Not what I expected

Like it not because of the rats but because you cater for so much wildlife. shame about the wren nest but yay for the hedgehog.

Interesting blog, Honeysucklegold.

Thanks Seaburn, I see where you are coming from about the like! The hedgehogs still seem to be about though I haven't seen them for a few days. The only picture I got on the night camera was a local cat, but it wasn't set up very well and having not readjusted it in daylight, didn't feel like doing in the dark and the rain last night. Perhaps today.

I try to make them interesting Kate, the rabbit is in the front garden today, probably eating something I would rather it didn't, but on a brighter note the Green Woodpecker is back foraging in the garden and on the field. The grey Squirrel has also been back, we only really see it when the hazelnuts are fit, unless it's a really bad winter when it comes to the peanut feeders - only the one, never seen any more than one.

I suppose rats are part of nature too but I am sorry you have to put up with them. I'm glad they don't seem to come into my garden, although I can hear them around every night.
It's nice you have a hedgehog and voles, and that you are 'looking after' the hedgehog. I haven't seen one for a while. We have a little road between the garden and fields so maybe they stay over there.

Sadly Hywel a road won't stop them, they do roam very far in a night, crossing roads and travelling through lots of gardens. Sadly one of the little hedgehogs fell foul of a car on the road last week.

Yes the road has never stopped them in the past. Maybe there are less around now. I'm glad you have them there.

Sorry to hear of your rat problem but you are lucky to have hedgehogs. I haven't seen one for years, I believe their numbers are declining & they need all the help they can get. I have a problem with moles sometimes, tho' at present they are not in my garden. Their activity goes on all winter & they move about a lot, like the hogs.

The rat problem Feverfew seems to have abated for the time being, perhaps the poison is working. Seems a shame to poison anything as rats are very intelligent and we used to have tame ones, but it is the only way you can keep on top of them, or we would be inundated!
I haven't seen the hogs for a few days, a few frosty mornings may have sent them off to think about hibernation. The food still keeps disappearing but as we have mice about it could be them spending the night hours dashing back and forth to stash it away.
We get the odd mole, which I don't mind as they are usually somewhere not important and I feel sorry for them burrowing through heavy clay! The only time I don't is when my foot slips into one of their runs under the woodchip - they must be grateful for that after clay!

I cannot imagine living with so much wildlife Honey, if I'm honest I think I 'm pleased that our visitors are what I consider ordinary visitors for an estate on the edge of town, I don't have to worry unduly about little critters pinching my bulbs or digging holes in the lawn, mind you now we have an extra terrier ( sisters Pepper )racing around it is suffering this autumn, our hedgehogs are still around, they leave the evidence on my garden path every morning, pleased to say Jenny Wren has moved back up to the area around the fishpond, friendly Robin is being brave again now, both back checking out the patio for special treats, lots more Bluetits and Coaltits this year, we've always had them but just seem to be more now, must be the abundance of berries we have, I sit here watching them wondering if they know something I don't....

I haven't seen the Coaltits Lincslass, but did have a Grey Wagtail skittering around the pond the other day and then he/she, very kindly, sat on the railing so I could see it properly. So pretty and cute with it's wagging tail, colourful too with the yellow on it. Back from shopping and driving down the path there was the Magpie and the grey squirrel dashing out of the barn. I can understand the Magpie eating the peacocks corn, but sort of didn't think the squirrel would, but of course it's just seed like any other. We usually get Fieldfares at this time of year who eat the berries on the Yew trees, but haven't seen them yet. Your 'ordinary' visitors are far from it and have obviously made themselves at home. Lots of people don't see the Coaltits at all, but all birds are lovely to watch. My daughter can look out of her window across a slope of fields and watch the Hares, so I am jealous of that, I would love to have them!
Hopefully your terriers don't spoil your lovely garden, it always looks so tidy, but I expect they would get forgiven anyway.

My 'like' is for the other wildlife in your garden too and not the rat invasion ;-) It is lovely to have welcome visitors from Nature, we have wrens nesting here too and I love watching the bees, butterflies and dragonflies, seeing the spiders' webs glistening, the pigeons who 'dance' on our fence and the robins who follow me round when I am gardening but I would be grateful if the kites wouldn't circle over the barbecue when we use it, the heron stopped fishing for the goldfish in my pond and the deer ceased nibbling the tender young shoots ;-). But then, this space was their ancestral home before we moved in :-)

We too used to have a visit from the Heron who was a complete pain and adamant that the fish were there for him. Luckily we haven't seen it for a long time, so perhaps something has happened to him, or he has moved on. Long may it stay that way!
We don't see many deer, the Muntjac are about and have been up on the field, but only seen once down near the bungalow. We don't get Kites, but have Buzzards who circle above the land - very impressive.
The rats haven't been seen for a few days, so hopefully that has abated a bit for now, it won't last of course, but any respite is good.