The Hide, Thursday 19th June 2025
Hello everyone! Welcome back to The Hide. After a delightful few days soaking up the atmosphere with Anne in Munich, Bavaria, we’re back to watching wildlife. Munich is such a charming city, filled with friendly locals and delicious cuisine. What more could one ask for? Well, perhaps some warm and sunny weather—wish granted!
This week in the news, a fox got stuck on the roof of a seven-story building in Surrey but was rescued by the RSPCA. Builders discovered the fox on the rooftop of Manor Court, Weybridge, after it chewed through a fire door but couldn’t find its way back down. RSPCA officers initially tried to catch the fox using a “grasper,” but it didn’t work. They eventually set a trap with food and water, which the fox ignored until fresh sardines were used as bait. Thankfully, the fox was safely rescued and released back into the wild on Tuesday. Read the complete story here (from the BBC).
Today’s highlight was a young rabbit that dashed past our hide in a hurry. I thought I had missed capturing the moment, but it returned, hopping right in front of my camera!
Rabbits were brought to the U.K. by Romans in the 1st century as a food and fur source. Over time, some escaped and formed wild populations, and now they are recognized as a native species. Rabbits are widespread across Britain and Ireland but are not found on some smaller Scottish islands. They thrive in places where they can dig, with ideal habitats being banks, forest edges, and hedgerows. They possess long ears (without black tips), about the same length as their heads, and lengthy hind legs. Their coat is sandy and less reddish compared to that of the brown hare. Their eyes are a lighter brown than those of hares. Typically, they measure about 40 cm in body length and weigh between 1.2 to 2 kg, with males generally being larger and heavier than females.
Today was exceptionally warm at the hide, which affected the variety of birds and animals that came to visit. The water source was again more popular than the feeders, highlighting how crucial clean water is for wildlife.
As always, we had the familiar small birds: European Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Wrens, and Dunnocks. Additionally, we spotted Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Chiffchaffs, Dunnocks, and Wood Pigeons. Two delightful returns today were the Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a male Nuthatch, both stunning birds. Personally, I’m quite fond of woodpeckers! Lastly, our visitor list included Magpies, Bullfinches, Pheasants, and Long-tailed Tits. As for the furry friends, we had our adorable Rabbit, the Rat Gang, and the Squirrel Crew.
Until next time, stay safe and embrace the wild spirit!
For more information about the wildlife in my local area, click here for further details.
