What the wildlife camera revealed...

[JudyN]

Wildlife camera highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTGrtCv ... e=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HU9guS ... e=youtu.be

(The dates on the vids are wrong, BTW - these were caught in the past week.)

Yes, deer use the strip of rough council land at the end of the garden!

I have a couple of questions I don't know if anyone could throw light on:

(1) Two gardens further along, the strip (20' wide?) comes out at a large roundabout, and the next bit of open land would involve crossing that and walking on a bit further. Though there is a verge which the council leaves uncut at this time of year so it has fresh grass and wildflowers. But given the risks, why would a deer (roe, I think) risk doing this when there is plenty of heathland back up the other way? What persuades them to travel?

(2) I haven't yet caught a vid of wildlife/cats when Jasper is barking his head off at them. He gets pretty angry, and I assume that it's a cat or a fix, so triggering aggression rather than prey drive. If he's there when a deer walking past, given that he's on his own and off lead but knows he can't clear the fence, how would you expect him to react? Would he stand there silently thrumming, or would frustration get the better of him and start him ranting, even though this doesn't happen when he's on lead and we spot a deer? Not that it's important, I'm just interested.

[Ari_RR]

Nice!
Well, at the very least it proves that those weren't imaginary monsters J has been chasing there all this time!

[jacksdad]

I know right... Judy should feel bad, very bad for disbelieving her poor innocent, little J...that little angle...so misunderstood.

[JudyN]

We also spotted a hedgehog for the first time yestrday since getting the camera. So, finally, Mr R has agreed that we need a hedgehog tunnel in the fence

[Nettle]

For question 1 - animals are not programmed to see danger from vehicles, though some learn. The deer have no notion of that place being safer than this place IF the dangers are man-made. This time of year, roe are dropping their young, so last year's kids have been driven away by the does with new fawns, and both need to find territory. So they are 'moving about a bit' in hunters' parlance.

Q2 - each dog reacts differently to different levels of frustration and provocation. As well as depending on the dog's inborn temperament, like us they have different levels of temper on different days.

I know you like to see the hedgies about, but IMO it would be unwise to give them a route into your enclosed area. Not only will it allow other beasts access but J's frustration levels might increase vastly. It's obviouslu your call, though.

[JudyN]

Ah, yes, maybe the deer was striking out for new territory.

We've had hedgehogs in the garden before, but not since J was much younger - and not since we put up a new, more impregnable fence (mainly because of next-door's free-range chickens, though the chickens can't get to the bit at the end). I'm not too worried about Jasper with them as he just used to bark at them and he's far too sensitive to deal with their prickles. Cats & foxes can already get in - I think mainly through a bit of low fence close to the house judging by his path when he ricochets round the garden snorting because (presumably) a 'monster' has just made a rapid escape.

Though you've got me thinking about whether he might guard one despite the fact that he can't eat it because it's too hurty...