Animal tracks in snow for ID please

Hedgehoggy · #1 (**permalink**) 21-02-2010, 02:42 PM

Whilst making a clearing in the fresh snow this morning to feed the birds, I noticed some tracks which I couldn’t identify. It looked like my son had wheeled one of his toy cars around the garden (but he hadn’t!). They measured 3-4cm in width crossing regularly to form ‘junctions’. The track lines ran to several different areas where my hanging bird feeders are sited, as well as to the foxes’ feeding dish near my back door, and also underneath a bench. Depending on which way the tracks began/exited, the lines disappeared into a large shrub against some fencing and also into the snow-less area underneath my holly tree in the opposite direction. It's probably something really obvious

Any ideas please?

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 22-02-2010, 07:54 AM

Its hard to say, can you get a close up photo of one of the prints? they seem to be slits in the snow more than footprints. Possibly a bird, thrush perhaps?

Hedgehoggy · #3 (**permalink**) 22-02-2010, 05:31 PM

Dogghound, thanks, I do believe you are right

Given the way that blackbirds often run, instead of hopping, I’m guessing it was a very busy blackbird, charging from feeder to feeder without pausing for breath, before all the other birds woke up for breakfast! That would account for the lack of any foot prints seen atop the snow.

(I was unable to get a closer photo today, all the tracks have been trampled over and the snow is beginning to thaw, but I'm happy to go with blackbird anyway.)