Wednesday, July 08, 2009

The fastest hedgehog in Winchester


It was a wet night in Winchester on Monday. The rain had stopped. A weighty black cloud staggered forward to reveal a large full moon, only for a moment, then darkness returned. I opened the front door and the hall light shone onto the path. I went back to the car for one minute and when I turned to go inside the house, I saw an extraordinary thing: a hedgehog was racing towards the front door. It was a foot away from jumping inside when I pre-empted it and shut the door in its nose. Feeling rather guilty about this later, I gingerly put a saucer of milk out for it, hoping that it wouldn't barge in when I was opening the door again. However, in the morning it was clear that the hedgehog had eschewed my offer.

3 Comments:

Blogger kinglear said...

Frankly, had you shut the door in my face I would have refused even Veuve Cliquot - La Grande Dame. Seriously though, Mrs ( or Mr.) Tigglywinkl;e are covered in fleas, so you absolutely did the right thing.I have tried several times to rear baby hedgehogs when their mothers have been killed by eg a lawnmower, but have never managed it.Baby owls, on the other hand, even when still very tiny, fall out of their nests frequently, and provided they are put beside the right tree climb back up using beak and claws. Very impressive.

11:21 am  
Blogger Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I once had a dog who used to pick heggehogs up and drop them at my feet! Most charming. Poor little hedgey - I hope he found shelter. Love the pic!

6:59 pm  
Blogger Whispering Walls said...

Maybe it was after the champagne, KL. Owls are wise.

Your dog must have been fearless, WL!

7:15 am  

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