A breeding Water Vole taking a dried reed into her burrow

Delighted to see this breeding female Water Vole taking a dried reed into her burrow. This nesting behaviour means that she will have young soon. Depending on the weather, Water Voles usually have three or four litters a year. In a mild spring the first litter can be born in March or April. Cold conditions can delay breeding until May or even June. There are about 3 to 5 young in a litter, which are born below ground in a nest made from vegetation such grasses and rushes. At one point, this female looks a long stem of fresh reeds into the burrow which I failed to capture on camera. Although blind and hairless at birth, young water voles grow quickly in good habitat where there is plenty of food and are weaned at 14 days. They leave the burrow to fend for themselves at 3 weeks and rely on instinct for survival, as well as plenty of tall bank side vegetation to hide in from their many predators and consume!