Mr Nosey

Had a nice walk in the forests near Aberfoyle and then a raspberry ripple ice cream.

This tiny shrew was having a wee shut-eye in the sun on the driveway, when we went out. It looked like he might be a bit ill, given that he didn't move an inch when we went right up to him. But then Stew poked his bum a bit and he leapt up and darted off under a leaf. He came back out to see who was disturbing him and then went off rummaging with his wiggly nose in the flower beds for some breakfast bugs. When we came back from our walk he was still rummaging.

I think he is a pygmy shrew - the smallest mammal in the UK. - He was about 4cm long.

Apparently they have to eat every two hours to survive, which explains his frantic rummaging. I hope he found a beetle or maybe a medium rare one of these from yesterday.