One year into my adventure

 If it hadn't been for the situation created by the pandemic, I'm not too sure that the garden hedgehogs would have played any part in my life? Encounters with nocturnal creatures, by habit, are not particularly suited to the regular daylight routines that an average guy undertakes. All I can say is that I will remain eternally grateful to Julie & Gary Pearse for their advice and encouragement when I embarked upon this venture.

It's Tesco Kitten biscuits every time

I will be cleaning out the "Hedgehog Hilton" over this Easter weekend and have plans to build a couple more after I've retired (just a week to go!). I want one more for our garden and will gift the other one to the grand-kids up in Newington. There have been several individuals coming to the feeding station already this year, with one particularly large animal dwarfing the others. They all seem to be in good condition and are consuming large amounts of Tesco kitten biscuits. Bev and I were in B&M's a few days ago and I stumbled upon a box of Purina "Go Cat" Kitten Biscuits and though "why not?" The first couple of nights I put out a mix of both brands but, then decided to see if there was a preference? Tesco win this battle hands down. I'm sure a starving hedgehog would be only too pleased to stumble across a dish of "Go Cat" offerings. West Dumpton hedgehogs are far more discerning - spoilt little sods!

Just a matter of waiting

 It's been over a fortnight since I last saw a hedgehog at the feeding station, thus I still await the opportunity to secure that "March photo" I so desire. I'm in no doubt as to the fact that there have been hedgehogs visiting the food I provide, just I haven't been present to witness the event. Almost a year into this adventure and still I feel that very little has been learned, from my personal perspective.  With retirement looming, there is so much more that I wish to achieve and the removal of work commitments will allow such luxuries. 

The enjoyment I have experienced since embarking on the garden project is beyond quantifying, off the scale being my best analogy. It seems crazy to think that less than two decades ago I thought hedgehogs were a bloody nuisance, coming into the garden to eat the moths off of the side of my MV trap. At one stage, so numerous were they, I had to place a wire mesh barrier around the trap to prevent them from gaining access to this food source. What has happened to the population in the intervening years is beyond my grasp and exactly why I'm now so committed to providing assistance to the local population and offering my support to the Hedgehog Preservation Society, via the Hedgehog Street "Champions" initiative.

If, for no other reason, future generations of Thanet dwellers are able to derive pleasure from encountering these wonderful animals then I've done my little bit to assist the cause. 

Back in business

 I'd not seen a hedgehog at the feeding station since 12th January which means very little beyond the fact that I have to actually see the animals as I don't use a trail-cam recording system. The ridiculous conditions which resulted after the passage of Storm Darcy, over Thanet, would certainly be a factor in why a February sighting hadn't occurred until after the snow had gone. 

No hedgehogs - funny that? Storm Darcy visits Thanet.

I set up the feeding station on Monday night (15th Feb) and put out a small amount of the usual Tesco Kitten biscuits and a bowl of water. Absolutely nothing happened, I brought the food bowl back indoors at 05.30 hrs, on Tuesday morning, completely untouched. Undeterred, I repeated to process on Tuesday evening, post work, and was just about ready for kip (21.30 hrs) when I spotted the first visitor of February. I quickly summonsed Bev before grabbing the camera kit and slowly opening the study door. I managed to grab two shots before the animal scuttled away, "exit stage right"

With such a characterful face pattern this individual should be easily recognised if
it returns to the feeding station.

I went to kip well pleased with my sighting and feel sure that the hedgehog will have returned because the bowl was completely empty when I checked this morning (05.00 hrs) A hedgehog photo in every month of 2021 certainly looks a possibility now this image has been secured.

Garden stuff - no hedgehogs

 I've not seen a hedgehog at our garden feeding station since 12th January. What I need to explain is that I don't own a "trail cam" system, therefore I can only record those animals which I actually see from my study doorway. The food bowl has remained untouched, on many occasions, but there have been other mornings when I've discovered the offerings gone, or certainly very diminished, therefore eaten by something during the hours of darkness. Foxes, cats, brown rats or hedgehogs? I can but speculate as to what is visiting whilst I'm not looking. During this latest lockdown period the garden has been central to all my wildlife observations. The RSPB "Big Garden Bird Watch" providing plenty of opportunity to enjoy the other garden visitors. Birds have been the mainstay of my interest in natural history since the early 1960's and these current restrictions just help me appreciate the diversity of species which can be seen in, and around, the garden. Dumpton ain't the first place you'd think about when picking a wildlife hot-spot, but twenty years of looking have proven it to be a hidden gem? All of the following images have been taken whilst standing in the back garden!

Happy New Year

 Well, I didn't have to wait long for the first hedgehog sighting of 2021. At 00.38 hrs I managed to photograph a youngster at the feeding station and my journey of personal discovery continues to provide much food for thought. The temperature was barely above zero, yet the animal was active and in no way lethargic. I've now received a few comments, on my main blog, about hedgehog hibernation being down to a lack of food. Therefore, the animals will hibernate rather than waste energy and effort if food is scarce, however, will remain active if a reliable source is available. It would make sense and is certainly backed up by my own garden experiences. 

For 2021 I am thinking of broadening the scope of this blog to include other wildlife I encounter in and around the garden. I'll still keep regular hedgehog news as the focus but, having enjoyed such a fantastic period for local wildlife, since the original "lockdown" of March 2020, will share some of the other experiences I have during the coming months.

Happy Christmas

 Fast approaching 23.00 hrs and I've secured my Christmas Day photo! Feeding from a new bowl that was a present from my grand-kids - result!

This little square dish is marketed as a hedgehog feeding bowl - what next?

After dark garden visitors

 I'm keeping the food available for the hedgehogs which are still active around the garden. It was whilst I was setting up the feeding station, tonight, that another wild creature came to the freebies I chucked out on the lawn. A stunning fox came within camera range and allowed me to grab a few shots as it picked up the out-of-date chops, pork pies and sausage rolls. 

Still three different hedgehogs coming to the feeding station - if there is anything positive about Covid-19 then these garden wildlife encounters are right up there.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas, thanks for visiting and I hope to continue with this project into 2021 and beyond.