At my late Mother's house, which I am looking after until I get around to
selling it, I have just found two tunnels dug into the lawn, each about 9"
across. The way the waste soil has been thrown shows that they were dug from
the surface down. The garden is completely surrounded by high walls, apart
from a gap about 3" high under one corner of a solid gate. So, any ideas
what did it? My thought was a terrier, but I've not seen any signs of rats
and I don't know what it would have been digging for otherwise.

Colin Bignell

At my late Mother's house, which I am looking after until I get around to
selling it, I have just found two tunnels dug into the lawn, each about 9"
across. The way the waste soil has been thrown shows that they were dug from
the surface down. The garden is completely surrounded by high walls, apart
from a gap about 3" high under one corner of a solid gate. So, any ideas
what did it? My thought was a terrier, but I've not seen any signs of rats
and I don't know what it would have been digging for otherwise.

Colin Bignell


Sounds way too big for a mole.
Could be a rabbit. Any sign of rabbit droppings nearby - small black/brown pellets
about 1cm?
--
Drakanthus.


(Spam filter: Include the word VB anywhere in the subject line or emails
will never reach me.)

nightjar wrote:

Hello nightjar

n At my late Mother's house, which I am looking after until I
n get around to selling it, I have just found two tunnels dug
n into the lawn, each about 9" across. The way the waste soil
n has been thrown shows that they were dug from the surface
n down. The garden is completely surrounded by high walls,
n apart from a gap about 3" high under one corner of a solid
n gate. So, any ideas what did it? My thought was a terrier,
n but I've not seen any signs of rats and I don't know what it
n would have been digging for otherwise.

Rabbits, foxes (digging for worms), badgers (same), australian mole...

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

"Simon Avery" wrote in message
...
nightjar wrote:

Hello nightjar

n At my late Mother's house, which I am looking after until I
n get around to selling it, I have just found two tunnels dug
n into the lawn, each about 9" across. The way the waste soil
n has been thrown shows that they were dug from the surface
n down. The garden is completely surrounded by high walls,
n apart from a gap about 3" high under one corner of a solid
n gate. So, any ideas what did it? My thought was a terrier,
n but I've not seen any signs of rats and I don't know what it
n would have been digging for otherwise.

Rabbits, foxes (digging for worms), badgers (same), australian mole...

Thanks for the suggestions.

I should, perhaps, have stated that this is in a well established urban
area. The hole looks too small for a badger and, if it is a rabbit, it is
one that doesn't leave droppings. An urban fox seems the most probable and,
given that I cannot see the ends of the tunnels, I wonder whether it is a
den. I'll have to take a closer look.

Colin Bignell

"Drakanthus" wrote in message
...
At my late Mother's house, which I am looking after until I get around
to
selling it, I have just found two tunnels dug into the lawn, each about
9"
across. The way the waste soil has been thrown shows that they were dug
from
the surface down. The garden is completely surrounded by high walls,
apart
from a gap about 3" high under one corner of a solid gate. So, any ideas
what did it? My thought was a terrier, but I've not seen any signs of
rats
and I don't know what it would have been digging for otherwise.

Colin Bignell


Sounds way too big for a mole.
Could be a rabbit. Any sign of rabbit droppings nearby - small black/brown
pellets
about 1cm?

No tracks or droppings of any kind in the area. Simon Avery has suggested a
fox and, as this is an urban garden that has been virtually untouched for
some months, that seems a strong possibility.

Colin Bignell

In article , nightjar@?.?
writes
At my late Mother's house, which I am looking after until I get around to
selling it, I have just found two tunnels dug into the lawn, each about 9"
across. The way the waste soil has been thrown shows that they were dug from
the surface down. The garden is completely surrounded by high walls, apart
from a gap about 3" high under one corner of a solid gate. So, any ideas
what did it? My thought was a terrier, but I've not seen any signs of rats
and I don't know what it would have been digging for otherwise.

Rabbits?
Follow the tunnel for about three to four feet.
If it descends a bit and then levels out and ends in a chamber with bits
of grass and leaves and moss in it then it is a rabbit.
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason,
put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com

nightjar wrote:

Hello nightjar

Rabbits, foxes (digging for worms), badgers (same),
australian mole...

n Thanks for the suggestions.

Well, maybe apart from the mole one.

n I should, perhaps, have stated that this is in a well
n established urban area. The hole looks too small for a
n badger and, if it is a rabbit, it is one that doesn't leave
n droppings. An urban fox seems the most probable and, given
n that I cannot see the ends of the tunnels, I wonder whether
n it is a den. I'll have to take a closer look.

9" is a bit small for a fox den, normally 12-18" entrance holes and a
lot of spoil - they also prefer digging into a slope rather than a
flat area.

Plus, urban foxes are, I think, more likely to den under sheds,
outbuildings etc. It's hard work to dig and they aren't stupid.

Bit of a puzzler. May I suggest a PIR and a late night to see who's at
home?

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

"Simon Avery" wrote in message
...
nightjar wrote:

Hello nightjar

Rabbits, foxes (digging for worms), badgers (same),
australian mole...

n Thanks for the suggestions.

Well, maybe apart from the mole one.

n I should, perhaps, have stated that this is in a well
n established urban area. The hole looks too small for a
n badger and, if it is a rabbit, it is one that doesn't leave
n droppings. An urban fox seems the most probable and, given
n that I cannot see the ends of the tunnels, I wonder whether
n it is a den. I'll have to take a closer look.

9" is a bit small for a fox den, normally 12-18" entrance holes and a
lot of spoil - they also prefer digging into a slope rather than a
flat area.

This lawn is anything but flat. It is more a series of grassy hillocks. :-(

Plus, urban foxes are, I think, more likely to den under sheds,
outbuildings etc. It's hard work to dig and they aren't stupid.

Bit of a puzzler. May I suggest a PIR and a late night to see who's at
home?

A mirror and a torch showed me that the tunnels end just out of sight. There
are also other smaller scuffs in the lawn that I had missed the first time
around. It seems your suggestion of a fox digging out earth worms is
favourite.

Regards

Colin Bignell

In article , nightjar@?.?
writes

A mirror and a torch showed me that the tunnels end just out of sight. There
are also other smaller scuffs in the lawn that I had missed the first time
around. It seems your suggestion of a fox digging out earth worms is
favourite.

Nah - rabbits!!!
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason,
put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com

"Jane Ransom" wrote in message
...
In article , nightjar@?.?
writes

A mirror and a torch showed me that the tunnels end just out of sight.
There
are also other smaller scuffs in the lawn that I had missed the first
time
around. It seems your suggestion of a fox digging out earth worms is
favourite.

Nah - rabbits!!!

There is a distinct lack of rabbit droppings if it is.

Colin Bignell

The message
from Jane Ransom contains these words:


We have rabbits up the ying yang

Sounds intersting, what's your ying yang, Jane? (I've got a carved
granite ying-yang birdbath, but no rabbits in it).

Janet