My niece Helen in a recent post on Rambles From Frogend mentioned her and Ian's excitement at seeing a hedgehog on one of their nighttime walks recently. I see hedgehogs, if not daily, then very frequently and, on the whole, just ignore them although they are not really very welcome inhabitants on Lewis (where they were introduced in the last 25 or 30 years) because of the damage they do to the ground-nesting bird population. The situation is similar in New Zealand although where I live there are few ground nesting birds left to be affected.
Anyway as I stepped onto the deck yesterday I saw a hedgehog snuffling for grubs and insects just in front of The Cottage. So I thought I post a few images for Helen. The little fellow - or lass - allowed the camera within about 4 inches of his nose and seemed totally unconcerned. Although it was bright sun I don't suppose that a hedgehog's eyesight is particularly keen so it may have been a combination of myopia and lack of fear that caused the disinterest.
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Someone, I don't remember who, collects all kinds of hedgehogs. I doubt if she's ever seen a live one. If she has, I don't quite see why she's so enthralled with them. They look like the porcupine we have here. Your photos make me know I'd never want to be close to either animal. That means your shots are very good, BTW!
ReplyDeletewonderful! snuffle-snuffle.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real beauty.............It's good to see a round one!
ReplyDeleteAn old Maori lady told me when I first came to NZ to not let my children anywhere near any hedgehog they saw during the day. If it was out in daylight it would be sick and could be carrying some disease. In the 70s we and our farming neighbours were asked by AG & Fish to catch (while avoiding touching them) any we saw during the day and take them in to be tested for TB. It was not unusual for a neighbour to ring and ask for help to catch one they had seen, the resulting fun was bit like herding sheep. Or for someone to ring to see if you were going to town the next day to take in one they had caught.
ReplyDeleteThey cause damage to native species including insects, snails, lizards and the ground-nesting birds you mention.
Anyway, despite all that, you got some great shots!! :)
I enjoyed these photos - it's been decades since I last saw a hedgehog IRL. (Probably something to do with living in town most of my adult life!) In my childhood we lived right on the edge of the woods and sometimes in the evening a family of hedgehogs would come into the garden and up to the terrace. We used to put out a saucer of milk for them. I have since learned that milk is not good for hedgehogs; but back then we were all happily unaware of that (the hedgehogs included, as it seemed...) We liked to watch them, because even back then they were getting rarer. I don't think I ever saw one in the daylight so I guess Pauline has a point... (Just glanced through a Swedish wiki article and it says they normally sleep 18 out of 24 hrs!)
ReplyDeleteYes, Adrian, makes quite a change. Lewis roads are awash with flat ones.
ReplyDeletePauline: I was told the same on Lewis but I see plenty here and on Lewis and they all seem healthy enough and can certainly move at speed if they want to. This one seemed far to intent on snuffling around for food to take much notice of me.
Oh, I love these! I'm amazed that you could get so close! I have a picture of someone holding a baby hedgehog. Sooo very cute!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for these :-) Amazing photos - how wonderful for a mammal to let you get so close with the camera, xxx
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