This is my Hedgehog banqueting table. It's situated on the narrow eastern side of our house and I finished it off yesterday. After a number of late night walks trying to catch up with my first Hedgehog of the year, I decided that I at least ought to try to tempt one to the garden. Notice the steps up to the 'table' lovingly constructed from some spare bricks lying about. Then there's a woodpile with an area of piled dead vegetation at the far end for daytime naps. The woodpile will attract lots of slugs, but there's several heaps of expensive commercial 'Hedgehog Food' too. I was really proud of it when I finished.Last night I attended the AGM of the Supporters/Followers of the Bedford Blues Rugby Club. On the way home I stopped off at a known roost for Soprano Pipistrelle bats and, between 10pm and 10.07pm, counted out 71 bats before walking back to the car.
And guess what I came across in some grassland just before I reached it.....??
....you've guessed it - a Hedgehog...my 24th species of mammal for Bedfordshire this year (the Soprano Pipistrelles were the 23rd).
But I'm not rueing the time and effort that went into creating my Hedgehog des res here in Ampthill, because it would be great to get these wonderful animals visiting our home, too!
You are very lucky to have the Hedgehogs around; in our area I have only seen one in over ten years. They were common where I lived before.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to the Soprano, I have never even heard of one of those before!
Once years ago I stepped inside an overgrown rural cemetery in Sussex and met a family of hedgehogs walking line astern through the long grass, three little ones in the middle, one adult at each end, moving very quickly too. I have rarely seen one since.
ReplyDeleteA lovely idea to build them a banqueting table - good luck!
Thanks for your comments,
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't that many years ago that the 'Pipistrelle' was split into 2 species: Common Pipistrelle, and the higher frequency Soprano Pipistrelle. They've got slightly different fur features, too, and the Soprano Pipistrelle has got a distinctive smell!
I've heard about Shrews having 'caravans', which I'd love to see...but the Hedgehog 'caravan' sounds fascinating, too, especially with an adult at the rear! Amazingly, I saw another Hedgehog last night...You know what they say about buses!!
Best wishes to you both