What Might This Be?

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I'd been out this afters, staking out the chat savauge's den and environs, just in case I could get lucky and pick him up with the rifle. Sadly, the birds told me he wasn't about so, after an hour of meditation by a hedge bank, I gave that idea up and strolled on down through the ground.

 

It was spotting a Hoodies nest and angling for a vantage point to watch that from which led me to the corner of a little field. I thought I recognised this spot even as I approached it. I remembered crouching behind an old tree there once. Only, the tree didn't seem to be there ....?

 

Once I stepped behind the hedge I found out why. This was the fallen tree I've been eyeing up from the track for some months now. If Pat has no use for it, when I get my Quad and trailer, I'd like to saw it up and fetch it home. Lovely bit of ash for my stove. I can't really imagine why it came down. We have deader looking ash trees round here and they stand. But come down this one had. It's laying out into the field from the junction of where one hedge runs down to another, forming a T.

 

But that's not what I'm here about. It's what I discovered in the natural bowl where its roots had once been. Take a look at this. It's not a great picture as I forgot to place a guage marker amongst it. But the dandelion type plant and the whisp of grass gives ye a fair enough idea. And that's dried out spagnum moss ye looking at. It's been put there. Spagnum doesn't grow beneath rooted trees. It hasn't been revealed by the tree going over.

 

Looking back, I'd suggest this 'couch' probably measures in the region of two foot, give or take, either way. But what the f*ck could it be??? I genuinely haven't a clue:

 

 

Whose Day Bed?

 

 

Now, I've deliberately left that one shot at full sized, in case anyone wants to get the best possible screw down on it. Top right is the earth still clinging to the smaller roots of the old tree. Everything else across the top and down the left is the base / foot of the tree as it lays on its side. So it's a comfy little place and sheltered too. But WTF 'builds' a couch like that? Buggered if I know.

 

 

Then, just to add even more fun and mystery; There's a deep hollow going up into part of the tree itself, above and to the left of the couch. I stuck the camera in it and took a flash shot to show me what's in there as far as the light could reach. It's inconclusive. Look:

 

 

 

 

Can't really tell, can we, wether that hole goes on beyond the reach of the camera? But note all the wood 'shavings' on the floor of it? I'm of the mind that, were that just old wood which had rotted away naturally, it would have fallen out as it rotted away. Thus it'd be where the foot of the tree once stood. Could it really have all just jarred loose as the falling tree hit the field? And so cleanly? I think something's been in there and scraping it out. What do you reckon? Cat or Piney could well fit inside that hole.

 

Finally, almost obviously; There's a run, though the hedge at the foot of the tree. Of indeterminate size, again. But I don't think big enough or looking right for badger. And this one too passes down into a wet ditch bottom and passes over a handy stone in the trickle. Again, suggesting cat or piney - niether, in my experience, like getting their feet wet. Sadly, the ground here is now just too dry to hold a track and the cattle haven't long left the area so it's a bit pock marked from their deep driving bloody hooves.

 

Again then, here's a not very good record shot of the run. It goes down the bank, away from the camera. And I really must get back in the habit of putting my Zippo down, as a size guage for ye all

 

 

 

 

So there we have it. Thoughts and opinions, please? I'm not trying to be clever and get ye all at it here. I'm asking because I genuinely haven't got the feintest clue about that nest of moss there. Other stuff smacks of cat or piney to me. But I'm open to input.

 

Thanks

[cúagusgiorraí 57]

DS, I wish my camera was working. There is the exactly the same thing in my local woods. Over the winter a few trees fell and most of them have this type of thing. I know that trees will rot internally naturally but it appears that something was living within. I honestly dont know what it is either, but it is fairly near where I recently found a feral cat. There is also rat colonies nearby (now that I know what they are thanks to you). Also otters are always in the vicinity.

What about checking out a similar age and species tree nearby and see if there is another animal lair?

My best guess is rats.

[Rolfe 2]

Ditch.......you must adopt the old red indian trick and get down on your knees and smell the damn thing. It will often identify the culprit. If it is in a place that also catches the sun......my gut instinct would say fox.....if you have any in the vicinity. Many many times i have happened upon a fox layed up in just such a place soaking up the sun. You can discount badger deffinately........never lay up during the day outside.....and too busy at night foraging. Cat? possibly it could be.......but i'll take a stab at old Charlie......!

 

So........nose to the ground next time.......and if it is a fox you will certainly know.

 

Rolfe.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Rolfe; Scent. Runs. Prints. Hair. Feeding. Shit. I always work in that order. If there'd been a fox about, I'd have winded the f*cker before I came round that hedge. As it was, I got down and sniffed the moss as a matter of course. No fox taint. No nothing, come to that.

 

Another perculiarity I'm starting to recognise in myself, now that I'm doing more and more of this sort of thing; I tend to find a den, take a careful and cursory examination. Grab a few shots and get the hell out of there. It's not that I fear a tiger may be coming back or something. I just don't like to trample the scene. Then I tend to sleep on it and go back a day or three later for a more relaxed look.

 

Anyway, the hole in the tree isn't really such a concern to me right now. It's that bed. Looks a bit big for a fox, to be honest. Here's a thought! :- What bloody animal would bring that moss to such a place? Thinking about it, see; There's no moss around there. It's almost as if someone's fetched a sack load from elsewhere and put it there! Now that's a point that's Seriously messing with my head!

 

I wonder about a deer. We have Red and Fallow (I'm given to believe we have Fallow?) in the wider vicinity. I've personally seen a Red so I can vouch for those.

 

Badgers drag stuff for beds, yes. But, as has been said; They don't tend to lay up in the open - Alough Dean's parents discovered one having a kip in a hay filled garage!

 

I'd dearly love to get a Trail Camera set up there. That would be the ultimate, wouldn't it? Sadly, I don't posess one. And, as Terrier Man there just pointed out, in so many words; The chances of me bush whacking what ever it is are pretty damn slim. Especially as this thing has two or three routes of approach and egress. I could only cover one and sods law says I could be camped out watching the wrong one for a month of sundays.

 

Can't set a trap for it. No idea what I'd be trying to trap. In short; I think this has to be about the most stumping thing I've ever encountered. Nothing about it quite adds up to anything I've yet experienced or can figure out by deduction.

 

Tell ye one thing; If this was in england, there's be no end of 'experts' swearing blind I'd happened upon a Black Panthers den!

[alimac 882]

in all fair ness ditch not every fox stinks to high heaven, yes the majority just cause you cant smell it dont mean its not there, jmo.... as for my opinion of what it is, im not sure...

[Holdaway 2]

Tell ye one thing; If this was in england, there's be no end of 'experts' swearing blind I'd happened upon a Black Panthers den!

 

Don't be silly Ditch, any one can see its either fresh water yetis or leprechauns...

 

H

[Neil Cooney. 1]

Could it be nesting material thats fallen down the hollow?

From the picture it doesn't look like an actual bed has been made. But then it could be the way I'm looking at it.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

You can discount badger deffinately........never lay up during the day outside.

 

 

 

Well rolfe ,i beg to differ mate .Ive seen many a badger bed near active settes and disturbed one or two whilst mooching .Usally made of dry grass and rounded though .Brave man that says .........never...... .

[Matt 160]

You can discount badger deffinately........never lay up during the day outside.

 

 

 

Well rolfe ,i beg to differ mate .Ive seen many a badger bed near active settes and disturbed one or two whilst mooching .Usally made of dry grass and rounded though .Brave man that says .........never...... .

 

I agree. There are lots of 'displaced' badgers about at this time of year, and saw one at about 10am yesterday............

[Corky(amateur) 0]

could it be that the tunnel was there when the tree stood and so was the "couch"? in which case, could it be a squirrel or something along those lines that lives/nests in tree's? maybe the tree has rooted from inside out(reason it fell) which made it easy for the squirrel/other to burrow down there and make homew? just a thought?

all the best ditch

Corky