Help (Unidentified eggs in backyard.)

[Ghost803]

I found a large egg near a brush clearing in the backyard, about 4-5 times the size of chicken eggs. It's brown with even darker spots over it. And I live in north Georgia.

Does anyone here know any index or website that can help identify this thing? Cause if it's a snake egg I want to smash it in a hurry.

 

[Evo]

I found a large egg near a brush clearing in the backyard, about 4-5 times the size of chicken eggs. It's brown with even darker spots over it. And I live in north Georgia.

Does anyone here know any index or website that can help identify this thing? Cause if it's a snake egg I want to smash it in a hurry.

Can you post a picture of it? Is it rubbery or hard?

 

[turbo]

Do you live in a coastal zone in which large shore-birds nest? Any pelicans around?

 

[Astronuc]

Turn the egg into state or federal wildlife service.

If one is near a body of water, it could be a large (snapping perhaps) turtle or alligator egg, but normally there's a number of eggs. Is it light brown or sandy colored with spots, or darker brown?

4-5 times chicken egg is pretty good sized.

Like this?
http://www.fau.edu/divdept/honcol/ppimages/skimmer2eggs1chick.JPG

 

[Ghost803]

My mum started poking the thing with a stick while I was here, and she said it wouldn't budge when she poked it so it didn't seem like an egg. It seemed to be rooted to the ground. She eventually broke it by accident, and we still don't know what the thing is

 

[turbo]

It looks like a large gall. We often find oak galls, but not that large.

 

[aPhilosopher]

My guess would be some sort of fungus.

 

[Moonbear]

My guess would be some sort of fungus.

That's what it looks like to me.

 

[turbo]

That's what it looks like to me.

Could be. We get some pretty big puff-balls here, though they usually have some kind of opening to release spores when they mature.

 

[Moonbear]

I've seen some that don't have any sort of opening. They just rupture open entirely when ready to release spores...or when someone pokes them long enough with a stick.

 

[dlgoff]

Looks like a puff ball mushroom covered with mold.

And they say it is poisonous.
http://foragingpictures.com/plants/Puff_ball/h0001.htm"

 

[Ghost803]

Thx for the info guys. I think its a fungus too, looking at it close now.

Now would any of you know if these things can kill trees? Cause we found this thing at the base of our recently cut down weeping willow (It mysteriously died on us).

 

[dlgoff]

I believe that the mushroom grew there because of the dead tree. I got some of the best eatable mushrooms (morels) this spring under an old dead elm tree.

 

[Blenton]

Looks more like a velociraptor egg.

 

[Cyrus]

http://www.moviespulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jurassic-park-eggs.jpg

 

[brewnog]

Definitely looks like some kind of mushroom. I'll have a look through my book if I get chance later to try and identify it.

 

[Proton Soup]

i think it's a puffball, too. they are all over the woods here. step on it and see if "smoke" comes out (spores). i think I've read the immature ones are edible, but am no fungologist.

 

[turbo]

i think it's a puffball, too. they are all over the woods here. step on it and see if "smoke" comes out (spores). i think I've read the immature ones are edible, but am no fungologist.

The reason I though immediately of galls is that the ones that are formed by insect-damaged leaves are often relatively smooth and shiny on the outside, as that object was, and most puffballs (at least in this area) have a texture ranging from silky to rough, but definitely not shiny.