Many of you will have seen footage captured by a trail camera of shed-tidying Welsh mouse. Once he noticed objects being moved, the shed owner was lucky that the mouse had created a habit for itself and a camera was able to get some delightful footage. But sometimes we’re not that lucky and our visitors don’t hang around or we don’t have time or opportunity to film them.

I too have had mice in my garden shed and years ago opened a drawer for a hammer and a surprised mouse leapt out as we both squeaked and leapt backwards. A pile of wire wool at the back of the drawer had been used as nesting material. A strange, scratchy choice.

Recently mice had been in the drawer again and I took a picture of what I found….the end of the hammer had been chewed away and my ‘gardening shoes’ on the floor were full of chewed up paper and rags. DIY and gardening is done more frequently now so this mouse must have been a quick worker.

More exciting recently was the sight at dusk of two tawny owls in the garden, one atop a conifer, the other on an archway. Maybe attracted by the aforementioned mice? Too dark and no time for a camera…I didn’t want to move and disturb them so watched in delight until they did that intimidating stare and flew off!

Unphotographable and, I thought, a one-off but a few weeks later I found evidence they’d been back. Below the arch were some pellets and I feel honoured that they find our garden worth a visit even if I seldom see them.

Some incidents stay with us forever…you’ll all have some story to tell.

One day my cat brought in what I at first thought was a colourful crisp packet but it was a kingfisher, alive though groggy. I expected it to die of shock but it recovered and flew out of my hand. A magical encounter without witnesses or proof.

Last week two jackdaws got into a fight on the lawn. One on it’s back with the other standing on it’s breast pecking at it. This may be common behaviour but I’d not seen it before and they flew off as I reached for the camera.

So, if you can’t photograph it (and even ‘bad’ photos are worth taking for evidence or identification purposes) do write it up. Keep a wildlife diary and keep your eyes peeled. It’ll soon fill up.