Two separate questions.:

1) we have a small rustic shade hut built by an artist from bark-on cedar branches and trunks. This is its third year and something is going at the bark, stripping it off the posts and roof supports and leaving piles of chips on the hut floor.This has occurred before; early in the gardening season.Would you think bird or squirrel(or other)?

2) There is a dead 2' caliper sugar maple trunk, upright,near this structure, and about 10-12 feet above the ground is a 3" round hole.would you think bird or squirrel?we have an average northeast bird population here: cardinals, jays,lots of songbirds, catbirds, mocks.no owls that we have heard since early summer.hawks often seen soaring in the vicinity,but earlier in the season.

as you can see by my questions, my education in these things is most limited.

thank you for your help.

best,

Mindy