Hedgehogs Courting

 

Hedgehogs at it for bloody hours!

  Have you ever seen Hedgehogs courting? You should of done, I read it last for bloody hours! For nearly an hour I waited for this male to get his way with the female. If he did, then I didn't see it, because it was too dark. The courtship, or 'pre-mating display', is initiated by the male when he comes across a solitary female on his nightly wanderings. He approaches her, snuffling and snorting, and circles closely round and round, trying to claim her attention. The female shows no interest; she twitches violently and repeatedly turns away from him and on many occasions, with her strength, I observed her pushed him away to the side, as you'll see in the footage. Also the male wandered off a few times only to return and try again, by persisting and repeating what he has been doing probably all day! They were completely oblivious that I was only a few meters away from them. I gave up when I could not see them and left them in peace to carry on into the early morning hours! While I was there, another larger Hedgehog passed by.

 

The male sniffing the air 

He just won't give up!

  At Porth Hellick, there was a single Common Sandpiper, very unusual to see in June, Little Egret, 4 Swift, 30+Swallow and 40+House Martin with a singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

 

Common Sandpiper and Little Egret at Porth Hellick 

 

There was a high count of 20 Black-headed Gull on Porthloo. Except for a single adult, the rest of the gulls were 1st summers. There was also a single Curlew on the beach

 

Magpie Moth at Mundsley 

 

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet in the garden

 

Broom Moth at Star Castle

 

Archips podana at Star Castle

 

Bright-line Brown-eye at Star Castle