I think our wildies may have survived.

I've been in search of new foraging areas in the next village today. Like all old villages it's criss crossed with paths & paths through neighbouring fields. I've been very heavy, as nearby fields are being converted into a massive estate of 4,500 houses, particularly because my friends -the wildies & roe deer are now homeless, as are some lovely (non edible) wild flowers.

Walking round a field I don't forage in but cross about every 2 months, I had a shock. The hedges had disappeared years ago taken over by bramble thicket on 2 sides, but the grass had virtually gone for about 10 yards alongside each hedge for it's full length.:shock::? All became clear when I saw rabbit tunnels into the brambles, signs of surface digging & 1 new burrow. Well there hadn't been any wildies there last Autumn or ever before. There was certainly a very good population now.

Not so strange you might think - but the wildies who disappeared would have had to cross the M4 to get there. :shock: (The roe deer know to cross by the main road bridge at night, but that would be too big a detour for bunnies)

The other thing which surprised me was the wildie territory marker. A massive long line of poop parallel to the hedges & about 2' wide. That hadn't been there long either.
Well I couldn't post without mentioning poops could I?
It was as if there had been a sudden mass migration of rabbits over winter. I hope my friends are among them & they're left in peace.

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay go little wildes

go wildies

Yay wildies! Fingers and pawsies crossed they get left in peace x

I've honestly only just realised how the bunnies made the crossing. There HAS to be piped drainage from 1 side of the M4 to the other.
They must have used a drainage pipe like a burrow when it was dry. :lol::lol::lol: Easy peasy for them! I'm so excited & happy to think there's a very real chance that they've made it.
They chosen a site reasonably safe from humans - right on the edge of the small village landfill site, & next to school playing fields.
I was also fascinated by how they had populated the whole length of 2 hedges like we'd build houses on a street, just over winter. It's a different lay out to all the other wildie warrens I know.

I can't wait for the long evenings & doing some bunny watching again.
(Yep I'm very careful with my shoes when I come home)