For this assignment, I mostly stayed close to campus in order to fit the project into my schedule. I recorded wildlife sign on campus, in centennial woods, and at lab locations such as the Intervale center. I found iNaturalist to be a generally easy tool to use.
Above: A track found in Centennial woods. This track was about an inch and half long, and an inch wide, with four large toes and a relatively small metacarpal pad. The negative space between the track was neat and the overall shape of the track was ovular. Based on these factors I IDed the species as gray fox.
Above: Another set of tracks found in centennial woods. Tracks were organized in sets of four. with four toes on the smaller front feet, and five toes on the larger hind feet. Individual hind feet were an inch and a half long, and front feet an inch long. For the majority of the trail the larger hind feet landed in front of the smaller front feet, and key indicator of a bounding pattern. I identified this trail as an Eastern Gray Squirrel.
Above: Small bird tracks, located near the winooski river bank at the Intervale center. These tracks were all over a large area, feet side by side indicate a hopping locomotion style. Individual tracks roughly one inch long. three front toes, all separate (as opposed to the “chopstick” tendency of toes III and IV in crows and ravens). Long hallux suggests that this species spends most of its time perching in trees. I cannot get an exact species ID on this track, however I would guess that it is some sort of sparrow or similarily sized bird.
Above: A small trail found on campus near old mill. This trail was noticed in passing, so I did not spend a great amount of time observing and noting details, however based on size and pattern I would venture to guess that this is a small rodent such as a mouse, or a shrew.