What's attacking my patio?

[Opifex]

Here's one for the naturalists.

Here is a picture of the latest attack on the mortar in our patio.

IMG_7549.jpg

About a week ago we found some of the aging morter between the slabs in our patio had been removed and scattered. As a 'stop-gap' measure we simply put the pieces back in gaps. Next day the same pieces were removed again. This time all the debris was swept away. Next day we found that whole new sections had been attacked. So the question is what can be doing the damage? We have woodland at the bottom of the garden and regular visits from squirrels, foxes and magpies. The gap between the slabs is about 2cm and some of the pieces are about 10cm long.

Ideas anyone?

Graham.

[mikep]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Could be a Nik*n user... have you told anyone you have a Canon?

Mike

[the black fox]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

LARGE very angry moles

[celtex]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Birds is my guess, could be something else, anything that can scratch around looking for grubs

Why not set up your camera on a tripod with a torch and do a time lapse over night? (anyone remember Jasper Carrot?)

if it is going to be a dry night, put some flour down, you will see the foot prints in the morning, or fine scand I guess

Ian

[wayne2418]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

I think it could possibly be the little known 'cement owl' .. I reckon.

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Very large worms ........

[tesarver]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Very large worms ........

That was going to be my guess

Tom

[Nathaniel]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Have you tried putting some Chillie powder along the crevices & on the mortar? Doesn't matter if it rains as the chillie powder will get embedded/absorbed by the mortar!!!! That should teach the pecky vermins!

[TJM]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

My bet would be the Magpies. They throw all the moss off of my roof, so that it blocks the gutter up, or land all over the paths. "little buggers"

TJM

[NickM]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Crows or magpies would be my guess.

[Bhuna]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

We have similar occurences on our patio and also have a lot of magpies around and a crows nest quite near so the crows / magpies seems quite feasible.

[Roberto]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Why not set up your camera on a tripod with a torch and do a time lapse over night? (anyone remember Jasper Carrot?)

"There's only one way to kill a mole".......

[Nathaniel]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

"There's only one way to kill a mole".......

BURY IT!!!!!!!!

[GORDH]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

My bet would be the Magpies. They throw all the moss off of my roof, so that it blocks the gutter up, or land all over the paths. "little buggers"

TJM

Yep got to agree with this as they do the same thing on our roof and it also ends up on the patio as well either that or the crows

Kind Regards
Gordon

[Opifex]

Re: What's attacking my patio?

Nice lot of suggestions guys.

My guess is the magpies. There are many more of them this year, and a lack of small birds. Coincidence?

They are behaving a bit differently this year - two landed on the narrow window sill yesterday to catch the insects round the frame, and one has learned how to attack the bird feeder to shake the seed onto the ground. After a few days it got quite good at it.

I guess I'll just have to get down to it and replace the mortar.

Off to the builders merchant.

Graham.