interesting pellet help!

diggleken · #1 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 02:05 PM

Hi,
this pellet was found yesterday in Derbyshire on the edge of open moorland under a small birchwood canopy.
Its a bit of a puzzle what its from, so any steer/help welcome.
Current thinking is that it could well be Dragonfly abdomen/legs/wings that are in there, besides some grit.
Pattern and size of the material seems to fit Common or Moorland Hawker -they are too thick for Damselflies and are not the elytra of beetles etc, they are clearly more circular and segmented.
There is a nice piece of wing showing, a bit battered of course, but is it a Dragonfly wing remnant?
All this may well lead to Hobby................which would be nice.
Size is 1.5'' long by 3/4'' width.
Quite chunky.
Any ideas on the material and the theory?

Thanks a lot
Cheers
Ken

poschiavanus · #2 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 02:22 PM

Wing looks hymenopteran as do some of the other body parts. Not sure if this moves the discussion on any tho'.

Dogghound · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 02:25 PM

Something less exotic im afraid, its full of wasp remains. I would have though it is the pellet from a corvid by the looks of it. Wasps are easy prey for birds at this time of year as their numbers are high but they are often quite sleepy/moribund.

Hobby pellets look different to this, they are smaller, more rounded and more compact.

diggleken · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 03:27 PM

Thanks both,
thats a great help - it did seem rather large!
There is a good population of Ravens near there, and some Crows, so that might well be it.
Wasp would fit well, there are a number of slightly tapering segments in the pellet, rather than Dragonfly.
Brilliant, really helpful.

Cheers
Ken

diggleken · #5 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 04:52 PM

Just a further thought, grateful for views - what about Honey Buzzzard?
Forget whether locally known or rare here, any views on the pellet fitting that species?

Cheers
Ken

Dogghound · #6 (**permalink**) 06-10-2011, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diggleken

Just a further thought, grateful for views - what about Honey Buzzzard?
Forget whether locally known or rare here, any views on the pellet fitting that species?

Cheers
Ken

It would be quite late for one to still be around. Our local birds had all but gone by early September. You can never be 100% but as I said in the earlier post a Corvid is by far the most likely.