Now you See it, Now you Don't

What a completely apt phrase that is, “now you see it, now you don’t”, for looking for tracks in snow. The forecast for the Cape’s New Year’s weekend was for balmy temps, so I knew I had to get out as often as I could before the chapters closed on who had been where on the bog.

I chose to walk around a bog that is attached via a short trail to the main bog area but for some reason sees less human traffic. I was rewarded by seeing where those fox tracks of the other day had perhaps originated, in a wetland tangle at the far side, but what held far more fascination that day, was the iced over bog itself. On one side there was a complete stampede of crow tracks!

It looked like a waltzing of crows or the site of a crow Contra dance. Really, this one entire section of the bog was covered every inch with crow tracks of all kinds. Not just walking as I usually see, but so many landings and taking off, with those feather imprints that I mentioned in the last blog, clearly seen.
Then tracks that seemed to go about in circles, so, so many of them! They were also all over the bank that led to the bog. Had someone scattered corn perhaps? I saw no evidence of it.

Now, I need to remember that several days had passed since the snow had fallen. This may not have been one large gathering of crows, but a repeat performance of a family of crows that kept coming back for some reason. There are three distinct families that call these bogs their home and I have been noticing what a successful breeding year they had, for rather than the usual 6 or 7 crows in a family unit, I have been seeing 10. Those numbers may decrease if the winter is harsh, but so far, they seem to be a large family. Were the three groups of crows roosting in this area? They are one gregarious species and roosts are reported to have hundreds and hundreds of crows in them. It may be that these three families were having some pre-roost play on the bog, for crows are playful. Usually though, you see that play, play itself out in the air with swoops and dives and rolls. Hmmm.

I often think there are so many surveillance cameras watching us these days, at red lights, at shopping malls. How I wish there were some night cameras set up here to see just WHAT does go on while I am not here! So, I have no answers for this, just that today, after a weekend of temperatures in the mid 40’s, any evidence that it ever happened, has melted away. Which is why my admonition is always to “get out and get at it” when you can!

This morning though, the cold had returned, with a wind that had me keeping my scarf over my nose. But aha! Not all the snow had melted. In the shady areas and the areas of drift it was not only still there, but crusty enough to walk on without leaving a track. I think those cold temps returned after an opossum had made its way down the same slope I do and its tracks were cast now in this icy medium and were wonderfully clear- the outstretched digits that look like a star when you see them.
And the tunnels of meadow mice with their roofs melted away gave a clear picture of where they had scurried to and from. A marvelous protection when the snow is there, a clear highway when it is not.

Now you see it, now you don’t. But the point is, go out to see what you can see. For if you don’t, you surely won’t. Consider that my suggestion of a New Years resolution for you. If you don’t, you surely won’t. And wouldn’t that be a pity? And around here, more snow if perhaps forecasted for this coming weekend. Yippee. A clean slate again. Enjoy everyone!