OK folks, what is the victim and predator involved here? Extra points for telling me what was happening to the bird the few days before he got killed. The clues are all there...
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Ooo- I like these, even though I haven't got a clue 
I'm gonna go for a mink, because it's fairly small.
The bird was fledging - the sheath appears to be still rising up over the feather a little bit in that last shot as though it's only just "unfurled" (whatever the correct name for it is)
And ...er... it was a small grey job
I'm gonna go for a mink, because it's fairly small.
The bird was fledging - the sheath appears to be still rising up over the feather a little bit in that last shot as though it's only just "unfurled" (whatever the correct name for it is)
And ...er... it was a small grey job
Ooo- I like these, even though I haven't got a clue
I'm gonna go for a mink, because it's fairly small.
The bird was fledging - the sheath appears to be still rising up over the feather a little bit in that last shot as though it's only just "unfurled" (whatever the correct name for it is)
And ...er... it was a small grey job
You have one out of three
Yes they do. Cats lleave similar sign too.
You can usually judge the size of the mouth that ripped the feathers out by the size of the clumps. You can usually find evidence of tooth size on some shafts also, although this isn't always so.
Jonathon thanks for posting all these there fantastic. My cats are forever bringing home rabbits and birds the mess does look similar to when they bought a lil pigeon.
It's baby snake season now for all of our adders, so I'll be out and about surveying alot in the next few weeks, so you'll see more of these threads. Glad you enjoy them.
Ah, jumping in late. Nice one!
What I often notice is you guys name animals like muntjack and mink, and each time I raise an eyebrow. Here in Netherlands we have imported animals in the wild, but not yet as many and widely spread as you have in the UK. I think it makes it easier for us, but more interesting for you, to have more factors that can play a role.
What I often notice is you guys name animals like muntjack and mink, and each time I raise an eyebrow. Here in Netherlands we have imported animals in the wild, but not yet as many and widely spread as you have in the UK. I think it makes it easier for us, but more interesting for you, to have more factors that can play a role.
Not a ferret, they always poop up against something or in a corner rather than out in the open like that.
Best way to confuse a feret is to put them in a round cage!
Best way to confuse a feret is to put them in a round cage!
The area where that was found is a well known spot where I always find stoat kills and sign. I've often sat further up the bank and watched them play. The stool is also very sloppy and expanded alot more than you would usually get with a stoat, it's quite typical of many of the stoat poo I find around the area as they eat alot of eggs from domestic chickens a stones threw away.
I'm certainly open to the possibility that there may have been an alien wondering through though. I'll have a scout about next time I'm up and see what I can find.
Would it be possible to get half an idea, or at least narrow it down a bit, by the overall spread of the feathers (wind permitting)?
Edit* I don't mean for this particular case whether it's stoat or mink, but in general on an initial sighting.
Edit* I don't mean for this particular case whether it's stoat or mink, but in general on an initial sighting.
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Absolutely. A smaller predator would create less of a spread of feathers. It can be difficult though as there may be scavengers involved too, and as you've said... wind.
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