The Thanet District Council have a hugely successful recycling strategy which requires households to segregate their food waste from cardboard and other recyclable materials. Happy to conform with these requirements, our food bin remains unused! Why recycle food waste when the local wildlife can do the same job? Herring Gulls will be the prime suspects in the removal of any food items on offer during daylight hours, however, after dark there are other creatures involved in the process. Brown Rats are certainly a factor, although my widespread use of poison and the Webley Mk III, does seem to have ensured they aren't a massive issue within the garden. Foxes are a completely different situation and are actively encouraged with our provision of scraps off the dining table. Tonight a magnificent fox came into the garden whilst I was setting up the hedgehog feeding station and I was fortunate to have the camera kit to hand that allowed me to grab a few shots.
Hedgehogs continue to provide me with massive entertainment, three last night, so am feeling very confident of getting that Christmas Day image which I've set my sights upon.
According to the Angling Trust, fresh water fishing with up to one other person is still allowed in Tier 4, so nothing to stop you on Boxing Day as I see it.
ReplyDeleteHi Derek,
DeleteThanks for thinking of me when seeing this news. Luckily Benno and a couple of the carp lads, at work, had also relayed this story, thus providing a little bit of joy during these mad times. Hoping you are keeping out of mischief? Take care and enjoy the festive period the best you can - Dyl
Dyl, your chances of a Christmas Day image of one or more of our prickly friends are good. Seems that so long as they have access to a food supply, they will not take on the risk of hibernation. Which apparently is a risk.
ReplyDeleteI had a quick read about why they hibernate and from that could deduce the supply of high quality grub will ensure they'll remain active. If they could thank you, they would.
In other news concerning gardens and wild life. This morning I remarked to Bron that in the twenty seven years we have lived where we do, the most notable birds to cross the boundary were a Whitethroat on spring passage and a Red Kite swooping down for the remains of a cooked chicken.
Lo and behold this afternoon while preparing a feed for the resident birds, I noted a small bird flitting about at the back. Goldcrest? No, this one only had a great big eye stripe. Firecrest!!! Brilliant.
Hi mate,
DeleteI have heard this theory from another source, via my comments facility, but had been told that if the temperatures fell below 0C then hedgehogs would definitely seek shelter and have a kip. In all honesty, I had no expectations for seeing them in the garden when we started this feeding program. That they are still with us in Christmas week is unbelievable and I'm enjoying every encounter.
A Firecrest in the garden - WOW! I still need it for my garden, although they do winter on Thanet in reasonable numbers so there's every chance that I've missed them once or twice? I was showing the fox pics to one of the girls at work, this morning, and she made the comment about how many people had become far more aware of the wildlife in their own spaces purely as a result of the pandemic restrictions and lockdown. So, even in the depths of adversity, there can be positive spin offs? - Dyl
Have you a hedgehog hibernation shelter in your garden at all Dyl., all nice and straw filled and snug.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, courtesy of scrap pallets from work. I got the plans from the Wildlife Trust website and knocked up a rather pleasing "Hedgehog Hilton" for my efforts. I check it very infrequently, for obvious reasons, but it is being used by the local population which is very pleasing.
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