Nature Reserve Releases

Our news of releases continues, with our end of season release of both water voles and harvest mice.

Both have bred well this year, and so over the past week we have introduced a few more of each out on to our nature reserve.

Our harvest mice are not very often seen by the public around the boardwalk, but I do on the rare occasion spot one whilst out and about.

Our water voles on the other hand have been a huge success, and have bred for the second year running out in the wilds of the reserve. The further releases are hoped to encourage them to spread up the stream, and in to our extended area of the reserve.

Polecat Release

We successfully bred two litters of polecat kits earlier this year. Storm and Velvet once again had a litter, this time of only 2 kits, but they followed on from last years litter in proving to be the most beautiful polecats you have seen! They certainly take after their mum... sorry Storm.

For the first time this year, our second pair of Cassius and Mags also successfully bred. Mags gave birth to seven kits earlier this year.

Last weekend all of these kits were collected by Lily and Steve at Ferret Rescue. They have been taken off to meet up with other polecats bred in collections, and will be part of a release program run and coordinated by Lesley Harmer, the Polecat studbook keeper.

Master Albus

As promised, a few photos of Albus controlling his herd of hinds! Albus is in top form at the moment, roaring throughout the day and night, and Olivander is not even getting a look in. Whether they will clash antlers is in the coming weeks is anybodies guess, but I think Olivander may leave it a year before he gives it a good go.

Albus is working hard to keep all the hinds with him, a difficult job, especially when we put some food out for them and they all want to come and feed.

At the same time, he is very alert as to where the other males are. If they get too close, he will set on a chase to push them away from the group. You can see from the photo above that Olivander is still quite a bit smaller than Albus. Not surprising, as he is a couple of years younger, but understandable as to why he may sulk off this year until he is a bit stronger.

Olivander is definitely next in line though, and the other brockets don't stand a chance. Is nice to think Olivander is Erics son too, so in a few years he certainly has the genes to rule the paddock.

Having seen off the other males, Albus is strutting his stuff and sniffing the air to see if any females are in season yet... they won't be though, not for a few weeks.

Albus Dumbledeer really is our new Master Stag now, and he is looking the part too. He should put on a good show for anyone coming to see us over the half term week next week.