Is it a bird, is it a hedgehog, no, it's...

[green thing]

is it bath time ?
House Sparrows,Taking a Dirt Bath! Lovely Plantings

[Rabidbun]

I caught the culprit. Well, not caught, but it near did me in! Had repaired the latest damage (all my spring garlic uprooted with the same large holes) and went back outside ten minutes later to find the same done again. Was just checking toddler proximity so that I could launch into some good healthy swear words with impunity and a female blackbird that was less than a metre away IN a new pot tried to kill me with the element of surprise when it shot straight up into the air!

Now I've just got to keep the lil blighter off all me pots!

Thanks again for all the guesses and help!

[Two_Sheds]

I beg to differ! I've seen our Mrs Blackbird with my own eyes

I caught the culprit. ..a female blackbird

No way!
Well, I'm happy to stand corrected