Two unusual things happened on my morning walk today. First of all, just a few days after writing that there seemed to be a dearth of hedgehogs this year, I found a second carcass. Sadly this was clearly a young animal and it is possible that it had not attained a weight sufficient to maintain it throughout its hibernation. The weather this autumn has been exceptionally mild, which may well explain why a hedgehog should be out and about well after their usual date for seeking a cosy place to spend the winter. The fact that this was clearly an immature specimen proves that the local population did manage to breed this year, which, given the fact that I had only seen one throughout the whole of the summer is a very pleasant surprise.
Walking beside the stream, I was astonished to see a spectral shape rise to the sky, almost spiralling upwards through the trees. The heron-like shape quickly enabled me to identify this bird as a Little Egret. These birds have, over the last few years, begun to colonise the UK and are, from my perspective, a most welcome addition to our fauna. However, I did not expect to see one so close to home and in a situation that does not appear to hold much attraction for such a bird. Clearly the stream has more to offer in terms of the creatures that live within it, than I had given it credit for.
This evening brought forth a most spectacular sunset.
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