Unknown Visitor to My Orchard

[diapasonbill]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone can help me identify a nocturnal visitor to my orchard, sited at the bottom of my garden.

If I can remember how to add photographs, some should appear below.
I hope nobody finds them distressing, but there is one of a hedgehog skin, and another one of scat.

Outside the fence



The hole in the fence



'Dinner'?



The Orchard Floor



This is a bit dark, but shows the size of diggings



The 'Loo' located at the base of an old compost heap and surrounded by tall nettles - The Tape is opened 6 inches, I know the subject is out of focus but the camera wanted to focus on anything but the subject matter.



And a couple of views of the orchard





Thank you for any help.
Bill

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi Bill

Your orchard looks beautiful.

I'd guess your visitor is a badger.

[Jennie]

Yep, I second that.

[mbaldw]

The third photo in your chain shows a cleaned out hedgehog skin. Although foxes occasionally do this, they often also bite off the spines. This is almost certainly the work of a badger (Meles meles).

Cheers,
Marc.

p.s. Beautiful orchard, by the way

[diapasonbill]

Hello Hedgehoggy,

Firstly, thank's for your reply, considering the picture of the remains, I would have understood if you had decided to ignore my post.
I was rather wondering if it was badger.
Yes, when we moved here about 30 years ago, we were told that these old trees were the remnants of an orchard that was here before the house was built in the mid 1920's.

Bill

[diapasonbill]

Originally Posted by mbaldw

The third photo in your chain shows a cleaned out hedgehog skin. Although foxes occasionally do this, they often also bite off the spines. This is almost certainly the work of a badger (Meles meles).

Cheers,
Marc.

p.s. Beautiful orchard, by the way

Hey thank you Marc,

The spines were all in place & I never knew that about the foxes habits, They are also another regular visitor to our garden.

I spread about 200g of wildflower seed around the orchard floor last month, so I dont know how it will like being plowed up, I will have to wait and see what happens in the spring!

Regards Bill

[Hedgehoggy]

Firstly, thank's for your reply, considering the picture of the remains, I would have understood if you had decided to ignore my post.

Aaww, that was considerate, Bill, but don't worry, I totally accept that nature is red in tooth and claw and that badgers have to eat too!

It's wonderful that you kept the old trees in your orchard just as they were when you moved in all those years ago. I imagine it'll look breathtaking when the wildflowers bloom in the spring (if the badger doesn't dig all the seeds up beforehand! )

[JoulesH]

If there are any windfalls from your fruit trees, that's why the badgers are visiting - they love scrumping windfall fruit.

[Badgerman]

You have a Badger

[diapasonbill]

Thank you everyone for your input about my visitor.

Jennie, I missed you off my previous replies - sorry, I didn't want you to think I was not gratefull for your input.

Hedgehoggy, yes we have been able to keep most of the remaining trees, some have been lost to the wind, and some have had to undergo some quite major hacking as a result of damage - 1987 left several at strange angles, or just a trunk, but with a few props & left to nature, many have survived.
I did send off some samples a few years ago & I had 1 variety (2 trees) identified as a cooker (Queen) I had been eating these raw for years, a very nice juicy fruit. Every year I intend to have some more identified, but never get around to it.

JoulesH, Scrumping apples - yes along with the foxes, birds, wasps, ants etc. and that reminds me, many years ago we caught a former owner of a property whose garden runs alongside the bottom of ours, there he was with a long handled fruit picker, pinching the walnuts from one of our trees!

Badgerman, Thank's, that is a very firm statement, and from your name it sounds as though you should know!

Cheers All

Bill