Tracks, scat, slides, and porcupine butts

It seems like the weather has kept me cooped up indoors all winter.  Over the past two weeks, local schools have been in session for a grand total of two days out of ten; on one of the days that they actually had school there was a weather delay.  I have already had to cancel or reschedule thirty-five school programs since the second week of January.  So imagine my excitement to have nice weather on Saturday (09 February) for a planned animal signs hike at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's Hall's Lake Natural Area.  Sunny weather and a couple of inches of fresh snow!  What more could we ask for!

Hall's Lake is located on the far west side of Isabella County.  The three main preserves (Kabana, Neely, and Schaftenaar) that make up Hall's Lake Natural Area encompass 155 acres of woodland and wetland protect nearly one half of the shoreline of Hall's Lake from development.  This land serves as habitat for a wide variety of animal species.  I was fairly confident that we could find tracks (or other sign) for several common species such as white-tailed deer, coyote, squirrels, mice, and voles.  All of these tracks were present and easy to find.  We also discovered a set of tracks belonging to either a small American mink or a large long-tailed weasel - there is a little bit of overlap in track size so I was not 100% confident in assigning the tracks to one species.

The best tracks of the day were a surprise to me - they probably shouldn't be, but I rarely see them.  We found tracks from both the North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) and bobcat (Lynx rufus) along the shore of Hall's Lake.  At first I had some difficulty identifying the tracks because both animals had traveled along the same path and their prints sometimes overlapped.  Also, snow had drifted into many of the tracks making it hard to see their features.  Finally, the tracks diverged in a sheltered area and I was able to see enough identifying features to make a positive identification.

This is a print from an otter - the important thing to note is that it has five widely spread toes.

Here is a set of all four otter feet as it bounded along in the snow - the otter was traveling from right to left in the picture.  We did notice several tail drags along this path, but I didn't photograph any of them.

Here is one of the bobcat tracks.  Note how this track has only four toes.  We also found several coyote tracks.  It's easy to tell the bobcat and coyote tracks apart; look for toenails.  If you see toenails the print belongs to a coyote - cats (such as bobcats) usually have their claws retracted and the nails rarely show up in their footprints.

In this picture you can easily see the spacing of the bobcat's tracks.  At one point I couldn't decide if some of the tracks belonged to a small bobcat or a large domestic cat.  The prints were in rough terrain and the stride was quite short, but here in the open on this trail the animal opened ups its gait.

We eventually discovered the tracks of not one, but two bobcats on site.  The two could be told apart  by the different size of their tracks.  Like most wild cat species, bobcats will not usually share a territory with another animal of the same sex.  Males normally have larger territories than females.  Either Hall's Lake Natural Area is on the boundary of two territories of same-sex animals or two animals of the opposite sex have territories that overlap.

Bobcats often mark their territory by urinating or defecating in places where other Bobcats (and other predators such as coyote or red fox) will notice it.  Just like a domestic cat, this Bobcat kicked up the snow after leaving its mark.  Fox and coyote (and my dog) exhibit the same kind of behavior.

The bobcat scent station was only the second coolest thing we found during the hike.  My favorite can be seen in the two pictures below - an otter slide!  With short legs and a body shaped like a sausage, sometimes the easiest way for an otter to move (especially downhill) is to slide on its belly.

Checking out the otter slide

Slide!

There was one more stop we had to make.  Hall's Lake Natural Area has a well-known porcupine den tree.  In all the times I've ever been to Hall's Lake, I've never seen more of the porcupine than its rear end hanging out of a hole in the tree.  Last year during a hike at Hall's lake we found a second porcupine high up in an Eastern White Pine, but no such luck today.  So on to the den tree...

Normally, when I see the porcupine it's tucked up in the top of that hole.

Believe it or not, this is actually the best view that I have ever had of this porcupine.  This individual porcupine seems to be almost completely nocturnal.  It comes out of this den tree at night and travels to a nearby stand of pine trees where it feed before returning to the den to sleep away the day.

All in all, I'd declare this a very successful animal sign hike, filled with tracks, scat, slides, and porcupine butts! 

A Winter day at Mill Pond Park (08 February 2018)

Yesterday, during the middle of the day, I was able to spend a little more than an hour walking through Mill Pond Park.  This 90 acre park is located along the Chippewa River right in the middle of Mt. Pleasant.

Despite its location, this park is home to a diverse collection of wildlife.  Although I saw only a few birds and one squirrel (plus a feral cat), I did find lots of evidence of animals including tracks and evidence of feeding.

Tracks on ice at the river's edge

Ice flows in the Chippewa River

A Fox Squirrel high in a tree at Mill pond Park

A gentle curve of the Chippewa River

Like other parks in the city, Mill Pond Park has lost large numbers of trees due to an Emerald Ash Borer infestation.  As these trees fall it can be very difficult to travel off trail within the park.

Fungi on a dead tree

A deer trail through the woods

 A clump of reeds along the edge of the marsh

Looking south over the marsh

Dramatic clouds

I was surprised to find several trees that showed evidence of beavers.  There have been beavers in the park many times, but these trees were nearly one hundred yards from the river.  Despite this distance, it was obvious that the beaver had visited this site multiple times

Vole of shrew tracks on the ice

Looking down at the spillway of the Mill Pond dam

Trees and ice on the Chippewa River

Ice formed in patches on one of the weirs that slow the rivers drop

I like how the shape of the trees is repeated by the shape of the clouds

A tale written in snow (attempt #2)

Some people probably noticed a blank post last night or earlier today.  I spent more than an hour last night working on this post, only to have everything disappear when I hit publish.  This is not the first time something like this has happened.  Every once in a while Blogger (in conjunction with my internet browser) likes to go nuts.

So let's try this again...

Last week while photographing the river ice at Mill Pond Park I happened to look down and notice something interesting in the new snow on the bridge.

What do you see?  Who or what has left its mark in the snow?

Holiday field guide gift guide - 16 guides for 2016 (part 3)

Slightly delayed, but here is part three of my holiday field guide gift guide.  If sorting through hundred of plants or thousands of insect species is not your thing, perhaps you might enjoy a guide to a group of animals with less members.  If you like fuzzy animals try a guide to mammals, if you prefer your animals scaly or slimy try one about reptiles and amphibians.

11.  Mammals of the Great Lakes Region (Revised Edition) by Allen Kurta (ISBN 9780472064977)

Published by the University of Michigan Press (1995), this book is an update of a guide that was originally published in 1957.  It's probably no surprise that I own a copy of the earlier publication as well.

If you are looking for a guide to the mammals of Michigan this is the book to buy.  The book focuses on the entire Great Lakes Basin, so some of the eighty-three species listed in the book are not found within the boundaries of Michigan.  The species listed with are grouped by the order to which they belong - for example all rodents are grouped together in one section.  This makes it relatively easy to find an individual species in the book.  For each species there is a list of measurements; a detailed description of the animal; a range map; and a natural history that explains such things as diet, mating habits, and habitat requirements.  There is also a black and white photograph of each species.  There is also a key at the back of the book for identifying mammal skulls.

The author's preface to the book neatly sums up why you should buy this volume for yourself or another nature lover.

     This book is not intended to be a coffee-table book, ponderous tome, detailed listing of 
     relevant literature, or an in-depth treatment of geographic variation.  It is intended to serve 
     as a quick reference for teachers, students, naturalists, and professional biologists, and to be 
     a concise guidebook, still small enough to be tucked into a backpack and carried in the field.

This edition is currently available for under $20, but I did notice that a as yet unpublished 3rd edition is available for pre-order for $24.95.  The 3rd edition will have color photographs and a section on the tracks of common mammals.  It looks like I will be buying a new field guide soon!

12.  Animal Tracks:  Midwest Edition by Jonathan Poppele (ISBN 9781591933243)

This book would be a good compliment to Mammals of the Great Lakes.  A true field guide, this book measures 5 inches by 7 inches and easily fits in your pocket.  The book includes images of tracks and gaits (walking patterns) for nearly 100 Midwest mammal species - not all species in the book can be found in Michigan.

I like this book because it is so extensive.  It covers a wide range of species, but does lump many similar species together.  Each entry includes images of their footprints, a description of the footprints (both front and rear tracks), a description of the animal's gait, a description of habitat types, and other notes on the animal including other signs to look for.  It is also helpful that the tracks in the book are life-size.  There are range maps included for each species, but some are inaccurate - for instance the book fails to show bobcat as present in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

 
This book was published by Adventure Publications in 2012.  It retails for under $15.  Despite the few gripe that I listed above, at this price, you really can't go wrong.

13. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great lakes Region by James H. Harding (ISBN 9780472066285)

This is another book from the University of Michigan Press.  Originally published in 1997, it also has an update coming in 2017.

Organized in much the same way as Mammals of the Great Lakes Region, this book gives lengthy descriptions of all species of reptiles and amphibian found within the Great Lakes Basin as well as for several species that closely approach the limits of the basin.  Each species depiction includes a detailed physical description (with a color photograph), notes on similar species, information on range (with a map) and conservation status, a description of habitat and ecology, as well as conservation requirements/efforts.

The 2017 edition will include updates range maps and more photographs.  Both the currently available edition and the forthcoming retail for under $25.  If you are a herp (reptile and amphibian) lover this is the book you need.  It is slightly large for a field guide at 5 x 8 inches, but it often finds its was into my backpack when I know I will be encountering snakes, frogs, or turtles. 

If you are looking for something completely different to study stay tuned for part 4 of my gift guide.

Bobcat Population Tracking

Yesterday I got to ride along in a truck with my friend and colleague Heather Shaw for a few hours.  Heather is the wildlife biologist for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and she is currently working on a survey of Bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations in Isabella County.  A graduate of Central Michigan University, Heather has previously worked as a wildlife technician for the the Wyoming Department of Fish and Game and as a biologist for Ducks Unlimited in both Michigan and North Dakota.  In addition to working for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, she is also completing work on her masters thesis at CMU (expected defense coming up this fall).

Heather Shaw, wildlife biologist for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, fills out a bobcat survey data sheet

Why monitor bobcat populations?

Bobcats are notoriously secretive and often have widely dispersed territories.  I have seen several road-killed Bobcats, but have never seen a live one in the wild.  Even wildlife biologists rarely see them except by chance.  It is very difficult to know exactly how many bobcat can be found living in a given area.

So how do you monitor a population like that?

Heather is using a series of scent stations situated along roadside transects in likely bobcat habitat.  What this means, is that along a selected path (a transect) she was setting up a bed of sand to record footprints and baiting it with a scent tablet to attract bobcat (and other predators).  When an animal investigated the scent tablet, their footprints would recorded in the sand, enabling Heather to build a picture of the locations where bobcats can be found.
 

This map shows the location of the bobcat survey transects in Isabella County (and penciled in near the corner, the location of an Amish bakery - biologists love baked goods)

The locations of these transects has been chosen by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) based on models that predict possible bobcat habitat.  Each transect is three miles long and has a scent station located every 1/3 mile along the transect.  This is the second year that Heather has been conducting this survey in Isabella County - she also has one transect located in Midland County (the next county to the east).

One of ten scent stations located along Rolland Road

Why is this monitoring effort important?

Heather is not the only person setting up these stations and recording data.  Other biologists around the state are recording the same type of information.  This information is used by the Michigan DNR to set seasons and bag limits for bobcat hunting and trapping.  Bobcat hunting and trapping are currently allowed in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, with Isabella County included in the the hunting/trapping zone.  Isabella County is one of the most southern Michigan counties where bobcat hunting and trapping are allowed.

What did we find?

We followed two of the transects that Heather had set up earlier in the week.  Both of these transects were located in the southwest corner of Isabella County.  The first transect was located on a gravel road that sees very little traffic.  The second transect was located on a relatively busy paved road.  These transects are set up along roadsides so they are easy to check.  In addition, many animals including bobcats will use roads as travel corridors, to these stations were likely to be found by any bobcat traveling through the vicinity.

This station along Gilmore Road had several tracks, but none belonged to a bobcat

Many of the scent stations that we visited were completely undisturbed, but we did find tracks from domestic dogs, house cats, raccoon, coyote, fox (possible), white-tailed deer, and birds.  At a station established where Rolland Road crosses the Pine River, we found a set of bobcat tracks.

This station along Rolland Road finally yielded a bobcat track

At each station, Heather measured and recorded any bobcat tracks and recorded all of the other tracks that we discovered.  Then, if necessary, she "reset" the station by smoothing out the sand and replacing the scent tablet if needed.

Heather photographing a bobcat track

Heather measures a bobcat track

Heather "resets" a scent station by smoothing the surface

This survey is almost done for the year.  In addition to the scent stations, Heather set up several trail cameras along the transects.  Her next step will be to sort through all of the trail cam photos - she expects a lot of car pictures.  I can't wait to see if any bobcats were "captured".

Winter Storm Pictures (23-24 March 2016)

In the past 24 hours, Mid-Michigan has been hit by a winter storm that dumped as much as 5 inches of snow and half an inch of ice on the region.  All local schools closed for the day and many automobile accidents have been reported.  As ice-covered branches begin to fall, several areas have lost power.

I finally got out of the house this afternoon, in a steady rain, to take a few pictures in the park just down the street from my house in Alma.

Every tree is covered by a layer of ice.

Smaller plants such as this burdock are also covered.

Despite the weather, wildlife has been active.  I found two sets of deer tracks near the river

Man-made objects are not immune to the ice.

 

Looking back toward home, I could see every tree glistening with the icy coating.  A few branches have begun to come down under the extra weight.

Besides deer, other wildlife had been around.  I found tracks from squirrels, small songbirds, and these tracks from a Canada Goose.

This park is one of several in Alma that can be found along the Pine River.  The city's Riverwalk Trail connects several of these parks.  A pedestrian bridge connects the Euclid Ball Fields to the trail.  Crossing over the Pine River I found a pair of geese and about a half-dozen Mallard Ducks along the trail.  The geese slipped into the river before I could get close, but the ducks let me get close enough to take several pictures before flying the short distance to the river.

By this time, rainwater had soaked through my gloves and my camera was getting wet so I decided to call it a day.