1am Live mouse.
2am Live bat. We thought at first it was another mouse but then we got a better look and it was a squeaky and annoyed bat. R caught it in a T shirt, wrapped it up and had it out the door before I got a proper look at it, but it flew off which was a good sign.
3am Dead short-tailed vole. Left in the middle of the hall as a special gift to remember the night by.

So Schrodi just goes to show that a fourteen year old cat is still a mean hunter when he puts his paw to it. Normally though he just brings in one a night – we call it his “Catch of the Day”.

The first was when we were sitting in the dining room watching dusk fall over the mountains while we ate our dinner. Suddenly several small creatures flitted past the window – bats! We had heard there were lots in the area, and these must have just emerged from hibernation. I know some people don’t like them – but I have never understood why. Schrodi likes them too – at the old house he used to spend hours on the roof trying to catch them – he never succeeded though (at least as far as I know).

And then we saw the elusive deer which before this we have only glimpsed in the webcam. Four of them were at the bottom of the garden grazing around the area that is earmarked for the bee and butterfly garden. They are red deer and very nervous. I am slightly in two minds about them because although it is great to see them – I don’t want them to eat my vegetables. I have some deer fencing ready to put up – so hopefully that will let them eat the grass but not the carrots!

I suppose it is only natural that we are seeing more creatures as we get into spring proper – hedgehogs next perhaps?