Coyote and Bobcat Encounter at Cat Swamp

~30 degrees F, 0% cloud cover, wind NE 0-5 mph, 0.5 - 1 inch of snow

Elena Sasso accompanied me to look for tracks on the Cat Swamp boardwalk and along the western side of swamp.  We observed the following species' tracks:

bobcat
coyote (at least 2 individuals)
weasel species
red squirrel
grey squirrel
cottontail rabbit species
white-tailed deer

Along the trail on the western side of Cat Swamp we observed an interesting scene. 

We observed a older scat with some fresh urine marks (foreground of the above image), with long paw marks that lead to the scat, and coyote tracks walking away from the scat, but originating at the far end of the paw marks.  I suspect that a coyote encountered this scat in the trail, stopped urinated to leave it's scent, then pawed at the ground by kicking leafs and duff with it hind legs.  After it left its calling card, it then walked away. 

Another interesting encounter occurred when we were at the southern end of Cat Swamp.  We were walking around the edge of the water looking at bobcat tracks and fresh beaver gnawing on Red Maple trees.  We were about to start walking back to the truck when we observed in the distance a bobcat sauntering off into the dense undergrowth.

Fresh Bobcat Tracks!

12:05 p.m., 28.5 degrees F, wind NE 5-10 mph, cloud cover 40%, occasional flurries

We have a new volunteer joining the Research and Conservation Program!  Her name is Helena Sasso and on her first day we did little bit of tracking after this morning's hike to Heron Ridge.  We stopped at Catlin Marsh at the junction with Webster Road.  We found more bobcat tracks from yesterday's visit and these looked really fresh!  You can see the tracks record how the animal slowly loped onto the ice then stopped and postured in one place, leaving a really unique pattern in the snow, probably to groom and then continued to walk onto a trail that was used before by a bobcat (maybe the same individual).  Pretty Cool!  I can't tell you how much I wanted to walk out onto the ice to see this in closer detail, but the ice is only about two inches thick!  Just a tad bit too thin for me, but not for a bobcat.

Snow Tracking

14:40 to 16:05 (EST) 30 degrees F., North wind ~0-5 mph, 25% cloud cover.

Nicole Morin, volunteer from Wamogo Regional High School, visited today and helped with some of the first snow tracking of the year.  We hit several locations.  The best site was Catlin Marsh junction of Webster Road!  Look for yourselves, bobcat tracks!  We also saw old coyote tracks. 


Bobcat Tracks!  Notice the walking gate (direct register) on the right trail and the running gait on the left trail.  


 
We saw 8 turkeys (all males) leave one of the Arethusia Farm fields and enter into the white pine stand on the north side of the road.  They were scratching the ground and probably will roost in the pines overnight.

We also saw a bald eagle soaring over Cranberr Pond.  The ice on Heron Pond was at least one inch thick, not enough to support my foot, I tried!

Bantam Lake's Bird Activity, 12/3/2010

The waterbird migration is in full swing, as evidenced by the high numbers and good variety of species found at Bantam Lake today. The rarest was a Red-necked Grebe in North Bay, as viewed from the Litchfield Town Beach. A Horned Grebe and a Pied-billed Grebe were off Pt. Folly. The Central section of the Lake hosted approximately 210 Common Mergansers and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers feeding actively on Alewives, Shiners, and White Perch. They were being harassed by 85 Ring-billed Gulls trying to steal these fish. Also fishing the Lake were 4 Bald Eagles (3 adults and 1 immature), 2 Great Blue Herons, and 3 Belted Kingfishers. The other notable birds seen today consisted of a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 18 Buffleheads, 20 Common Goldeneyes, 39 Hooded Mergansers, 60 Ruddy Ducks, and 46 American Coots. These birds were all seen in a 2 hour time span.
Back at the WMCC Museum Area, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches were seen at the feeders.
Bobcat tracks, Fox scat, and an Otter slide were found along Butternut Brook today.