ID from bird dropping challenge (1 Viewer)

[xaviertaylor]

Dear all - I look to your unparalelled expertise to see if its possible to ID a bird by its droppings (not sure if these qualify as 'pellets').
I live in the countryside in Essex, UK and have a regular visitor to an upstairs outside balcony. Its leaving quite a mess too!!!

I do hear Tawny owls, have seen Little Owls ... and also get many a Kestrel and a few Sparrowhawks in the area. Do you think it could be one of these?

Please see attached photos. In one of the droppings there was a piece of bone that looked like it belonged to a small mammal... about 1cm long.

Thanks for any help that can be offered.

 

[Dmacaskill]

I'm no expert, but my guess is dove/pigeon

 

[Nutcracker]

Not a pigeon if it's got bits of bone in!

Owls regurgitate the bones in their diet as pellets, so not an owl; I'd suspect that leaves Sparrowhawk as the most likely option, but I'd not be certain on that. What about mammals, is Weasel possible - they are good climbers.

 

[Earnest lad]

If this is was april 1st, one might have been suspicious about this post

 

[tconzemi]

no uric acid (white urine of birds) visible in first 3 droppings, why not a mammal (marten)?

 

[Nutcracker]

no uric acid (white urine of birds) visible in first 3 droppings, why not a mammal (marten)?

No Martens in Essex, but Weasel and Stoat are both possible, as is [escaped] Ferret :t:

 

[xaviertaylor]

I appreciate your replies everyone. I think though we can take mammals out of the equation... although I'm in the countryside, our balcony is 2nd floor of a small block of flats.
One area where I found droppings would ONLY be accessible by a bird.