Cyn's Nature Notes: The Mole and His Lucky Escape

Thursday 6 October 2011

The Mole and His Lucky Escape

It was a beautiful day today, bright sunshine and the bluest of skies with now and again white clouds hurrying across. It was a little cold but the strong winds were invigorating and the air felt fresh.

This afternoon I stood idly by the end kitchen window, watching the clouds passing by and then the washing and trees blowing in the wind.

Suddenly as I watched something caught my eye, it was small, dark and falling from the sky. My gaze quickly shifted and I watched it fall on to the lawn, it lay still and I decided to go and investigate. Even as I was thinking this it moved and I knew whatever it was, by some miracle it was still alive. I couldn't make out what it was but then as it slowly stirred I realised it was a mole, with his sleek, shiny coat glistening in the sunlight. As if realising the danger of being in the open and what a lucky escape he'd had, he quickly dashed across the grass and into the undergrowth.

I was astonished to witness the above and so pleased to have been at the window and staring out just at that moment, and even more pleased to see him alive and his dash to safety. He must have been dropped by a bird of prey.

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About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.