Solitary tree and giant porcupine

The solitary tree and the giant porcupine have featured before. The tree is coming into leaf. First thing this morning, the sky was dramatic, with flecks of blue showing through the clouds. Later, as the forecast predicted, the cloud thickened into a continuous cover and the rain came.

Meanwhile back at home in the garden, things were happening in our absence. Before I left for work, I placed a plate of cherry tomatoes and strawberries inside the caged run attached to Reg's hutch. I felt sure that no bird would be bold enough to enter the hutch, and hop through the arch into the caged area. A mouse or a vole, though, could probably climb through the wire. When I came home, all but one of the 8 quarter strawberries was gone, and half of the cherry tomatoes. One of the tomato pieces had been half eaten and left much deeper in the cage, the strawberry had been knocked off the plate. Let's face it, Reg isn't the tidiest of eaters, and this definitely had the appearance of Reg food after he has eaten some and bumbled over the rest, knocking pieces of food out of the way.

We can't rule out a small mammal, but it would be a small mammal with a big appetite, and there were no traces of their droppings. So, encouraging signs.

This evening a search on Google has thrown up an idea for tracking him. A pet locating device that is small and light and can be taped to his shell. So once we have found him, this need never happen again.