Subject: Pellets at Kent Ponds
Date: Jan 13 15:46:42 1999
From: Charles A Pell - jettran at halcyon.com
This morning (1/13) I went down to the Kent Ponds to investigate the
pellets previously discussed by Bob Taylor et. al. First let me say that
it was not I who voiced the opinion that "other raptors besides owls
disgorge pellets, but that they are not so complete as those of owls," but
it doesn't sound unreasonable.
I found the location mentioned under the pines, and indeed there were many
pellets there. I also found lesser numbers of similar pellets under each
of the three towers. It was apparent that the birds sit on the horizontal
roof support I-beams of the towers and expel a white substance from their
posterior orifices, which splashes on the railings and steps, as well as
the pellets from the anterior. I next investigated two prominent perches
used by Harriers, and found four or five pellets under each. Finally, I
walked along outside the western perimeter fence, and found more pellets
under many of the trees along the road, including some at the SW corner
admin building.
Although we should not make a conclusion until we have some hard evidence,
I suspect Harriers. The animals in the pellets seem to be all Microtus and
seem to have been torn apart, rather than swallowed whole, as would be the
case for owls. On thing for sure, there are really a lot of pellets there.
There must also be lots of voles, as their little bodies seem also to be
featured in good quantities of coyote scat on the trails.
Chuck Pell
Seattle, WA
jettran at halcyon.com