We have been having an out and out heatwave over the last week, and although it’s wonderful I’m simply not used to it. Brazilica came to town and for the life of me I don’t know how the girls danced in such heat….you’ve got to tip a cap to them!
Right in my face she was!!!!
There has been a sudden influx of tiny hedgehogs which is unusual, twenty or so all in a few days, maybe the heat and a lack of water has been affecting them. Most of them have been found wandering around in daylight and weigh about 150 grams….all are now doing well.
This poor little fella is the smallest, he only weighs 50 grams…..and he seems all head and legs. It was hard to get a good pic as he wriggles so much, he’s everybody’s darling.
As well as hogs the chicks are still pouring in, this wood pigeon chick had no feathers at all when it arrived.
Our first thrush….and what an odd little thrush it is. When you approach it with food it does the strangest waggle dance and even does somersaults!
Talking of strange, recently we reared a blackbird chick which did really well. Then it began to fall of it’s perch for absolutely no reason and just lay down as though it was dead….after a few weeks of this the poor bird died, the vet thought it was epileptic. I have never heard of such a thing…a bird with epilepsy? We had a hedgehog with epilepsy once….
Although it was very sad that the bird died it would never have survived in the wild.
This starling is a real character. We’ve hand reared it from a tiny chick, it’s such an entertaining, intelligent bird. It loves interacting with us and thinks it’s human. Anyway it learnt to feed itself successfully and so went into a aviary to practice flying.
It hated being in there, it sat motionless on a perch and only moved when staff came in, then it would ping into life and sit on our shoulders pecking our ears and hair…..in the end we had to bring it back into the unit, starlings are social birds and this one was simply lonely. Another starling is coming in soon so the two will go into the aviary together.
This rabbit was dumped in an alleyway, it was only ten weeks old….
Here’s our latest chinchilla, an albino. A VERY grumpy chappie….growls and chitters every time you clean his pad, hopefully he will chill a little, once he understands that we mean no harm.
The buddleia is becoming a forest, now you have to duck and weave through it, it’s rather lovely though as it’s swarming with bees and butterflies.
Only people my height can walk under it though!
I’ve been busy digging out a border in the new back garden….so far a couple of fiery jacks, grasses, fuchsias and sunsilk, hybrid yellow roses have gone in….I’m trying to decide what else to plant with them…
And finally….
Y’know how I’m known locally as the hedgehog woman?
Well…
At the rescue we have a new fox unit and the guy who runs it does so alone….soooo…
he asked if I would help him, and now [despite not really having the time] each Friday I shall be working with foxes. Rather excited I am.
Maybe now I will be known as Foxy chick, or, The Vixen….
The albino chinchilla is a terrifying little fella isn’t he! Brazilica was so much fun! x
Lol….he sure is grumpy, he’s really old though so I think the change of environment was hard on him. Ah yes….Brazilica was smashin’.xxx
So lovely to see all your animals. Quite a few of our wild rabbits round here are black. I suppose a tame one escaped once and got very busy.
This heat wave is lovely, although disastrous for the garden, but how lovely to sit and eat and laze until bedtime.
I would love to see your Liverpool giants, have you seen them?
Look forward to reading about your foxes.
How lovely to have black rabbits running around, hopefully they are leaving precious plants alone!
Yes, the extreme heat is something our plants are struggling with, the weather is so unpredictable isn’t it? Soon we’ll all have to re-think what we grow.
Funny you should mention the giants, I’ve just put a post up about them. I start with the foxes tomorrow….I am looking forward to it.xxx
Look at those little hedgehogs, so lovely! Strangely enough, I’ve never seen one in my garden, although that’s probably a good thing with my cats around. Plenty of foxes though, they stroll in and out all the time.
Your pathway with the buddleia looks lovely, the butterflies must love it.
Now cats can’t really hurt a grown hog, they curl so tight….only a badger can really kill them. Thanks Paula.xxx
Well foxy lady that is another set of cute and gorgeous animal pics. I can’t wait to see the fox ones ..
And the garden is coming along well. Seeing yours often gives me a burst of enthusiasm to tackle my own 😀 x
Thanks Keggs….I shall probably bore everyone senseless with fox pics soon!
You should see the weeds I don’t show!xxx
I hope all the new charges at the rescue do well. You describe each one’s needs and personality so vividly. Caring for foxes sounds interesting so looking forward to news about how you get on with that. Love your shady courtyard and new planting in the back garden with the grasses etc.
Thanks Linda, it’s surprising how much personality a small animal can have, each is always totally unique, I am really looking forward to working with foxes, I haven’t had any close contact with them before.xxx
I think ‘Foxy Lady’ has a very sexy tone to it but ‘Foxy Chick’ just as good!
What a treat though, working with foxes. What happened to the poor bunny? I bet the buddleia is a wonderful sight with all the butterflies and bees, if I ever get a garden I’m planting one of those for sure. By the way as I don’t have a garden the Lavender you saw on my blog is grown down on the allotment. x
Well I’ll just have to be Foxy Lady then!!! The bunny was just abandoned in an alleyway, it was an awful mean thing to do as it would have been killed by a cat. Fortunately someone spotted it.
Now lavender is another bee and butterfly magnet isn’t it…..you can always tell what the pollinators like as they hum around good plants. Thanks Suzy.xxx
Foxy chick or vixen eh! If those Brazilia ladies are anything to go by, you might want to keep that under your Buddlea. 😉
Will a h/hog of 50grms survive?
I wonder why we are always surprised when we hear of small animals having illnesses that we have. I guess I would not raise an eye brow if you mentioned a dog with epilepsy, perhaps, not even a cat, but other species, such as birds….although, It could have been a balance issue emanating from a hearing organ. That’s something we experience too. Maybe a vet will give you a clue sometime as to the particular symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of epilepsy.
Your gardens look good. Xx
Lo….I shall keep everything under my buddleia!!! The little hog should do well, it’s gained 25 grams in a week so fingers crossed. All the little hogs have gained so I’m pleased about that.
Yes, you’re right of course, animals do have similar illnesses to us yet it always takes me by surprise.Thanks Menhir.xxx
What a funny thrush! I bet he keeps you all entertained. And the tiny hogs … hope they thrive with some love and attention along with the starling. It’s so interesting to hear of their personalities, you don’t get that on wildlife programmes!
Love your garden – looks gorgeous. Hugs xx
The thrush is absolutely adorable, it gets all excited when we feed it, bops about all over the place it does! It’s surprising how much personality each and every animal has, they are so individual and you get to know each one when you work closely with them. Thanks Gilly.xxx
Oh how exciting to work with foxes!!!!
Love all the pictures and the creatures. How funny about the somersaulting thrush! Your garden patio area is looking lovely too – nice and shady in this very hot weather. And the little tiny hedgehog….awww so sweet!!
The new flowerbed sounds promising….
we have lots of butterflies this year than we have had in ages – but there are lots of wild flower areas planted up around and about so maybe that has given them a boost. It is very reassuring to see lots of butterflies :yes:
All sounds good and groovy…. the dancers look great fun – I want to play! 🙂
Have a lovely weekend….xxx
I am eager to get going with the foxes…..only a few days now.
It is incredible to see such personality in tiny creatures, each is so very individual, they constantly surprise me. The thrush gets so excited, it’s a little acrobat!!!
How lovely that you have so many butterflies too, they are so beautifully flutterly aren’t they?
I had a good play with the dancers, shook my tail feather all through town with them! Thanks Arose.xxx
Or maybe you should just change your name to Doolittle — that should cover all the bases, no? I love all your rescue stories. From the lonely starling to the baby bunny to the cranky chinchilla to the somersaulting thrush (!) I feel as though I know them just a wee bit through your words and photos.
And that buddleia jungle? Bring it on!
Ha! Dina Doolittle….now that has quite a ring to it!!!
Lol, you get to see how unique and individual each animal is when you work at the rescue, it’s surprising how much personality each critter has.
Oh, I just love buddleia. I hope yours is growing now. Thanks Anne.xxx
I think The Foxy Chick is perfect! I bet all that dancing was fun fun fun! But that starling must have been a funny fellow to sit and chat with you so. There’s something about you that the animals sense that allows them to heal and grow with you. Maybe you’re really Mother Nature!
Then I shall become Foxy Chick!!! Oh the parade was fab and I danced along with the girls, great fun!
I have fallen in love with the starling and I may be bringing it home to carry out a slow release.
Y’know I agree with you about animals sensing who will not harm them……maybe they see colours around us , we don’t really know what they see or sense do we?. Ahhh…how lovey, Mother Nature eh….If only eh. Thanks Casa.xxx
I hope all your charges do well. We haven’t seem Hippy for a few weeks now so I fear he has gone. He disappeared suddenly so I’m guessing something killed him.
Oh what a shame Sue, I hope he’s just off feeding a family. Fingers crossed he returns.xxx
I like that…”foxy chick”….very clever…not cunning, I hope! 😉
Those Brazilian Girls look gorgeous…bet they were…Did you think of joining them? 😉
Your garden sure looks seductive…..
Enjoy the Summer……Hugs! xx
Lol….thanks Bushka….I don’t think I’m the type to ever be cunning!
The girls were fabulous and I danced all through town with them. xxx
Foxy chick it is!!!!
Great to read all your latest news ~ looking forward to getting together again very soon …….
Lol….that settles it then….Foxy chick I shall be. Yes it will be good to meet up over a LONG lunch.xxx
Wow, the rescue seems a hive of winged and multi-legged welfare these days: So happy it’s there and has you and others to care for neglected beings. Love and blessing to them all, and to all of you, too!
The dancers look so colorful but I can feel the heat and would rather not, as I’m a fan of cool-to-freezing and not much else. 🙂
I can’t get over how gorgeous your gardens are, Dina, just crammed with life and color and love…thank you for sharing!
It’s so busy at the rescue at the moment, every inch of space has an animal in it and it’s getting busier by the day, it’s never usually this bad, I think the heat is affecting wildlife…..and me! Like you I can’t cope with it, I do love sitting in the shade though and love the light nights.
The good thing about the warm weather is how it gets the garden growing and it brings out the butterflies, I sit working in the courtyard and it’s like being in a butterfly house, marvelous it is. Thanks Kitty.xxx
I am sure you will be known as the ‘Foxy Chick”:) You are amazing…I love the courtyard and can imagine so well the bees and butterflies hovering around the buddlela….I had one in my garden in Wales, and loved it.
Yes, the heat is on in a big way….I have never done very well in heat and so like you can’t imagine how those girls can dance, in high heeled shoes…in the heat!!! Fun to watch.
I am sure a lot of the wildlife is confused….it seems to me unusual that you have a chinchilla….what a funny little thing….I am sure he/she will come around soon.
Keep up all the good work…and will now look forward to hearing about the foxes:)xxxx
Lol….thanks Janet, I do prefer Foxy Chick as opposed to the hedgehog woman!
Oh, you would love my courtyard, you must visit in July, it’s swarming with butterflies, lots of different varieties too.
I love the warmth and the long nights but can’t really cope in the blazing sun, I always sit in the shade….so yes….respect to those girls!!!
We have a few chinchillas in the rescue but this is the first albino I’ve seen, the poor thing is quite old so probably doesn’t like the change of home. I am looking forward to working with foxes, I start in a few days.xxx
what a lovely post as always thank you for sharing have a blessed weekend
Thanks Linda. Have a lovely week.xxx
I’m looking forward to seeing some of your fox photos, they’re lovely creatures although I wish London dwellers would realise that they’re wild and not treat them like pets! I would think it’s more lack of water than the heat that’s bothering the animals at the moment as it’s not too bad in the shade. I didn’t realise that starlings were social birds – we have lots round here, especially in the gardens.
A lack of water is always hard on animals, such a basic thing too…..I simply love the foxes, they are so quiet and shy, I hate to see them in captivity…sorry about not responding to some of your comments, they have only just come through, how very odd! Thanks Caro.
How are the animals coping with this heatwave – better than I am I hope. Good of you to help fox man out – it should be interesting to see how foxes interact with you. I think Foxy Lady suits you better than Vixen.
Oh….the heat is intolerable in the rescue, we have fans everywhere, in fact it takes forever rigging them all up. I think the drought is affecting the young hogs too, it drives the worms so much deeper and makes it harder for them to find food. I am really looking forward to working with the foxes….lol….Foxy Lady it shall be. Thanks Elaine.xxx
As always an enjoyable, and interesting post with wonderful pictures.
Lucky you to be working with foxes as I really like them, but sadly I’ve not seen any on the allotments for ages. xx
Oh, that’s such a shame about your foxes, I wonder where they have gone. So many of them suffer from mange and it kills them in about four months. Hope yours come back. Thanks Flighty.xxx
I love hearing about what’s happening in the rescue, some sad stories but lots of happy, heart warming ones too. How exciting to be working with foxes, I look forward to hearing all about that. Your garden is looking glorious but I expect you’re having to do lots of watering to keep it looking so good in this heat.
I’m really excited about working with the foxes…..I start this Friday. I love the recent warmth, it does get the garden growing but it is hard going watering each day, I must set something up….another task on my endless list. Thanks Jo.xxx
If those dancers are from Brazil they probably think your heat wave is nothing special. Have fun with the foxes!
All the dancers come from the UK Jason, those girls in the blue are the Liverpool dancers. I’m looking forward to playing with foxes!xxx
It could be worse, at least you’re not known as the prickly woman.
Lol….thankfully I’ve not been called that! xxx