What ever it is starts in the autumn and carries on off and on over winter,
after the larvae of solitary bees I think

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89219640@N04/9623639468/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8921964...n/photostream/
The holes are nearly always round about 2-3cm across and about 5cm deep with
a rounded bottom. the spoil is usually thrown to just one side.

(Its not our dog his holes are huge!!)

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

Green Woodpecker


Mike



"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message ...

What ever it is starts in the autumn and carries on off and on over winter,
after the larvae of solitary bees I think

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89219640@N04/9623639468/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8921964...n/photostream/
The holes are nearly always round about 2-3cm across and about 5cm deep with
a rounded bottom. the spoil is usually thrown to just one side.

(Its not our dog his holes are huge!!)

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

'Mike' wrote:

Green Woodpecker

It's possible: http://rxwildlife.org.uk/2009/02/27/lawnpeckers/

--
Chris

Got some photos somewhere I took at my daughter and son in law's house. A
couple of acres of beautifully cared for landscaped gardens, destroyed by
Green Woodpeckers, Ducks and Moorhens which build their nests on the Island
in the middle of their pond and Moles which will insists of making
mountains.

and now they have Rabbits getting in and it IS a walled garden :-(

Gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Mike



"CT" wrote in message ...

'Mike' wrote:

Green Woodpecker

It's possible: http://rxwildlife.org.uk/2009/02/27/lawnpeckers/

--
Chris

On 29/08/2013 17:32, 'Mike' wrote:
Got some photos somewhere I took at my daughter and son in law's house. A
couple of acres of beautifully cared for landscaped gardens, destroyed by
Green Woodpeckers, Ducks and Moorhens which build their nests on the Island
in the middle of their pond and Moles which will insists of making
mountains.

and now they have Rabbits getting in and it IS a walled garden :-(

Gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Nature happens, get over it. :-)
--
Phil Cook

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 16:27:07 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

What ever it is starts in the autumn and carries on off and on over winter,
after the larvae of solitary bees I think

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89219640@N04/9623639468/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8921964...n/photostream/
The holes are nearly always round about 2-3cm across and about 5cm deep with
a rounded bottom. the spoil is usually thrown to just one side.

(Its not our dog his holes are huge!!)

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.
--
rbel

On 29/08/2013 20:07, rbel wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 16:27:07 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

What ever it is starts in the autumn and carries on off and on over winter,
after the larvae of solitary bees I think

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89219640@N04/9623639468/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8921964...n/photostream/
The holes are nearly always round about 2-3cm across and about 5cm deep with
a rounded bottom. the spoil is usually thrown to just one side.

(Its not our dog his holes are huge!!)

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

My thought was hedgehog, but in the winter?

Got under my daughter's tennis court, made their set nearby and that was the
end of tennis.

Mike



"Jake" wrote in message ...

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:07:35 +0100, rbel wrote:

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

Badger? A relatively isolated bit of disturbance. This pic is of one
night's activity by one badger. The area extended to about 25 square
feet.

http://www.rivendell.org.uk/gallerie...156&fullsize=1

--
Cheers, Jake
=======================================
URGling from the east end of Swansea Bay in between
yanking up ever-appearing clumps of Himalayan balsam.

On 29/08/2013 20:59, 'Mike' wrote:
Got under my daughter's tennis court, made their set nearby and that was
the end of tennis.

Game set and match to the badgers

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:36:28 +0100, Jake
wrote:

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:07:35 +0100, rbel wrote:

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

Badger? A relatively isolated bit of disturbance. This pic is of one
night's activity by one badger. The area extended to about 25 square
feet.

http://www.rivendell.org.uk/gallerie...156&fullsize=1


I have seen that sort of activity on several occasions but I have
frequently encountered just one or two scrapes or snuffle holes in
quite a large area.
--
rbel

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 29/08/2013 20:07, rbel wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 16:27:07 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

What ever it is starts in the autumn and carries on off and on over
winter,
after the larvae of solitary bees I think

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89219640@N04/9623639468/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8921964...n/photostream/
The holes are nearly always round about 2-3cm across and about 5cm deep
with
a rounded bottom. the spoil is usually thrown to just one side.

(Its not our dog his holes are huge!!)

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

My thought was hedgehog, but in the winter?


Well I had thought of Hedgehogs as a good size to be the culprits and they
are active all winter here except very cold weather

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

"CT" wrote in message
...
'Mike' wrote:

Green Woodpecker

It's possible: http://rxwildlife.org.uk/2009/02/27/lawnpeckers/

--
Chris

Well I had considered it may be a bird, but was think more in terms of
Ravens, Rooks, Crows or Jackdaws all of which we get, I have never seen a
green wood pecker here mores the pity.

The fact that the spoil is normally to one side makes me think a bird is
less likely but not having watched a hole dug by a bird who knows!

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

"Jake" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:07:35 +0100, rbel wrote:

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

Badger? A relatively isolated bit of disturbance. This pic is of one
night's activity by one badger. The area extended to about 25 square
feet.

http://www.rivendell.org.uk/gallerie...156&fullsize=1

--
Cheers, Jake
Your picture shows why I don't think its Badger, not enough damage!

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

"rbel" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:36:28 +0100, Jake
wrote:

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:07:35 +0100, rbel wrote:

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

Badger? A relatively isolated bit of disturbance. This pic is of one
night's activity by one badger. The area extended to about 25 square
feet.

http://www.rivendell.org.uk/gallerie...156&fullsize=1


I have seen that sort of activity on several occasions but I have
frequently encountered just one or two scrapes or snuffle holes in
quite a large area.
--
rbel

OK so it may be Badger, although I would have thought it hard for them to
get into the garden, they are around,

I can see I will have to try and get hold of one of those motion sensitive
cameras


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 2013-08-29 22:53:26 +0100, Charlie Pridham said:

"Jake" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:07:35 +0100, rbel wrote:

Before I saw the estimated width my immediate reaction was badger
scrapes. The spoil pattern is very similar to those I have seen, but
the width is more like 4 cms. Solitary bees and the green woodpecker
tend to make holes of the size you indicate but there is little or no
spoil pattern, usually just a small divot in the case of the
woodpecker.

Badger? A relatively isolated bit of disturbance. This pic is of one
night's activity by one badger. The area extended to about 25 square
feet.

http://www.rivendell.org.uk/gallerie...156&fullsize=1

--
Cheers, Jake
Your picture shows why I don't think its Badger, not enough damage!

No green woodpeckers here either. Looking at a few Google images, it
seems very possible it's a hedgehog scrape, especially at this time of
year. In which case, you're very lucky!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk