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Pellet Contents (1 Viewer)

helenol

Well-known member
Stumbled upon these pellets today, not a million miles from my house.

Looked up, and there was the familiar whitewash on the branches of the trees, and on the ground too. There was also a huge nest at the top of the tree.

Anyway, there was a large quantity of pellets in the immediate area of the nest. In one of them was the skeletal remains of a foot.

Any ideas which mammal this foot was once attached to?

(I am pretty certain it's a buzzard nest, since they are in the immediate area, and last week, I watched a buzzard fly over the house in the direction of the nest with a rabbit in its talons! It was pure chance I came across the nest today; I didn't hang around)

TIA
 

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"Any ideas which mammal this foot was once attached to?"

A moose perhaps, (mouse) to the non-Scottish amoungst us.

Drop the pellets in a dish of warm water and let them soak apart. You will probably find more skeletal remains, which may help you identify the prey items.
A wee paint brush is sometimes a help in teasing them apart.
Happy investigations.

Regards

Malky
 
"I suspect it's a little too large for a mouse."

A big mouse then (o)<

"Marvellous, that's one way of passing the time I suppose. Ta."

Least it would be better than watchin yon Big Brither.


Regards

Malky
 
I would say looking at the size of the remains it`s likely to be a rat.Agree it looks a bit big for a mouse.

Mark
 
Mark, my thoughts too. I had noticed a couple of rats close by recently, but haven't seen them for a few days, so it is conceivable one of them was taken.

On the other hand, I wonder if the remains are rabbit, poss too small. As previously mentioned, I did see the buzzard with a rabbit in its talons.

Regards
 
Squirrel, rat, mole (back foot), young rabbit, leveret, fox cub, stoat, weasel, puppy?!

Impossible to tell from that photo. You'd need to compare with a collection, or do an genetic analysis.
 
Thanks for the replies. Offord, yes I agree, a fair point you make there. My hunch is squirrel.

btw, someone asked me today, in all seriousness whether the red kite was a danger to children - i.e. do the kites attack children! Quite.

But I digress....
 
helenol said:
Thanks for the replies. Offord, yes I agree, a fair point you make there. My hunch is squirrel.

btw, someone asked me today, in all seriousness whether the red kite was a danger to children - i.e. do the kites attack children! Quite.

But I digress....
Tell them yes Helen, especially the hooded ones!!!|:mad:|
 
lol, kites are eating kids daily round here H.

interesting pellets too, let us know what is inside - bit like a kinder surprise!
 
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