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Photo Gallery: Wildlife tracks on the farm

Anne Bloomfield of the Farmscape Ecology team tracks wildlife 

By Anne Bloomfield, Farmscape Ecology Coordinator

Spring is a time of awakening. Though, for many creatures which call the farm home, being out and about all winter is a part of their being. Who are these animals? There are many clues we can gather if we take a closer look. 

This season’s photo gallery features wildlife tracks and signs from the farm this past winter.

Consider what animals may have made the tracks by looking at their shape, size, and location. Through observations, we reflect on the importance of the fields, roads, bridges, and barns to wildlife in this agricultural landscape. 

Winter Wildlife
These raccoon tracks, found by the Esopus Creek, show their 5 long humanlike toes used for anything from digging up insects to opening jars
Winter Wildlife
This track looks much different than the first. When the eastern cottontail rabbit bounds, its front feet land one in front of the other. Notice how the hind feet fall side by side ahead of the front feet.
Rabbit Tracks
Even with a less defined track, you can still see the pattern of the eastern cottontail. When the eastern cottontail rabbit bounds, its front feet land one in front of the other. Notice how the hind feet fall side by side ahead of the front feet.
Rabbit tracks
This eastern cottontail track is several days old, but the same pattern of the track is still visible. Understanding the overall patterns will help one better identify tracks
Winter wildlife
Farm roads and bridges create paths not just for farm equipment but also for some wildlife species. This particular field has a “regular cast of characters” that travel up and down the farm road from one end of the field to the other
Tracks by the water
Below the bridge from the previous photo, if we look closely we see there are tracks bounding up the side of it. Who would bound up the side of a bridge near water?
Winter Wildlife
mink tracks
This track, also found near water, is quite different from the mink mentioned previously. The lumbering, triangular prints appear webbed, suggesting a life lived mainly in the water
Beaver tracks
They belong to the beaver, North America’s largest rodent
Skunk tracks
These tracks are from a member of the weasel family as well. One difference between these prints and that of the mink are the clearly defined, long nails seen as small dots at the front of the track. These are the tracks of the striped skunk.
Bird tracks
Imagine a small bird taking flight from the snow. The bird’s flight feathers dust the snow as the feed press down leaving behind a snow angel of sorts
Winter wildlife
Though some animals slow down in the winter, many are still active despite the snow and cold temperatures. If you would like to try your hand at tracking you don’t have to go far. Roads, bridges and barns, though manmade, are used by wildlife and humans alike.
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