Droppings in the garden ???

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Apologies for this especially if you about to eat. We have been finding these dropping in our garden and we are baffled as to who or what has left them. They seem to be bird dropping but are very large at 8cm x 3cm and have been in the same place below a large tree. So a change from the usual wood ID threads! can anyone offer any suggestions?

 

[Stigmorgan]

Are you sure it's phoo and not the undigestible parts vomited by a bird of prey?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Definitely not a pellet, there are no bones or feathers in it. It’s not too dissimilar to chicken poo but slightly larger and a firmer dare I say patè consistency.

 

[Sideways]

I thought the roc was extinct !
Fun thread idea
If whatever laid that was up your tree rather than just loitering around it, you best get your hard hat out !

 

[Daniel2]

Can sheep climb trees ?

 

[kinverkid]

I don't know but could it be Heron or maybe Raven poo? We had a peacock that would drop huge ones on our lawn and patio but I think you would notice if you had a peacock visiting the garden.

 

[clogs]

gotta be an Owl poo.....not the vomit blobs...

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Heron is interesting, we have a brook that flows through our garden and we have a resident heron called Herbert but we have never seen him on our section of the brook. The poo is tinged with purple which might suggest whatever it is may be feeding on ivy berries, as they are the only berries out at the moment.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Clogs, Owl is what we are thinking. I did build a barn owl nesting box about four years ago which sits about fifteen feet up our ash tree so it would be very exciting if we had tenants.

 

[Ozi]

Easy to tell if it's the heron - it will taste of fish - sorry hat coat.

 

[Suffolkboy]

It's a touch early but I suspect that is what is known as a "Clocker"

When a female bird is on the nest she obviously can't get up and roam around as she has to keep her eggs warm this leads to her becoming somewhat backed up as she can't just poop willy nilly through the day so, once a day she gets up, eats, finds a quiet spot, braces herself and... Lays a clocker. Then she wipes the tears from her eyes (presumably) and returns to her nest to keep her eggs warm before they catch a chill. Why is it referred to as a clocker you may well ask... Well, this happens so regularly that you could set your clock by it, or, because it's so large as she's stored it up by sitting round the clock.

If you have a river nearby these could be mallard clockers but they look to me like it might be a hen pheasant, the size is about right.

I can't find many references to it on the old Google machine but here is a link that mentions the behaviour in Sage Grouse.

https://conservationco.org/2015/04/03/blog-top-5-weird-sage-grouse-facts/
and greyhen.

https://gallowayfarm.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/greyhens-clocker/
I imagine all birds do it otherwise they'd cover their eggs in their own feaces.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

That very interesting suffolkboy and make sense. We have a wildlife camera which was set up last night but it was a misty/ foggy night and the lens got misted up so we will give it another go tonight.

 

[Phill05]

So it looks like No1 is a clocker now the question is "whos clocker have we clocked" we wait in anticipation but hopefully not too long.

 

[Tris]

A few years back we had a goosander pair roost in a poplar for a couple of weeks at this time of year. Reckon they'd be big enough to lay one that size.
It's quite strange to see a duck 30ft up a tree!

 

[clogs]

when I build the next workshop, this summer ...yaaaaa....
I'll def be putting up an Owl box.....
speaking of Owls....
we have one of these critters close by.....
drove us nuts thinking it was some kinda alarm.....
worth a look / listen....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkGP2OP7wvc

 

[fenhayman]

It's a touch early but I suspect that is what is known as a "Clocker"

When a female bird is on the nest she obviously can't get up and roam around as she has to keep her eggs warm this leads to her becoming somewhat backed up as she can't just poop willy nilly through the day so, once a day she gets up, eats, finds a quiet spot, braces herself and... Lays a clocker. Then she wipes the tears from her eyes (presumably) and returns to her nest to keep her eggs warm before they catch a chill. Why is it referred to as a clocker you may well ask... Well, this happens so regularly that you could set your clock by it, or, because it's so large as she's stored it up by sitting round the clock.

If you have a river nearby these could be mallard clockers but they look to me like it might be a hen pheasant, the size is about right.

I can't find many references to it on the old Google machine but here is a link that mentions the behaviour in Sage Grouse.

https://conservationco.org/2015/04/03/blog-top-5-weird-sage-grouse-facts/
and greyhen.

https://gallowayfarm.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/greyhens-clocker/
I imagine all birds do it otherwise they'd cover their eggs in their own feaces.

Agree. Sitting hens will produce turds bigger than their eggs. Hard and blunt at one end, soft and pointy at the other.

 

[clogs]

Fenhayman.....
our chickens also had very stinky turds when sitting....hahaha.....

 

[pgrbff]

when I build the next workshop, this summer ...yaaaaa....
I'll def be putting up an Owl box.....
speaking of Owls....
we have one of these critters close by.....
drove us nuts thinking it was some kinda alarm.....
worth a look / listen....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkGP2OP7wvc

Thank you. At long last I know what makes that sound.
We have them where we live and I remember them from Greek holidays.

 

[heronviewer]

Looks like pheasant poo. They roost in trees - have you any around you ?

 

[mikej460]

So it looks like No1 is a clocker now the question is "whos clocker have we clocked" we wait in anticipation but hopefully not too long.

It's not a No 1 it's a No 1 and 2

My first thought was Red Kite but agree it might be Heron. I can't see it being a clocker unless there are free range chucks about, it's far too early.