The Hide , Thursday 19th June 2025
Greetings and welcome to another day at the hide! After delightful days spent relaxing with Anne in Munich, Bavaria, it’s time to return to wildlife observation. Munich is such a beautiful city with genuinely friendly locals and delicious food—what else could anyone want? Oh yes, warm and sunny weather, and that’s covered!
This week in the news, a fox was rescued from a rooftop of a seven-story building in Surrey by the RSPCA. Builders discovered the fox stranded in Manor Court, Weybridge, after it chewed through a fire door but couldn’t find its way back down. RSPCA officers set a food and water trap because they couldn’t catch the fox with a grasping tool; she only showed interest when fresh sardines were used as bait. The fox is now safe and was released back into its natural habitat on Tuesday. Read the full story here (from the BBC).
The highlight of today was a young rabbit that dashed past the hide so quickly that I thought I had missed my shot! Fortunately, it returned, sitting right in front of the camera.
Rabbits were brought to the U.K. by the Romans in the 1st century, originally for meat and fur. Some of these animals escaped and established a wild breeding population, leading to their classification as an indigenous species. Today, rabbits are found throughout Britain and Ireland, although they are missing from a few small Scottish islands. They thrive in various habitats, especially in areas where they can dig burrows, such as along banks, woodland edges, and hedgerows. Rabbits possess long ears, roughly the same size as their heads, and long hind legs. Their fur is sandy, lacking the reddish tones of the brown hare. Their eyes are brown and lighter than those of hares. They typically measure about 40 cm in length and weigh between 1.2 and 2 kg, with males usually being bigger and heavier than females.
Today was another hot day at the hide, impacting the variety of birds and mammals that came to visit. Once more, the water source appeared to be more popular than the feeders, highlighting the significance of accessible clean water for wildlife.
We observed familiar small birds like the European Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, and Dunnock. Also present were the Blackbird, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, and Wood Pigeon. Two delightful visitors returned: the Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a male Nuthatch. Both are stunning in their own way, especially the woodpeckers! Rounding out the list, we also spotted Magpies, Bullfinches, Pheasants, and Long-tailed Tits. As for the furry creatures, we saw our adorable little rabbit, a group of rats, and the squirrel gang.
Until next time, stay safe and embrace nature!
For more information about the wildlife in my local area, click here for details.
