A woodmouse was photographed in Scotland standing on its hind legs, utilizing mushrooms as a makeshift stool to reach for food. The captivating image, captured by wildlife photographer Martin England, shows the small creature stretching its front limbs towards vegetation while balancing on its tiptoes.
England, 64, encountered the woodmice in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. He described the creatures as inquisitive and enjoyable to photograph, noting their behaviors often result in striking shots. In addition to the dancer-like pose, England observed one mouse appearing to play drums while standing upright with its front limbs on two toadstools.
To capture the images, England positioned himself near areas where the mice were known to frequent, laid out food, and waited for them to forage. "They were reaching up to the ivy over the toadstools," he explained. "I've found mice are naturally very inquisitive, so will investigate their surroundings thoroughly."
He noted the challenge of photographing the small, fast-moving animals. "While I was getting my shots, I wasn't really getting a proper look at what they were doing, but it seemed like they were dancing around on their tiptoes, like ballerinas," England said. This was his first time photographing woodmice, and he found the experience rewarding despite the difficulties.