Hi Annie
So pleased to hear about the hog. Hope it’s been continuing to visit. I think Splash has been doing a bit of teleporting as well. I don’t always see her coming up the garden.
It’s lovely to hear about the cat ‘adopting’ you. She was lucky to find you. I suspect there are lots of cats around living ‘double lives’, so it will probably adapt alright. The cat I had years ago apparently used to go round and visit next door but one. I think he used to get food there too even though he was well fed! No wonder he was a bit chubby!
I saw something really sad on video this morning. It seems one of the visiting cats has become aware of the bats that are often caught on the cam. Suddenly a flying cat appeared and when it landed, there sticking out the side of it’s mouth was a bat wing. So sad. I’m wondering whether to raise the height of the bottom of the buddleia so they don’t fly so low trying to catch the insects. If it was just nature it would be different, but a well fed moggy catching it just seems wrong. I’m not even sure there would be enough on it for the cat to bother to eat it. That sort of thing is why I always kept my cat in at night. Not only bats, but birds in the early morning are at risk too.
No sign of Digger, sadly, which is becoming worrying now. It’s been a bit too long. Likewise the early bird hog who made a re-appearance earlier. At the moment Splash is the only ‘regular’ at this particular hog hostelry. This time last year there were nine. The 2 hogs gave up alternatively sleeping in the feed box when the really hot weather stopped. Poor old Splash, no sooner was she re-marked than a few days later even more marks appeared on her. I just wish BHPS and PTES would take it more seriously and make some sort of notice which could be put up in problem locations. I think it needs some sort of authority. I don’t think they would take any notice of just an individual writing something. There is something on BHPS website, but I think it’s unlikely someone who is already marking, is going to look there to see what the guidelines are.
We seem to have had an amazing number of white butterflies too. Might have something to do with them laying eggs on some horseradish in my garden (part of the cabbage family). It seems very popular. Can’t remember if I mentioned before, but last year I kept seeing little processions of caterpillars moving up the path and then some of them pupated on the surround of the door. There have been a few blues as well, but in general not as good a butterfly year as I expected with all the dry weather. Maybe there will be a late emergence.
I was a bit horrified at Monty Don, too, with all the open water catchers. He’s usually very good about wildlife, although I am always sorry that they don’t mention the hazard to hogs when they mention netting. I learnt the hard way, many years ago, about not leaving containers outside which could fill with water. I found a poor sparrow drowned in a container after some rain. I was so upset. Now anything which can fill up and doesn’t have a plant pot (complete with plant) in it, goes in the shed or mini greenhouse. Keeping empty flower pots on their sides, sounds a very good idea. They might even make a temporary home for a frog instead!
I haven’t noticed the one legged starling again, but I have had to switch my cam to night only as I was getting 800 or more videos in the morning! Only 15 seconds long, but even so. Most of birds or mice. When they’re not on video there’s such a lot going on when the starlings all land that it’s difficult to see. The robin seems to be becoming friendly again, after a break – waiting for new feathers.
Lovely about your rose. It’s a really nice idea to pass plants through the generations like that. I grew a cutting this year of a rose in a friend’s garden. It’s amazing how quick it’s been growing, but no flowers yet.
