If you look closely here you can see a small animal swimming across the Lochay, photo taken in March this year by Willie Angus from Killin. The location is just above Kenknock Farm, you can see the pipeline to the right hand side.
Willie did'nt see the animal until he had the photo taken, at which point he recognized it as a water vole, and did not have time to take another photo.
So, water voles are supposed to not be so active in the winter, a main river should not be their favoured flow of water, the habitat is by no means ideal, and, in Scotland, water voles usually exist well up in the catchments, away from the main rivers and predators. We have found water voles right by each of the three main rivers in our survey work, on the Lyon, Lochay & Dochart. Well spotted Willie. Priceless photo. Apparently there was a short warm spell at that time which would explain the activity.
You can expand the image by clicking on it.
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