"The Night Visitor"

[Sean Regan]

There was little activity around Hettie's house last night.

Stumpy, was round and about his house from half past eleven to just after midnight. He seems to have got some more white marks on his spines, possible from passing through the doorway in the fence.

He had several visits to the water bowls.

Then Hello! Hettie turned up at a quarter past midnight on her way to Stumpy's house. Do you think they are co-habiting?

No further sightings of either beyond this time. This may be because you can hear the sound on this video of Hettie drinking, from some noisy neighbours having a party in their garden five doors away!

The hedgehogs have never complained about the Motown I play on my jukebox in the summer house, but "Believe by Cher" was probably a bit too much for them and there were no more sightings after this.

 

[Sean Regan]

I'm beginning to think that there may be three hedgehogs, Hettie, Stumpy and Stripe.
This would explain several visits to this water bowl at the bottom of the garden.

There's two that have no marking on their spines, one of which limps

Then there's this one.

They were out and about from 9.30pm. Until this one made their last appearance at 4.21 am.

Then at 4.26 a fox appeared, had a look at this house, then wandered off up the garden. It looked in good condition.

There are three different volume settings on the cameras, the default is the middle one. It amused some that one picked up the noise of people talking, well..shouting occasionally, at the party Saturday night held five gardens away and them singing along with Cher and "Believe," when one hedgehog was having a drink.
So I increased the volume on Sunday and it picked up two hedgehogs having a "stand off" one making a lot of noise. But the change made the file too big to e-mail so I'll have to change them back.

I can't upload them to YouTube.
I've a big problem with my YouTube channel I've had for thirteen years. I can no longer upload anything. It's been like that for a year. Everything I try gets stuck in "drafts." I think it's because I use Firefox Adblocker.
YouTube aren't interested in direct contact with anyone, so I can't resolve it. Even a letter to California went unanswered. After all this time, I'm not that bothered.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoAqJlKPJ2vYa5sk3Xqj-_g

 

[Sean Regan]

Here's a "clip" from my e-mailed messages.


THE HEDGEHOG HERALD

Spike Prickles

Suburban Affairs reporter.


There were reports of heavy after hours drinking, late Tuesday night, lasting from 1.00am until 4.30 a.m. involving at least three offenders.

This ant-social behaviour, likely led to this confrontation and scuffle outside a residence, recorded by our camera.

No injuries occurred and it ended with what looked like, a “Paddington Bear, hard stare,” before those involved made their separate ways.

________________________________

Unfortunately Windows mail for some reason will no longer let me attach the 15 second camera videos, to e-mails so I'm stuck with still photos. I could try shorting the videos to reduce the file size.

Checking the cameras this morning, there was little or no activity around the house next to the patio, except for the fox which "poked his nose in," (to the right of the house) but got no further.
I think this house is currently vacant.

But there was a lot of activity down at the other house, with two hedgehogs in and out of it for several hours, but no sign of "Stripe" the third hedgehog.

 

[Sean Regan]

A lot of activity around the first house last night.
I didn't put any more food outside it last night, as there appeared to have been no visits the night before.
But Hetti turned up several times


and so did the fox.
I've found out how he gets in. He forces his way between the stakes and the side fence.

He spent some time scrabbling around in the dirt looking for old pellets.

He even attempted to get at the pellet dish in the corridor outside the bottom house. Didn't stop hedgehogs coming and going around this house.

Everyone needs a drink, even a mouse.

I'm feeling quite sorry for the fox. It must be really hungry

I'm going to beef up the security of the house next to the patio, but I'll start leaving some cat food I've got, on the patio next to the shed. That hopefully, will stop him trying to get at the hedgehogs' food.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

"You want to come round Sean's place, lads. Once he knows you are coming he leaves supper out for you."

Mind you I am the same, our badger does alright.

 

[Sean Regan]

It was a golf day today, played rubbish but parred all four par threes, that's the way it goes.

I watched some tennis this afternoon then got into sorting out the house.

As I needed to do quite a lot, to see how much disturbance I could make, I checked on the house. I was pretty sure it was unoccupied, which proved to be the case.
So I strengthened the side fence with some lateral green rods and I made an overhang for the roof of the house from bits of a couple of spare Wanylap panels. I had some spare roof tiles which I used to extend the patio.

I'm not going to put any more food out for this house until and unless it gets a new occupant. If it does, I'll just spread it on the tiles, as foxes can't resist those little white bowls. The temporary canopy, secured by three bricks on the end should keep any food dry. I'll leave the camera still focussed on it, to see what happens.

So it looks like Hettie and Stumpy are co-habiting the house at the bottom of the garden. If so, they are better off in that one, as it has more insulation than the other one, so will be better for them in the winter.

 

[Sean Regan]

Stripe was the only visitor to the old house last night. As there was no food outside the house, didn't go in, probably visited the bird feeder further to the left.

There was quite a bit of drinking at the other house, but difficult to tell which ones.
There was no sighting of the fox.

But..


"Be afraid, be very afraid!"

Not really, this was at half-past six this morning, when everyone had been in bed for hours, or left the garden. Not even the fox bothers them.

"Smile!

You're on camera!"

 

[Sean Regan]

Hettie is still making visits to the old house, but really only going past it to get to the bird food on a big saucer to the left.
There was another visitor but at around 7.00am.

There were a lot of visits to the water bowls outside the house next to the back fence, last night, which is making me think that we're getting visitors.
So I've moved the camera to cover the hole in the base panel to see if any hedgehogs are coming and going.

 

[Sean Regan]

A lot of comings and goings last night.


In.

Out

In

Out

In

Out.

 

[Sean Regan]

THE HEDGEHOG HERALD

Spike Prickles, Suburban Affairs Reporter.

There has been no disturbances locally for a few days.
A new tenant has been seen taking occupancy of the vacant house.

This may be the reason there's been no further confrontations.
The lack of news occupying my column space, gives me a chance to inform you of the latest horror film which is coming soon to your local cinema.
Here's a still from it.

THE FACE AT THE WINDOW!

 

[Sean Regan]

Out 22.18

Out 00.04

Out 02.08

Out 03.12

Out 04.39

Was it something I said?

 

[Sheal]

Lots of out's and no in's Sean? Just how many hedgehogs have you got there?

 

[Sean Regan]

Lots of out's and no in's Sean? Just how many hedgehogs have you got there?

I think they're trying to wind me up.

 

[Sean Regan]

THE HEDGEHOG HERALD

Spike Prickles, Suburban Affairs, Reporter.

An intruder was spotted last night, attempting to get into "The Secret Garden."
Why they didn't just climb over the fence is unclear.
Normal activity of the regulars was uninterrupted.

 

[Sean Regan]

Here's Chucky!