Crews tackle fire at derelict building in Matlock
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Country diary: Our local hedgehogs seem to be thriving, but their lives are so precarious
The ball of brown, dry, crinkled leaves was breathing. In and out it went, gently expanding and contracting. As I watched, the 'leaves' resolved into prickles – it was a sleeping hedgehog, curled up under the honeysuckle. A hedgehog has been living in the garden for at least the last three years. On warm evenings when the windows are open, I hear it bumbling about, snuffling and grunting, searching for slugs, snails and insects. I think it lives under the shed in summer, and in winter it hibernates in an old compost bin filled with sticks and sections of turf. Encouragingly, the local hog population seems to have grown over the past 18 months, with neighbours noticing animals of varying sizes. The signs are clear: telltale tunnels pushed through patches of long grass reveal nocturnal hunting routes. In the morning, their perambulations are marked in the dew, showing their travels over damp lawns. Hedgehogs forage over a surprisingly wide area, roaming up to a mile every night. Distinctive droppings are another indication of their presence: glistening, deep-brown chipolatas tapering to pointed ends, left on paths and in flowerbeds. Often packed with undigested insect fragments, wing-cases and nibbles of chitin, they are darker than cat poo, shorter and less twisted than fox turds. Sadly, the hot, dry spring has been tough for hogs, with lack of water a particular problem. While the village has several shallow streams where they can drink easily, other places around here are not so well provided. On Easter Sunday I found one blundering around in the sun near the stony beach at Porlock Weir. It was thin, dehydrated and confused. I rang the local hedgehog rescue group and followed their advice to take it to a vet. He was not hopeful of its chances, and I hadn't the heart to follow up the next day and find out whether it survived. Back in the main village, there's been a more hopeful event. Hoglets – baby hedgehogs – have been spotted. A couple of householders have put homemade signs out on the pavement to warn drivers to go slowly and take care of these newest residents. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
The Guardian
7 hours ago
- The Guardian
Sudoku 6,951 medium
Click here to access the print version. Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9. To see the completed puzzle, buy the next issue of the Guardian (for puzzles published Monday to Thursday). Solutions to Friday and Saturday puzzles are given in either Saturday's or Monday's edition.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I can't stop my neighbour felling this glorious tree - BECAUSE it's in an area of outstanding natural beauty
The blackbird who has made his home in my garden has become something of a friend. He potters about on the grass in search of worms immediately after I've finished mowing and takes a keen interest whenever the compost heap is turned over to reveal all kinds of nutritional goodies.
