- his own
- bikes
- rabbit/squirrel/chipmunk (he has yet to really discern the difference, just knows they are all small feetprints)
- tractor or monster (snowblower)
- daddy's
We know that a family of chipmunks is taking their winter break in the wood pile behind the BBQ pit. There are at least two squirrel nests up in the trees on the property and a number of nests in the trees up and down the street. A few weeks ago I noticed a fairly large grey squirrel moving about the property. A few hours later I just happened to be looking out as two hawks dove into the snow just in the tree line to the north of the house. I had an idea of what they were after. I made my way up to grab Stone and show him the scene, by the time I made it up one hawk had taken flight. The squirrel had made it up into the trees as we got the window ... the second hawk slowly got up and took flight. Hawks 0 Squirrel 1 (presumably as I saw it make to the tree tops ... but have yet to see it again).
We chose the area knowing that we could get land around the house and we are fortunate in that it is predominately wooded and backs to a creek. Thus there are lots of things that frequent the property and more and more moving back in after the clearing and construction phase. I started a pre-dirt (compost) pile knowing it would potentially attract a few critters. This morning as I took the trash/recycling to the street for pick up I noticed a set of bunny tracks heading from the street to the BBQ area (smart rabbit ;) ).
I briefly followed the tracks past the house to the back yard. From there it seemed to make a few outbound excursions from the compost area and I think it is under the Christmas tree that I left for such occasions. I've been peeking every so often in that direction for fresh tracks or a sign of it.
It is quite apparent that the critters are starting to take certain risks in seeking "stuff" in order to compensate for the continued perma-snow. There are still quite a few predatory birds about (even as I moved the waste), and as I tracked lunch..the bunny, I noticed two sets of prints that had recently been created: one by the chipmunk family going back and forth from the wood pile to the condos (the containers from last years shrub plantings) and another set by a rouge squirrel.
Looking forward to teaching how to track without the ease of snow ...
J
