Quite apart from the beauty in the trees and landscape from the snowfall this last week, it also brings a real opportunity for those interested in wildlife. After each layer of snow, a new and fascinating path of tiny footprints are pressed into the pristine surface, and I can see where all the mice, hares, voles, birds, stoats and rabbits have been pat-pattering throughout the night and early morning.
Animal footprints in the snow
Animal footprints, digging and burrowing in the snow
Little winding trackways, a gap and then evidence of a leap landing, burrowing and tunnels under the snow, scurries and scufflings of a chase and catch, nibblings, droppings and exit and entry places all clearly defined. All the marks and moves of the wildlife in and around my workshop on full show.
Animal Tracks and Signs book - really helpful tracking companion
Some I haven't managed to identify, but I know where they went and how they came back to the sheds. The Oxford Natural History - Animal Tracks and Signs (pocket guide) is an invaluable companion and helped me a lot in recognising marks and patterns.
Animal Tracks and Signs book - I'm just looking up shrews
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I looked out of the kitchen window this morning to see that we had a (human) intruder on the roof next door last night. He didn't make a sound.
ReplyDeleteHope he didn't get in!
Deletethis is a great little book isn't it! though my son isn't keen on my habit of taking photos of droppings whilst out walking so that I can look them up when we get home ;)
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh Alison, yesterday I crouched over little yellow wee marks in the snow trying to work out who left them and how many latrines there were! Yes, brilliant book!
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