"David Hill" wrote ...

Bob Hobden wrote:
"kay" wrote


I saw a small animal scurrying around in the undergrowth near a suburban
retail park towards dusk - light silvery grey, size and shape of a very
well fed grey squirrel. But wrong behaviour for a squirrel - and when it
came out on to the grass, I saw it had a long thin tail. Unless anyone
has a better idea, it is probably a rat - but it was too light a colour
for a rat, and the head was too large and too rounded.


Any water near there? Like a small stream or similar. I'm thinking Water
Vole.
Lots of photos here...
http://www.arkive.org/water-vole/arv...ge-A22614.html


I'd have said it was probably a weasel or just possibility a young otter if
there is water around. though they will stray a mile or more from water.

From Kay's description I would have thought that a weasel was unlikely, it
looking like a the inside of a kitchen roll with legs and normally very fast
moving, darty. Whilst an otter would not normally be described as having a
long thin tail, it's quite muscular looking.
Any water voles may well have found their riverbank homes flooded recently
so may well be out and about looking for food (grass) and a new place to
stay and they do look like a round dumpy rat with a cute face.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK