Springwatch report
A bit of news from a busy spring/summer weekend. Not sure if it is really summer yet, would like it to be, but it feels more like spring still.
The weekend kicked off in riot and confusion around dusk on Friday night. I was helping with the childrens' bath and bedtime routine when I heard the dog making an awful racket in the garden. I looked out the top window and saw she had found some sort of ball to play with bigger than the size of her head. She was very excited and snapping at it with her teeth, it was then that I realised that it was a huge hedgehog. We don't get much wildlife in our garden, birds I have managed to train her to tolerate but it is a no go area for mammals and reptiles.
SMO rushed downstairs into the garden and literally dragged the dog off and back into the kitchen. We finished bathing and sorting out Branston and then I looked out of the window to check on the hedgie - it was still there in a big ball. I found some shoes and headed out, with a camera of course.
By this time it had moved across the garden but was still very much out in the open. I called a rescue centre who advised leaving it over night to see if it made its own way home. I was all for moving it into a neighbours garden, but I got a stern response that I mustn't remove it from its habitat. This didn't make much sense to me as it was going to be a dead hedgehog if it decided to nest down within the Hairy Horror's territory!
Happily the next day it was gone and after walking the dog around outside on her lead and finding nothing she was let loose again. Hopefully it won't come back because although I would love to have hedgehogs living in my garden I have a four legged friend who would love it even more!
As for the dog she is fine. She had a couple of sore patches on her gum and was swiftly doused with flea treatment - serves her right really.
The weekend kicked off in riot and confusion around dusk on Friday night. I was helping with the childrens' bath and bedtime routine when I heard the dog making an awful racket in the garden. I looked out the top window and saw she had found some sort of ball to play with bigger than the size of her head. She was very excited and snapping at it with her teeth, it was then that I realised that it was a huge hedgehog. We don't get much wildlife in our garden, birds I have managed to train her to tolerate but it is a no go area for mammals and reptiles.
SMO rushed downstairs into the garden and literally dragged the dog off and back into the kitchen. We finished bathing and sorting out Branston and then I looked out of the window to check on the hedgie - it was still there in a big ball. I found some shoes and headed out, with a camera of course.
Happily the next day it was gone and after walking the dog around outside on her lead and finding nothing she was let loose again. Hopefully it won't come back because although I would love to have hedgehogs living in my garden I have a four legged friend who would love it even more!
As for the dog she is fine. She had a couple of sore patches on her gum and was swiftly doused with flea treatment - serves her right really.
** Kate **
Comments
LOve the pic
Lisa x