Location: Our backyard again; only this time, covered with a beautiful white blanket. Mild temperature, partly sunny sky and a slight breeze are our weather conditions. We listen and hear different birds chit-chatting; among them a killdeer with it's distinct "kill-deer" call. We see robin redbreasts, sparrows, red winged blackbirds, finches and others frolicking among the trees that line the fence row. Something on the ground next to the shed catches our eye. I do believe we have discovered raccoon tracks. (My detective skills have me thinking that he's attracted to corn that may have been spilled in the process of feeding 'Moo'.) These tracks spark our interest in looking for some made by other critters. We find bird, cow, dog, rabbit and chicken tracks. Our focus for nature study has just manifested: mammals.
As we do a bit of research on the raccoon, we learn that they are fond of poultry and raid hen houses. This has heightened our awareness of keeping the hen house closed up at night; something we at times are relaxed about. They also destroy birds' nests and their young. Fish is another delicacy they enjoy.
Nature study in winter is more interesting than I thought it would be.
Bird
Chicken
Cow
Dog
Rabbit
Raccoon
"Announced by all the trumpets of the sky; arrives the snow."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Great photos of your tracks! I think it is really hard to get good images but yours are perfect. I look forward to reading more about your mammal study.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your link with the OHC.