Wednesday 7 October 2015

Wildlife on a Wednesday

Even though we're almost galloping into Autumn this week (torrential rain and a definite drop in temperature), last week we had some welcome visitors in the Playground/garden:
This gorgeous Red Admiral butterfly was sunning itself and Len managed to get a few photos. We've noticed a few late butterflies this year, usually they're all gone by now. Certainly the swallows left for their long journey to warmer climes a few weeks ago.

And we have some real fun and games with 'Horace and Doris' the hedgies, they turn up every single night to feed, so thankfully the discovery of a snoozing nest in the front garden didn't faze one or both of them.

Len has a proper little feeding station set up for them and they trigger the outside light when they arrive, but don't seem at all worried to be 'in the spotlight' so to speak. This is a photo he took last week - and I have no idea if it's the male or female hedgie, but suspect it's Horace:
The set up is on a paving slab sitting on top of the patio - to keep their little feet dry :)  The red you can see in the background is part of the leg of a low square plastic table which sits right over the feeding area, bought just for the purpose of keeping the rain off! So it's like a gazebo really - just a shame it's bright red and a bit 'in your face'!

On the menu? Spike's Dry Hedgehog food and a few ordinary peanuts - the water bowl is out of shot. Hedgies are VERY messy eaters - they flick the food all over the place, so it's a daily clean up job for their 'carer', bless him.

I have subsequently read that peanuts really should be crushed lest a hedgie gets one wedged in its back teeth and can't close its mouth properly (no dental sticks or toothbrushes in hedgie land). So now we have a dedicated pestle and mortar for use when preparing their nightly menu.

Mad or what?

Di
x

16 comments:

  1. Not mad just totally dedicated to the job in hand. Great photo . Hugs Mrs A.

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  2. OMGoodness, he /she is soooooo cute! How lucky to have them there to eat their yums, so close-up. I was going to ask what you feed them so I am glad you said. Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos! The butterfly is beautiful but hedgie took the spotlight! Wonderful photos!

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  3. Oh wow ...a hedgehog...I have never seen them in real life...you are so lucky!!! I must show this post to my daughter when she gets back from school!!

    Cheers
    Dr Sonia

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  4. Gorgeous pictures! I used to love feeding our hedgehog. He really, really wasn't shy either. And he was so noisy! We always knew when he was coming for his dinner, as we could hear him from inside with doors and windows closed, lol. x

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  5. Wonderful photos die and love the hedgie feeding station. I have managed to get quite close to one on several occasions and hubbie managed to get some good photos of one in late June. They are so cute! x

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  6. Afternoon Di, I hope your shoulder is feeling better today.

    What a handsome fellow Horace is. We haven't seen ours for a while now. I didn't realise you could buy special hedgehog food. Must tell hubby about that. Yesterday we were looking at pictures of long eared hedgehogs which are found in the Middle East. They're really cute.

    What a lovely photo of the butterfly. I didn't see one ladybird this year which is a bit alarming. I've been collecting conkers this week from the lane at the back of us for friends. Apparently they keep spiders away!!!! I don't know if it's true or not as I don't worry about them as long as they're not in the bedroom. Enjoy your day.Barbxx

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  7. You are very good to your hedgie friends, but you are also very lucky to have them visit you so frequently. The butterfly is lovely too. Kate x

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  8. Wow!!! Fabulous photo, Di! Love all the animals and the hedgehogs are so cute!!
    They have a great vacation at palace hotel (your garden/playhouse)!! :D
    Horace (?) is a young hedgiehog, I think! In my zone there are so much hedgiehogs and I know they become great in adult age, more or less as a football ball (not so round, however, unless they doesn't eat too much and becomes obese eheh...) I know they like so much eat and apple. They catches little apples falled under the apple trees, and they roll yourselves above them, to pierce them with their thorns and to transport better in the den, so they made provisions for the winter! They lick milk, too! :D

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  9. If we had hedgehogs in our garden, then we would be just as mad with crushing their peanuts too, Luv Sam x

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  10. Adorable, aren't they? And surprisingly noisy if I remember correctly!!!
    Fantastic pictures. What a good hubby you have looking after them with you... my husband's the same with the birds in our garden. I think he thinks if he feeds them they'll reciprocate by staying still whilst he takes a photo. Not likely!!!

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  11. Lovely post, Di, super photos. Not seen a lot of butterflies this year ... the cold, damp summer has done them no favours. Still no sign of a hedgehog visitor yet, despite all our efforts so I'll have to make do with pics of your Horace and Doris. Got to say, they seem to have every luxury possible ... definitely the most pampered pets in the playground :) Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  12. Those are some great photos you've shared but I cannot imagine crushing peanuts for them? Oy - they have you wrapped around their tiny little claws! LOL

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  13. Great photos' , rather worried about the peanuts even though you crush them, they might have diverticulitis and that would not be good for them. Giggle over the gazebo.
    Hammock next eh!
    Kath xx

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  14. Thank you so much for your answer. I am Italian, I didn't know the word "snippets" :)
    I know scraps :)
    I will love to be in here, thank you so much

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  15. Awwww! This is gorgeous Honey.
    xx

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  16. What a fun way to have pets! They are adorable!

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