The Cherry tree has blossomed, April 2008
Bluebells in our local woods
Cherry blossom at sunset April 2009
Acer leaf emerges ;)
Magnolia
Forget me not
Blackbird seen from my home office window in our cherry
Young fledgling bluetits drying out after a heavy shower outside my office window
June 2015
autumn colours in our Katsura trees
now smelling sweetly of candy floss
September 2015
sunshine through acer leaves
sunshine through katsura leaf
Katsura leaf heart
Autumn rainbow
Spider web in front of our katsura trees - happy Equinoxe
Cherry's firy autumn hues outside my office window
5th October 2015
Thought the Snakesheads would never grow (planted 2 years ago!)
with crocus and mini daffodils
(happy Pi day:14th March 2016)
A birds nest got 'kicked' out of the tree, and it also hailed
this Easter
28th March 2016
Snakeshead fritillary
12th April 2016
Snakeshead fritillary
17th April 2016
20th April 2016
spring has sprung
May 2016
Cherry blossom
4th May
English bluebells
breezy bluebells
Japanese Acer and cherry blossom
Crabapple blossom
4th May 2016
Crabapple blossom
5th May
Snakeshead opens
6th May 2016
12th May
breezy again today
12th May 2016
Our Horse chestnut's first flowers!
Our Horse chestnut's first flowers :)
24th May 2016
Is this our first conker fruiting on the Horse chestnut already!?
6th June 2016
Juvenille robin came to see what we uncovered in the garden
whilst repotting the horse chestnut trees
So so tame :)
7th June 2016
A dramatic week for the horse chestnut, it blew over and now has
loads of conkers forming. The first one now has spikes.
10th June 2016
cheeky Sparrow :)
14th June 2016
Sparrow from my office window, June
The other evening a baby blue tit was being fed
by her Mum in our Horse chestnut with the new conkers :)
More cheeky sparrowness *;)
22nd June 2016
Mrs Blackbird seen from my home office window in our cherry
24th June 2016
Mrs Blackbird sunning herself
More sparrow action
27th June
.... Conker news ....
Yesterday the first conker with the spikes
had become broken at the join with the main stem :(
Today I found it had fallen to the ground :(
28th June 2016
tiny conker
29th June
30th June 2016
~ an old empty nest was flicked out of the fir tree onto the ground ~
Probably an old robin or Wren nest
1st July
Great Tit fledgling
Great Tit fledglings
Feed me cheep cheep
(pics not as sharp as usual due to the camera
being on the wrong setting)
2nd July
It's been very windy and rainy these past few days and
some more conkers have fallen off :(
3rd July ....
there was only one conker seed left on the tree this morning
then the last one was accidentally brushed off when a birch tree
was getting some attention nearby :(
5th July
...
I noticed Mrs Blackbird and her two fledglings today
she was feeding one a lot more than the other because
it's tail feathers are missing!
19th July
....
Ms no tail seems to be OK in herself and managing to fly,
looks cute without a tail, hopefully it'll grow back after the moult
22nd July
...
Cute blackbird fledgling "Tail-less"
We've been feeding them a selection of bird seed and meal worms
26th July 2016
water bath bluetit
26th July 2016
Squizzo is back
21st November 2016
Squizzo hiding a monkey nut (from video)
14th December 2016
Squizzo comes back for more monkey nuts
Hedgehog (rare) returns November 2017, and becomes a regular visitor during 2018
'Squizzo' aka Boingy returns in 2017 briefly but most regularly in 2018.
Intoducing Random Red paws who 'scared' Boingy away, October 2018
See Captain Boingy's and Random's own webpages in the nature, squirrel section
Bluetit having a dip in the birdbath
Katsura leaves in the birdbath, October 2018
Chiffchaff, October 2018
Dunnock (rare), October 2018
Dunnock
It didn't take the birds long to try out the peanut hanger
Robin drinks from the new dish
Blackbird fledgling, September 2018
Robin, September 2018
Robin checks out the sunflower seeds
New hedgehog house arrives, temporarily placed outside,
it freaked Boingy squirrel out for a while but didn't stop her clambering on it
September 2018
Please do not make the same mistake I made these past few weeks.
Hedgehogs only need mealworms sparingly if at all, they cause calcium deficiency which affects their bones.
I now feed him/her proper hedgehog biscuits
New hedgehog house in position awaiting more leaves
Shhh snoozing Hedgehog in residence, late October 2018
Chaffinch Male
Chaffinch female
acorns dropped
young blackbird
Different squirrel (male) returns from a couple of weeks ago.
Tufty is a brief visitor who cannot use the nut pot yet.
He raids the peanut hanger and bird/hedgie food.
Ironically I was trying to help him and left a monkeynut sticking
out of the pot up until a few days ago. Took it out due to the rain.
The lid clanging shut scares him silly.
2nd November 2018
Hungry Tufty hanging on by one leg!
Hedgie came out earlier than usual for breakfast,
especially now the cold wind has arrived
21st November 2018
Update - having viewed the garden cam footage
it appears there are now two hedgehogs.
One is mighty, and is much larger than our regular hedgie.
I missed the smaller hedgie who visited just after the larger one left.
I believe the larger hedgie is in the picture above
Two hedgehogs @ 1am ish 20th Nov
Side by side little original hedgie on the right joins
large hedgie at the feeding station
I was concered about Hedgie this week as they left their house during the afternoon
It's probably stocking up on food as it is the smallest ?? of (the 3 we've seen)
It is getting difficult to tell them apart.
It went back in its house.
A few days later I saw one (medium hog?) feeding in the middle of the day.
Can't really weigh it.
Hedgie snacking on hedgehog biscuits and pinhead oats
at dusk in the stormy weather, 28th November
Not sure if Hedgie got scared by the wind but their bristles are upright here
Medium hedgie visited again in the stormy weather.
Every time a gust of wind blew, Hedgie would hide between the flower pots.
Robbie was singing away in the Hawthorn hedge one cold morning
November 2018
Just amazing seeing this bluetit swooping in as Robbie
was about to tuck into some food this frozen morning
30th January 2019
Hedgehogs are now hibernating (since mid Jan 2019)
Robbie seems to have found a mate after all his singing in the hedgerow
It snowed pretty hard all day, this blackbird picture was taken before
the blizzard picked up in the late afternoon and evening
(their other food dishes were already under the snow)
1st February 2019
Fortunately we had turned the flutterbutter to face the nearest branch
a couple of days before this snowfall. Robbie couldn't feed from it otherwise.
Also the blackbird was so desperate for food he was eating it the next morning.
Chaffinchs are new to our garden this past 6 months.
Bluetit puffs itself up in the heavy snow
Male chaffinch in the snow
This is Robbie's new 'friend' with the white feather showing
Robin white feather eats the flutterbutter
Chaffinch after more snow
The thaw, male blackbird and robin
2nd February 2019
Robbie eating Flutterbutter
6th Feb 2918
Robbie singing his lungs out
11th February 2019
A rare and cheeky visitor: coaltit tries the niger seeds
Crocus Orange Monarch (but without the stripes)
Bluetit takes a suet pellet
18th February 2019
Male Chaffinch in the rain with cute feathers
Poor Robbie white feather (seems to be a male) was flying
at his reflection in the patio doors
Robbie went off for a bath, came back to dry himself off on the door handle
His antics scared Tufty squirrel away
22nd Feb 2019
Rob was flying upwards from one door handle and down to the
other handle, then back again over and over
Both ? male robins have been busy taking nesting material into the shrubs,
despite us putting up a nesting shelter nearby
Poor Robbie was back again fighting his reflection
This slow-mo shows he is actually making contact with the glass via his claws
It is audible in the same room.
We put some temporary tape on the windows and will put more stickers
but it has not stopped him so far
Crocus spring beauty
Ruby Giant and Pickwick ??
Finally some Goldfinches are interested in the niger seeds
Snow Bunting crocus
Robbie trying the suet pellet, 27th Feb.
"White feather" has reduced his reflection chasing
since putting up some paper by the door handles
White feather close up.
He is still flying at his reflection but not so often
He can no longer stare at himself from the handles.
It was like he was in a trance, would awake and start flying up and down again.
1st March 2019
Tufty is growing up and enjoying new things in the springtime
8th March 2019
Such sadness on the 14th after high hopes for a beautiful Collared Dove pair
I watched them build a nest together in our pine tree in February
In this pic they probably don't realise yet where their partner is (darn cat got it)
The nest was abandoned 2 days later during the gales
On a surprising note: Spot the mammal (mousie)
18th March 2019
Mousie infrared close up
18th March
Robin has found a mate and fed her some fruity suet
19th March
The Dove has found other doves (never seen any before in these parts)
Blackbird singing at the top of our pine tree, 21st
Evidence of stirrings - hedgehog mines were found last week
then this big fella showed up around 11.30pm very thirsty, 23rd March
Our little one is still hibernating
Another hedgie maybe around 2am and a few more times in the night,
or it might be 'our' one ?.
This tiny mouse was around when I was nearby!
Hedgie, 25th March
Mousie, 26th March
Bluetit pecked at the magnolia buds, 29th
Pink cherry blossom, 29th March
A couple of Wood pigeons were making a nest
in the fir (on the left) yesterday
Hedgie didn't like another hedgehog sharing his space at first
and bopped it hard into a ball of prickles, 31st March
Later that night Hedgie tolerated another hedgie sharing the food, 31st March
Sharing a drink, 31st March 2019
Goldfinch in the pink cherry blossom, 31st March 2019
Goldfinch collects wool for a nest
1st April 2019
White cherry buds blossom, 1st
Dove preening in the cherry
Garden cam caught this snap shot of the dove in flight, 1st April
Chaffinch in cherry
Eyes bigger than belly: Coaltit pecks walnut
Rare songthrush
Hedgie's house was given a spring clean and some new leaves and hay added, 8th April
This maybe the Bullfinch I saved when he flew into the patio doors the other year.
He was out for about an hour.
Not seen any other males around and it is a relief to see he returned.
Sparrow collects nesting materials, 12th April
blackbirds have learnt a trick to reach the suet
Song thrush preening in the cherry
Hedgie enjoying biscuits, 14th April
Hedgie is often shy eating in front of company
Hedgie made room for the local hog to eat: submissive, 15th April
Fledgeling bluetit, 16th
Fledgeling bluetits have been learning what's good to eat, 17th April
While the fledgeling has been beating its wings and chirping to the adult,
it has managed to feed itself some flutterbutter today, 18th
Hedgie is very possessive about his food and he needs the energy
He was courting, huffing and circling two females
Three was definitely a crowd
24th April
Hungry hog climbed the hedgehog pot to retrieve a
monkey nut left for squirrels, 26th
Never knew they could jump up
** There are now four wild hedgehogs visiting **
27th April
Poor Dabchick (blackbird fledgeling) was chased by a magpie and
crashed into the patio door but survived.
There are two other siblings and another family close by
The hedgehogs are so hungry at the moment they need a refill of food and water before midnight
Another new squirrel visitor: Stripey, 6th May
Bullfinch flies to camera with Squiz in the background, 8th May
licking the broken walnut
Hedgie visits early for a drink, 9th May
Fed me now, the Starling fledglings
got through this whole jar of flutterbutter in 3 days
the previous jar lasted 3 months starting from the snowy time
15th May 2019
There has been so much wildlife passing through our tiny garden like never before
Another male squirrel has been around, looks like Boingy
The hedgehog (probably original older male)
becomes known as One Eye after his eye closes up or is lost in the coming months
is now feeding before the young aggressive male arrives
15th May
drinking
Having reviewed some footage after hearing shrieks around 2pm and a squabble
with a magpie, seems it took on another bird maybe a fledgling starling
**** then a Red Kite swooped down ****
It's not clear but I don't think the starling fledgling made it.
16th May
Thirsty hog
A new record: five hedgehogs at the same time, 21st May 2019
Hedgie side tongue, May 2019
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There have been many new additions this past rainy month.
Robbie, dunnock, sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, bluetits
have all had another brood.
Some are still bringing food to their nestlings.
Young bluetits compete for food
With so much rain it's been a busy time keeping them fed with seeds and suet
because the rain has washed all the insects away.
One highlight was watching two squirrels (rare) showing each other around,
eating ripening cherries and having fun.
Cassi hanging upside down by one paw to get a cherry, 1st June
I've not seen the female looking so relaxed.
she is normally alert and concerned.
Bluetit fledgling begs for food in the Japanese Maple
__@ __@ __@ __@
The hedgehogs are looking plumper and are still doing the backwards dance courtship
June 2019
Young blackbirds soaking up the heat of the sun, 21st June
Young greatits basking in the sun until.... the squirrel jumps onto the birdtable:
Female squiz Cassi is hungry and raids the sunflower seed despite having her own food supply
21st June
Robin has lost its tail feathers
The cage with large gaps keeps the wood pigeons,
crows and most magpies from eating all the food.
They get the leftovers at the end of the day
and bits that disperse near the edges during the day.
But it does not stop the greedy starlings
A sparrow waits patiently outside the cage
Blackbird's amazing eye
Two hungry hedgies at dusk
So many little ones, this bluetit got a bit close
This coaltit was curious, maybe interested in the spiders around the cam.
Dove flight is always a wonderful sight
This goldfinch had a lot to chatter about - they've had a youngster fledge
hedgie is visiting later each evening at the moment, July
another young robin has fledged, July
Finally the woodpigeons have a little one (not so little juvenile), 13th July
young bluetit's tongue
A new young male squirrel licks an empty snail shell, 14th July
Young goldfinch shares a dip with the bluetits
Another bluetit closeup
Young starling's speckles starting to show through
A young male squirrel watches from the birdtable how to open the nutpot
28th July
A young bluetit dries off in the oak tree, July 2019
Young goldfinch fed, July
Tiny Bluetit takes the biggest piece of fruity suet
7th August 2019
August has been busy with more young fledglings, lots of sparrows and goldfinches
Robbie (Tailess, now regrown) has grown an orange stripe, and has started to sing again
27th Aug 19
blue came to the window much like Robbie
There has been so much nature drama in our small garden recently
including this Sparrowhawk which swooped down from the pine tree
not sure if it was successful in capturing a feathered friend
1st September 2019
Sparrowhawk returns, 2nd Sept
It wasn't concerned I was close to it
A scary moment when Boingy arrived and didn't realise the sparrowhawk
had been sitting on the planter behind her, 4th Sept
In nicer news: we have our first hoglet visiting, eating
and maybe even snoozing in the hedgehog house, 5th Sept
New Hoglet eats from the dish, he's so tiny he fits inside it
One Eye nearby
Hoglet joins One Eye hog (male), he was the only hog to not ignore hoglet, 5th Sept 930pm
Little Hoglet wants some company
Not sure what has happened to our usual resident Pip (Mama) hedgie
but she might have pushed this little one away and now has gone elsewhere,
or has other little ones to care for (?)
Hoglet had an eventful first week and not all good.
Poor little thing has had a terrible accident with someone's paint can.
The white paint is on his back, he seems ok in himself, drinks water, runs about super fast.
Eats sunflower seeds which have dropped to the ground but is no longer eating the biscuits.
Robbie orange stripe
We believe Hoglet is doing much better and filling out now - the paint seems to have washed away, Mid Oct
Bluetit chased the Coaltit away from the flutterbutter, 24th Oct
Butterfly and Boingy, 1st Nov
Hoglet has become Hogley is sharing with another, 11th Nov
Young male squirrel Flopity, 12th Nov 2019
Hedgie made a surprise daytime outing at the weekend.
Must have been hungry stocking up.
He dug up and ate the peanuts the squirrels had cached, 16th Nov
New male squiz photobombed hedgie
20th November 2019
22nd November
Having reviewed some old footage from last weekend, it looks like one of the many hedgehogs was collecting large leaves for the igloo house. Too cute as he ran back n forth with the leaves in his mouth, like you would the stem of a rose.
How on Earth did Grumpy Hog climb up into the acer pot to eat bird seed ???!....
3rd December 2019
... Grumpy Bob didn't go back the way he came and unfortunately climbed
to the higher pot behind and then fell out. Seed is no longer stored here.
He seems OK. It's amazing how tall, stretchy and strong they are to pull themselves up so high.
Blackbird takes cashewnut, 4th December
Tried the garden cam in a lower position and captured some hedgie images, 8th Dec 2019
Two hoggies, 11th Dec
Settled down after some pushing around
A couple of young squirrels have been taking leaves up
to the top of the main trunk of our Alder tree
A young squirrel sorting out leaves to make a cosy nest in the Alder tree
23rd December 2019
Hedgie sniffs the air, Christmas 2019
Hungry hedgie
hedgie drinks
Hedgie takes leaves to the igloo house
Young squiz eats seeds
Young squiz drinks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy New Year
Hedgie is not hibernating yet - enters the Hedgehog highway
new gate camera captures hoggy arriving, 7th January 2020
Mousie gets a bit close to hedgie
Mousie took a biscuit, 9th Jan 2020
Hedgie still takes the odd leaf or two to the igloo house:
still not snoozing...
Hedgie is now hibernating - not seen him for a couple of nights
29th Jan 2020
Feb: Hedgies have come out of hibernating, searching for food, even trying an Iris flower
It is mild, the daffodils are blooming
15th feb
It's so rainy a frog has come to visit under the gate,
there aren't any major water features around here, maybe he came from a neighbours pond?
18th Feb
Remarkable: Mousie is cheekily collecting monkey nuts
and jumping across to other pots in the dark
The hedgehogs are still coming out for food and water
often a big pushing match ensues into a spinning contest,
Unfortunately looks like biting around a neck was involved,
both seem OK afterwards, March 1st
Terrible fighting hogs - biting necks, 5th March
Hedgie is using the gate as he passes underneath to have a good scratch, 4th
Poor hedgie looks like he has been tagged with white paint again, 17th March
Also one eye hedgie has returned or it is another hedgie suffering the same ?
Mousie spooks hedgie while eating
odd white patches on hedgie, heat ? or other substance ?
Turns out the white patches are particles of clay from soil (Aug 2020)
Earlier this month a couple of crows were attacking their reflections like robin last year
Hogley returns, 19th
One eye enters via the gate, 19th March
5.32am back to his hedgehog igloo house
Tiny Hogley curls up - they don't like the sound of food pouring into the dish, 23rd March
Uh oh, there are now three no, four mice,
three smaller ones and the original mousie, 27th March
Sleepy One eye got up for a drink this lunchtime, 1st April
Hope he is OK, not seen him since
There are around four hedgies visiting
Update: having reviewed hedgie-cam footage
One Eye was ok until he was attacked by the largest male hog on 27th March
he seemed to be ok for a while but several days later seemed to become slower
and coughed up a biscuit but recovered
He left the hedgie house for a bit.
Maybe has an internal injury ?
He's back this lunchtime (3rd April), seems dehydrated after not seeing him for 48 hours...
It is with great sadness I say One Eye has just slipped away from us on the lawn,
sleep little beauty, you aren't suffering any more.
Couldn't take him to a hedgehog shelter or vet due to the terrible c-virus
And life goes on in the background robbie is making new life
..... One Eye is now laid to rest surrounded by leaves in his favourite spot under the cherry tree
We are heartbroken as he was so gentle, small and kind especially to the little hoglet last autumn who was ignored by the other hogs. One Eye didn't fight over female hogs. He was fine by himself staying in our garden free to come and go. No idea how he ended up with the damaged eye though. Maybe that is why he kept away from the other adult hogs (?).
He shall be missed.
Still going through footage from the past week
One Eye is bringing in leaves in his mouth here under the gate, 29th March, 3.52am
He had been running about before this despite the original injury
but suffered further attacks from the largest male later that evening making his situation worse
... Mousie had a narrow escape when a cat was stalking it
to the point of standing on top of him in a flower pot with dense leaves, (2nd)
One Eye, 21st May 2019 before he lost the sight in his left eye in late August 2019
Thirsty One Eye, reliable visitor since at least 2015, when he hibernated in the hedge in the front garden
Looking through footage it shows One Eye up and about again at lunchtime on 2nd April (I missed seeing him live)
He was having a drink, searching the lawn for peanuts left by the squirrels,
But he was far from alright. Fortunately camouflagued on the barkchip having a 'rest' before bringing in leaves to his hedgehog house.
The strong sunshine makes it difficult to spot him.
He was clearly avoiding night time eating due to the bullying hog,
the lack of food and water made him weaker.
Meanwhile this past week spring has sprung. Cherry Blossom, bees and leaves emerging
The robins have built a nest in a fir tree, and chase the dunnocks.
The squirrels were playing in the pine
Mr Blackbird sings more brightly
The chestnut was pruned hard last autumn but has one flower cluster showing, 9th April.
Major Shunt/Brutus bully male hedgehog is still being aggressive to the other hedgies
He's been bothering the smaller female who is not interested
and Hogley who is even smaller than her
Good Friday sunset, One Eye's resting place
Hedgehog chases and pins the other male hedgie against the gate, before running away, midnight 12th April
A pair of Collared doves have returned, 13th April
courting hedgehogs but all she needs is food and water
Hedgie comes a bit earlier in the lighter evening, 14th
bluebells emerge, 15th April
The squirrels had replanted some of the spring bulbs but these survived
Apple blossom, this is where One Eye was first found snoozing in the hedge
Hedgehogs practising social distancing, 16th
Boingy and bluebells, 17th April
Mr Stripe hog was getting on alright with the female sharing some food
when Major Shunt barged in pushed Stripe and scared the female: Three's a crowd
20th April 2020
The Chestnut flowers have started to pop in the crazy breeze, 21st April
Fully flowered, 1st May
Hedgie arrives at sunset for a drink, 1st May
Female hedgehog on the left is doing the backwards courtship dance
while the male kept dipping his head as she bopped him away when he got too close
He was playing hard to get running away back n forth after being forward the other week
You can just make out he is dipping his face on his right to the pavement
2nd May 2020
This might be the same male who harmed One Eye.
Lots of courtship dancing has been going on this week
The female had dances with two male hogs one after the other like a lady's excuse me cut in
Then this male tried it on with a new female infront of the one he'd been dancing with for an hour
She's right there looking at them. The New female ran away so he went back to the first female.
You can see they have walked through their water dishes many times.
14th May
beaky has a dip while the goldfinches eat, 17th
The chestnut flowers have been pollenated and are turning into tiny conkers
Noticeable characters missing this year are the green and bullfinchs
Poor Hogley after he was attacked by the usual big brute Major Shunt, 19th May
Conkers were doing well, 3rd June .... until they started to break off at the top on the 4th
First week of June has been busy with robin, great tit, blue tit, dunnock, goldfinch fledglings
Mr Blackbird has been feeding a lone dabchick (think they've had trouble from magpies again)
Tail feathers are starting to grow
Dabchick fed, 4th June
Hogley the small hedgehog returns after two weeks away
More conkers have broken off at the stem again, 8th June (see 2016 also)
Some of the cherries have fallen off in the breeze before they could ripen
bluetit fledgling, 9th June
young goldfinch waits for adult to feed it... starts to beg.... does a waggle dance...
beats its wings while fed, 9th
Dabchick fed leftover hedgehog biscuits, 9th
A greenfinch visited the feeder
Courting hogs, female (left) dances backwards and he follows, 10th June
Little Hogley sits in the water dish while eating, 14th June
Bluetit looking for spiders, 19th
Tree bumblebee buzzed right up to the camera
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Young chaffinch has been fed and also feisty guarding the food dish and chasing great tits away! early July
Oops hedgie came out in the afternoon for a drink and could smell the different food
left out for the birds and squirrels, which they ate lots of.
They did not get stuck in the cage and moved OK afterwards
seeking shade and went back to the igloo house (?)
Probably hungry if expecting little ones (?) 16th July 2020
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For a second time I've viewed footage of a hog crunching over looking to be in pain, eyes closed, sitting down, recovering and moving on and then repeating movements, maybe having contractions (?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hedgehog news we've had our first visiting Hoglet this year, 31st July 2020
So speedy squiggling about we'll probably name him Sonic
He's probably already a few weeks out foraging alone and so is not super tiny.
Still hoping to see some with mama hog showing them around.
Four hogs arrived around the same time, naturally one had to cause mayhem,
Attacked the large male who minds his own business, he just likes to eat
then courts both females
15th Aug
These are the remaining conkers, the rest fell off, compare above, 17th Aug
A Hoglet returns to eat grown up food for the first time, 17th August
He was just checking everything out above and didn't stay to eat before
Sonic Hoglet
Sonic Hoglet wanted some company and was nudged away by the large hog,
so he's backed off here and keeping his distance
19th Aug
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A young woodpigeon fledgling was found hiding (from the sun, predators?)
behind a parcel (left by postie) and the front doorstep on a hot day, 19th Aug
Potential drama as a sparrowhawk returns on a blustery morning
checks out the lil birdies
totally stared me out before flying away
21st Aug
~~~~~~~~~ Ooooh we have two hoglets ~~~~~~~~~~~
24th Aug 20
Sparse visits from Boingy at the moment taking very little food, 25th Aug 20
~~~~~~~~~~~ After a heavy rain storm hedgie came out to forage in the afternoon ~~~~~~~~
oops, must be hungry when the little ones are sleeping as she was moving fast n OK
28th Aug
Hedgie returns for another afternoon snack today
She had squeezed inside the cage to eat the bird food (oooops)
she is really hungry, then retreated to the igloo house maybe ?
Hogs aren't supposed to eat seed, around 1540, 29th Aug 20
Hedgie has made another afternoon snack visit today
she came in under the gate so she has not nested here, 2nd Sept 20
Poor hedgie foolishly went up behind hungry hog eating
and ended up being pushed around and over the water dish, 3rd Sept
Hedgie came by for more daytime snacks around 1700,
this time limbo-ed under the cage which is raised on bricks, 3rd Sept
many more acorns this year, 4th Sept
Hedgie limbos under the cage to have a drink, 6th Sept
the cage rests ontop of the bricks which keep larger birds out
hedgie searching for snacks at dusk, 6th Sept
More young Goldfinches visiting, 8th Sept
Hedgie searching for food sniffs the snail, 10th Sept
********
Captain Boingy squirrel has harvested and eaten (?) most of the acorns, 12th Sept
********
One of the many Hedgies enters the hedgehog highway gate, 14th Sept
Thirsty hedgie in this warm weather, 16th Sept
two hedgies: hodgeheg (female) is nudged by Stripey (male, nearest) then he leaves, 16th
"Dark" Hedgie cautiously goes to check out the new hedgehog house
I believe he is already sheltering in the igloo (behind the back large pot on the left)
18th Sept 2020
this is a different hog to one above drinking and sniffing the snail
Hoglet Sonic returns, 22nd Sept
he kept wanting company from Stripey hog (male?)
Little Sonic hoglet was exploring alot and stayed to eat and drink
Mum tazs, 22nd
Stripey hog leaves, 22nd
*********** much cooler after the rain today and we got a cute surprise *************
Adorable Sonic hoglet follows mama hedgie for the first time during the day, 1402, 23rd Sept
Super fast Sonic hoglet keeps up with mama hedgie
Sonic hoglet explores the hedgehog highway hole in the gate, daytime risk
He came back from the main back garden and sheltered by the gate
behind some things leaning in the corner, 23rd
*** two little hoglets have been squiggling around tonight, 23rd ***
Oh dear, two little hoglets, one is displaying pushy behaviour already, 2am 24th Sept
Even worse he is getting involved with adults being pushy too,
it's hard to see this with their size difference
Much squabbling to get to the food tonight, 24th
Hoglet has been pestering his mum again, following her around,
nudging, pushing his sibling away from the food, 24th
wow another new hoglet joins, making three, 2130, 24th
two small cuties eating and drinking, 25th
but then cheeky nudgey hoglet pushes an adult around
.... and we see four hoglets tonight, 26th Sept
Three hoglets trying to use the same food dish
One is a handful already pushing his siblings and other adults around, 26th
Three hoglets share the dish of food, 27th Sept
Mum and hoglet "sandwich" sharing the food, 27th
Poor dunnock was attacked to the point of unconsciousness by robin
they recovered and flew away, 28th
The conkers ripened and fell from the chestnut tree when Boingy jumped to the roof
It was fun watching the hoglets interacting with the conkers later that night, 30th September
The hoglets are growing quickly now we have bought an extra dish
The largest hoglet still pesters and follows his mum around the most
while the others quietly get on with exploring and eating
He is still pushing everyone one around
So far no one has moved into the new hedgehog house
but the hoglets seem to be using the old igloo....
So cute, one of the hoglets regularly prefers to nap on a clump of hay we left out
They were supposed to pack their homes out with the hay but only the igloo has been stuffed
so there are a couple of hay 'mats' remaining out in the open near the hedgie houses
Even cuter the hoglet woke up after a long nap on the hay and yawned, (28th Sept)
So cute as the two hoglets settle down to share a drink, 30th Sept
three hoglets, 2nd Oct
****** Newsflash: Hoglet goes inside the new hedgehog house for the first time to shelter from the rain 3rd Oct *****
Two hoglets meet at dusk and touch noses, 3rd
hungry hoglets, have grown so much in one week, 3rd Oct
Mum (right) and Dad (left) hogs courting back in June 2020
Hoglet visited early and went back to the nest to get mummy as he couldn't find the food,
the other three hoglets joined and followed mum to see what was going on....
They all learnt from mum to go into a ball while new food was put out.
Mum is in the middle here, (they are growing so fast) 4th Oct
One hoglet had a nap inside the house
another hoglet went inside to check it out
a small amount of hay was left inside for them
Hodgeheg mum checks out little hoglet, 4th Oct
Hoglet super stretches then snapped back to small size, 4th
The final two of four hoglets follow mum back to the nest, 6.13am 5th Oct
They aren't staying in either the igloo or new house during the day ATM
Poor hoglet was trying to leave, but Big hog was still at the gate
and was pushed and squashed into the wall
they were later seen sharing a dish of food, 6th
Woke up to see some hay had been taken into the hedgehog house, 8th Oct
NB the bucket was FULL of hay
A little hoglet had dragged the hay into the house around 6am
but before that a hoglet had climbed right inside the bucket of hay, totally hidden
Hoglet carrying the hay in his mouth to inside the house, 8th Oct
took around half an hour
Hoglet came back at 5.38am to take more hay inside the house
then tidied it up moving leaves inside around 7.00am
how did they learn about using leaves for their nests when Mum didn't show them?
so smart, instinctive
Another hoglet took leaves next door where their current nest is (?), 9th Oct
Hoglet got up at lunchtime for a snack when he heard the birdfood dish being restocked
he went back to the nest next door..... but then a few hours later he got up
and finally moved into the hedgehog house he had prepped:
needing space, and quiet from the boisterous sibling (?), 9th Oct 4pm
Reviewing some other footage: poor big hog is so big now that when he went to scratch himself he rolled over onto his back and panicked to right himself again. He does eventually, phew. He just keeps eating. It's also hard to watch his personality change and start pushing the little hoglets around (if it is him and not another big hog). #possessive
Mum and hoglet, 11th
busy night ahead, one hoglet has hay on his spikes
After a scrap two hoglets club together with a third to continue filling the new house with hay and leaves
11th Oct 6.30am #nestlings
Hoglet leaves the house to collect more leaves at dawn, 12th Oct
earlier, two hoglets entered the house together
A hoglet shakes the rain off before entering the hedgehog house,
then a few mins later a second one does the same
*******************
All four hoglets are now sharing and sleeping during the day in the large hedgehog house
One hoglet called Mark (markings on his back) was mostly collecting and bringing in more leaves
14th Oct
Hoglet Mark shares a drink
Tiny hoglet shares the water
three hoglets, dusk 17th Oct
Mum has helped the hoglets by taking some hay into the house,
she has spent a short time in there too, 17th Oct
***** Squizzo met hoglet coming out of the house at midday and was curious *****
no panic, hoglet stretched his legs and went back inside a couple of minutes later
18th Oct
cute hoglet peeks out behind old radiator, 19th
Hoglet cautiously peeks his head out of the hedgehog house, 22nd Oct
Hoglet got up early for a snack, going back as no food out yet, 23rd Oct
Hedgie looks out before breakfast, 23rd
Mum and three hoglets
Hoglet collects leaves and struggles to drag the horse chestnut one inside the nest, 26th
young hedgie carrying huge bedding back to the nest cannot see where they are going
walks through water and food dishes, 29th Oct
Just when things appeared to be quietening down with fewer visits from all hogs,
the three 'hoglet' siblings come out of the hedgehog house together for a snack,
my how they've grown, 11th Nov
No longer putting out 3 dishes of food, they only finish one dish now as other hogs are elsewhere.
The last week of November 2020: fewer hedgehogs visiting from outside
the juvenile siblings appear to be hunkered down and hibernating now it is foggy and colder
They are not finishing one dish of food now.
Update: all the hedgehogs are snoozing now in the New year
One had been coming to eat then sheltering down the end
maybe in the bamboo shrub every evening until last week
A light covering of snow on their hedgie house, 24th January 2021
Hedgie Mama (?) woke and got up hungry and thirsty despite the freezing temperature
you can just see the water is icing over.
This had already frozen and was replaced with fresh water
They then took some leaves inside the hedgehog house to join the little ones
9th February 2021
Mrs Tiggywinkle from the Beatrix Potter colouring book (2016)
using new soft wax colouring pencils
(not used coloured pencils for several decades, certainly never wax ones)
Feb 2021
Dark furred hog returns and has a scrap with mama Hodgeheg over the food
He bites her back and tries to shake her off the dish
then moves into the hedgehog house while her babies are hibernating
and she leaves
18th Feb 2021
24th Feb
cute hedgie stops for a taz and scratch
sadly there have been many more incidents of
fighting, pushing and biting already from one particular big hog
Mid March 2021
several months and various courtships later...... we spot our first hoglets of the year
Mum had been coming out most afternoons recently
for a scavenge but was not interested in our biscuits
21st June 2021
Hoglet was being bothered by the massive male on the right
