Our small group went out tracking with iNaturalist in Centennial Woods on the afternoon of February 16, which happened to be an eerily warm day for the dead of winter- (someone needs to fire Punxsutawney Phil… 6 more weeks of winter my ass.)
Due to this unusual and (mildly concerning) weather, whatever snow that remained on the ground had begun to create beautiful, squelchy, squishy mud. Although we had fun slopping through the woods, the lack of fresh snow severely limited our ability to do any tracking off of the trails. The matted leaf litter and fibrous ground cover inhibited any useful observation, so we were left with whatever muddy evidence we could find on or around the trail. However, we did manage to find some visible signs of life.
First, (and perhaps most notably), we found some interesting tracks in the mud near the top of the trailhead. Unfortunately, due to food traffic obscuring the prints and the animal’s back-and-forth movement, they were somewhat difficult to identify. At first glance, I initially assumed that they were raccoon tracks due to their size and nearly “humanoid” toes. However, after more deliberation, I think they might be porcupine prints. Size wise at around 7 cm, these prints could fall into either category. However, its “meatier” and more rounded heel, as well as its forward-facing toes are suggestive of a porcupine. However, the verdict is still out!
However, we found similar tracks near Centennial Brook that looked even more humanoid than the first, so perhaps we found a raccoon on our trip after all!
In terms of other wildlife, I also managed to audio record some birds who were seemingly enjoying the warm weather. Most notable was the happy black-capped chickadee heard below, and some squawking crows- (not in the following audio.)