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OP chiming in ... thanks to your suggestions, I think it's bird poop -- to phrase it properly, probably a hawk casting that just happened to land on a lily pad. I can't believe I went out there with a ruler -- it's 3 cm in diameter, and that size fits with what I found on the internet about castings. Closer inspection, what I thought might be bits of leaves could be bits of fur. So ok I'm now grosing myself out.
I don't know what it is but I can tell you it's not bird poop. Predatory birds usually have pellet poop. I've seen owl poop and that's not it.
It's not owl, that I can tell -- I've seen that before and usually there are bits of bone in it.
I found a photo online that is probably owl, and the specimen in my pond looks like it except it is more spherical and has no bone bits.
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It LOOKS like the balls dung beetles roll around but they live in dry climates. No way it would end up on a lily pad in a pond. Dung beetles lay their eggs in balls of poop. I bet there are eggs in this ball too. Even looks like there is an air hole on the top.
It does look like a hole in the top -- that's what originally made me think of some bug. But now I really think a hawk or eagle dropped it (probably the former since we have one that comes to visit often and he could have ejected that mess up or out from a nearby tree and the wind put it on the lily pad.)
I remember the first time I saw dung beatles from Africa. It was on Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom right after Bonanza and before The Wonderful World of Disney. late 60's I believe. Most likely at one of the Grandparent's houses as we went there every Sunday to eat dinner.
I'm thinking dung beetle ball. If you go to Google images and type in dung beetle, you'll see tons of pictures of what looks like your mystery ball being pushed around by big black beetles. I think 3cm diameter rules out any bird poo (except maybe an ostrich)
I remember the first time I saw dung beatles from Africa. It was on Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom right after Bonanza and before The Wonderful World of Disney. late 60's I believe. Most likely at one of the Grandparent's houses as we went there every Sunday to eat dinner.
Did Jim poke the dung ball with a stick? Marlin always gave Jim the dirty and dangerous jobs.
you people are having way too much fun with this thread...........
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