Update on little Vole and Small Magpie Moth

The little rodent turns out to be a (baby) Bank Vole.

After the UK mainland broke its ties with continental Europe, from the coastal area of Western France, those land animals which found themselves on the broken on landmass, were stuck. By the time the western rock broke itself off, a lot of these UK mammals had not found their way west. (yet) and so, like before, we have ended up with a lower number of mammals. We have no Moles, nor any Weasels, nor Wildcat, to name but a few. Neither have we got a Field Mouse/Vole and no Water Vole.

The result of having so few of these smallish rodents, is that there is not enough food for predators such as Owls, and this little Vole therefore, is a great addition to the menu of not only Owls, but also Foxes.

In 1925, for the damming of the Shannon, a German company was asked to come and do the job. Loading their own heavy earth moving machinery, the Germans set sail to the west of Ireland.
39 years later, in Listowel, county Kerry, a German student spotted a little Bank Vole, discovering the island's first such Vole. The fact that a new species made its entree in the west was highly unusual. Usually, new ones are discovered in the east where they set foot first after coming here from the UK. They can easily be transported in cargo crates, lorries, or any other way of hitching a ride. The way this little Vole made it to the country is a lovely story, if ever there was one. It has colonised the south west of Ireland, and is now moving east at 4kilometres a day.

Bank Vole, Clethrionomys glareolus

Bank Vole, Clethrionomys glareolus



The other day this small Rodent entered our house for a brief period, before it died of its internal injuries. It had been brought into the garden by a cat and then escaped indoors.
I have no idea what species it is, not one I have come across before.

It is grey with black, and very small. It is about 6cm long, 1.5cm wide. Its tail is about 5cm, I think. And it is also very very cute.




It has been a bit of a bad and very sad story this spring and a bad beginning of summer.

Tragic Fin Whale death after stranding in County Cork.

I was shocked this morning, when I heard about a live stranding of a Fin Whale in Courtmacsherry in County Cork, here in Eire.



Via the website of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and the local County Cork radio I was able to follow the situation and the news that bones where visible through its blubber made me feeling sick, just thinking of the poor thing.


On a Lighter Note:
After delving into Whale news on the web of Whales along our SW coast a little I came upon news of a young Humpback Whale, photographed twice, once from Holland's largest island, in the North Sea, the, Texel, and 5 months later from Toe Head in County Cork. This was the first time that movement by Whales in European waters had been recorded.

The joint press release (in English, don't worry!)
Seeing that many young Whales die in their first 12 months, this was good news, the young Whale being spotted 5 months later in a healthy condition.

Whale Watching around West Cork

West Cork has an abundant population of Whale species and Dolphins.

Bantry Bay, where we used to live for 4 years, sees some of these species stranded now and then too.
I remember when a friend of us, Jill Murphy, who owned one of the hotels, built along the Bantry Bay southern coast line, had a Killer Whale stranded on the small strand in front of the hotel.

We saw a Blue Whale in the water from a cliff when we were on Achill Island, an island off the west coast of Ireland, which is connected by a long bridge to the mainland at Westport County Mayo.
And although we were really very high above the water, it was still an amazing sight and were struck by its sheer size.

Closer to home and it is Nic Slocum who is doing Whale watching tours in his boat Voyager.


He sails from Union Hall at the SW coast near Skibbereen, and Nic tells me that the boats cannot be boarded by people with limited mobility. The local council is planning for adaptations to Reen pier where the boat is moored.

He hopes that the facilities will be in place at the start of the next season. Any news will be posted on his website.

I think I'd better start saving, because I'd love to do a tour.