Thanks all!  I'm going with the idea of Fox scat.  I have seen Fox in that area and like I said, it really didn't look like an owl pellet.

And, I found it right on a trail, so it could be a territory marking.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of J. Steven Huy
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 10:40 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Pellets


Not an expert, but you can usually make a good guess by size or prey remains.  I'm not sure anyone can absolutely determine species by a pellet.

But this doesn't really sound like pellets to me.  Perhaps fox scat, or if really whole rodents, regurguitated snake meal.


============================================================
From: "George M. Jett" <>
Date: 2004/04/12 Mon PM 08:47:23 EDT
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Pellets

Folks
I think Steve Huy is an owl pellet expert.
George

----- Original Message -----
From: "Taylor McLean" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 7:10 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Pellets


> Dear Denise,
>     My understanding is that re owl pellets, if you get a pellet in 
> your possession and send it to the right people. they can identify the 
> owl.
>
>    I do not know the 'right' people are. Perhaps call the Smithsonian 
> or perhaps someone else can respond. Or Patuxent ( US Fish and 
> Wildlife )
>
>   In the meantime, you may want to get some pellets.
>
>         Taylor McLean
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Denise Ryan" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 6:21 PM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Pellet Ideas?
>
>
> I came across an intriguing pile of pellets recently that looked 
> nothing like any owl pellets I have ever seen.  So, I'm hoping for 
> some ideas as
to
> what kind of bird or critter might have produced them.
>
> I'm used to owl pellets looking very gray and everything all mushed up 
> in
a
> jumble.  The pile that I found had at least 12 pellets and they all 
> seemed to be made up of a brown/black furry mammal.  I imagine many of 
> our finest city rats could be compressed into such a form.  In some 
> cases, it was
like
> the tail was intact and easy to make out sticking out of the end of 
> the pellet.  They were about the size of my thumb (I'm large boned), 
> and
perhaps
> a bit longer 2 1/2 - 3 inches long.  They seemed to be encased in
something
> that reminded me of a thin sausage casing.
>
> I didn't take any of the pellets with me, as I was in a National Park. 
> There were no large roosting trees above, but there were certainly
branches
> where a raptor could perch.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Denise Ryan
> Washington, DC
> Denise_ryan at lcv.org
>
> =


J. Steven Huy
Middletown, MD, USA

www.ProjectOwlnet.org

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