Who Visits Your Garden After Dark? Exploring the World of Night Creatures

Once night comes, we might be settling down for bed, but many species are just starting their day, and your garden comes to life with secret visitors, who hang our under the moonlight and go to bed when the sun comes up.

In the UK, a significant portion of the animals we know and love are nocturnal, this means they use their heightened senses, like night vision, echolocation and keen hearing to navigate a winter's night.

From hedgehogs snuffling through leaves to a local bat group swooping for insects, we’ll reveal the fascinating night shift of your garden wildlife and how you can spot them.

Why Some Animals Prefer the Night

From Tawny Owls and Bats, to urban Foxes and Long Tailed Field Mice, many species have adapted to thrive in complete darkness.

The darkness of night helps many animals avoid predators, especially for small and vulnerable creatures; like Voles and Mice, but they are still preyed on; Barn Owls can use their silent flight and keen night vision to hunt them! Bats, on the other hand, rely on biological sonar (echolocation) to navigate and locate insects in the dark.

Bright light from urban areas has altered the behaviour of some nocturnal species. For example, Moth species are often drawn to artificial lights, while Foxes and Deer have become more comfortable in urban areas.

Wildlife At Night

Hedgehogs

Being active at night is a survival tactic for this mammal, as they can avoid birds of prey, who primarily hunt during the day. With complete darkness on their side, they can search for food with little to worry about. Hedgehogs rely on insects, beetles, worms, and small mammals, many of which are also more active at night.

At night time, Hedgehogs roam, so if you want to attract them, create a small hole in your fence, to allow them in and out freely. You can also install a hedgehog house to give them a safe space to rest once the light hits. Cat food, or Hedgehog food, will also help these mammals, along with a small bowl or freshwater.

If you’re wondering whether a Hedgehog has visited your garden, look for these common signs:

1. Small, round tracks in soft soil or mud, often with visible toe marks. These footprints can sometimes be spotted near food sources or along garden paths.

2. Hedgehog droppings are dark, cylindrical, and about the size of a pencil. They often appear in places where hedgehogs have been foraging or resting.

3. Hedgehogs often build nests out of leaves, grass, and twigs in hidden, sheltered areas like under bushes or hedges. Look for small, compact piles of debris that could indicate a hedgehog’s home.

4. If you hear rustling noises, especially at night, it could be a Hedgehog foraging for food. They often scurry through piles of leaves or tall grass searching for insects.

Foxes

Foxes spend most of the night searching for food, thriving in cities and urban areas - taking advantage of the food waste.

Food and a sense of safety are what foxes are after, and we can help them with that. Thick hedgerows and garden sheds can become safe places for foxes, and other species, to rest during the day.

To know if foxes are already frequenting your garden, keep an eye out for these telltale signs:

1. Fox footprints are larger than a cat’s and can sometimes be seen in soft soil or mud. They usually have a distinctive triangular shape with four toes.

2. Fox feces are often a good indicator they’ve visited. They’re typically dark, tubular, and may contain the remains of their meals, such as fur, or bones.

3. Foxes love to dig around in the soil, especially for insects or small rodents. If you notice freshly dug patches in your garden, it could be a sign that a Fox has been exploring.

4. Foxes may dig up plants or create messes while searching for food. They may also knock over garden furniture or trash cans if they’re looking for a quick meal.

5. If you hear high-pitched yipping or barking, it’s likely a fox’s call, particularly during their mating season (typically winter).

Bats

Bats are an essential part of our ecosystem, controlling insect populations across the country. Many bat species are nocturnal, with the most common bat species you might spot being the Pipistrelle.

Bats are clever animals, using echolocation to find food at night, you can spot bats at night in gardens, or check your local natural reserves and Wildlife Trusts to find a bat walk.

If bats have been around, you might see:

1. Small, dark, and often found near their roosting spots, bat droppings look like small pellets.

2. Listen for the high-pitched clicks of bats using echolocation to find insects.

3. You might find the remains of insects (like moth wings) around your garden, indicating bats have been feeding.

4. Bats are very active at dusk, flying in erratic patterns as they catch insects.

Owls

Owls, such as the tawny owl and barn owl, are skilled hunters of small mammals, particularly at night. They rely on their silent flight and sharp hearing to locate prey, making them excellent predators in your garden.

Here are some signs Owls have been around:

1. You might find owl feathers or pellets (regurgitated food) under trees or in secluded areas.

2. The call of a tawny owl is a distinctive “twit-twoo” sound, while a barn owl makes a softer, eerie call.

3. Owl droppings are white and chalky, often found near their roosting spots.

4. You may spot the remains of small mammals like mice or voles in quiet corners, as owls often bring prey back to their roost.

Deer

Deer are typically crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn), but in areas with little disturbance, they may visit your garden at night. They feed on a variety of plants, including grasses, shrubs, and flowers, making gardens with abundant vegetation appealing.

If they pop into your garden, Deer will leave you some signs:

1. Deer footprints are large and can leave a distinctive mark in muddy or soft soil.

2. Deer love to nibble on garden plants, leaving bite marks on leaves or stems.

3. Deer droppings are small, round, and often found in piles near feeding areas.

4. Deer sometimes strip bark off young trees to eat, leaving telltale signs of damage.

Mice & Small Mammals

Mice and small mammals are active year-round and are often more noticeable at night when they come out to forage for food. They feed on seeds, grains, and small insects.

As we know, when mice are around, they leave signs - here are ways to spot them:

1. Look for chewed edges on furniture, wires, or garden tools. Mice gnaw on almost anything.

2. Mice droppings are small, dark, and often found around food sources or entry points.

3. Mice build nests out of soft materials like paper or fabric, often hidden in sheds or dark corners.

4. You might see small, round footprints in dusty areas or soft soil.

How to Spot Nocturnal Wildlife

There's nothing quite like the feeling of spotting an elusive nocturnal animal; and it doesn't have to be too hard.

One of the best ways is to use a wildlife camera that's motion activated, animals are unpredictable, so waiting outside all night can be a bit pointless (and cold!) You can leave the camera out, in a spot that will capture animals if they come into your outside space, and wake up to see what's been going on overnight!

If like these animals, you love the night, you can listen out for sounds. Foxes make high pitched yaps, and Owls hoot and screech, giving away that they're about! If you do wait outside, use a red filtered torch to see, this way you won't disturb the animals.

The most important thing is to keep still and be patient. Animals don't always do what we expect, so it's important to take your time and blend into your surroundings as best as possible.

In the Night Garden Activities

1. Set Up a Wildlife Camera

Install a motion-activated wildlife camera in your garden to capture the movements of nocturnal creatures such as foxes, hedgehogs, and bats. You can review the footage the next day to see which animals visited your garden overnight, giving you a chance to observe their behavior from a distance.

2. Nighttime Nature Walk

Take a quiet night walk around your garden, using a torch with a red filter to minimize disturbance. Walk slowly and listen closely for any sounds of nocturnal creatures, such as the call of an owl or the rustling of a hedgehog foraging. Walking in the cool, quiet night gives you a unique opportunity to see your garden in a new light, and you might spot mice, bats, or even a fox if you're lucky!

3. Moth Watching with a Light Trap

Set up a moth trap using a bright light to attract moths to your garden. You can also place a white sheet underneath the light to make it easier to spot the moths. Moths come out in large numbers at night, and you'll have the chance to identify different species while observing their delicate wings. You may even attract bats that swoop down to feed on them.

4. Create a Sensory Garden

Plant night-scented flowers, such as night-blooming jasmine or night-scented stock, which release their fragrance after dark. A sensory garden that is designed to be enjoyed at night engages multiple senses - sight, smell, and hearing - and will attract moths, bats, and other nocturnal creatures that feed on the blooms.