Something enormous this way comes......

[happyhumph]

Just came back from a lovely overnight stay in the camper. Went down to the veg patch to get some amaranth and orach for dinner and glanced at my Huauzontle.

I saw a huge (approx 30cm wide) hole dug in the ground, sloping down. OH has been down and stabbed the ground to deter whatever it is and left the pole in the middle of the entrance.

Tomorrow I'll have to firm in the Huauzontle as it's been disturbed and hope they mystery monster moves on......

[burnie]

Have you been watching too much Harry Potter? lol

[veggiechicken]

How to identify animal holes | Discover Wildlife

[happyhumph]

Aaaaarrrgh - looks like a badger hole!

[veggiechicken]

Keep watch, see if it comes back! Or put a fence around the hole and see what happens.
I love badgers but I wouldn't want them in my veg patch!

[happyhumph]

I don't object to badgers but not in my veg patch, especially when there's a 20 acre field that only gets cut twice a year about 6 feet (or less) from the hole it's dug!!!!

Mother nature is testing me this year

[happyhumph]

I blame horse poo - it's obviously made my soil so full of worms the badger couldn't resist! Silly me trying to promote a healthy soil environment......

Still, I think the slugs, snails, mice, rabbits and now badger must worship me as some benevolent god providing for all their needs (although the slugs and snails took the micky and have faced my wrath)

[happyhumph]

Good news - it's been a few days and there is no sign of the badger returning

Wish I could say the same about mice and rats though - the price of living in the countryside I suppose. I miss my cat

Lots of birds and flutterbyes this year which is good.

[Penellype]

There are always pros and cons. At my friend's, next to fields and definitely in the countryside, there are mice, rats and squirrels and weeds blowing in from the surrounding areas. There are loads of birds, and while there is the usual need to net against cabbage whites, in general caterpillars are not a big issue.

At home, although I live on the edge of the village I am surrounded by houses. There is the occasional visit from a mouse or rat, but the neighbour's cat keeps them in check. I've never seen a squirrel in the garden. The price I pay is a serious lack of birds, which means that insect pests can get completely out of hand. I could do with a big flock of something to come and clear out the tortrix moths, but the birds are not going to come when the cat is sunbathing on the flower bed. Weeds are much less of a problem - I get the ones that can float on the wind, like dandelions, but really very little else.

[happyhumph]

Ah yes, the weeds - the 20 acre one is full of dandelions and the small one (about an acre) next to my neighbour is full of ragwort which regularly blows into both our gardens.

Last year we had a squirrel trying to get into the attic....

But not too many insect pests, just mouse size and above.

Do get lovely sparrow murmurations in autumn though - they come in waves and congregate in a huge tree in the field then fly off in huge flocks - so loud I often hear them before seeing them