A Bank Holiday at Home and a Hedgehog Night

This morning I am still laughing. I have just been watching the antics of a young Goldfinch which couldn't quite get the hang of landing on a perch on the feeders and ended up sitting on the head of a young Greenfinch.

I never have been one for getting the car out on a Bank Holiday weekend. Great sunny day yesterday so the coastal towns would probably have been packed and not far inland there had been the usual warning from the police about traffic congestion on the approaches to Cadwell Park. (Motor bike race meeting)

Bank Holiday Monday started off cloudy and cool but soon developed in to a beautiful warm day for checking what was going on in the garden and even to do a bit of weeding.

I decided to snap a few views of the pond as the last time was back in the Spring. As I was taking the last couple of shots a pair of Common Darters, once more linked with the male's tail fixed to the female's head, flew across the shot. At one stage then dipped so low on the water the ripples could be seen. Somehow, in spite of three pictures being taken as they flew across the pond, they managed to stay invisible to the camera.



Fortunately a short while later they settled on a stepping stone and waited patiently while I got a few shots in. They were definitely at risk on that chosen spot as there is a large mass of spiders sticky threads just below the female.



I find it amazing the agility these creatures must have to be able to fly in unison whilst joined in this fashion. Eventually they flew off together.

The only other life on the pond, apart from visiting wasps, were a couple of pond skaters - one resting on a lily pad and the other on a floating bird feather.





As we were setting off for afternoon walkies there was the usual crowd of flutters at the lavender bushes.



A Painted Lady on the path.



A cheeky Small Tortoiseshell hitching a ride on Bobby's back.



As usual at this time of year there was a group of Pied Wagtails grubbing round the grass on the cricket field. It is difficult to get close to them to get a good clear shot. I very carefully took a few steps nearer each time one looked away but if I got too close for their liking they just walked further away.



At about 9 p.m. the clouds were racing across the Moon giving tantalising glimpses every so often.



By 9.30 Henry the dominant Hedgehog made an appearance on the feeding area and proceeded to scatter the mealworms from the dish. At the bottom there were Sunflower hearts and peanut nibbles. The last brief part of this video shows Honey, the shy adult Hedgehog, arrive, ignore the dish and carry on to the rest of the garden. Later she did come back for a long drink of water.



I think there must be plenty of natural food about for them as they spend more time foraging in the garden than on the feeding area these days.

At bedtime Bobby caught the scent of Hedgehog and within a couple of seconds had found Henry who proceeded to curl up and stand his ground. Honey always runs away. I waited for a while and Henry slowly peered out to see if it was safe to move on. I turned round to see where Bobby was. By the time I turned back again Henry had vanished. They really can get a move on when they want.



If you enjoy watching the antics of Hedgehogs I have recommended Hog Blog in the past - great videos and photos. Just recently I discovered Twosie the Hedgehog - another site with lots of videos of their Hedgehog visitors and lovely descriptions of what they get up to in the garden there.