Trespassers

We have no gate or fence at the front of our garden, so anyone could stroll in unvited - and that's exactly what is happening! I set up my night camera, and caught these two youngsters hanging around outside our kitchen window.

They are Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus).

A Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) also strolled in and marked our box hedge as his territory.

This Hare (Lepus europaeus) seemed rightly nervous at his incursion.

The Marten seemed much more at home. I don't know if it's a Beech Marten (Martes foina) or a Pine Marten (Martes martes). The latter has a more continous and creamy coloured breast patch, and a darker nose - difficult to see under infrared light.

Martens also enjoyed frollicking on our lawn.

Adult Roe Deer 'bucks' nibbled our roses.

A mother Fox brought her young cubs along - one of them learning to hunt on its own.

Badgers waddled in to scour for worms.

If life is so tough outside the garden that trespassers need to come in - then I take the approach that a little charity would not go amiss.

Foxes feast on the dog biscuits and water I leave out for them.

Martens also quench their thirst, though they seem suspicious of the Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus).

Some trespassers are more brave, and walk through in broad daylight. We eye each other, knowing this is as intimate as we can ever become.