Category Archives: rats

Another Day, Another Rat

March 13, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

I’m sure this little period of ‘rodentitus’ (belief that rodents are everywhere) will end soon enough, but I’m enjoying it while it lasts and it compensates somewhat for the absence of foxes. The rat featured today isn’t the same rat as yesterday. This one lives at the other end of the pond, and keeps a sharp lookout for scraps that are left for the ducks and geese. It might be the same as the rat featured here. In this sequence it emerges from the undergrowth to feast on some bread crumbs that had been left early this morning.

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) foraging at the edge of Falmer Pond, East Sussex.

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) foraging at the edge of Falmer Pond, East Sussex.

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) foraging at the edge of Falmer Pond, East Sussex.

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) foraging at the edge of Falmer Pond, East Sussex.

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) foraging at the edge of Falmer Pond, East Sussex.

I’ll try to find something else of interest tomorrow, but no guarantees!

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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Five Rat Portraits (and a video)

March 12, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

Different day, same rat (I assume). It was equally cooperative, and largely ignored my presence while it foraged in the undergrowth. I even took the opportunity to get a short video clip which is at the end of this post.

rat in undergrowth

rat in undergrowth

rat in undergrowth

rat in undergrowth

rat in undergrowth

Now a short video…

Back home there’s still been no sign of Pretty 🙁

Camera note: all photos and video taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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Five Rat Portraits

March 11, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

The title says it all really. Five photos of a rat at Falmer today. I had to work hard to get these shots as the tangle of branches severely restricts the camera angle. The last two show the rat grooming itself after a short swim in the pond.

Brown rat in tree

Brown rat in tree

Brown rat in tree

Brown rat in tree

Brown rat in tree

Fox update: Pretty hasn’t been around since Sunday. No sign of her yesterday or today. She’s due her second mange treatment so hopefully her absence is temporary. There were a couple of new foxes on the trail camera last night, and we could hear lots of calling in the locality. The birth of cubs may well be causing some disruption in the pecking order (and Pretty ranks low among the other foxes judging by her generally submissive behaviour when other foxes are around), so I hope she’s not been driven away. The badgers have also shown up several times. More news as and when.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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