An Evening's Drive

No pictures here i'm affraid, just my account of an evenings drive

On Thurdsday evening I was having dinner with my sister and bro-in-law and we got talking about cars. Keith has just brought a new car and Kerry has just brought a new Lexus 4x4. She had a Kia Sorento 4x4 before that and would never let me drive it......not because of my driving it's just she is very prescious about her cars. Well, because of the last couple of winters and getting stuck with the snow where I live, i've decided to get rid of my Peugeot 107 and indulge myself in a 4x4. So all my pestering skills came out on Thursday evening and to my huge surprise, Kerry gave in

We decided to drive along the seafront to a place called Learners Paradise, also known as the Cabbage Patch, as it's a large square area that used to have cabbages growing there, now it's more of a large field area that is very quiet and runs along the side of the beach.......it's also a favourite place for courting couples to go

Well we drove down there, parked up, swapped seats so I was driving and I had just turned into a little lane where there are no lights and the first thing I did was an emergency stop , the whole lane was a dance with frolicking there were at least 50 or more of them, chasing each other and bouncing along the road I couldn't believe it, if I had had my camera with me I would have got some amazing pictures but I wasn't expecting that at all, it was about 10pm and I was just out to test drive the car so it was an amazing sight to see. We sat and watched them for quite a while but couldn't sit there all night, so slowly I edged the car forward and they slowly disappeared into the hedgerow. The lane I discovered was a dead end, so I did a very cautious three point turn, a, because I was driving a car I didn't know that felt like a tank to my little Peugeot and b, because I was determined I was not going to be responsible for squashing a dancing .

Once I had safely turned the car round, I drove back down the lane and decided to turn along the seafront to see what the car could do.......I love test driving cars
Anyway, I had just got to the bottom of the lane, when, bang went the brakes again and a rather loud LOOOOOOK, to my left there was the hugest male I had ever seen. At first I thought it was a lone dog and I was about to jump out of the car to capture him and make sure he was ok, but a second quick glance and I knew he was the largest male fox I had ever seen. He stayed on the side of the road in the dip between the grass and the road and watched kerry and I in the car. We were obviously watching him with huge grins on our faces but felt for sure he would run any minute to protect himself, but he was going no where. He stood his ground and just watched us, so we watched him in the end he must have thought, your boring, cos he just turned his head and walked slowly off, Kerry and I just laughed as it seemed so funny the way he just ambled off.

I carried on then feeling that I would love to get a Lexus 4x4 but also thinking what a magical, unexpected evening that had been.

littlewid-x-

that sounds like a great drive. I love it when I'm out for a walk or a drive and suddenly see wildlife you werent expecting to be there.

That sounded like a good evening LW. Also sounds like works care park late at night, the rabbits are everywhere!

Now you know were you can get those photos. An evening photo safari may be called for?

SM

I could always give it a go SM. It's rather dark there at night as there are no lights so hopefully my flash would be good enough and would also have to persuade someone to come with me as it really is pitch black there at 10pm but if it was like the other night, the photo's could be spectacular.

I think unexpected sightings are always the best PPH, the trouble is you don't always have your camera when you need it

littlewid-x-

Cant understand why you so surprised about all the Rabbits LW Everyone knows that are attracted to a bit of ing, and Mrs Fox was proberbly trying to tell you with his look, cant we have a bit of quiet round here all this ing is getting on my nerves
Seriously LW that sounded like a great evening, and when you think of the weather you had in the Village last year, and the long range weather forcasts, a 4X4 could be a good idea for you, plus you wont get blown around as much.
WS

you saying I talk too much WS.......wheres my back up er......trust Lai to be away
I will see if I can get there again this week to see if I can get some pics, but no promises as i'm not going alone
Mmmm a 4x4 would be much safer than my little car WS, our village was a bit of a disaster with the last lot of snow

littlewid-x-

If its getting dusk LW, you may have to use the Car lights, as I dont think any flash you have on your camera would be strong enough. You have a good think about the car, as I said its also better in the wind
WS

Don't worry Doogs I will only go if I can badger someone to come with me, it is far too dark out there to be on your own.
Seriously thinking about the Lexus guy's, it's a lovely car and as you say WS, far safer in the wind than my little number.

Another surprise today. I have just come back from the town with my mum and we were not far from the seafront again and I had just pulled up at the traffic lights to wait to turn right, the lights are a cross road.
Well in front of me, on the other side of the lights, out ran a tiny , it couldn't have been very old, not much bigger than a cat. It darted in front of the stopped traffic and I thought, oh my god it's going to run into the stream of traffic going straight on but no, the clever little thing, stopped on the traffic island, waited for a gap and then carried on running........mum and I were both like.......did you see that!!!!. For sure I thought we were going to have a fox that needed to go to the vets, what a relief but what a surprise to see one so early on in the afternoon and darting about amongst traffic so wisely.

littlewid-x-

Doogs I so am getting an eyeful of nature this week. After posting about my little this afternoon, Nero has just been in the garden and started barking like mad, so I got him in so as not to disturb the neighbours, anyway he was sitting at the patio door a bit perturbed that something was out there, so off I went to investigate, and what did I find..................a little Hedgehog.





I'm not sure how he got in as there is only a very small space under my gate as the fence fits into concrete holders. Anyway I have left a little saucer of cat food out for him incase he gets peckish. Actually for a few days now I have wondered if a little Hedgie has been in he garden because in the morning there has been suspect hedgie pooh in the garden.......now I know who it belongs too
I've just notiiced in the second photo there is a slug right by the little fellow and trust the little guy to sit in the last bit of the garden that needs weeding
littlewid-x-

Chris Packham eat your heart out. Well done for sniffing out the Hedgie Pooh LW

What a great day you've had LW A Fox, and a Hedgehog one with road sense, and the other with people sense, who knows where he's well off. Great that you could get a photo of Him. You must have a gap somewhere, but if you keep putting cat food out he will proberbly keep coming back
WS

so cute, I was at a friend's house the other day and we saw a little hedgehog (of hedgepig as she calls them) we didnt have a camera on us at the time but she has promised that she will keep an eye out for it again and send me a photo if she manages to get one

Just heard from my friend and she managed to get a picture of the shy hedgehog we saw the other day

Being compared to Chris Packams not such a bad thing WS.........he knows his stuff and at least now I know Hedgie Pooh

Doogs I am secretly hoping he does keep visiting, he was really cute. I think he may have come in under the gate WS as that is the only place accessible to my garden for him, I don't think he could get under my neighbours fence.

Loving your photo of your little hedgpig PPH, another little cutie and it's great your friend managed to get a photo of him, he must be a regular to her garden.
With the decline in these little hedgies we need to make sure the ones we know about are kept safe.

littlewid-x-

thats what I thought when I saw the hedgie Doogs, it looks like that that is definitely one Hedgie which is ready for hibernation

Thats great two in one week, thank your friend for sending the Pic PPH. No matter how he got in LW, its important that these gaps that gaps round gardens are there. It's a life line for our Hedgehogs survival, now they are coming into gardens, because of the lack of hedgerows.
WS

I have seen him again this evening but have not gone out as I didn't want to alert Nero to the fact he was there and I thought after last night and nero barking he deserved a bit of peace to amble around.
I have decided to leave the last bit of weeding as he seems to like it there and if he feels safe there when he comes in then it's best for him I leave it......so it's now my wildlife area not the un weeded bit
I agree about them needing ways into the gardens WS and he is welcome whenever he likes and if there is a little family of them, which I hope there is, then I hope they visit too, I will make sure they are ok.
I do also have a little dog hatch cut into my shed so if they fel they need somewhere safe they can always get into the shed as well and keep warm and dry.

littlewid-x-

Just been alerted by Nero that I have my little visitor back again. It's too dark to get any pictures this evening so I have just spent a little time in the garden watching him or her amble around. Nero has been out there with me this time and he just had a little look, he is not interested in chasing the little hedgie away, I think he just wanted to have a look and say hello. The little hedgie isn't bothered by Nero but I wouldn't leave them out there together. I haven't seen him for a while but I am wondering if he is holed up in my shed.......which is fine by me, just nice to know he is ok.

littlewid-x-

I think your right Doogs I need a name for this little Hedgehog.......thinking cap on

If you want to sex a hedgehog, you have to pick them up and get them to stay uncurled. A boy hedgehog will have what looks like a large belly button in the middle of his tummy......you can guess what that is......a female will have something very similar but it will be in front of her bottom......thats how you sex a hedgehog easy to do when I had Reggie but this is a wild hedgehog so not sure if it would want picking up :What:

littlewid-x-

Hmmmm bit of a prickly problem that LW.

WS