Help needed! IDENTIFICATION

[cowboy]

I came across this the other day with the missis about 20 feet away from a river side. It was still fairly soft the bone, so it obviously hadnt been there long, and it was completely stripped clean of any flesh. It looked as if whatever had it for lunch also ate most of it head as well! :wow1:

Just wondering if anyone could shed some light onto which critter might have indulged on this fish!

My first thoughts were either an otter or a kestrel...?




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[Mesquite]

Wouldn't be a kestrel... otter is most likely culprit

 

[Shewie]

They've done a god job of cleaning it off whatever they were

 

[cowboy]

i suppose a kestrel would have taken only the main parts and left the rest.. but there was no sign of otter holes along the sloped bank?..

 

[Mesquite]

i suppose a kestrel would have taken only the main parts and left the rest.. but there was no sign of otter holes along the sloped bank?..

I've never heard of a kestrel taking a fish.

As for otters... by holes do you mean their holts? If you do then why would there be any signs of them around? Otters are great travellers and could have taken that fish whilst on its wanders

 

[cowboy]

Well, you really do learn something new everyday!

 

[nuggets]

could have been a mink !!

 

[Bushwhacker]

What's in the top left corner? I can't zoom in enough to see it properly on my phone.

 

[cowboy]

dont zoom in to close bushwacker, its a bit of poo , its a farmers field that runs parallel with the river

 

[Mafro]

could have been a mink !!

My thoughts too. I used to see a lot of fish like this at a lake I used to fish at, and there was a mink problem there.
I once saw a mink drag a bream that must have been at least 6lb out of the water!

 

[spiritwalker]

im thinking after the main kill by otter or whatever slugs and snails have been over it as its completely clean

 

[nuggets]

as well as fly maggots - they can strip a carcus clean in hours !!!!

 

[extremeds]

what the hell kind of fish has vertebrae like that in the uk? an eel??