Water Vole Surveying

Tuesday 29 April 2025

A small group of volunteers spent a lovely afternoon along the Pillhill Brook at Abbotts Ann water meadow learning how to spot evidence of water voles. Thank you to Maggie Shelton from Watercress & Winterbournes for leading us.

Water voles are under serious threat from habitat loss and predation from American mink. The good news is we continue to have populations of water vole along our brook.

We found evidence of runs, burrows, feeding stations and eventually a latrine. The feeding remains of water voles are very distinctive - having a 45º angled cut at both ends. Their droppings can vary in colour but are the size and shape of tic tacks.

We didn’t find as much evidence of water voles as last year’s survey but the bank was very boggy and it was still early in the season. So we plan to return later in the water vole season (April to September) to carry out another survey.

Distinctive 45º angled cuts

Empty caddis cases

We found evidence of runs, burrows, feeding stations and eventually a latrine. The feeding remains of water voles are very distinctive - having a 45º angled cut at both ends. Their droppings can vary in colour but are the size and shape of tic tacks.

We didn’t find as much evidence of water voles as last year’s survey but the bank was very boggy and it was still early in the season. So we plan to return later in the water vole season (April to September) to carry out another survey.

Next year, as Watercress & Winterbournes will have closed down, the PBA will be carrying out our own surveys.

If you would like to get involved in a future water vole surveys then contact us at pillhillbrook@gmail.com.