Coming back from our trip to Maubuisson we stopped on the motorway to stretch our legs and have a cup of coffee. I settled down at an outside picnic table to sip my coffee when I thought I saw something run across the grass.
It was then that I noticed that there were a large number of holes in the grass. The sun was setting and it was not too easy to see into the holes.
A little bit of patience paid off.
I realised that a picnic area could provide mice with a good supply of food and I thought of all the sandwiches and biscuits that would be accidentally dropped from the picnic tables every day.
Nobody else seemed to have noticed them. I suppose people were content with their drinks and ice creams.
They were well camouflaged as they scuttled across the sun baked grass.
They exited from one hole and soon found another to dive into.
I’m not sure how many people would have appreciated sharing the picnic area with the mice (short tailed voles, Microtis agrestis) but I enjoyed watching their antics and let my coffee get cold.
a french garden 
I see their holes in the grass under the olives but have only once caught sight of a mouse making a hasty retreat at the sound of my footsteps.
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Susan has come to my aid again, so I would like to let you know that they are not mice but short tailed voles. Like you I see the occasional mouse in the garden. sometimes they appear when I am watering and scuttle off disgusted with their impromptu shower.
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These are Short-tailed Voles Microtis agrestis, not mice. I am most impressed with your photos — they are not easy to capture with the camera as they move so fast. I wrote about the ones that live in my orchard here.
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Susan got up earlier than me…
the cats finally nudged me awake at around 7.30!!
but I’ll equal the ident and the comment on the pictures!!
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Thank you, once more, Susan. I did think they looked a bit different from our grey mice I sometimes see in the garden. I’m not too good separating the mice, voles and shrews. I had never heard of putting down shelter for them in the garden. It is a very good idea.
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Nice pictures! Voles are very cute. I used to have several in my yard, even had a few that would come up to me and take nuts right from my hand (I got it on video too). Haven’t seen some in a while though. 😦 We have a lot of hawks and a fox in the neighborhood now.
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That is amazing to have them as tame as that. Susan encourages them by putting out sheets of corrugated iron and planks in her woodland area to give them shelter. Maybe you could tempt them back by providing them with something like that. She also writes that they are a favourite prey of owls 😦
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How sweet! We get both mice and voles in our garden, but thank goodness not in large numbers. They are so fast I hardly get a chance to look at them to identify them! The holes they make are the tell-tale signs. These motorway mice/voles have chosen a good spot – nice photos!
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They are so sweet as long as they stay in the garden!
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We have a lot of trouble with small animals wanting to move in with us for the winter.
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It is lovely to observe wild animals but I would prefer they stay outside and not come in to observe us 🙂
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Cute. Sometimes I like watching the tiny mice that live in the London underground, they skittle about when it gets quiet.
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Makes you think about “The Littles” and “The Borrowers” when they do that 🙂
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The lawn margins and meadow where I work are riddled with vole holes, Amelia. I’m still hopeful that in time owls will move in. Though I hear tawnies often (from lunchtime onwards) I have yet to see one. Dave
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We’ve had no takers for our ready-to-occupy owl home yet but we are always hopeful. As you have a take-away service all set up in the meadow you could get lucky.
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Those are such sweet animals – and pictures. Lucky find, Amelia. Well worth having cold coffee for! RH
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It was good entertainment and I am very grateful to Susan for pointing out they were voles.
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Such a sweet mouse. I would have enjoyed her!
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It is usually very boring when you stop on the motorway but this time it was very entertaining.
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Wow – well done on getting these! Voles are like mice only cuter, IMO. We don’t have any in our garden, sadly.
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Dang, rodents are so cute. Great shots. You just want to hug it.
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I love them to bits – as long as they stay outside of the house.
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Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources returning to your website:
https://afrenchgarden.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/motorway-mice/. I will
aslo be sure to give you the proper anchor-text hyperlink using your webpage title: Motorway mice or rather
motorway voles . Please be sure to let me know if this is
okay with you. Thankyou – Link building service.
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Please go ahead, thank you for contacting me first.
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