Thursday, March 06, 2014

Ratty comes calling…

The Ashby Canal is well known for it’s protected colonies of Water Voles; where we are moored there’s a network of tunnels in the bank, so it was really no surprise when  Mags called me to the window yesterday evening.
SAM_8495

Ratty, from Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, (what, you’ve not read it?, Shame!) is a kindly, amiable creature, always ready to help out his friends Mole, Badger and the incorrigible Mr Toad.

In reality they are shy and timid, and are now protected since a lot of their natural habitat has been lost. Predation by mink, introduced for fur farming and released by well-meaning but misguided animal activists, has had a major effect, in some areas completely wiping out the population.

SAM_8493“There’s got to be something tasty round here…”











I think I’ve been spotted!
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Sorry the pictures are poor, I had to take them on zoom through the window, and we’ve still got the secondary glazing in as well.

I put some bits of carrot out last night, and they’ve been nibbled, so our presence has not alarmed it.

After two days of frosty starts and pleasant days, today we woke to rain beating on the roof. Meg has been a bit down the last 12 hours, sleeping a lot and not much interested in eating. We’re only taking short walks at the moment, comfort breaks rather than exercise. I think she’s still getting used to the medication. If she doesn’t improve over the next couple of days we’ll head back to Hinckley and the vet.

Not moving today, we’ll toddle on a bit further up the canal tomorrow.

Locks 0, miles 0

2 comments:

Nb Yarwood said...

Great photo's of MR. Ratty Geoff and well spotted Mags!
I saw a couple of water voles along there last year by I was not quick enough with the camera.
Hope Meg starts to pick up.
X Lesley

Sue said...

Brilliant photos Geoff. You must be just in the right place because for sure I have not seen one yet.. We should have swapped places today!