
Posts: 3038
Joined: Tue 28 Aug 2012, 6:57 pm

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by FarnboroJohn »

There's a fair old collection of ticks on that Stoat's right ear: its not easy being a Stoat either - a square meal now and then is a treat.

John

User avatar
helired3
Posts: 941
Joined: Sat 17 May 2014, 3:30 pm

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by helired3 »

Thanks for the comments Guys. they don't hang about moving them its the first time i have seen one carry off a kill.
Ian Harris https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_harrisuk/

Nikon D750
Nikon D500
Nikon 500mm pf
Nikon 300mm pf

FarnboroJohn
Posts: 3038
Joined: Tue 28 Aug 2012, 6:57 pm

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by FarnboroJohn »

helired3 wrote:Thanks for the comments Guys. they don't hang about moving them its the first time i have seen one carry off a kill.


Stoats are very powerful animals, I've frequently seen dead rabbits apparently crossing open ground under their own steam only to find there is a Stoat on the far side half lifting, half dragging them.

That said, I've seen as many photos of Rabbits chasing Stoats as I have Stoats chasing Rabbits: and an infuriated Rabbit delivering a kick (at full speed) that bowls the Stoat over several times is impressive. I can't imagine a Water Vole causes the same level of difficulty for the Stoat. The thing that does read across is harvesting: having found a nest of young Rabbits (or, apparently, Water Voles) a Stoat will return again and again till its had the lot.

verreli
Posts: 1558
Joined: Sun 12 Mar 2017, 6:05 pm
Location: Lake District

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by verreli »

How did the stoat get access to the water voles? I thought that water voles spent their outdoor life in water and their burrow was accessed underwater.

User avatar
capercaillie
Posts: 9336
Joined: Mon 01 Sep 2008, 3:04 pm
Location: Leominster

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by capercaillie »

verreli wrote:How did the stoat get access to the water voles? I thought that water voles spent their outdoor life in water and their burrow was accessed underwater.


Its a water vole not a beaver, they spend very little time in the water. The use water channels and passages to move from one feeding area to another, much on some water side vegetation and back to the burrow. Stoats are very adept at getting into all kinds of small tunnels and holes or just catching a vole out of its hole.
"The surrogate voice of st24"

My flickr photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/146673712@N06/

User avatar
Tuckat
Posts: 404
Joined: Thu 27 Jun 2013, 1:47 pm

Re: Stoat v Water vole Family

Post by Tuckat »

Wow. Well caught, difficult to look at, but as was said previously, that's nature.

Many thanks for taking the time to share.
Blood, Tears and Folly

Post Reply