Need "poop ID" please...

[M.Stephens]

Buy yourself a deercam and set it up under your poles.You can buy it at most sporting good stores .You should be able to identify the culprit if its a ground critter.

[Guest]

Hubby says it may not be poo at all.....cuz it doesnt taper at the end

Mary

[The Olsons]

Malcolm.

Thank you for the idea...I will look into it

Astrid

[The Olsons]

Mary,

What does hubby think it is......without the taper ? I am up for any suggestions.....

Astrid

[Guest]

Astrid,

You forgot to do a little extra detective work here. You really need to look and see if there are any wads of toilet paper around. You can tell a lot about a "perp' by what he cleans his backside with.

If it's that charmin with lotion, yer lookin' for somebody with a delicate tush. Find any of that single ply stuff that looks like waferboard and you got youself a real tough hombre around there.

And I hope you don't find any "John Wayne" toilet paper. That 's the kind thats rough and tough and doesnt take %*&^ off of anyone!

So I think you better go out and have a second look. You may have just sewn the seed for a new tv crime drama: CSI DOOKIE, coming this summer to Astrid's house.

Sorry, couldn't help myself, Tim

[Guest]

Too funny Tim

Astrid, I dont really think he has any idea...it's just that he said "never saw a terd without a taper!"

My sides hurt

Mary

[Guest]

Yeah Astrid,

You have to have a taper or "things" slam shut and break. BWAAAHAAHA!

[Guest]

Touche on the Tushie slammin' shut! Mwaaaaaaaaaa......

[Guest]

What does it taste like ? If it has an earthy, nutty taste and is approximately 3 feet in length and six to eight pounds with bits of whole grain and grasses, I am guessing Yeti. If it taste more like peppermints with a hint of turpentine, blood and Naugahyde, that is a Chupacabra. If it has no taste whatsoever or the taste constantly changes with each bite, then it was probably a republican.

[Guest]

OMG Stephen, I dont know whether to laugh or vomit! This republican had a good laugh,,, but seriously I have to stop reading this thread, my sides hurt
Mary

[James Johnson]

Astrid

With 250+ hits in 12 hours this "POT" has been thoroughly stirred. Please let us know if you get a positive ID on the offending critter.

[diane davis-ms]

astrid,
your not alone with the strange poop a week and a half ago i
was walking in my yard under my pine trees, there about 100 ft or more from my martin houses and i looked down and saw the exact poop on the
ground as yours poop was also colse to my platform bird feeder.
bigest bird there is morning doves,so i like you said what in the world made this big poop,figured had to be owl of hawk.well 1 week later late evening was watching martins commin in to roost right at dark,had a new sy male dart out of one gourd to go to another one in a blink of an eye
from the area of the pines where poop was he darted out and grabed my sy male went to ground with my martin. i ran out to get hawk or owl off my martin and he was already gone with him it made me so mad
and sad from now on my husband and i try to sit on porch till they all get in ,and i walk around houses and trees late evening with my trusty 22
to make sure the attacker is not hideing in the trees.so keep your eyes open i say maby owl or hawk. have a great pm year
and good luck

[LNCummins]

Here's your culprit -Texas horned lizard http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publication ... 0_0038.pdf

[The Olsons]

AND THE WINNER IS:

LNCummins

Thank you so much for the link on the Texas Horned Lizard. The picture of the "lizard scat" looks exactly like what I posted and the description they provide on the web page fits 100%. Who would have ever thought it would be a protected lizard It is also a very interesting web page and one can participate in a study. I might just send them a picture of the "poop" and maybe become famous ....

Thank you again for the link and taking my worries away about it possibly being a predator to the martins

Astrid

[The Olsons]

Hello Everyone

As you can see LNCummins solved the mystery and I am relieved.....Oh, maybe that was not a good word to use in this post..... .

Thank you all for your concern, fun stories, ideas and humor.....it was more response than I ever expected.

Tim,

I did not find any toilet paper near by, but thank you for the tip.....next time I find strange looking poop I will make sure I check for TP and the brand first..... As far as the CSI thingi goes we are talking contracts already...ROFL.

Stephen,

You just cracked me up with your "taste" reply.....I am still laughing
I shall invite you over to the house next time I have a strange finding in the fecal department. You can always wash the after taste down with a Guinness or Adams.....

I am going to go now and play with my new pet....The Texas Horned Lizard

Astrid

[LNCummins]

Your very welcome, I'm glad I could help.
Nancy C.

[The Olsons]

Diane,

I am very sorry to hear about your hawk attack I witnessed an attack a couple of years ago on our first returning martin and it was awful. I will never forget the picture of the hawk grabbing the little martin and flying off with it.

We have been doing hawk patrol in the morning and evening for the time when the martins first return until about mid April. That is when the hawks in our area start migrating north. I wear an electronic Spalding whistle around my wrist so if I spot the hawk I can scare him away. I have figured out from where he usually comes from so I position myself to "be in his way" should he try to attack the colony. Of course, it is not a 100% guarantee because the hawks are so fast, but I was able after the attack we witnessed to ward off many others. Sometimes it was scary how close the hawk would get to me....

Yesterday morning my first thought also was Owl or Hawk feces, but upon reading and googling there was a slight difference. I do appreciate your input and again, I am very sorry for the loss of your martin. Maybe you can get onenof those whistles or a boat horn. Anything that makes noise and scares the hawk off. Best wishes for you and your martins,

Astrid

[Guest]

Nancy, great detective work, how in the world did you find that?

Astrid, do you have ant hills near the said poop?


Mary

[The Olsons]

Mary,

I am also impressed about the Nancy's detective work. Yes, we have some small ant hills in the yard and one of the poops is very close to that little hill. It is almost impossible to get rid of all the ants in our yard without bringing zillions of chemicals in. I do not want to do that because of the different birds eating off the ground.....so maybe I have a natural ant killer now.

I plan to participate in the THL watch that is mentioned in the link

Astrid

[Gobbler T]

Astrid,
Do you have turkeys around where you live? Looks kinda like female turkey poop. Male turkey (P) will be just like that, only J shaped.
IF you are in the country it's possible! Just a thought.