A question of pooh....... (1 Viewer)

El Annie

Phew..............

• Oct 11, 2002

• #1

Sorry about the subject matter but I need to know if there is such a thing as a website/book that gives identification of wildlife based on it's pooh!!! There is something new visiting my garden, I suspect at night, on several occasions now have come across it's droppings, if I could get an ID from the pooh it would be great. Have also seen same pooh in field next to river. I'm thinking Fox/Badger.

Any help appreciated

El Annie:gh:

 

IanF

Moderator

• Oct 12, 2002

• #2

Hi El Annie, I have a friend in the States who is interested in 'scat' a quick Google brought back these sites, though they aren't brilliant. I did find if you search on scat+fox or whatever you can strike lucky or as the yanks say 'hit pay dirt'
What animal is it ?
http://www.bear-tracker.com/animalscat.html

 

El Annie

Phew..............

• Oct 12, 2002

• #3

Thanx for that Ian!! Have checked both sites and have determined that it's not a fox but no further forward with what it might be.........

Hope you had a fab holiday!!

El Annie :t:

 

IanF

Moderator

• Oct 12, 2002

• #4

The holiday was great thanks, it was just he sort of place that I could retire to
Have you considered Hedgehogs or Badgers ?

 

El Annie

Phew..............

• Oct 12, 2002

• #5

Badgers is actually what I suspect I'm sure there's a sett in the field but it seems odd that they would venture as far as our garden and I'm not sure how they would get in???

The other thing is that we get a lot of Pheasants - 12 in the garden this morning!! Do you happen to know what Pheasant pooh is like

El Annie

 

IanF

Moderator

• Oct 12, 2002

• #6

I know what badger scat looks like, but they usually do there business in small hollowed out cups a couple of inches deep and also in a designated latrine area. I used to watch them regularly at a couple setts when I lived in Barnard Castle.
Not the most photogenic of subjects but a photo may be useful if you have a digicam !

 

El Annie

Phew..............

• Oct 12, 2002

• #7

Yep Ian, am going to photograph one and post it for comment!!! Just hope it doesn't upset anyone !! Will put it in the gallery might be next weekend now as I'm pretty busy for next few days.

El Annie
:t:

 

D

Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• Oct 13, 2002

• #8

Hi Annie,
Just to concur with Ian, Badgers dig a small latrine - known round here as a "s#@* pit" At this time of year the droppings will contain a lot of vegetable matter - seeds from berries and chaff

Darrell

 

D

Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• Oct 13, 2002

• #9

Sorry I forgot....

Pheasant droppings are black/green and cylindrical. They are about an inch long and are dropped in large groups in depressions where the bird has been resting. There is also a prominent 'urine cap' at one end

Darrell

 

B

burhinus

Well-known member

• Oct 25, 2002

• #10

Hi El Annie
Think maybe Collins Mammal books did some droppings illustrations for ID this was a few years ago thoiugh since I looked in one.

burhinus

 

Camberley red

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2002

• #11

My money is on the mythical North Yorks Puma, at least then you can get the story in the local paper and you can become a celebrity! more practical advice is definately take a picture of the suspect material.

Good hunting

Paul

 

El Annie

Phew..............

• Oct 27, 2002

• #12

Thank you all....

for your replies and ideas as to where to look for more information. I havn't seen any more of said pooh for a few weeks now, and that definitely rules out pheasants as we have at least 12 a day in the garden at the moment!!

Will keep on looking and as soon as I spot any will do the business with camera!!!

Cheers
El Annie

 

LMG

Well-known member

• Nov 3, 2002

• #13

Hi Annie,
While I was out walking the dogs this morning, I thought I'd take a photo of a badger's latrine to help you identify your mystery animal. I hope I haven't lowered the tone of the site! Another point which might help you is that a badger's hair has a square cross section, so if you rub it between your fingers it won't roll easily. Maybe you'd find some on a barbed wire fence close by.

 

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ralph

Old Hand

• Nov 3, 2002

• #14

*Suddenly, Ralph's sausage sandwich doesn't look too appealing!*

Cheers guys!

 

El Annie

Phew..............

• Nov 3, 2002

• #15

Sorry bout that Ralph!!

Thanks for being so thoughtful LMG, I will have a bit of a hunt around see if I can find one! At least I can now eliminate Badger from the list of possible owners of the pooh in my garden!!

El Annie :t:

 

C

cjay

Well-known member

• Dec 28, 2002

• #16

hedgehog droppings should be shiny & have beetle shells in it.
Fox droppings will have a curly hook at one end.

CJ