Okay - so this is definitely NOT going to win Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards! And even by my standards, this is not a great shot ... but ... oh my goodness ... it tells a story!
Hedgehog courtship is, as I am sure many of you will know, a noisy, huffing and puffing sort of affair - the male circles the female and she makes a sort of plosive huff at regular intervals, indicating her lack of interest. Males are not always that aware of her signalling and continue ... this is beginning to sound like the scenes in clubs from my youth!
Along with the huffing, she is also frowning - the frown muscle of the hedgehog reaches from above the nose all the way to the tail and when tensed, brings the prickles forward over her face, protecting her eyes, ears and nose.
Mating cannot take place while the female frowns.
Anyway - back to this story. I have lived in this estate in east Oxford for 28 years. I used to regularly see hedgehogs in my garden - but none in around the last ten years. I once found a courting couple making an arena on my lawn! But I have not seen any courting hedgehogs for many many years.
Last night was my dear friend Liz's 60th birthday - I almost didn't go to join the party as I got back in the afternoon from a week of nursing my mother following a hernia operation - well, I was more her 'house boy' than nurse. I was tired. And a four hour drive did not help. But, Liz is only going to be 60 once so I walked around and had a lovely evening with friends.
Leaving at 11pm I was walking home and hear the distinctive huffing coming from a front garden - I stopped, and there, just in front of their parked car I could see them. I was so thrilled ... but ... even though there was no fence I stood for an age worrying about transgressing that invisible line ...
In the end I quietly crept forward and took this rubbish photograph! It means more to me than many more beautiful images because of what it represents - our estate is breeding hedgehogs!!
Any of you coming to Bird Fair? I am doing two events on Sunday 16th ... come and say hi!
Another shout out for New Networks for Nature - really excellent gathering in November.
I use social media as much as I can tolerate to spread hedgehog love (and pictures of my dog!) - so if you are interested, I am to be found on Instagram, Twitter and now Threads ... oh, and of course, the friendly Hedgehog Highways Facebook group is also worth a visit (kept friendly thanks to the tireless work of Rose and Jacqueline).
Thank you again to all those who have thrown a few coins into my metaphorical hat! Given the time I have been taking out to look after my mother, this is particularly appreciated.