On 11/07/2013 12:33, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 11:03:21 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

Outside my back door I have a dozen pots of various herbs on a gravelled
area. Something is digging in the pot of thyme throwing the compost onto
the gravel. About a third is now out and the roots of the time exposed
almost to the bottom, this has been happening over several days. What is
it likely to be? There is very little moisture there, though there are
odd trails of slugs/snails on the exposed compost. Not worried, just
wondering, mind you it is a bit of a pain as I will have to clean up the
gravel nearby. I intend replanting with a new thyme plant then cover the
compost with mesh. That still does not explain the cause. Any ideas please?

I have a seed tray full of mesembryanthemum cuttings 'down the
garden'. Some of the larger bits are flowering. Something, I assume a
bird, has pulled all the flowering bits out and strewn them around!
The non-flowering bits are undisturbed. Birds do do funny things!

Thanks folk, birds get the bird! :-))
I see all of those types in the front garden, so assume it must be one
or the other, or a combination. But why should they confine themselves
to one pot, the thyme?