Macro on Monday - Guess What

Congratulations and the virtual gold star go to Adrian who was the only person the get last weeks mystery photo identification spot on. A close look at the head of a Crane Fly, also known as a Daddy Longlegs:



    



On to another creature to identify for this week's puzzle photo.
Guess What:


Clue: Not worth a lot of thought.

No prizes, just for fun.

Guesses left in the comments will be revealed next Monday along with the answer.

Friday at the Flicks - Food for Spiky, Penny Investigates

It's been a pretty uncomfortable week. Now idea how but I managed to strain a back muscle a few days ago which made it difficult to find a comfortable sitting or sleeping position. It didn't help that there was work which had to be done in the garden. Fortunately it seems to be easing now.

Not a lot different here on the wildlife front so here is a capture of me scattering the crushed, unsalted peanuts ready for the regular night visitors.



Also a short capture of Penny trying to find out if there was a hog in the Hedgehog House. It's a good job she hasn't found out how to lift up the roof. It looks as though she is knocking on the front door as well as listening for any sounds of movement and trying to see inside. The house was empty at that particular time:



Have a great weekend observing whatever your local wildlife is up to.

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie

Mice
by Rose Fyleman

  I think mice are nice. 

Their tails are long
Their faces small,
They haven't any
Chins at all.

Their ears are pink,
Their teeth are white,
They run about
The house at night.
They nibble things
They shouldn't touch
And no one seems
To like them much.
But I think mice
Are nice  

.................

Post title is the first line from the poem   

To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough

written by Robert Burns in 1785

Macro on Monday - Guess What

Last week's mystery photo got everyone stumped. The nearest was Ragged Robin with a mention of kettles and scale. You may not have come across this sort of item before unless, like me, you live in a hard water area which deposits layers of scale inside everything, especially where water is boiled. The item is a limescale descaler which is made of stainless steel. You put one in a kettle and it attracts much of the limescale instead of it being deposited on the inside of the kettle.

   


On to this week's mystery photo
Guess What:


Clue: This one won't lift any heavy weights.

No prizes. Just for fun.
Answers left in the comments will be revealed, along with the answer, next Monday.

A Wet Night

Yesterday I put the outside video camera back to monitor how many Hedgehogs are visiting so we can now see inside and outside the Hedgehog House. Of course Hedgehogs aren't the only creatures about at night:



After using Debut video capture software for a few years I finally found I can digitally zoom and pan the picture while it is recording.

I was very surprised to see there was a hog in the house early this morning (not shown on the video). By the markings it was a different one which went home as daylight was dawning.

Autumn Clean

After a couple of dreary, damp days which have given a real feel that Autumn has arrived I decided it was time to clean out the camera nestbox.

First, removed the front panels and disposed of the old nest:



Brushed out as much dust and droppings as possible and then gave it a good spray with Ark-Klens. A good cleanser, disinfectant and deodoriser which is formulated for use in animal housing:

   

The box needed a good dose of cleaning. I have never seen so many small fleas leaping about as there were today after the nest had been removed. Also sprayed the inside of the front panels, left all for a short while then a good wipe down with some kitchen towels. Also cleaned the business end of the b/w camera (the black cylinder above the nesting area) Waited about an hour for things to dry out then re-fixed the front panels.



Looking well weathered now after three years out in all weathers but guaranteed nice and clean inside ready for the next occupant.

Why clean out so long before nesting time? Birds often explore and choose nesting sites in the Autumn and sometimes use nestboxes as roosts to spend cold, damp, windy Winter and early Spring nights.

Later: I see a new dropping in the box so I guess it has already been explored. I would be surprised if  I hadn't been watched while I was cleaning it out! Waiting for a new power supply for the video recorder which will automatically record any activity in it and the Hedgehog House.

That Hedgehog Again

The local hedgehog continues to make nightly visits to the Hedgehog House for free nosh
(crushed unsalted peanuts and dried mealworms):



Jerky movements near the start of the video are caused by the PC dropping frames while it was being recorded!