Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: JohnnyD on February 19, 2018, 01:29:39 PM

Title: It's a mystery!
Post by: JohnnyD on February 19, 2018, 01:29:39 PM

Can anyone offer an explanation as to what this egg is, and how it came to be buried just below the surface of a box in deep shade growing narcissus seedlings?
I don’t think it was there a week ago – but can I be sure?
Any ideas entertained – no matter how fantastic!
JohnnyD
 

Title: Re: It's a mystery!
Post by: ashley on February 19, 2018, 02:11:19 PM

It looks like a pheasant egg Johnny, but I've no idea why it's buried unless perhaps by a fox for retrieval later ??? 
A few years ago I found a freshly-laid pheasant egg in the middle of the small road outside our house ::)

Title: Re: It's a mystery!
Post by: ArdfearnAli on February 19, 2018, 03:03:05 PM

Hello there,
                I have found a few eggs at the nursery as well. I found one in a large pot and also one in a bulk bale of peat as well as a couple when lifting plants from the border. I am pretty certain it is a rat that is stashing them away for later. We have a lot of pheasants as they are bred and released for shooting in the Autumn. There was a medium sized hole in the peat and at the base was an egg. It was absolutely rank as it broke as I found it.

Rats are clever cunning creatures which explains why they are very difficult to catch! They are able to steal eggs and bury them without breaking them. I once saw a video of two rats stealing hens eggs. One rat lay on its back holding the egg and the other pulled it across the courtyard by the tale to stop the egg from being broken on the cobbles.

Alasdair.

Title: Re: It's a mystery!
Post by: annew on February 19, 2018, 08:18:35 PM

Hoping for a dragon.  ;)

Title: Re: It's a mystery!
Post by: JohnnyD on February 22, 2018, 09:24:15 AM

Thanks guys. My grandson is REALLY impressed,
JohnnyD