Egg Cold Case *NOT GRAPHIC*

[JonathanD]

Here we have quite a difficult one. I found this yesterday and the evidence on the egg was proof positive, but I went back there today just to confirm from the surrounding area and revised my opinion (I'm 99% sure now).

What I want to know is the name of the predator, and what species the egg belongs too. The knife is to show scale (roughly Woodlore sized).

It was found in deciduous woodland far removed from paths.

 

[wattsy]

no idea what egg it is (never got into identifying them as i only ever find bits of starling eggs from the nests in my gutters) but it looks like its been had by a crow or rook to me

 

[Mesquite]

Pheasant Egg... predator hedgehog?

 

[JonathanD]

Pheasant Egg... predator hedgehog?

Interesting.... but no one has all the answers yet

 

[Nagual]

Interesting.... but no one has all the answers yet

Naa, remember only Smarties have the answer!


Cheers,

 

[JonathanD]

Naa, remember only Smarties have the answer!


Cheers,

Smarties and Smarty-Pants

 

[nuggets]

well i,ll go for a mink or polecat on a mallards egg

 

[JonathanD]

well i,ll go for a mink or polecat on a mallards egg

What makes you think that?

 

[nuggets]

pin ***** hole,s - spacing from cannine teeth and the scratch marks - just guessing its a mallards

 

[JonathanD]

pin ***** hole,s - spacing from cannine teeth and the scratch marks - just guessing its a mallards

That post nailed it mate, well spotted, and as you say, you can also see the marks where the canines skidded off the surface. You just need to get the predator now. Definately had canines which ruled out hedgehog, plus I was left with a couple of hairs stuck to the egg which gave it away.

 

[Mesquite]

If not a hedghog then perhaps stoat?

 

[nuggets]

stoat then ??

 

[JonathanD]

stoat then ??

You got it.

The nearest water is a canal over a mile away, for some reason these ducks chose to nest in a hedge on the edge of the woodlands across a field. The stoat must have carried this at least 200m before eating it. At first glance at the top I thought it was a crow, but when I turned it over I saw the teeth marks. Far too big for a weasel to have carried that far but not impossible, luckily the stoat left a couple of hairs stuck to the shell, and I found a couple more today around the site.