March 12, 1981 - Tracks in the SnowSECTION TWO Tbr *Uffolh TtMC5,
CROW TRACKS -- Whether it is on a sandy beach or in the snow, tracks of
both birds and animals create a mystery for us to solve.
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
Tracks in the Snow
Saturday morning -- it's snowing and
I've just come in from walking the dog. It
is sometimes difficult to write at this time
of year when the weather is so tem-
peramental. Probably by the time you
read this it will be nice and warm -- let's
hope so.
Snow seems to stimulate the dog and
there is no holding him back. Perhaps it is
just the sight of his contrasting body
against an all -white background that
seems to exaggerate his movements. We
take our usual route up through the
pasture and back into an old abandoned
farm field. Here he can romp at will and
hopefully jump his favorite rabbit that
frustrates him each time by bounding
away and slipping under the fence where,
of course, he cannot go.
On our way back we pass by the beehives
at the other end of the orchard. During
those warm days last month some of the
bees were flying about, while others were
cleaning up winter's trash that ac-
cumulated inside the hive. Today there is
no sign of life.
Well, that isn't exactly true. With the
snow coming down and covering
everything with a blanket of newness, the
tops of the hives are a circle of melted
snow. Here is proof of heat generated by
the bees inside.
All winter long they huddled in a tight
mass, exchanging places from inside out
to keep warm. Their store of honey last fall
was their fuel for the winter and it has
served them well. The sugar in the honey
supplied the energy that in turn heated the
hive and melted the snow on top. I walk
away with confidence that all is well and
they, too, are probably looking forward to
spring and the return of the sun.
Rabbit Tracks
Farther along I find the tracks of our
circling rabbit and then later up on the
lawn, those of a squirrel. Tracks are
fascinating to see and follow. I can
remember as a youth following the tracks
of a fox for half a day and never getting a
glimpse of him.It was always just over the
next hill or around the other side of the
woods. I'd expect to see him, but as the
saying goes, he was one jump ahead of me
all the time.
I have acquired quite a collection of
photographs of animal and bird tracks.
Many are in the snow, but most are on the
wet sand or mud. Tracks are some of our
earliest evidence of life on our planet. The
fossil tracks of prehistoric animals and
birds take us into a world of intriguing
imagination.
Today there are many good books on
tracks you can get that will help you with
identification. Just a short time ago I used
one of these guides when I was involved in
a mammal survey over at Mashomack on
Shelter Island after a snow. It was an all
day walk which started with the familiar
rabbit and squirrel tracks that we find in
our front yard. Even the most unfamiliar
tracks have other clues to help identify
them. The rabbit tracks sooner or later
have the familiar rabbit droppings that
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help you put two and two together for a
positive identification. The squirrel, if
followed, will usually lead you to where he
dug up his treasure and scampered off to
the base of a tree, where the tracks will
end. Perhaps discarded shells on the snow
will tell you where he sat above and ate.
Deer tracks are identified by the cleft
hoof, and if followed will usually give
additional information. The deer I
followed led to an old abandoned farm
yard in the woods. Here it pawed the snow
away to reveal the common ground cover,
myrtle. It had browsed and exposed the
bright green leaves below the snow. When
winter has finally gone, this myrtle will be
one of the first to flower and show its
dainty blue petals.
As we searched for more tracks, I came
across one I just couldn't figure out. It
looked like a bird, but it was too large. The
snow had started to melt and the tracks
were not as clear and sharp as they had
been in the early morning. Then it came to
me. We were at Mashomack, where there
still are wild turkeys to be seen. Sure
enough, here was a new one for me --
MARCH 12, 1981
turkey tracks in the snow.
Muskrat Rambles
Later around one of the numerous ponds
we found the long hand -like print of the
muskrat. He had awakened from his
winter's snooze in his underground nest in
the bank to check the shoreline.
Our best track of the day was from a
weasel. I saw these fast - moving terrorists
years ago -long our creeks. Checking our
field guide confirmed the pattern and trail
it made. We followed it through the woods
under bushes and through thick un-
dergrowth wishing we could maneuver as
easily as he. It led us to an old oak tree
with a split trunk. Looking up into the split,
we could see leaves and rubble of a nest.
Weasels live on a meat diet of moles, mice,
insects -- anything that moves. In the snow
nearby we saw small tracks of the com-
mon deer mouse around the tree. Could he
have fallen prey to this deadly hunter?
We'll never know, but we do know there is
a weasel in the woods on the prowl.
PAULSTOUTENBURGH
TWENTY- SEVENTH ANNUAL
CORNED BEEF &CABBAGE
ZINN R
Choice of
Corned Beef & Cabbage
or
Fresh Broiled Flounder
For Benefit Of
NORTH FOR[ LIONS ELIB
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��lERNA71��Py
Community Activities
MILL CREEK INN
Main Rd. Southold, N.Y.
MON., MARCH 16, 1981
TUES., MARSH 11, 1981
Noon- 91P.M.- Donation $ 7.50
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'MARCH 1981
S M T W T F S
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8 9 10 11 12 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 1
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29 3031 '.5
q FRIDAY,
March 20th
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Southern
Rock Music
FRIDAY IN APRIL
WATCH FOR
THE
COMING BANDS
NO COVER CHARGE!
MAIN ROAD, GREENPORT
477 -2155