Voles. Well, they are being super-coy at the moment, and I waited an hour and a half to get a glimpse of this nose. That was it for the evening.

Mean while, on the stretch where I usually sit but had given up for lack of sightings:

And round the nearest bend of the stream:

So I am doing my best, but they are not complying.

This is a pattern of behaviour I've noted over a decade and a half: as populations peak in July, the voles are bold and numerous. Then the young disperse to seek their own habitat. Population appears to drop.

But it doesn't really. By the end of September, I'm getting very few sightings, and normally they stop altogether by November. That'll be it till February/March time.

Although one did pop up on Christmas Eve this year. I spotted it as I was going to Tesco for a last-minute shop.

I also believe they become more crepuscular/nocturnal as the autumn approaches. Whether this has anything to do with predation, I don't know. There is currently a stoat on this stretch of stream, and there are always cats and weasels and barn owls about.

I've seen polecat and otters here too. Everything eats voles, unfortunately.