Poddy Mouse .....

 Thought I'd tell ye about my little mate here, " Poddy Mouse ". He's great! Little bugger's a Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). And he's an absolute bugger for my nuts! In fact, I'm happy to say he's probably at them most nights.

 Here's a Googled photo of a Wood Mouse. Shamelessly nicked from some French site I couldn't read a word of:

 Sweet little fuckers, eh?  And, as this one's living out in my ditch hedge and just coming to share my nuts with the birds, by night, he's absolutely no problem to me. I like seeing him.

 As a life long Rat Catcher and Garden Bird Feeder, ye might expect that I've got it sussed, by now, how not to allow my bird feeding to attract rats? Ye fucking right I have!

 Thin wire, stretched between two points, at head height. Brown rat just can't hack it. (Black rat probably could, actually. But, they're not a problem, round here). Wood mice though? Jesus! Ye should see it!

 And I do. Most nights here. When I let the Dogs out for a late night piss. I always put the beam on the peanut basket. Just to check for 'Poddy'.

 Sometimes I'll just see a tail or some small portion of a body. Most often though, he goes shimmying along the top side of the wire and fucks off into the hedge. Incredible!

 Last night or two though, most wonderful thing: Poddy has brought his baby! Straight up! As soon as I step out there, I hit the feeder with the beam. Off goes Poddy. Doing his thing along the wire.

 And, hard on his heels is Pint Sized Poddy! Dear, tiny little thing. Not much more than a third Poddy's size. Always takes Pod's advice and gets the fuck out of Dodge, soon as the light hits them.

 I'd love to try and get ye a real photo, of my own, of these little characters, doing their thing. Only, they react to the light. And I'd need the light to get myself over there. Then, time I focused the camera ....? 

 Anyway, if one of them got panicked by me and fell off, to be snapped up by Rats, my mentally disturbed little terrier? I'd never forgive myself.

 Now here's a thought, eh? Wood / Field Mice, by definition, live in the woods and field margin hedgerows. Right? They'll come into human habitations, in the colder times. But, generally as much to get a bit of warm kip as anything. They're not typical kitchen raiders.

 But, I'm presently beating back quite the invasion of House Mice, in my (Pest Control) Store Room, of all places. Nothing unusual. I get all sorts, shrews 'n all in here, come the cold.

 Thought for today though; If Wood / Field Mice live where their name suggests, coming into our houses only in the bleak times. What's the House Mouses game; Generally appearing here in the bleak seasons?  

 See how something just isn't adding up here ....?