Winter is a good time to keep track of what’s going on in my neighborhood. Sure I’m out every day patrolling the streets, but I can’t go for walks 24/7, especially at night. Therefore I rely on my trusted home security system of snow, to keep an eye on who is coming and going in my yard.
Take for example the hoof prints the Deer left behind. I now know that they like to emerge from the woods, cut across my backyard, cross the street into my neighbor’s yard, and then forage for food. Based on the amount of tracks, and the new sets daily, they really like dining out at this restaurant.
Speaking of restaurant, in my side yard, I discovered the Coyotes have returned. Last winter you may recall they had the audacity to enter my fenced in yard to dine on the Mice hiding in our raised garden bed. This winter they are keeping a respectful distance from my play area, but I followed the tracks of two large Coyotes and one smaller one, through my side yard, to another favorite hiding spot for Mice. Please don’t tell Asa, but based on the digging, it appears more of his Mice friends have become tasty appetizers for our neighbors.
Vixen, our foxy neighbor, has been very active this winter making the rounds! Her tracks go along our wood line, through our side yard, across the street into the field, then back again along the opposite side of our yard and into the woods, making a big circle. Based on the evidence, she must be doing it on a regular basis. It is good to know I’m not the only one patrolling the neighborhood. She’s very sly though, and I only get quick glimpses of her in the early morning or evening just before sunset.
I’m very thankful for Vixen taking on these extra patrol shifts, because the Squirrels have been very active lately. You can see their tracks bounding here, there, and everywhere through the neighborhood. What are they up to? Where are the going in such a hurry? Why are they so squirrelly? I need to investigate them further.
Deeper into the woods, there are a lot of tracks from our Rabbit friends. I’m not an expert in the least, and cannot say if these tracks are the endangered New England Cottontail Rabbits being monitored by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, or if they are the much more common Snowshoe Hares or Eastern Cottontail Rabbits who call our woods home. In fact, a lot of critters call our woods home. In addition to the Rabbits, I found Deer tracks, Coyotes, Raccoon, and the itty bitty tracks left behind by field Mice. Their tails tend to give them away. That’s not including the prints that neither myself or Dad can identify.
A lot goes on in this neighborhood. But rest assured I’m tracking it all closely! I just wish Mom was a better crime scene photographer, because these photos don’t do justice to the evidence I’ve found.
