Tag Archives: animal tracks in snow

One of Nature’s Mysteries to Solve

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Hey there,

If you are new to the Blogging A to Z Challenge, please note that there is no alphabet letter assigned to Sundays. Sunday, we got off for good behavior. However…

Two years ago when Nutmeg undertook the Challenge, I, Hickory Squirrel came up with a brilliant idea for a Sunday column. IMHO, the Sunday ‘One of Natures Mysteries to Solve’ column has been one of our most popular. It works like this: I post a nature photo and ask our readers what it is. Late in the day (sometimes MUCH later in the day) I post the answer.

Here we go. What animal made this track?

Mystery #

This photo comes with a hint: Coney sent it to me. Not sure who Coney is? See Thursday’s blog post, C day!

Can’t see it well enough? Here’s a close up of the log, but please note there is another print in front of the log.

Mystery # 84_2

Give me your best guesses and I’ll be back later with your answer.

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Hey, we did have a correct guess today! These prints were made by a rabbit, or more correctly, a snowshoe hare. It is hard to tell from the photo, but the back feet are about 5 inches long. The leap from the log to the snow is about 6 feet! Coney said the funny ting about these prints, is there are prints leading up to the log, but only the one set after the log. From his high perch, Coney couldn’t see another print, just clean, untouched snow.

Thanks for visiting today!

One of Nature’s Mysteries to Solve

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Howdy from Colorado Squirrel Nutwork Readers!

Coney

This is Coney the Pine Squirrel! Nutmeg has turned over reporting to me for the week, and my tail is switching back and forth I’m so excited. I’ll be sharing a few of the nature winter happenings near my home in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

I last served as your Field Correspondent back in October. If you want to know more about my home in the mountain suburbs, please click here to go back to those posts.

Keeping with the Nutwork’s Sunday column, here’s your nature mystery:

Mystery #45

What happened here? The animals who make these tracks have relatives all over the United States. I don’t know where Nutwork readers live, but I don’t want any of you to feel left out.

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Ok, this is what I think happened.  A fox—or a coyote—came through this area, making the even, close prints that amble off into the trees. Afterwards—because the fox doesn’t seem to stop or follow—a snowshoe hare bounded through from left to right, leaving tracks of his big back feet in front of his smaller front feet.