Sunday 26 February 2017







Driving rain dominated the day, keeping the birds tight into the trees and me counting wayward leaves and raindrops. I finally managed to acquire a few legitimate sightings, occasional glimpses of mainly solitary birds, visibly irked by the demands of their hunger.

It was the second year running that the count was washed out by the weather, but I guess that in itself is something of an accurate reflection of a rainy day in January, if not the throng of winter sunshine.

Walking through the Sanctuary it was something of a surprise when the fringe, skeletal trees broke away into dozens of starlings, as if to air an apology for the lack of avian activity. They were quickly joined by a collision of corvids, as the jackdaws took to the deepening grey skies. Their collective lines were scruffy by comparison, as the cumbersome individuals overlapped one another in a series of near misses.

As the starlings swooped over the outermost hillside field, they dislodged a number of meadow pipits from the shallow grass. Previously hidden from view, the pipits settled again a little way along, giving me just enough time to count them before they once again dissolving into camouflage.

While the resident moorhen remained sensibly undercover, the five mallards cast doubt on the adage, "nice weather for ducks", as a significant number were conspicuous by their absence. The family of Canada geese have remained since the summer, the two youngsters looking healthy, strong and impervious to the weather. Their springtime activity will certainly be interesting.


Sunday 29th January 2017

80+ Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
42 Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
15 Meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis)
13 House sparrows (Passer domesticus)
09 Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
08 Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
05 Blackbird (Turdus merula)
05 Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)
04 Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis)
03 Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
03 Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
02 Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
02 Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
02 Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
02 Coal tit (Periparua ater)
01 Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)
01 Magpie (Pica pica)
01 Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
01 Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

Monday 2 January 2017

UK Hedgehogs
(Erinaceus europaeus)

On an early evening between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I step outside to breathe away the excess of cake, mince pies and chocolate. It is dark, and cold enough to assume the layer of frost that will decorate the garden by morning. The soft glow of Christmas tree lights illuminates me from the hall. It is a silent night, until movement in the grass draws my attention to the furthest side of the garden, where the street light silhouettes the scampering form of a hedgehog, already on the driveway and quickly beneath the stationary car. From this distance, they all appear too small for winter survival. I move to the edge of the driveway but its knowledge of the darkness is far greater than mine, and it is nowhere to be seen.


The garden is just a few valley miles from the Sanctuary. I became aware of a hedgehog presence in the spring of 2015, tripping over a huddled ball of spikes on the darkened path. Possibly tempted in by the regular overspill of bird food, or the vast number of slugs and bugs in residence, I endeavoured to entice its return with nightly portions of mealworms. They don't all run away, and pretty soon the garden was on the list of nightly food-stops for many a neighbourhood hog.

Active throughout the spring, summer and autumn months, they appear to have their own nightly routine which undoubtedly includes the use of several local gardens.


Though their differences in size can help narrow down the identification of certain individuals, it has largely proved difficult to distinguish one from another, and estimate the number of hedgehogs that visit the garden. As many as five individuals have been spotted at any one time.


It is wonderful to see the small, awkwardly shaped garden finding purpose for these animals. The changeable weather during 2016 has encouraged the hedgehogs to remain active well into December. January and February still lie in wait, as does March and the ever unpredictable April, so regular nourishment is provided in the hope their weight is sufficient to cope with the winter months ahead.
The Hedgehog Preservation Society can provide advice for all hedgehog related concerns.


No matter which report you read, the message is the same: the population of UK hedgehogs is in serious decline. Some reports suggest the UK population has fallen from thirty six million in the 1950s to a figure now numbered in hundreds of thousands.
Without intervention, this small mammal cannot survive this continuing decline and extinction seems somewhat inevitable.


Loss of habitat appears to be a major reason for the decline in the hedgehog population, which makes gardens an increasingly valuable resource. It also means we can provide them with the help they need, literally on our very doorsteps.