What's in the Foil...

This year at cousin's camp we dissected owl pellets. An owl pellet...Um, how do I put this gently...Well, an owl pellet is simply the undigested parts of an owl's food that it, er, 'regurgitates.'

So, happy thoughts, huh!

Sometimes you can find owl pellets in the woods. All the time you can find them in Science catalogs. My cousin Kathryn ordered them for the older kids.

Sadly, I didn't get to see the dissections. I was helping set up the Mud Run when this was going on.  So, I lifted the pics from Facebook. I'm a rebel like that. 

When the baked potatoes owl pellets arrive at your doorstep they are wrapped in aluminum foil.

The kit comes with little chopstick like things to separate the fur from the bones. It also comes with a handy chart that details the different parts of a mouse. 

As you carefully unwrap them this is what you can find. 

So, go ahead and prepare yourself for the major ick factor that is the undigested parts. 

Waiting to get the go ahead to unwrap:

I think he's playing a little chopstick hockey with it. 

My cousin Rusty, experiencing the ick factor first hand. 

Easy there, kid.

And there we have it. The pellet parts unwrapped in all their glory. 

What's my beautiful niece holding? Oh, just a rat tail. A RAT TAIL. 

Owl pellets. Proving once again that science and nature are just downright weird.