When I went out to check the track in yesterday’s post, I also saw interesting tracks in the snow beneath the suet feeder. Can anyone help me identify these? Sharkey?
At this point, I picked up the camera, prepared myself and went back out to the scene. I found some fresh tracks where the snow was not as deep.
As you can see, they are paw prints — just at tiny bit wider than my thumb. Looks too big for a mouse, and it looks like un-mouse-like pads on the paws.
Lunch call. Gotta go.
I wish I knew what they were. I’ve sadly let my animal tracking skills atrophy. I’m sure one of the other commenters is right. I’m sure it’s a rodent of some sort.
Now that we’ve had fresh snow, I’ll try to get a better look.
All those wiggles look like a mouse or vole under the snow. The paw prints may be something else.
The paw prints lead directly to wiggles like those in the pic. My first thought was a mouse. It’s impossible to tell on the wiggles under the tree. Snow has drifted in and obliterated paw prints.
Maybe a stray kitten…..hope not…It’s too cold out there !!
Relax, friend. It’s not a kitten.
Chipmunk, squirrel…some small animal sniffing around from suet chunks that have fallen when the birds eat it.
Chipmunk may be correct. Too small for a squirrel. Too big for a mouse.
Page 10 has 1:1 comparison tracks for chipmunks.
http://indeeag.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/2/0/8720928/animal_tracks.pdf
Also check out “Gallop Walkers” (1/2 way down the page), the “Rodents” image (3/4 down the page), and “Animal Track Listing By Number of Toes” (bottom of page) for more detailed info.
http://www.ussartf.org/animal_tracking.htm
Scott