Worse For Wear
Arriving at 19.20 on the 1st of August .
Poor little "Two Stripe" 
I'll give it another go of cleaning up her eyes.

The Hog and Hound
As usual the garden tends to go quieter on the Hedgehog front in July as adults tend to split up and raise their young. Only one or two per night usually .
But on the evening/morning of the 27th there was a nice video capture of a Hedgehog (Two Spot) and a young Fox together  at the feeding point .

OUT FOXED
With the Hogcam out for the night of the 15th of July it picked up something i've never seen happen in my garden before.
The local domestic Cat chasing off the resident Fox.

Supper
A quick bite before bed.
"Two Stripe" has her last little snack before bed at 05.00 .
With a Robin, House Sparrow and Bumble Bee for company .
16.06.15 .

Starters
Thought this was nice tonight.
"Two Stripe" arrives at 21.30 for her starters whilst still light and with Male Blackbirds in chorus .
She isn't doing so well now with age and last years litter of Hoglet's. But she goes onwards and upwards !
As good as deaf, i can walk right up to her now as she only senses vibration in the ground. 
09.06.15  

Strike a pose
Enter through fence hole and then show off .
21.05.15 

Has someone been drinking ?
The evidence is all too clear .

It's a Tick !
This is "Two Spot" 20.05.15 .
She's a new addition this year's count but from last year's log according to the markings I put on her.
Clearly visible on the left ear are two Ticks.
Don't worry , I'll have them in the next couple of nights .

AGM
"Two Stripe, Jam, Pumpkin and Treacle" draw ranks on 05.05.15 .

Middle Weight Bout
In the left corner, Hedgehog Male 1kg . 
In the right corner, Brown Rat Male 950 gs .

As in a previous post I mentioned other species attracted to the food you put out.
In this case it's a Rat again.
Something i've never seen before and recorded on two separate nights (30.04 , 02.05).
This involves two individual Male Hedgehogs and the same Rat squaring up .
Both Hedgehogs are in the process of courting Females and are very territorial as regards to other Males.
As you can see in the first clip as "Pumpkin" takes a roughing up.
In the second clip there are two females present in the feeding station.

"Spring" has sprung.

Carefully Does it !! "Ouch"
Meet "Spring". 
This is the latest Hog to participate in the frolics 
my garden brings.
After his third visit he made certain his intentions were clear.
Last years female Hog "Two Stripe" succumbed to over an hour of constant circling .
24.04.15  

Rat Catcher.
Feeding Hedgehogs and the birds can bring in some unwanted characters occasionally .
Although common place in towns and cities the Brown Rat still strikes fear into some folk.
Not exactly what i want in the garden but they do seem to move on after a while. A colony would certainly not be welcomed here.
Always wash your hands after messing in the garden !!

Stalker !
After my bloody mice. Not a problem with the Hogs though.

This is "Two Stripe" . One of the adult females that had a litter last year (2014) .
Looking a little weary, but doing fine . Good to see she's made it back to my garden.
Re-marked and released.

One Pig, two Pig, three Pig, four Pig more.

One Pig, two pigs, three pigs, four pigs more.

Super Charge . 08.04.15 .

The rutting has started in April !
"Treacle" takes on "Jam"  06.04.15

Hedge Pig Poo .
A fresh encasement of insect exoskeletons 27.03.15 .

Here's "Pumpkin" on her return in this new term looking a little skinnier after a three month sleep.
26.03.15

A really late hibernation in 2014 due to very mild conditions meant that a couple of mine ran into January 2015. This was the last one to visit me on the night of 03.01.15. This is Pumpkin.

First Hedgehog after hibernation this year. This is J (Jam) from last years Hoglets recorded at 01.51 on 17.03.15 .

The baby Hoglet that i failed to save it's life after injury September 2012.

"Oh Bugger" . Can you leave me alone please ? .

Leaf Litter

Can i come out now ??

A "plum" shot of Victoria and plastic wanna be, both turning their noses up .

Bat Eared Hog

I'm fed up of this rain .......

Curious.
One of my fave shots from July 2011 .

Information and local emergency number.

The drinks are on me.
Hedgehogs frequently visit my ponds for a drink through the night. In fact they probably take more from the ponds than the fresh bowl of water i offer them.
Must be the natural nutrients .
Hedgehogs are excellent swimmers, but are a little bit renown for drowning in ponds with no escape route.
Always make sure you make a sloped sided pond or apply a meshed ladder or bricks for quick exit.

Hog in a Log.
Having a pile of logs in your garden helps in two ways for attracting Hedgehogs.
1) Providing nesting accommodation.
2) Attracting insects (Beetles,Woodlice,Earwigs) etc.

Oh, and making a great photo opportunity  ;-)  .

A video of nesting mother Hedgehog doing some Diurnal foraging leaving her suckling litter of Hoglets.
The male Hedgehog has no relevance in rearing the young .

Hedgehogs are totally Nocturnal and should be regarded as ill if seen out in the day. Usually due to infection, disturbance , lack of food or water and hypothermia (sunbathing). These should be collected and put on a blanket covered hot water bottle in a cardboard box and offered clean water and food (wet cat food or Mealworms) . Please contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) on 01584 890 801. 
The only exception to this is seen here when a nesting mother leaves her Hoglets in search of extra nutrition when her milk reserves can start to run dry.  ( Pictures mid June 2013) .

Hedgehog box showing used hibernation nest from winter 2012-13 .
Taken in mid April once Hog had well and truly left.

This box aint big enough for the both of us .
It is actually . If both or more decided to take up residence for hibernation or breeding then a box in a good position (in a quiet north status) will suffice . With adequate bedding (straw,shredded paper,leaves), waterproofed and a right angle entrance  .

The cutest of the cute . Baby "Bristles" 20.09.12 .

We can see you, you little Urchins.....

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16.07.14

Thru the flowers .
04.04.14

In the throes of passion.30.06.14