I think it looks like wet soil too. If it's a scat I would not touch it without gloves and an N95 approved mask because it's not "normal" for any animal I know of. What I mean is that IF IT IS poop, it's likely poop from a sick animal and you need to take precautions not only looking at it but collecting it for specimen, allowing children around the area and indeed allowing pets around the area and when discarding of it. Having said that though, I still think it looks too earth-like to be poop (from the photo at least). Barb southern Ontario, CANADA

WOW! THANK YOU!!! That's great! I was shocked to see the picture. I would never have guessed that in a million years. I think you are right!!! Yeah! :) So, that explains how these piles disappear after it rains. Its just a pile of dirt. My only question relates to the size. The pic you linked to doesn't have a discernable reference as those grass leaves could be any size. So since there is this size reference issue in the photo that you linked to, I will e-mail Walter Reeves at his site just to verify that the stuff in my yard is the right size for it to be these earthworm castings. It sure does look like it from the pic. I am so happy that's all it is! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!

For mounds, I understand your point. But mounds usually take a larger width to allow for that gradual sloping down. I have a very narrow strip to work with. So if you were forced into using sharp vertical walls to contain the raised bed, with the bottom open to the native soil, how wide and tall would you make it for Pittosporum Tobira?

Only you can determine what those pipes are for. They could be part of an irrigation system, or the remnants of some sort of water feature in the area. From the picture that seems to be rocks around the pipe which could be an indicator of a water feature. The caped pipe could be the water feed, and the open pipe from a pump. Is there a pump box or remnants of what could be a pump box in the area? Have you tried to remove the cap from the one pipe. What happens would be an indication of what it was used for. Have you identified all of the faucet and valves in your house, garage, or other buildings. Any water feature or irrigation system will have a valve or faucet so it can be shut off. I doubt the pipe in the picture was used for anything other that water because of its diameter. Is the capped pipe the same size? There is one exception to that above. We once lived in a house that had the pipes and other remnants of a moonshine still. If you are in an addition, it would be pretty exposed for that kind of activity.