unid scats

[asheleaf]

I came across two lots of droppings yesterday, lots of fur and bone. Anyone know who may have 'dropped' them.

thanks, Ashe

[Dogghound]

Size? location?

The bottom one is a pellet from a bird not a scat.

[monkeyrepublic]

Passed from pillar to post, eh Ashe!

I can't see any bone in the bottom one, so I'd guess it's a kestrel (though perhaps I'm misjudging the scale of the picture). It looks rain soaked, so, owl or otherwise, you should be able to tease it apart and explore. Big bits of bone indicate an owl, none or only tiny fragments suggests a bird of prey.

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by monkeyrepublic

Big bits of bone indicate an owl, none or only tiny fragments suggests a bird of prey.

Now thats a great tip! And thank you for all the info. We had thought pellets of some kind but were told mammal droppings so......

These were found on a flood bank, Pulborough brooks, West Sussex. I found these and the fur coat & intestines (up for id in another post) spread across a 100yd section of the flood bank.

Pics 2 & 3 appeared to be the same type. There is quite a collection of them in photo 2 and they do appear to have bone so owl then? Sorry i didnt think to scale these.

Hopefully the rabbit droppings in photo 1 will help.

I think i'm going to have to go back....

Ashe

[danthekeeper]

I would think that the first image is of fox scat certainly looks like it to me anyway

[Dogghound]

In respect to your other post it looks like the bottom pellet is made up of water shrew fur. These finds could well be linked to the same animal.

[monkeyrepublic]

I'm dead impressed with that, Dogghound. How can you tell it's water shrew?

[willing to learn]

Falcon's and hawks should disolve the bones of their prey, their castings contain mainley feather and fur. Owls can not untilise the bone and their castings contain the skeleton of their prey items. Hope this helps.
Regards
Colin

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by monkeyrepublic

I'm dead impressed with that, Dogghound. How can you tell it's water shrew?

Ashe posted another thread with a dead water shrew on it in the same area that confirms their presence. The fur is very dark grey unlike common shrew, wood mouse and the vole species and has alot of white in like the chest hair of a water shrew. By no means is this definte but it would be a good bet.

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by willing to learn

Falcon's and hawks should disolve the bones of their prey, their castings contain mainley feather and fur. Owls can not untilise the bone and their castings contain the skeleton of their prey items. Hope this helps.
Regards
Colin

this helps a great deal thank you very much.

Ashe