Living in the country, we know there are numerous types of interesting wildlife living around us. However much of it remains unseen, except for the tracks they leave behind. With the snow rich with evidence, I thought I'd post some of the photos and ask if you have any ideas on what made the tracks. In case you're thinking this is a quiz, sorry it's not. I won't be able to answer whether you're correct because I don't know the identities of the mystery tracks.Any help is welcome in ID-ing these wild and wonderful critters who live around us. So please leave your ideas/guesses/comments in a, uhhh, comment. You can click on each picture to see more detail. Or to open in a separate window, right click on the picture and select 'open link in a new window.'
Image 1: footprints on edge of frozen lake: racoon? something else?
Image 2: ?
Image 3a: seen going into wooded area next to water/canal
Image 3b: closeup of image 3a
Image 4: tracks along ledge of house foundation
Image 5: tracks on second story deck
Image 6: tracks between blackberries and wood pallet
Image 7: tracks from wooded area
Image 8: Sorry, I couldn't help myself from throwingthis picture in as image '8'.
Though it begs the question...have you listened to an 8-track?
~Aerie-el
Hey Aerie-el, read you profil and find out you came from Mass? Have been a few times in Mass, Boston, have friends living there, know the red sox, bruins and celtics.We love that eastcoast of New England much.
ReplyDeleteWish you all the best for 2009.
Greetings from the very cold north germany. Will get - 25 C on monday, that will be - 16.6 F !!!Brrr
Mike
I'm not an expert, but I think the first one does look like raccoon. Some of the others are too indistinct, but the ones with the smaller alternating with the longer could be rabbit. Isn't it neat to see the tracks in the snow?
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim! It's hard to see the tracks clearly, even when clicking on the pix to see them closer. Image 4: I'm thinking rat or mouse (ewww) because it looks like there's a 'tail' track with the footprints.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to see the tracks and imagine what's out there...
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Michael,
Very nice of you to say those kind things about Boston and New England. I love it back there, but I'm probably/likely/definitely a bit biased, having grown up in that area.
I also really enjoyed living in Bremerhaven, Germany for a couple years. The people were so welcoming and friendly.
Hope you stay warm in the cold winter weather!
Wishing you all the best in 2009.
Prost!
~Aerie-el
Hey Aerie-el
ReplyDeleteso you lived in Bremerhaven?? That means you can read and speak german, am I true?
Michael
http://www.enature.com/mammal_tracks/tracks_wizard02.asp?cat=3&
ReplyDeleteNo.1 looks very racoonish.
ReplyDeleteThanks MinxterBLOOM! I bet you're right.
ReplyDelete================
Michael,
Everyone spoke English so perfectly there that I didn't really get much practice with the little German I learned.
Bremerhaven is a great location, and wonderful people.
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Venturine,
Thanks for the link on identifying the tracks! Next time I'll put a coin or something down to show the scale. I thought to do that with the mushroom picture I used for my 'perspectives' post in December, but not for these, darn.
~Aerie-el
It's fun to see the tracks in the snow as otherwise, you don't know what visits every day. Last year, we had deer tracks in the snow across our patio! Perhaps on the way to the little garden pond near the patio.
ReplyDeleteWe have a winter pair of hummingbirds too. Anna's Hummers, I think. Nice to find you. I'm gardening just south of Seattle.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Petunia!
ReplyDeleteWe moved here almost 6 yrs ago and are south of Seattle too...unicorp King County. Rural enough that they don't plow the neighborhood streets until last, but close enough to the city and airport to be convenient.
And now I'm headed over to your blog!
~Aerie-el
Ha ha, man, I guess I am dating myself as an oldster but I definitely remember riding in my friends' parents' swankmobiles and listening to 8-tracks. I think maybe Abba and Fleetwood Mac were the most often played. Funny! No help with the tracks - I think raccoons tend to have very narrow heels and wider front paws than some of the tracks that you show, but maybe a few are theirs. I'll be curious to see what you find out via commenters, on to read that now! Glad you are up for the garden blog meet-up, by the way. I'll try to post a date soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen!
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, 8-tracks were THE thing to have. My brother had one in his groovy Chevy Monte Carlo--cool.
The Seattle gardener gathering sounds great!
~Aerie-el
Well, I have no idea- but that last one looks a little familiar! Great shots Aerie-el.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great New Year.
Thanks Tessa!
ReplyDeleteI just heard some company is still making 8-tracks--who would have thought it!?
Happy New Year to you too!
~Aerie-el
HA! Definitely recognize the last one. No help on the tracks, sorry.
ReplyDelete--Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon, Maybe we can have some music playing in the background at the Feb meeting...now where did I put my 8-track player and tapes...
ReplyDelete~Aerie-el