Last week, when we were under a foot of snow, I did a post saying that I worried about how the small mammals = voles, shrews, field mice etc - would survive. I thought that if they came up to the surface they would be so easily seen by hungry predators and if they stayed down their holes they would starve.
Now the snow has almost gone and the fields are green again. And guess what there is in our large pasture? I think we could call it "Vole City"! a whole community of small mammals has created a series of 'roads' under the snow. They have obviously done this by eating away the grass; road building and eating ones dinner all in one go, so to speak. And every so far there is a little hole back down into their underground homes. Don't you think that is clever?
I should have had more faith in Nature - she has obviously equipped these small mammals with terrific survival instincts and they have made full use of them.
Maybe the situation is not so good for rabbits - they seem to be very thin on the ground. The farmer, of course, is pleased about this (they say that 10 rabbits eat as much grass in Summer as one cow) and he assures me that the strongest will still be around. Natural selection at work there I would say - isn't Nature clever?
Fascinating - even if it does look ominously like our roads just at present. You don't seem to have the pot holes, though. (Keep this sort of stuff a'coming: it's brilliant.)
ReplyDeleteThat is very clever Weaver - what a great find after the snow has gone and what a relief to know that the animals are smart enough to look after themselves when the weather conditions get really tough.
ReplyDeleteHow amazing!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying the reprieve, although it looks like more snow maybe on the way.
Hi the nature is great to survive things in it.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Dinesh Chandra
Good for the voles! I love hearing news of life on your farm. Don't remember if I've complimented you on the winter header - it's grand! I imagine that tiny peek of a rooftop around the bend is your home.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear on the radio in the early hours of this morning, scientists are milking rabbits?! They've been genetically altered to make an extract from their milk acceptable to humans, to be used in the treatment of strokes. Honestly... :)
ReplyDeleteI have written about this, Weaver! The critters are very clever. I see this every spring.
ReplyDeletePlus the cats, and the foxes, sit and watch the snow carefully. I knew they were looking for something!
Nature never ceases to amaze me.
ReplyDeleteHello Weaver,
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing something similar on a smaler scale in our highland garden a few years ago. I wasn't a big fan of the vole!
Life is not always easy and not everyone survives, species vanish and others take their place ... life goes on.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful, the way the world can be covered with snow, yet there is still so much life going on around us, which we cannot see? I just love it - makes me feel small.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's just fantastic Weaver. Nothing like that round here, you must be a lot more "small mammal-y" there. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteWow, isn't that amazing? Great photos too. Well done for finding those little tracks.
ReplyDeleteHow neat - I have never seen anything like that before. Great post!
ReplyDeleteTeacup Lane (Sandy)
Thanks Dave - no potholes but plenty of vole holes.
ReplyDeleteThank TAS and acornmoon - I am trying not to think about more snow coming until it arrives.
GW - sorry to disappoint you but the header does not show the entrance to our farm - the photograph was taken much higher up in the Pennines.
Jinksy - rabbit milk - yuk!
ReplyDeleteJenn - yes I do believe that the foxes etc. can smell the voles through the snow - rather like polar bears and seals.
Thanks to everyone else - I have run out of time but do appreciate your comments.
clever voles, poor rabbits...
ReplyDeleteWow, that is great! Sometimes I think that animals have more resources on surviving than we humans do LOL
ReplyDeleteHad no idea rabbits could eat that much grass:)
Great photos! I often see our Golden walking through the snow and sticking her nose into the snow every few feet. My husband says she's following a mouse trail....amazing they can smell something as small as a mouse in the snow!
ReplyDeleteHahaa I can't believe the network of little roads beneath the snow!
ReplyDelete