Strange colours under bird table

[Buckley]

During the recent snowy weather, I discovered about a 6 foot diameter mass of red and yellow/orange colour under the bird feeding stations. Some of it looks like blood, some like urine. Later in the week, there was an approximate 20 foot spread of the yellow/orange stuff along the plants near the stations. The stations contained peanuts and pink coloured suet pellets but nothing as intense as was seen. Any suggestions please? Could it be diseased birds or possibly a rather ill cat or fox? Have never seen anything like this in previous snowy years (and using the same type of food for the birds).
The image shows some of the colours encountered.

[solus]

I suppose it could be poo from birds that have been eating lots of berries (hawthorn, pyracantha etc.) but it does seem rather too widespread and too much for that. Sorry, no ideas apart from that one.

(I watched a Blackbird the other day er... deposit a couple of almost complete pyracantha berries from the opposite end he'd put 'em into!)

[Sparklebug]

I know this might sound daft, but you don't have rabbits in or around the garden do you? I too have seen this kind of "stain" and I think it is rabbit urine, as I have seen it on my local park all week, up in the woods etc, accompanied by footprints and droppings.....and from experience have seen this kind of red tinged urine around rabbit warrens in the past.......anyway just a thought, if not it could be from the birds, but in this kind of quantity I'm not sure........ Oh and welcome to WAB!

[Blizzard]

Originally Posted by Sparklebug

I know this might sound daft, but you don't have rabbits in or around the garden do you?

Doesn't sound daft to me at all. I haven't got rabbits here but hare urine looks very like that, quite scarily red in colour sometimes.

Welcome to WAB Buckley .

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Blizzard

Doesn't sound daft to me at all. I haven't got rabbits here but hare urine looks very like that, quite scarily red in colour sometimes.

Welcome to WAB Buckley .

Normally rabbit poo/wee is red because they gnaw on their hutches.

Nige

[April Showers]

I seen the exact same thing except it was on the clear roof of some out buildings.
I got such a shock when I looked up one day last week and saw it .. seriously thought something had been murdered!
On closer inspection it was more orange-y than red and quite translucent - there was also a dropping like streak on the back door, I concluded it was somethings berry rich poo and breathed a sigh of relief

[Cowgirl]

Sorry to hijack a bit, but I just wanted to ask if birds will eat Sloe berries?

I've seen lots of purply coloured bird poops, but the brambles are all gone so just wondered if it was Sloes.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

Sorry to hijack a bit, but I just wanted to ask if birds will eat Sloe berries?

I've seen lots of purply coloured bird poops, but the brambles are all gone so just wondered if it was Sloes.

Yes birds will feed on sloes, Hawfinch love them.

The urine in the thread does look very rabbit like, although I suspect its more likely come from a rat.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

Sorry to hijack a bit, but I just wanted to ask if birds will eat Sloe berries?

I've seen lots of purply coloured bird poops, but the brambles are all gone so just wondered if it was Sloes.

Definitely. I have watched Fieldfares gulping them down whole as if there were no tomorrow.

henrya

[shenk1]

Our pet rabbit used to pass that colour urine and he didn't have any front teeth to gnaw on anything(or a cage as he used to sleep under the bed upstairs)