Natyure watch with Ron Freethy

I LOVE to hear from readers about their wildlife encounters, and sometimes my postbag is full to bursting.

This week's postbag has been exceptional and so full of interesting observations that I decided they were too good to waste and I have devoted the whole column to readers' contributions!

MRS KAREN HOWDEN of Burnley Road, Loveclough in Rossendale, writes in with a story which 'Asda' be one of the most unusual observations I have ever heard of concerning hedgehogs:

"I retired to bed, but through the open window I could hear some strange noises. I got up and shone a torch down below the window. I spotted the hedgehog who was most intent on stealing an Asda carrier bag containing a dirty pair of soccer boots which one of my sons had left there, ready to be cleared.

"He tugged it this way and that way and succeeded in moving the bag with his mouth about 4ft.

"At this point my husband had a look. Although the light of the torch didn't bother the hedgehog, our voices must have, as when my husband and I spoke, the hedgehog left the bag and trundled into the back street.

"Next morning the bag of boots seemed to have disappeared. On closer inspection the hedgehog must have come back and dragged the bag another 4ft under my garden shed. "I wonder why the hedgehog spent so much time and effort pinching our carrier bag with football boots? I also wonder why the light of the torch did not seem to bother him, but the sound of human voices did.""

RON SAYS: Hedgehogs are very sensitive to smell and probably to taste.

The animal may well have been sucking the leather or even the remains of a previous application of polish. There are records of them chewing the bridles of horses left on the floor of stables and also of them sucking the tyres of bicycles. The light of the torch is not much different to bright moonlight and the hedgehog is quite used to that.

The human voice, however, is a sign of potential danger and so the hedgehog reacted accordingly.

ANGELA REID of Holme Close, Sough near Barnoldswick sent in two letters with some useful records and asked a couple of questions:

"Dear Ron, two red legged partridge, are they rare in this area? Young leverets running round a field which was being mown at the time. Have seen the adult hares previously. Comma, small tortoishell, red admiral, in garden.

"We have noticed there have been no hedgehogs in the garden yet this year. Last year we had as many as four hedgehogs in at the same time. Are they in decline? It would be sad if they are, they are a lovely animal."

RON SAYS : The red legged or French partridge are never very common in our area but they are present in some locations where there is a mix of open fields and hedgerows to provide cover.

With regard to hedgehogs, I don't think they are declining but the present summer has been warm and wet. This means there have been plenty of slugs for hedgehogs to eat. With so much natural food available, there has been no need to visit gardens in search of human scraps.

MRS M BRIDGE of Kingsway, Church, came up with some interesting sightings.

"We live at the very top end of Church, bordering Whalley Road, Accrington, Altham West and Dill Hall Lane.

"We had a lovely view of a heron perched in the hot sun, on the roof of a detached house just behind our back garden.

"The heron sat there for some time, resting and surveying all around before it spread its large wings and flew majestically, gliding over the house roof of our neighbour where we lost sight of it.

"Is it unusual to see a fish eating river dweller in a locality such as ours?

"Last evening we saw a small bat swooping in the twilight over our back garden and have seen many hedgehogs around at night. I saw a fox crossing the school playing field at the top of our avenue in the early morning and our next door neighbour has had a grey squirrel visiting their garage several times recently.

"We have blackbirds feeding their young in our hedgerow and on our garage roof. Blue tits, great tits, hedge and house sparrows, pigeons, collared doves, and flocks of starlings visiting the garden regularly."

RON SAYS:

The increasing numbers of herons seen along East Lancashire's rivers is a sure sign that the water in our area is becoming less and less polluted.

Mrs Bridge's bat sighting refers to the pipistrelle which is the smallest and most common bat in our area.

The sighting of the hedgehogs ties in with the letters of the week contributed by Angela Reid and the unusual behaviour of a hedgehog noticed by Karen Hawden.