I had grand starting plans for this blog - it being a sort of story/adventure of the wildlife we would gradually encounter when we moved in. Unfortunately, life got in the way, so I'm only now getting round starting to write it all down.
The excitment we've had in the garden lately, is hedgehogs. We had identified some on the trail camera we put out last year (same time of year) and we know that other neighbour's in the street have had them visiting.
I came home from work one Wednesday to see one hog out in broad daylight at 2pm shuffling around. We put out a bowl with some tinned hedgehog food (always useful to have about!) and it stayed for about half an hour munching away. It came back later in the evening for a top up. This was two weeks ago, and since then we've had hedgehogs visiting us almost everynight!
As Monday was so wet, I (wrongly) assummed nothing would be out and about. This time we were late on moving the bowl to the end of the garden, so they came to us! I'm slightly concerned that they have very little inhibitions about being near people - I was within touching distance (didn't obviously) and we had the outdoor light on - and it was not remotely fazed.
Last night, we placed a full bowl on the patio. After a young fox cub lifted most of the meaty food off, mother and hoglet appeared. Mother hog is no longer content with just hedgehog food. We watched her push open the lid of the squirrel peanut feeder, squeeze her head in (leaving small back feet swinging in the air) and proceeded to munch away! There was a slightly embarrasing moment (for her) when we weren't sure she would get out (M was on standby with a brush) - but she succeeded in the end. Meanwhile her youngester had been trundling round and round the patio, nibbling things here and there. Mum wandered off - but they were re-united once she had circumnavigated the garden.
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