Anyone for a spot of poo identification

[Onelifeoverland]

As per title really. Not much more to add.

I suspect first pic is Badger or sheep and second maybe Fox (too big for hedgehog??) but am no expert.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[slowworm]

The first I would suggest deer. 2nd also looks a bit deer like but are those white flecks bits of bone? If so then a predator but it doesn't look like badger or fox to me.

Did it smell?

 

[Onelifeoverland]

No sniff test conducted this time. As seen is all I have.

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Definitively not deer. None within 50-100 miles of my location. I do know of a badger set though approximately a half mile away.

 

[Orhdposs]

Most of the Badger pooh I've seen is normally in a bit of a dug out area no covered and when you first see it you may even think it's Human bit soft, always seens pretty dark as well. I will try and take some pics soon.

 

[Mesquite]

Definitively not deer. None within 50-100 miles of my location.

I'm very surprised that you say there are no deer within South Wales.

The last British Deer Society deer distrubution survey in 2016 showed that both Roe and Fallow are present in your area and as that was 4 years ago it's likely they're spreading further.

 

[Broch]

I don't think there is anywhere in the UK that is not within 50 -100 miles of deer to be honest. However, it looks like sheep poo to me - definitely not fox or badger IMO. Fox almost allways has a long twisted tail and badger would (normally) be in a latrine.

 

[Mesquite]

However, it looks like sheep poo to me

That was my initial thought as well when I saw the pictures

 

[Onelifeoverland]

Gents, there ain't no deer in Caerphilly. Of that I am 100% certain. I may have over egged the distance somewhat but certainly there are no deer around here - still I'm probably a hood 20 miles away from the nearest. This is taken in an area not 30 mins walk from home and I live smack in the middle of town.

As for the ID agreed re the first one but what about the second. That's not sheep is it.

If it makes a difference. The first one was on a well trodden gravel path. The second on a disused path in the woods which now seems to be used as a run of some sort.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[Broch]

Gents, there ain't no deer in Caerphilly. Of that I am 100% certain. I may have over egged the distance somewhat but certainly there are no deer around here - still I'm probably a hood 20 miles away from the nearest. This is taken in an area not 30 mins walk from home and I live smack in the middle of town.

As for the ID agreed re the first one but what about the second. That's not sheep is it.

If it makes a difference. The first one was on a well trodden gravel path. The second on a disused path in the woods which now seems to be used as a run of some sort.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

I wouldn't have thought there were that many sheep in the middle of Caerphilly either - however, to labour a point, the latest Atlas of Mammals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shows Fallow Deer in the 10Km square that includes the whole of Caerphilly and North Cardiff. IIRC there's a largish forested park between the two isn't there?

Anyway, hard to tell, and the second photo is not very conclusive either - sheep don't tend to poo using a tree like that so I'm not at all sure. You definitely should have done a smell test - carnivore vs herbivore is relatively easy then.

 

[Onelifeoverland]

There are many patches of forest around but none border onto common land as far as I am aware. It's all farmland. I guess the point I'm trying to get at is that in my 30 years of roaming these hills I've never seen one.

Also the British Deer Society's last survey in 2016 would seem to confirm that no sightings of Fallow or Roe in this area or anywhere south of here either.

Anyhow, next time I'm up that way I'll be sure to get my nose on the ground and report back with the sniff test results.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[Broch]

Anyhow, next time I'm up that way I'll be sure to get my nose on the ground and report back with the sniff test results.

I recommend poo on a stick , it's all too easy to get too close with the direct nose method (I speak from embarrassing experience).

 

[Onelifeoverland]

I recommend poo on a stick , it's all too easy to get too close with the direct nose method (I speak from embarrassing experience).

Top tip! I shall remember that one

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

 

[woodsorrel]

In the US, the tracking community has discouraged the old practice of smelling scat. Raccoons and other mammal scat can carry parasites that can be transmitted to people by inhaling them. I mention raccoons specifically because their scat carry a parasite that can be fatal to humans.

- Woodsorrel

 

[Nice65]

I wouldn't have thought there were that many sheep in the middle of Caerphilly either -

I dunno, this lockdown...

I was driving through a small and quiet village yesterday afternoon and there were two Mr Blobbys, in full costume walking along the pavement. A few seconds after we passed, my wife said “Did you just see two Mr Blobbys?”. At which point, I realised I had. Strange times. Wish I’d gone back for a pic.

 

[Le Loup]

As per title really. Not much more to add.

I suspect first pic is Badger or sheep and second maybe Fox (too big for hedgehog??) but am no expert.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

I will lay my bet on Badger scat Mate.
Regards, Keith.
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/how-to/identify-wildlife/how-to-identify-animal-droppings/

 

[Bishop]

Badger looks likely for the first one, however and it's longshot but some wild boar did escape from a farm in Maesteg twenty miles away back in 2014. Natural Resources Wales claimed 12 of the adult boars were now living wild plus 15 boarlets were still unaccounted for. Urban trash diet possibly even regular feeding by humans could skew identification.

I remember when we got Oscar from the animal sanctuary, I still shudder to think what they were feeding him. For the first week he sprayed grey goo like his bottom was a fire hose.

 

[Broch]

This is a photo of badger poo copyright Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust and, although it varies because they eat such a huge variety of stuff from young rabbits to worms to blackberries, I have never seen it look like herbivore poo - i.e. clusters of round multiple drops. It's always, in my experience, a long 'sausage' excretion (are we getting too descriptive here? . Badger poo is said to have a sweet musky smell - all I'll say is that it doesn't smell of dog, fox, sheep or deer.

 

[slowworm]

I've never seen badger droppings look like either pic and we have several frequently used badger latrines in our woods. It's often done in a pit and even where they miss or do it while foraging it's more like a long squeeze from a tube than lumps. You can also tend to see bits of digested food in it.

If deer is being rule out, and I expect they are about, then sheep would be my next bet. But the first pic they look too green for sheep droppings I;ve seen although a feral sheep grazing on fresh vegetation at this time of year may result in that colour.

The obvious question is there any other signs? We often get escaped sheep round here and I tend to find traces of fleece on brambles, wire etc.

2nd pic looks like an aged dropping of 1.

 

[cyberwolfuk]

looks bit like sheep

As per title really. Not much more to add.

I suspect first pic is Badger or sheep and second maybe Fox (too big for hedgehog??) but am no expert.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

looks bit like sheep scat