CottontailI have always been fascinated by tracking. I can claim no great expertise, but I love to go out in fresh snow or mud of just the right consistency to see who walked there before me.
Wednesday it snowed a little and Thursday morning conditions were right for a track walk. The sun was shining and the wind wasn't blowing so I went out with the camera to take a look around. I discovered an interesting surprise among the skeins of bunny prints, fox, coyote, bird, mouse, domestic cat and Nick the dog tracks I found.
Box elderAs it happened, the other day I stopped by a blog that I have followed for a while, but always seem to forget to read (I have now linked so I don't miss these fascinating posts.) Anyhow the author has been discussing tracking for a while and I found myself reading page after page. One post that really interested me involved a wild canid leaving a certain sort of triangular print in the snow when thrusting the muzzle down to sniff for prey.
No doubt I have passed this phenomenon before but wasn't aware of it and so didn't really see it.
Hot Showers and Warm ToesImagine my surprise when, right outside the back yard next to the pony yard, I found just such a triangular mark among a tangle of coyote tracks. I would have missed it completely except that Mr. Coyote had pulled a couple of feathers out of the mouse run he was sniffing and I spotted them on the snow. I didn't try for a photo as it was in an awkward spot, but it was neat to look down into the sub-snow mouse run. I'm so glad that I happened to read that particular blog post on that particular day and then walked past that particular nose print in the snow.
And I wonder why the feathers were there in the mouse run.
Mr. Mousy Built a Housie (Click for cool detail)
(this is not the nose print, but the opening of a different tunnel)
River Grape...
about five months from now the valley
will be sweetly scented by its inconspicuous flowers
(this is not the nose print, but the opening of a different tunnel)
River Grape...about five months from now the valley
will be sweetly scented by its inconspicuous flowers
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13 comments:
Nice and peaceful even if it does look a little chillie, I walked across the road from work to the creek and took pictures yesterday it was really nice!
There were a series of tracks across my frozen lake when I was last out to my woods. I didn't have the guts to try to follow them out there on the melting ice.
Lovely pictures. I so often forget to photograph the everyday stuff around me that, when put into context, is so amazing. Thanks.
We are so icy here that a 2000 pound animal with pointy feet could barely make a dent. I love your pictures!
When John and I went out last Friday to walk we had the best time checking out all the different prints along the beach edge. Lots of little bitty shore bird prints. I'm kicking myself now for not taking pictures like you did.
I love seeing the various tracks too...a secret world almost. Your photos are mesmerizing. Thank you!
I agree with "joated". This post, like so many others, feels like a little island of peace amidst the daily insanity!
I wish we have the sweet smelling river grape here. Do you think it would grow in western colorado? We are very low on humdity.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
"Hot showers and warm toes"? It took me a few minutes but I finally got it. I love the designs that show in fresh sawn logs.
I appreciate your recognition of some of the simplest of things in nature..that can mean so much........
Lisa, you sure are getting the hang of that new camera. I loved the pics from your walk
Pablo, yeah, I don't go out on ice...but I love checking out the morning track "newspaper"
Joated, I love having a camera that is capable of capturing so much of what I see. these sunny winter days have an amazing beauty
Linda, thanks...I hate the ice and it looks as if it is going to be a seriously icy winter
Dani, I can never get enough of all you Florida folks' seaside pics. Love the waves, the sand, the creatures....
Teri, thank you! I have an ongoing argument with the boss, who wants to put some garden space for me on the other side of the fence around the back yard. I told him this morning that he needs to walk out there with me and see just how many garden eating type critters walk just down the other side of that fence. It is like the Thruway only with paws and hooves! lol
NW, works that way for me too. lol, thanks!
HTFW, we have an outdoor wood furnace, so I look at wood like golden treasure, especially this time of year. lol And I do too, thanks
Faithful, sometimes the simple beauty of the wild things around me are what makes life worth living....along with family and tame critters, of course.
Thanks for taking us along on that walk. I could hear the crunch of the snow.
I convinced myself I could see tiny little frost crystals from the mouse's exhalations.
Almost startling to be reminded of the sweet smell of blooming wild grapes.
Lovely, dear.
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