Does anyone what is doing this?

[MikeyT201]

Hi, my lawn seems to have been raked overnight by some kind of creature, there are various patches which are quite large.
Does anyone have an idea what creature is doing this? We do border a field, there are deer around but I don't know how they would have got into the garden, so think it's something else.

Thanks.

 

[Tetters]

Mikey, do I see a bit of broken fence beyond the hedge? The damage appears to go in a line as if something has been dragged across it. We also have fields directly behind our garden, and are aware of people walking there from time to time. Have you checked to see if anything is missing - from a shed maybe? Across a field can be a more unprotected entrance for light fingered visitors.
My other thought would be badgers.
Are there any waterways across those fields?

 

[MikeyT201]

Hi Tetters. I think you maybe right about badgers. The hedge is pretty secure with a large ditch in between so would be difficult for a human, nothing missing. May stay up tonight to have a look! Many thanks.

Update. Just found some magpies pulling at the lawn so I can sleep easy tonight!

 

[Tetters]

Are there any otters nearby? I would invest in a night time camera if I were you. We pick up all kinds of activity on ours. Birds will collect leather jackets, but I haven't seen that sort of aftermath here.
If ever you want to encourage badgers, they absolutely love carrots.

Update - look what I found...

Why lawns and grass around Lincoln are being destroyed by birds

Some gardens have been left in a mess

www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk

 

[MikeyT201]

Are there any otters nearby? I would invest in a night time camera if I were you. We pick up all kinds of activity on ours. Birds will collect leather jackets, but I haven't seen that sort of aftermath here.
If ever you want to encourage badgers, they absolutely love carrots.

Update - look what I found...

Why lawns and grass around Lincoln are being destroyed by birds

Some gardens have been left in a mess

www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk

Hi, thanks for the info, very useful. I will probably look to scarify the lawn and see what happens. I think it's the magpies pecking at the lawn for the bugs, hopefully things will improve with the spring weather, whenever that comes!

 

[Sheal]

It seems you've found your culprits Mikey.

We do border a field, there are deer around but I don't know how they would have got into the garden,

The only thing that will keep deer out of a garden is a 2 1/2 metre or 8 foot fence. I have problems with deer and they are unlikely to damage your lawn but devour any plants they find tasty.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Yes, don't kid yourself that hedge is deer proof, they can really jump high, and if they feel like it their hide is tough enough they could push straight through it. Wearing fairly thin buckskin gloves I can wrap a bramble round both hands and yank it out of the soil.
I have a badger visits, he mucks up the lawn a bit like that, but also takes out considerable scoops every so often, a couple or three inches across and three or four inches deep. You can see his claw mark in them. Magpies seems likely, jackdaws as well, comfort yourself that the leatherjackets they take would do more damage to the grass than they do.

 

[Don Perry]

In Texas and Oklahoma we have hogs. They can tear up a whole field of crops just to get the seed.