We went on a field trip to the Airport Ditch area with Tania. The snow was so hard we could walk on it. The tracking substrate was poor because the snow was hard and the tracks were getting filled in with new snow. The reason we went on this trip was to collect data for our year-long study about birds and animal sign. We found a bunch of squirrel middens under big spruce trees, trails leading into holes and middens, and squirrel tracks. We were lucky enough to see an actual squirrel! We found three boxes that looked like boxes for trapping. We discovered moose beds and three kids could fit in one! While we were walking we saw either big dog or wolf tracks. What kind of tracks have you seen lately?
We have some questions:
1. Do we have any mammals in Gustavus that truly hibernate?
2. Why are raven's feathers black?
3. How far down into the ground do squirrel middens go?
4. Do squirrels eat in their middens?
5. How big is a squirrel's territory?
6. How many squirrels live in one midden?
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We have a ermine hanging around our place and when it snows, we can tell where he goes.
ReplyDeleteHe comes in from the north, checks the shed, goes around the house and goes under the house, looking for voles and then comes out.
He then goes south, to where???
We have seen him swim across our slough once.
He comes up on our front porch and checks out the collection screen to our water catchment system, not sure what he is looking for, insects maybe ???