This week I explored around the UVM campus because I wanted to see want kind of animals are making their home here. There is a surprising amount of wildlife here, even though we think of it as a human-centric and developed space. Nature always find a way. #resilience
The first animal we saw was an Eastern Gray Squirrel. It was in the trees next to the Interfaith Center, an area that is pretty highly trafficked by people. This little guy seemed to be well-acclimated to humans and was not afraid of us.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148919594
Next we observed a pair of tracks perfectly imprinted in the mud near the Redstone Pines. They look like they could be the front paws of a squirrel. We determined this because of their size and resemblance to a tiny hand. It could even be from the same one we saw!
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148919956
Our third sighting was a huge crows’ nest on the side of Gutterson Fieldhouse. It was really interesting to see how the crows have used human development to their advantage. We also saw a murder (yes that is really the name for a flock of crows) making their way to their roosts in the trees later on.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148921706
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148928162
Lastly, at the front of the gym we came upon some gulls. It is always funny to me to see seagulls here because we are so far from the ocean. I come from a beach town near Cape Cod, so I see them a lot back home. At first I thought it was a Herring Gull, but on further research I think it might be a Ring-billed Gull. The two species are very similar in coloring, but the Ring-billed Gull is smaller.