Water Voles starting to be seen regularly

We are delighted to now regularly be receiving reports of Water Voles being sighted at the reserve.

Water Vole at Stocker’s Lake reserve - 13th May 2023 © Michael Talbot

FoSL members who attended our 2023 AGM in late April were enthralled and educated as Josh Kalms of HMWT told us how these wonderful little creatures are now making a comeback, both nationally and locally, after years of drastic decline. This is all thanks to some energetic conservation work by HMWT and others, supported locally by FoSL. Josh also revealed how recent survey work conducted by a team of HMWT and FoSL volunteers has now confirmed the presence of water voles at the reserve.

Since then we have started to receive reports of actual sightings. On the afternoon of May 7th a water vole was seen in the ditch alongside the path that connects Stocker’s Lake with Springwell Lane and runs past Inns Lake. Then on the afternoon of May 13th one was sighted from the Colne side of the Stocker’s Lake circular path at its western end near the bridge to Inns Lake. Our thanks to Michael Talbot for reporting this second sighting and for sending us the associated, stunning photo which is included with this article.

To date survey efforts show that whilst water voles are present in the River Colne throughout the stretch running alongside Stocker’s Lake they are not currently present in the lake itself. It is of course hoped that this might change in the future.

If you would like to join the team of FoSL and HMWT volunteers who are currently regularly surveying for water voles at the lake please contact Josh Kalms. Training will be provided.