Over the past week I observed and recorded wildlife signs using iNaturalist around the city of Burlington. I visited both the Intervale for lab as well as made some observations around campus. I observed lots of tracks, mainly of white footed mice, as well as lots of squirrels on campus. I also observed some shrew and eastern cottontail tracks at the Intervale. I identified most of tracks by measuring their size as well as determining the gait pattern. Mice tracks were easy to identify due to the tail drag left behind. The squirrel tracks could be identified by their galloping gait. There was also some debate over if the rabbit tracks that we found were from a snowshoe hare or an eastern cottontail, but I determined based on the size of the hind foot that they were from the latter. Overall, the process of using iNaturalist was very convenient, especially as the recommended identifications helped me on some that I wasn’t totally sure on.
Bonus Tracks!
While out skiing at Sugarbush this weekend I discovered what I believe to be coyote tracks in the woods off the Exterminator trail. I identified the tracks by the presence of claws, the X shape that is made, and the number of toes
