All Change!

Last night started earlier than usual, but it was only when we checked the videos today that we realised just how early. We normally put the food and water out just as it starts to get dark - after the birds have gone to bed, and before the hedgehogs get up. This is getting earlier each night, of course, as the nights draw in, but it also depends on the weather.

It was a lovely sunny day yesterday, and quite warm, and bright, so we thought we'd have a little time to have our meal before the first action. We checked the cameras and found that they were still in daylight mode, which means that it is difficult to see into the tunnels. I went round putting the food and water into all the bowls and then settled down to wait - and we found that 9d had actually been in the tunnel watching me. He had a feed, and then headed off left, up the ramp - he normally goes off right, up the steps.



Shortly afterwards, Alfie came out of 9a, but instead of coming down to the patio for a drink he had a quick feed outside 9a and then squeezed up between 9a and the fence and out.

Nightshift didn't get up until an hour later, and then had a feed by the ATM and left the garden.

The rest of the evening was very quiet. There were still a few visitors, but we didn't see so much happening.

Then, just before 11, a hedgehog went up into 9c and made itself comfy. It may have been 9d, but we aren't sure. It settled down and went to sleep.



We were expecting major ructions soon after when we spotted Nightshift coming back through the ATM, but she didn't come down to the patio and went out again soon after - she spent most of the night at the front.

Alfie did put in an appearance on the patio a little later, and had a nap in 9b.

There was then this interesting little episode. Alfie passed a few minutes earlier, but avoided these two.



We assume the one who went into 9d was hedgie 9d, but we aren't sure, as 9d normally has a mark on his back. Anyway, he wasn't too happy in 9d, because a couple of hours later, he moved:



And he's still in there, enjoying a restful day in 9c.



And what happened to Nightshift? It seems she decided to spend the day in at the front in 9f (the boiler room).

So, we thought that was it - almost everyone seems to have changed their lodgings. Then we looked at 9a... First of all, a lot of the straw inside the tunnel is now outside:

Then we had a look at the videos, and found that was where all the action had been. It must have been quite full in there, because Alfie was asleep in the tunnel - and the straw came out when Flatmate pushed past him, leaving him asleep. We haven't had the time to process the videos from the tunnel cam yet, but things were very busy - the hedgies managed to clear all three bowls of mealworms again. There were four hedgehogs around there at the same time again. But that will come later.