By Ken McDonald, Secretary
Recently, I was privileged to watch two bats flying around my garden. They were so quick and acrobatic it was difficult to keep them in view. Bats and their roosts are legally protected so must not be disturbed. Bats are mammals, giving birth to live young. It reminded me of how lucky we are in The Hundred Parishes to have so many wild mammals in our mainly rural area.
There are several kinds of deer locally, mostly Fallow, Roe or Muntjac. Larger herds are usually Fallow deer which have “palmate” antlers, shaped like the palm of a hand. The smaller Roe deer may be seen in smaller groups – they have a white rump and no visible tail. Muntjac are smaller still and tend to be solitary; they have horns and “tusks” – downward-pointing canine teeth.
Out enjoying our latest walk, number 188, my wife and I surprised two hares who disappeared at great speed when they spotted us. They can run up to 45mph over short distances.
We regularly see foxes in our garden, usually courtesy of our inexpensive night vision camera. In the spring, we enjoyed watching the young cubs playing. Foxes seem to be a more common sight now, even during daylight, and regularly venture into built up areas. The camera occasionally spots a badger; he is usually looking for peanuts.
Anyone lucky enough to see hedgehogs in their garden should look after them as their numbers are in decline. They are nocturnal, so at dusk we should put out a shallow bowl of fresh water (not milk as it is bad for their digestion) and perhaps some dog or cat food. They may repay you by eating slugs and insects although our experience has been that they prefer commercial hedgehog food like Spike’s Dinner.
For further information please see www.hundredparishes.org.uk
