ID on mysterious eggs!

Afternoon everyone!
So, I was digging up a garden today (or trying to), when I accidentally unearthed these two eggs. Everyone in the house is completely baffled as to what they are! We guessed lizard or maybe a fox relocating its find, but surely its too close to the house for either of these; plus we have a fence and a small dog who likes to bark at things. They weren't down awfully deep, but were also by no means sitting on top. I accidentally split one with the matic and it contained nothing but a yellowish (I'm assuming once white) mucus; no yolk. We live in Seaham, NSW right on a river, and the spot they were laid/left gets almost constant sun. So, what do you think they are? *hoping the photos work*

It looks to me like a species of turtle egg.

The eggs are clearly hard shelled. As far as I know, in Australia the only reptiles to lay hard shelled eggs are crocodiles and a few species of geckoes. Our turtles all lay leathery eggs. They are too big to be from geckos and those gecko species which do lay hard shelled eggs do not bury them. They lay them on the surface in a protected spot as they are resistant to desiccation.

It would appear that you have unearthed the deserted nest of a burrow-nesting bird. While I cannot guarantee this, it is at least a possible scenario.

The Rainbow Bee-eater would be my prime suspect. I have seen them nesting in quite flat ground, well out in the open, whereas most other burrow nesters occurring in your region require a more vertical face in which to burrow. The yellow liquid would most likely have resulted from the mixing of albumin and yolk, due to the breakdown of the membranes that normally isolate them. It would seem the nest was abandoned shortly after the eggs were laid as one would expect more eggs in a clutch and there is no mention or sign of blood vessels, indicating little to no incubation took place. However the latter could also be explained by the eggs being infertile.

Blue

If it was a Rainbow Bee-eater there should be a tunnel into the burrow, which you may have accidentally covered while excavating it. See if you can find a tunnel nearby.

I personally don't believe it to be the eggs of a Rainbow Bee-eater, as I believe they are much whiter in colour (almost glossy), however I haven't been able to find images of them to compare to those that you've found.

From memory turtle eggs are hard when laid but becoming leathery over time. I know I have unearthed turtle eggs with hard shells before. Most I have seen though are more elongate. Size rules out most other reptiles.

Size and shape do look like bee eater eggs but the location looks atypical.

Maybe a plover nest that has somehow become buried?

Aren't plover eggs spotted?

butters said:

Aren't plover eggs spotted?

Click to expand...

Yes ~B~