Pesky midges still about.

The mild weather continues in Milngavie. Carving out a mallet from an oak log today midges feasted on my recently closely shaved scalp. According to the Midge Forecast website, the Glasgow area is at level one - negligible - but late afternoon in our still and damp back garden they were not. Milngavie does not have its own midge recording site so one has to estimate based on nearby sites. Milngavie, sits roughly equidistant to three midge recording sites: one at Old Kilpatrick, one in Glasgow city and one out at the airport. All three sites are at the lowest level of one. The midge forecast still has one level five warning - the highest possible - for Glencoe. The mild weather has been good for our wildlife: butterflies, bees and hedgehogs are still about. Yesterday a red admiral settled on the phlox in our back garden. These migrant butterflies arrive from North Africa and continental Europe, and although they are now thought to be able to overwinter in the far south of England, any Red Admiral seen in Milngavie will not last the oncoming winter. A marigold just decided to flower for the first time this year, and our sweet pea are still looking good. Meanwhile, the ongoing hedgehog saga continues. Sighting a/the hedgehog in our back garden is a regular thing, almost every night. The dried meal worms and roast chicken scraps continue to get eaten and a hedgehog has been spotted sleeping in the hedgehog box three times this past week. It seems like one has taken up residence, which is really incredibly satisfying. I'm slightly torn by wanting to see it but not wanting to disturb it. Respect to the hedgehog.