We have gotten a lot of snow over the past week, on top of a decent amount that has fallen since winter began in earnest. With the snow comes an appreciation of all the animal activity that happens around our house. When we don't have snow, we rely on actually seeing an animal in action, as when black bears visit our porch, deer scavenge for windfall apples, or bob cats saunter across the back yard. We also see scat, occasional tracks in the mud, feathers, or remains of a dead animal. But, with the snow, our wild neighbors' activities come to life. I am continually amazed at the comings and goings we simply don't see until the tracks appear in the snow. Above is a scene of animal tracks (squirrel, rabbit, and other small mammals) coming and going from the brook, obviously a popular drinking spot.
These are coyote tracks. We hear the coyotes all the time, but I have only seen them a handful of times. Clearly, they live close. These tracks were very near the house. There are many wonderful books on animal tracking and track identification. I love
"Track Finder" by Dorcas Miller. It is small and easy for a child to use. There are many other nature guides (trees, leaves, birds, etc.) in the same series. We have even given out these guides as birthday favors as an alternative to the usual throw-away plastic stuff.
Of course we humans make our presence known by our tracks as well. I think of how we all talk about our
"carbon footprint" and the impact our activities have on the earth. Our animal neighbors live locally, eat locally, don't really own anything, and travel by their own power. What lessons can we learn from them?