OK, first up a warning. This post isn't quite as family friendly as normal, or certainly the second half isn't!
The Rolling Stones sang that they couldn't get no satisfaction - for me that is a double negative. What does satisfaction look like in the animal world? Well when I took in the trail camera by the pond, I found a series of videos that implied that piggie heaven was probably a jolly good scratching post! The poor tree that was used is not the largest or strongest, but somehow survived the onslaught. It is also popular with birds (presumably nice things get left behind), the pine marten and deer. Here is a feathered friend who cannot be named for politeness purposes seeing what has been left on the bark.
But now to boar action - when indulging in a jolly good scratch, even other boar are no distraction!
It's the tail on this one that gets me!
And once you have done the back, a good go at ears and neck is also pleasing.
Then a final scratch and what a satisfying evening for a boar!
Now if you are funny about snakes, stop reading around here!
I went to feed The Boys in The Country, and two joined me in their funny kitchen area, demanding food, while we could hear a lot of noise on the rood. I assumed it was the third cat, so called him a couple of times to come in for food, but the noise kept going. So once the two were snarfing away at their food, I went outside to see why Donald hadn't come in for his kibble. I could see a flash of something white or cream, but it didn't look like a cat, so I got a step ladder and set it up and climbed up to see what was going on. I then got my phone out pretty quickly, because it was unexpected.
I settled myself more carefully on the ladder and got two further sequences, firstly here, and then this one.
These are not dangerous, they are Aesculapian snakes and can grow up to two meters long. They are nonvenomous and while there is a small colony in northern Wales, they are really native to mainland Europe. They are famed in Greek and Roman mythology for their relationship to the god of healing, Asclepios (Greek version) and are to be seen even today on the symbol for pharmacies in France and other places too I'm sure. They eat rodents, including rats, so should be welcomed, not least as baby ones will eat large slugs and snails, including the flesh eating orange jelly slug. Eggs and young are vulnerable to boar, hedgehogs and badgers, so I hope this couple are very careful where they hide their stash.
So there you are - two very different sets of videos but showing that animals enjoy life too!
Have a good week!
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