Someone Joined Me In A Bit Of Observing.

[StuartJPP]

Was fortunate to encounter two of these scurrying around the garden again during a quick Mark I eyeball observation session looking for some Noctilucent Clouds. I haven't seen these fellas in the garden for quite a while so a welcome visit back...this particular one was smaller than the other and hid away behind a planter when it saw me then popped its head back out when it finally realised I was no threat.

Dried mealworms are back on the menu again with a clean bowl of fresh water (don't give them milk!). I'll let them settle for a while before grabbing them at some point and checking them for ticks.

 

Thanks for looking and lets hope some Noctilucent clouds appear!

 

 

Garden Hedgehog by Stuart, on Flickr

 

[Ags]

It's always nice to have friends joining an observing session. I just hope they don't "hog" the eyepiece!

Normally I am joined by Omar, my Astronomy Dog, and sometimes by large, black spidery Astronomy Frog. Less welcome are the Astronomy Slugs - I think hedgehogs could help me with that problem?

Did you get to see the Hogtilucent clouds?

[Gina]

Lovely pics ?

[Craney]

Hi Stuart,

I've got a friendly 'hog' who snuffles around the waterproof cover I have for my scope.  Occaisonally startles me to see the material sudddenly move across the lawn....

Anyway, if you see any signs of the NLC's then post a heads-up, I'm over in Harrogate and have the green light from the management to stay up late.  (light duties tommorow!!)

 

Sean.

[Stu]

Lovely pics Stuart, and really good to see them around. No so many these days, been a few years since I’ve seen one.

[Davey-T]

Nearly fell over one in the garden a couple of nights ago, used to be regular visitors but it's the first one I've seen for a few years.

Dave

[pipnina]

Not encountered any hedgehogs while observing, though I've seen a few wondering around where I live.

Usually if wildlife disturbs my observing it's fighting cats. What does scare me though is the prospect of running into a badger while observing! They've appeared around here before (though very rare) and I hear they are quite nasty creatures despite their cute looks!

[Ibbo!]

I do like to see them.

Nice pictures

 

Not seen them in my garden for a couple of months maybe 2 dogs are ait much for them.

Harry does not bother but the new one is a bit of a hunter if she gets the chance.

[DirkSteele]

I recall as a teenager in my parents garden being startled by a sudden noise in the dead of night while observing, only to spot a hedgehog. They can surprisingly loud when it is quiet and you ate trying to squeak out the last bit of detail ina DSO.

[cotterless45]

We are lucky to have a family of hedgehogs every night. First thing they do is drink fresh water. Go easy on mealworms. There's an imbalance of phosphorus and it can lead to soft bones. If you just give them handfuls they become exclusive mealworms feeders. Use them as treat along with a few peanuts.

We put down chicken cat food , fresh and dried form . They only take the best brands ! Their teeth are very small, they won't tackle big chunks. In order to stop feeding cats we put food  a long triangular ( horizontal !) correx tube .

There's a whole area at the top of the garden with logs, rocks and weeds that hadn't been touched for years, hog heaven !

There are only about a million left in the uk, try and make sure that fences etc have gaps for them to move around the area. Superb to watch and the noises !

oh , they don't control slugs and snails, they are full of disease , not something I'd eat either.

Nick.

[Mr Spock]

Many years since I had a hog in my garden. Much missed they are ?

[AdeKing]

We have hogs in the garden too. One is currently nesting inside a partly full compost bag inside the greenhouse.

I've left her be as I'm worried about disturbing her if I move the bag outside.

Gave me quite a fright when I first heard then saw the compost bag move.

[Demonperformer]

Regulars here are foxes and once, much to my surprise, a badger walking down the road. 

[pipnina]

14 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

Regulars here are foxes and once, much to my surprise, a badger walking down the road. 

Do the foxes bother with humans or do they try to avoid them as much as possible? I hear their behaviour can vary "wildly" depending on how much they've come to depend on our rubbish.

[Gina]

We used to have hedgehogs in the garden in Dorset but since moving to Devon I haven't seen any

[Les Ewan]

I live in the countryside and over the last decade or so I've seen a alarming decline in the hedgehog,or to put it more accurately I just don't  see them now .They used to be very common in my area,now its got to the stage I don't even see them killed on the main road anymore.

[pipnina]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

We used to have hedgehogs in the garden in Dorset but since moving to Devon I haven't seen any

I think I know why you haven't seen any in devon... My aunt.

She started feeding them when they came into her garden, now there must be 30 that visit her every night because she's a constant food source. She has the whole county's supply of hedgehog!

[Fozzie]

I've got an inquisitive hog, the back of the garden is a bit of a through route for him.. the other night I had an owl sat on my neighbours tv Arial for about 10mins.. which is a first..

[Gina]

1 hour ago, pipnina said:

I think I know why you haven't seen any in devon... My aunt.

She started feeding them when they came into her garden, now there must be 30 that visit her every night because she's a constant food source. She has the whole county's supply of hedgehog!

Aha!!  So that's where they've gone!! ?

[StuartJPP]

Thanks for commenting everyone...

Regarding the feeding of them, I put down two small bowls each night if I know they are about. Both separated by a bit in case two arrive at the same time where fighting can occur. Once they have finished, they are off and I don't top up.

Kind of like the bird feeders, I put a variety of food out for them but once it is gone, then they will have to wait for tomorrow.

For the hogs I also have some proper hog food that is like cat food, but that has to go under the bench where the cats can't get at it. They are the dried buscuit type so last a while so water is always provided for them.

I am thankful to see them again, last year was a bit of a miss. The problem these days is that most people's gardens are so clinical that there's not much for them...so what do people expect? And cars just keep squishing the few that do manage to survive, it really is sad.

Regarding foxes, I think that they avoid people like the plague, regardless though I could be wrong....

[Mognet]

WIth countryside foxes the closest you are likely to get is a couple of hundred yards in the open. Urban foxes are a lot braver. Closest I've been to one so far is ten feet. We just looked at each other and then it calmly trotted into a garden to continue on its forage.

I see badgers near my local dark sky site but not had one join me yet. Can't remember the last time I saw a live hedgehog, and it's been a few years since I've seen any lost to the roads

[Demonperformer]

15 hours ago, pipnina said:

Do the foxes bother with humans or do they try to avoid them as much as possible? I hear their behaviour can vary "wildly" depending on how much they've come to depend on our rubbish.

The ones around our way seem to just get on with their lives ignoring the people. The ones I see while observing tend to be trotting up and down the pavement opposite (I mainly observe from my front garden, open grass "play area" opposite). They would appear to have the tracks they follow. If I see one while out for an early morning walk, I would cross the road to avoid it, but then, I would do that for a large, unknown dog as well.

Occasionally see one in my back garden (which is secluded). Attached is the second photo I took of one such occasion. I took the first shot through the kitchen window, then went outside to get this better shot. Taken with a "compact" camera - so no long focal-length lens - so you can judge how close it let me get without "bothering" too much.

[gtis]

I had a family of hedgehogs a couple of years ago but I haven't seen them since

[Tim]

On 01/07/2018 at 11:17, pipnina said:

Do the foxes bother with humans or do they try to avoid them as much as possible? I hear their behaviour can vary "wildly" depending on how much they've come to depend on our rubbish.

Even countryside foxes can be cunning. One time I was stood among a xmas tree plantation doing some pest control on some of the rabbit population, many of which had myxomatosis, and a young fox cub came over, looked me up and down, and took away one of the rabbits for his dinner.

Another night, on a farm, a Vixen with four or five cubs brought her family to wait at the top of the field where the culled rabbits were being collected. They patiently waited, and had a real good feast that night.

My favourite fox encounter though was with a young cub, (probably from the family of the vixen mentioned above as the field was nearby), and possibly his first live catch. I was in the middle of a rugby field which was being destroyed by rabbit digging. Under the red light there must have been over one hundred pairs of eyes staring back at the lamp. Just as I was considering the best way to tackle the problem, there was a squeaking noise, and a young fox had caught a rabbit. He then proceeded to bring it over to me, looking at me the whole time, and slowed down as he passed me. I swear he was saying "THIS is how you do it!" He was as proud as punch, you could just tell.

[Pete Presland]

I was joined by this one during last night's imaging session,  I don't think he was chewing on the extension lead ?