On Tue, 8 Jul 2003 07:19:42 +0100, Jay wrote:


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from Kay Easton contains these words:

In article oprrxj7yavwxhha1@localhost, Tim
timnothy.cohsalpleangmer@a
pk.at writes
I'm afraid I don't have a photo but can anyone confirm the likely
identity
of the layer of these droppings.

They're jet black, about 4" long and around as thick as my
little-finger
(1.5cm), straight and tapering to a point at one end.
Not obvious remains of seeds or insects in them that I could make
out. They
only seem to appear overnight.

I'm assuming it's a hedgehog, am I right?

A bit long, but otherwise sounds about right.

4 " droppings would be some giant of a hedgehog; I've never seen them
do droppings larger than an inch! Sounds more like fox to me; especially
if the tapered point turns up.

Janet

Could it be a badger? IIRC the badgers that trashed our lawn last autumn
left 4" droppings and dark. But I cannot remember much else about their
deposits.
Jay

Definitely 4" maximum, but not much less normally, say aound 3" might be a
better average. It's straight, not in a heap like I'd expect a fox to do
(do they do it like that?). I'll check if the end points up next time I
spot one. I'd have thought a fox would have made a much thicker stool than
that though, wouldn't it?
The droppings are fairly firm by the time I discover them. It could be a
fox, though I've never seen or heard any anywhere near, but I'm told there
are some around. I doubt it's a badger - it's mostly open farmland around
with only light copses for cover, and there's been no damage or diging.
(Maybe I'm lucky).

Tim.