Events of 3-4 August

Last night I had put the camera out and was just getting it into position when my regular female hedgehog walked around the apple tree to get some food.  She's not bothered about me being around and will head straight for the food. She is distinctive as unfortunately she has an old leg injury that means she limps a bit.  Most injuries to hogs are caused by humans.  It's very important to check for hogs if you are having a bonfire, cutting or strimming grass.

She had a good feed eating as much as possible staying in the garden from 9.55pm to 11.20pm.  She then wandered off.  About an hour later a male hog came in.  He is much larger and tends to enter the garden across the car park rather than under the hole in the fence.  He had some food, wandered into the hog house next to the tree and then wandered off to the hog house at the back of the garden near the fence.

As he was leaving a fox appeared and it was Fred coming back in for some food.  He loves the dog biscuits known as "markies".  Again taking them and quickly diappearing.  Suddenly a new fox arrived.  This one was clearly female as she decided to have a wee right in front of the camera.  She again took some food and then left.  Next I was very surprised to see Fred and the new female in the garden together.  They entered together and went to feed together.  As foxes are quite solitary animals clearly these are a pair.  I've nicknamed her Freda.  I'm not sure on the breeding patterns of foxes but fingers crossed I may see some cubs.

No sign of Hoppy at all last night.  Fred and Freda dominated the food so that may be why.  About 3.30pm my female hog came back in looking for some more food but the foxes had eaten it.  She managed to find a few crumbs.  She won't go into the hog house despite food being in there.  She stayed until just before dawn and then left to go back to her nest.  I have no idea where she is sleeping as it is not in my garden but it must be near by.

The birds in the garden are beginning to disburse and as autumn approaches more natural food will be available.  I get a bit of a respite in bird food costs during autumn but if we have a winter as bad as the last one the savings soon diappear.  I'm just putting the last of the live mealworms out.  I still have a baby Blackbird coming down for them and this morning a Magpie eat half the bowl.  But the birds are not actively seeking them so it's time to stop putting them out.  I only put the live food out during the nesting season.