Extraordinary Owl Pellet

High atop Monkey Rock at Baleine Peninsula,

one of the properties Nova Scotia

is considering declaring a protected area,

while observing migrating whimbrels

feeding on the crowberry barrens,

I decided to explore.

Resting on top of a rock pillar that was split apart from the rest

of this massive boulder was the most interesting 'owl pellet'. 

When I spotted it through my binoculars, my curiousity got

the best of me and employing a little gall in my old age,

I managed to breach the gap to investigate further. 

There were 3 or 4 regular but older pellets

containing the usual rodent bones,

but this one was fresh and new.  And very strange.

Yes, those are somebody's feet!  I didn't throw down

anything for scale, but I carry an assortment of containers

in my backpack for just such finds,

and this fit perfectly into an old discarded pill bottle

that measured 3" high and 2" in diameter.

It also contained a bone, .5 inches in diameter and 2.5" long

and some feathers.

You know what?  It kind of gave me the willies. 

I couldn't bring myself to pick it apart:)!

Now that it's been discarded, I'm sorry I didn't.

The Ranger suggests a very hungry Great Horned Owl left this behind,

and I'll wager a very confident guess

based on the freshness of the pellet,

the size and color of the feet,

and the numbers of Whimbrel passing through,

that these feet, indeed, belong to a Whimbrel.

For an excellent, well laid out post about owl pellets,

visit:

http://wildlifeandlandscapes.blogspot.com/2011/09/tracks-and-signs-1.html