Mystery debris?

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Bats appear to defaecate mainly in their roosts but some might be more house-proud than that. Or they just “go” wherever is convenient, as birds do. Their waste may include tiny fragments of the less-digestible parts of the insects they eat.

However, “gritty clay-like” as you described it a few posts back, does not suggest animal droppings.

Try heating some of this material in its dry state, on something like a piece of stainless-steel plate or an old stainless-steel spoon. If it is organic, as droppings are, most of it will burn away, perhaps leaving specks of ash. A rock mineral or a product of such may alter but will not burn or disappear.

It’s a crude test but will determine if the material is “placed” by animals or not.

 

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Thank you Nigel, I’ll give that a try.  While I’m still leaning towards bird nesting material, there are still a number of things that don’t quite add up.  I’m also still waiting for a response from the Environment Agency and the RSPB.

[Grizzly bearParticipant @grizzlybear]

Fallout on our car today, the colour of chocolate powder, just as Bo’sun described it. Stafford ST16

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