Land /Water Wildlife 2024

I also leave all slugs and snails for my hedgehog. I wonder that your one is walking in the evening. My one goes out only in darkness and is in his box before it get light in the morning.

 

I leave the slugs and snails for them too, I even chop them up for them - spoilt eh!

 

They can appear at dusk @simone_in_wiltshire or possibly earlier, particularly in warmer weather like we are experiencing at the moment. (Just a reminder to everyone to please put out dishes of water to help the various creatures ).

 

@AnniD Funny, I just stood in the garden and thought I need to ask you about the winter preparation. My hedgehog got a bigger cardboard box with a CD size entry. I added some straw. In the meantime he grabbed one of the older hairy plant pots.
Do you think I should clean the box at some point and do I add new straw and cover with leaves in Autumn or is the cardboard box too little as a winter protector? It’s in the shelf in the shed.
He seems to have now and then the tendency to poo into the shed (the only sunfree spot actually as it is a concrete shed with no door on the back of the house). He had two days a bit of diarrhoea last month but this is gone since then from what I see.
Thanks in advance.

 

@simone_in_wiltshire it was the evening, nearly 9pm.

 

@simone_in_wiltshire , if you do plan on using it again I would clean it out around the end of September/ beginning of October. The best way to check that it doesn't have a resident is to put something in front of the entrance (such a small pile of leaves) to see if they are disturbed.

However, if it's outdoors I'd strongly advise using a wooden box rather than cardboard, as even in a really sheltered position it will rot.
A lot of hedgehog houses that you see in the Garden centres etc aren't really suitable design wise. They can let in predators quite easily.

if you have a local rescue, they may be able to advise, or if you know someone who is good at construction, there are a lot of instructions and videos online showing how to build one. I can post some links if that would help .

 

@AnniD I will make him a house of bricks eventually or find something stable. Thanks!

 

That's great news @strongylodon. I know of the nest site and to rear four youngsters is amazing. I've been watching the nest at Alyth Substation via Youtube this last couple of years. Unfortunately there's been a lot of problems with the camera this year and during one of it's lengthy times out of action two of the three chicks disappeared. There's also been a lot of bird intruders but the parents have dealt with those very well. The remaining chick fledged a few days ago and is doing well.

 

A couple of small Wasp spiders.

 

A few more lovely Wasp spiders, I found 8 today. Two were fairly close in the first pic.
Webs are usually spun across a gap in the herbage very rarely more than 2 feet off the ground.

 

I have posted previously that our little resident vixen, Rosie, has been scent marking the rocks in our yard in an effort to communicate with Prince Charming. Well, I am very pleased to announce that Prince Charming has arrived, about time. Her patience has paid off handsomely. In fact, I am not sure, but there may be more than one Prince Charming. Hopefully, next spring we will have a whole litter of little visitors.

 

That's good news Hydrogardener.

 

Thanks Sheal, I will try to get a better image of Prince Charming, he appears to be a big guy.
Prince Charming is no shrinking violet, he took on a huge skunk last night. I have several minutes of video that I will compile that I found fascinating. Thankfully, the skunk did not spray, that I am aware of anyway.

 

He was certainly brave to take on a skunk.

 

He was persistent anyway, the dispute went on for quite some time. At some points he was within inches of the business end of the skunk. Brave fellow for sure. I will pull a screen grab from the video and post it later.