Thanks so much for joining us today! We had such a good time and it was so great to get to know so many good people. A special thanks to Mahoosuc Land Trust for all the work they do to steward this beautiful land. The land we explored today is on unceded Wabanaki territory, and we have so much gratitude to be remembering what our human animal bodies are designed for in these forests and rivers. Thanks also to some tracking club veterans for helping us scout and find some really fun stuff!
Donations
Donations are split between Mahoosuc Land Trust and the Northeast Wildlife Trackers Access Fund. From this paypal link you can donate by ach, credit card, paypal or venmo.
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/JLU6RLK8EK5LW
Conditions were a beautiful day, but a bit wet with impending storm. If you want to learn more about anything we encountered, here’s a species list of tracks and sign that we saw:
- Acorn Feeding Sign- We asked the ever-important question, whose face could do this? We discussed all the animals that feed on the mast of acorns including our big list of rodents, corvids, deer, bear, and more. We looked at specifics of telling the difference of species on the acorn and discussed the holes, the bevel, the context of where, and more. We ultimately found compelling evidence to suggest deer, porcupine, chipmunk and bird (likely blue jay) feeding on acorns. Also, we found some stored acorns from either bird or squirrel…
- Blue Jay Nest- We found 2 nests! We asks lots of questions
- Where? in a mixed forest in the Northeast. 1/4 mile or less from a river.
- Niche? Both were 15-25ft up in the tree. 2 different trees, one deciduous, the other evergreen.
- What? Made of small sticks, kind of messy looking.
- Size? Smaller than a crow or raven nest, larger than a robin nest.
- Canine- We found 1 obscure track and were able to distinguish canine because of the 4 toes and the relative size of the heel pad to the toes (being smaller than a feline).
- Red Squirrel – We found lots of squirrel activity, but it was fantastic to find there territorial markings. Right above a midden (a pile of leftover pine cone peels) were classic chew marks on horizontal branches of an evergreen.
- Really Cool Tree- We found this interesting ephemeral art from a rotting tree.
- White-Tailed Deer- We found lots of deer tracks in the sand, mud, and leaf litter. We explored the basics of trailing to see how we could read the leaf litter for recent deer activity and trails. We also found some ancestral trails that have been used for years.
- Black Bear – We found some compelling evidence of Black Bear Club claw marks on a Red Pine, one of their favorite trees.
- Other interesting finds – We found some beautiful lady slippers and discussed their unique pollination strategy and the tracking signs you can find on them. We also found some Oak Galls and discussed the similar Goldenrod Gall.
Make sure to check out our other events, including our Winter Tracking Immersion at the AMC Huts in the 100 Mile Wilderness next February. We also will be posting some canoe-tracking days and other events soon!
