Nocturnal visitor

On Friday, I introduced you to our family of foxes. I thought you may be interested to know that foxes are not the only nocturnal visitors to our garden. For the past couple of years, we have also been graced by these little guys...

Where a fox is tricky to photograph, the hedgehogs are a total nightmare. To begin with, they don't come out to sunbathe. By the time spikey appears, it really is pitch black! For second, when they are approached, they have a tendency to curl up tight, creating a photograph which looks something like this...

...lots of lovely prickles, but not a lot else!

So, when the hedgehogs are around, the pattern goes something like this:

• Just before I go to bed, I put out a bowl of dog food for the foxes
• The bowl is very quickly invaded by the slugs and snails
• After a while, fighting his way through the slugs and snails (and eating a few en route), comes the hedgehog
• Finally, fox arrives to finish off whatever is left.

I'm just waiting for the day when fox arrives before hedgehog has finished his helping!

Photo Friday: Family of foxes

For the last few years, we have been fortunate enough to have a family of foxes living in our gardens. At first, they had their earth under the fence between my garden and my neighbour's; tucked away in the wild patch, right at the very bottom. Unfortunately, my neighbour was not altogether pleased about this and dumped a concrete block across the entrance, forcing them to relocate to another garden. His grand-daughter was not much more than a toddler at the time, so I suspect he was concerned for her safety.

Because our foxes are so timid, it is difficult to capture them on film. The above photo was the end result of lying in wait under a bush for around three quarters of an hour. Other pictures, I have managed to snap from my bedroom window, but only at distance.

On one occasion, I spent almost an hour up a tree, only to find that, by the time they emerged from their daytime sleep, it was too dark to take any kind of photo whatsoever.

But occasionally they do come out to enjoy the sunshine.

And I love to hear them yowling in the night.

For other Photo Friday contributions, click here.

Evidence of things unseen

Best laid plans and all that! Woke up this morning, pulled back the curtain and... Ooo-er! We've gone all white again! Quick, grab the camera!

So... This is not Old Trafford. - Interlude!

The table is two inches deep (sorry I still think in 'old money'), but the smaller birds will have been able to grab a mouthful from the feeders. And underneath is evidence of someone else who has been searching for food. My garden is criss crossed with tracks. Some of them belong to the local moggies, but a goodly proportion are fox; out on his nocturnal wanderings.

Interesting to follow them when there is clear evidence of passage. There doesn't seem to be a corner which they haven't visited; testament to a whole life and busy-ness in the garden, which is mainly beyond my experience.

And all the while, the signs of spring are coming.