(like i promised!)
poop. crap. turd. scat.
Noun: scat. 'skat'. Fecal matter of animals.
i've been yearning to do a post like this for a while.
YEARNING?! REALLY?
yeah, well...when we're out hiking...
OR...just wandering around in the woods out back...
if i see a pile of pOOp, i can't resist taking a picture.
WHY?
so i can tell what's been here. some of the turds i see
are from animals encountered in our yard...or while camping...
but other scat are from critters not encountered face to face.
i guess i just find it interesting...
it's the side of nature most people tend to overlook. i think.
and believe me...they're not always so easy to identify.
so, when i told sam i was ready to do my 'one crappy post'...
he said "well, lau...you better know your shit!"
unfortunately...it's not always easy to identify the scat you come across.
we have 2 handy little books!
one is on a keychain which makes it convenient to carry...
the other is a small field guide...
i know...i know...it's kind of funny, isn't it?
are you picturing me wandering through the woods...
spotting some scat and then pulling my handy book out of my back pack...
trying to ID it?!
well, it doesn't usually go quite like that!
i usually just snap a picture....and do the ID'ing later.
i thought i might add a nice flower picture between the poop ones.
you know...add a little sweetness to the post.
so it's not TOO crappy.
(the flowers are from our gardens...past and present.)
SO, without further do-do...
i mean ado...
you are about to experience pOOp overload!
DEER scat in the backyard.
RACCOON scat along the LaChua trail, Paynes Prairie state pk, Florida.
GOOSE scat at Elijah Clark state pk, Georgia.
BEAR scat. right along the edge of the low boardwalk/walkway
at Stephen Foster state pk, Georgia. they say that bears will back right up
to something...like a log...and 'do their thing'. i guess the walkway
was in the right place at the right time.
FOX scat in backyard.
now, admit it! have you ever seen such a perfectly placed pile of poop?
we spotted this while crossing the road in Mistletoe state pk, Georgia.
not really sure who left it. kind of a blob. no real form to it.
Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.
~Harry S. Truman
hmmm...on the dark side. looks like it might have some berries in it.
tapered end. might even have a little fur.
maybe FOX scat at Mistletoe state pk, Georgia.
RACCOON scat at Manatee Springs, Florida.
BISON scat on LaChua trail, Paynes Prairie state pk, Florida.
this one's kind of a mystery. it was in our backyard...by the edge of the woods.
it's long. slender. curls back on itself. almost looks like WEASEL scat...
but i've just never seen one here!??
RACCOON scat out back.
Always watch where you are going.
Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the Forest that was left out by mistake.
~Winnie the Pooh
this one isn't really SCAT! maybe you've seen me post these before...
it's an OWL pellet! they cough up the undigested material.
mostly bones and fur.
i find them under the trees where the Barred Owls frequently perch.
i think this might be OPOSSUM scat...
OR maybe raccoon...LaChua trail, Paynes Prairie, Florida.
lots of fur in this one. and swirly. tapered.
maybe a bobcat...or coyote. Mistletoe state pk, Georgia.
BALL PYTHON scat. our Monty.
and here's Milo. marking her territory.
and here she is...covering it up. good kitty.
well, that was fun. different. not for everyone i guess.
i'm sure you agree...that's enough POOP to last for a while.
but don't worry...if i come across a special specimen...i'll surely post it here. :-)
you know it!
stay cool. OH! and don't forget to check the bottom of your shoes before leaving...
have a safe journey. enjoy the ride.
:] laura
"The rich mind lies in the sun and sleeps, and is Nature."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
(damn! why do i always feel guilty about posting...before catching up on reading?!
oh well...it's like THREE AM...i'm NEVER up this late!
i'm usually waking up in an hour from now.
but i wanted to get this done. yikes!)
*click*publish*post*
ZZZZzzzzzzz
