Dem Bones

Fascinating to dissect a fresh barn owl pellet I found with many others under an owl box this week on my travels.

It's now all laid out on the kitchen counter top which Hubs isn't too thrilled about and sports what you'd expect from an owl's diet. It looks to me like field voles mainly which would be no surprise in the vicinity I found it and although I'm showing only 3 skulls there are in fact 4 (one not being in quite as good condition and smaller) plus 10 lower jaw mandibles. The lower jaw is apparently the simplest way to identify the eaten mammals which are swallowed whole but it's not as easy as it looks - trust me. 

Producing a pellet can take about 6 hours, with an owl usually regurgitating 1-2 after hunting. One could find bats, frogs and birds along with the rodents but it's more rare though which would not only be exciting but  maybe more easily distinguished.