|
|
Post by shirl100 on Mar 8, 2016 14:10:17 GMT
Both found this morning, the "spraint" actually looked like a clump of vegetation on a narrow ledge between a fence and the canal in a dark tunnel, couldn't actually reach it so photographed instead - I think there are some bits of bone ( maybe fish) on it, what does everyone else think?  PossSpraint_Gregorys_08_03_2016 by Shirley Freeman, on Flickr The scat was found on the tow path near a spillway which goes down to the river, I thought maybe fox at first but although there are bone slivers I can't really see much fur and it had quite a " pleasant" smell a bit like mild seaweed!  Post53_Spillway by Shirley Freeman, on Flickr Shirl |
|
|
|
Post by Harold Smith on Mar 8, 2016 14:15:32 GMT
Hallo Shirl100,
From the look of it and you say it has a pleasant smell I think it was left by an Otter.
Whereabouts is the canal you found it by?
Harold.
|
|
|
|
Post by shirl100 on Mar 8, 2016 14:22:28 GMT
Hallo Shirl100,
From the look of it and you say it has a pleasant smell I think it was left by an Otter.
Whereabouts is the canal you found it by?
Harold.
The smell was definitely not mink but I didn't get the hint of "sweetness" such as jasmine/ hay meadow etc - some people watching me were obviously thinking I was some sort of weirdo! Seaweed was about the nearest I could guess, but it wasn't very strong despite what looks like a fresh piece of poo. Cromford Canal - the River Derwent runs quite close to it for some miles and we do have visiting otters on the canal from time to time. Shirl |
|
|
|
Post by faith on Mar 8, 2016 17:58:48 GMT
Although I agree otter is the most likely, one can't help wondering if he was taken short, as it were, because they usually have designated spots, which are recognisable by the greenness of the surrounding grass having been unwittingly fertilised.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tringa on Mar 8, 2016 19:59:13 GMT
My money would be on otter. If it had anything vaguely approaching a sweet smell then, I would say, fox is definitely a non-starter. Foxes are lovely animals but their poo is not pleasant. It also appears to be deposited on flat ground. My knowledge of foxes is limited and relates to urban ones but they almost always seem to deposit on a slightly elevated positions - so everyone can enjoy the experience.  Dave |
|
|
|
Post by shirl100 on Mar 10, 2016 15:34:40 GMT
It is a bit unusual really, not typically otter or fox! In that location it could be either but deposition on the towpath itself is a bit off although there is a run off from the canal into the stream so could be a territory marker. I think I may have to go back and have a more in depth look around.
Thanks all
Shirl
|
|
