By the looks of it there is a pest problem here. This property is located not far from the Dungeness River, where the soil is probably soft and rich, happy hunting grounds for moles. If you haven’t made their acquaintence moles hunt for insects as they burrow through the earth. There are voles, too. They’re vegetarians on the prowl for tender roots.
The collectives noun for groups of animals are called “terms of venery.” These terms may be traced back to 15th century England and can be as colorful and interesting as the study of the animals themselves. These terms can be more colorful than the simple “herd of cows.” There is, for example, the classic “exhaultation of larks,” but I rather like “a murmuration of starlings.” If you’ve ever listened to them, you’ll recognize an understatement there. So what does this have to do with moles and my photograph? I will make the observation that this appears to be evidence of a “labour of moles.”
