Now that the farmers have just about finished their work
in the valleys meadows, it’s that time of year when the team take their
turn behind the wheel of our tractor. Each year following the hay cut, during
August/September we spend time flailing the wetter and ranker vegetation that
has been left around the scrapes such as the sedges, rushes and Glyceria, and
the Meadowsweet and docks left along the fence lines. By cutting the rank
vegetation it will help to prevent the area becoming a mono-culture
dominated by just one or two species, and hopefully halt any further spread
from the edges of the meadows into the botanically rich areas. Flailing
the ditch sides and bunds also improves them for nesting, and feeding/loafing
areas by many species of birds, whilst providing a mosaic of habitat structure
for invertebrates as well as maintaining view lines for visitors using the
hides.
Last week whilst heading back to the base after a morning spent flailing, we heard the squeaking of a small mammal
coming from the grass beneath us. On closer inspection - and within a few feet
from the tractors wheels – we discovered a small pile of grass containing the
nest of a Field Vole with four small young in it. Field Voles often nest under
grassy tussocks, or occasionally in underground burrows, and have on average
six litters a year, varying between 3-7 young.
Field Voles are prolific breeders, with populations in
favourable habitat often increasing to thousands, in what is known as a ‘vole
plague’. When this happens, competition for space, food and increased
aggression leads to less successful breeding, with the result being a
population decline. Due to the fluctuations in the population, it can then
impact on the predators that feed on them, such as our Barn Owls – with Field
Voles forming 90% of their diet – fortunately we haven’t noticed a shortage
this year, with a number of extra voles found in the boxes during our checks.
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