California vole

Description:

Voles look similar to a mouse. Difference is the vole is more stout, has rounder head and shorter tail. This vole has brown body, short rounded snout and ears close to body. You will also notice on the ears that the body fur partially covers the ears, probably due to being underground preventing it dirt getting into the ears.

Habitat:

Spotted in dry grass by a paved trail. When they were spotted they disappeared under a bush.

Notes:

When I spotted them at first I thought they were part of a small flock of sparrows nearby. When I realized they were voles I took the shots and as you see one image there were two and then there was one. People were walking by and the voles were oblivous.