The sun has just come out as I’m writing this, and what a welcome change from rain we have had over the last few days.
However, I am consoling myself with the fact that this damp weather is proving beneficial for at least one creature – the hedgehog.
Every night this week I have come across a hedgehog snuffling around in my garden (the biggest hedgehog I have ever seen in fact!)
With the ground now nice and soft, I assume worms and slugs are easy to come across – and just at the right time.
Autumn is the critical time of year for hedgehogs as they get themselves ready for their long winter hibernation – hedgehogs, bats and the dormouse are the only British mammals that sleep right through the winter.
But before they find somewhere safe to build their den, they need to feed themselves up to make sure they can survive the winter – so the hedgehog in my garden is more than welcome to snuffle up as many slugs as he can find!
In their search for food, hedgehogs will wander far and wide, sometimes visiting up to a dozen different gardens on a typical night’s foraging.
One way to help hedgehogs is to leave a hole at the bottom of the garden to help them get out and about easily – and one of our dedicated volunteers has done just that.
Dave Braddock, leader of our fabulous North West Surrey Local Group, sent this through to us. “In a mad moment I had an idea. As I had today off I decided to make “trundle ways” so Trundle and future Trundles can have safe access to the garden, the neighbours garden and the outside world but can come back to the hog house for safety when he/she wants. The neighbours are happy with the trundle ways but I think they think I am nuts!!"
Well Dave, what ever your neighbours may or may not think – we think you’re great, and who knows, it may even catch on...
'Trundle Ways' by Dave Braddock.