Hartford Courant Article "Resurgent Bobcats Prompt State To Study Habitat, Population"

Bobcat at Apple Hill
By Leo Kulinski, Jr.

Bobcats are frequently observed on the White Memorial Foundation property.  Volunteers who help with our Winter Track Monitoring Program have documented bobcat tracks in many of the critical habitats on the property.  Bobcat tracks are often observed walking along juxtaposed upland and wetland habitats, but they are observed in many other habitats.  Bobcats can predate larger mammals but often will kill small mammals, songbirds, and wild turkeys.  They are often observed scavenging white-tailed deer carcasses that die in the winter from car collisions.  A new project in Connecticut is exploring the current population size and habitat associations in the state.  The article below was published in the Hartford Courant on September 25, 2015.

Resurgent Bobcats Prompt State To Study Habitat, Population

The Last Snowfall of the Season Yields Interesting Tracks

Apple Hill was a busy place after the last snow fall.  Alyce Walker and I observed several tracks suggesting that spring was right around the corner.  The coyotes and bobcats ranged all over the hill chasing after cottontail rabbits and gray squirrels.  Striped Skunks and Eastern Chipmunk were awake from their long winter sleep to find a land covered in snow.  

A Striped Skunk (smaller tracks with claws) was being followed by a Bobcat.  

Eastern Chipmunk Tracks in Snow.

Spotted Salamander moving on Groundhog Day?!

This Spotted Salamander was observed on February 2, 2012 near
No Mans Land Swamp on Stoddard Rd. (a.k.a. Morris Hill Rd.), Morris, CT
by David and Gabby Peters.  An early date for observing these guys, indeed!

Geez it's warm outside!  Our winter has been a mild one so far with little snow and mild winter temperatures.  It looks more like the land of eternal spring rather than the winter of discontent!  Our first harbinger of spring was a Spotted Salamander observed by one of White Memorial's neighbors on February 2, 2012.  Rather early for these guys, but so far it is the only report. We are not observing anything that suggests migratory movements back to their breeding habitats, yet.  This guy suggests that we probably need to finish our Winter Track Monitoring and getting ready for the Vernal Pool Monitoring program.  Stay tuned for further details about the next training date!

Cold Feet

Bobcat (Lynx rufus) track frozen in mud and ice.
Photo by James Fischer

This year we have 20 volunteers monitoring our Winter Track Transects on the property.  These are the kind if people who don't mind getting cold feet, especially when they get a chance to observe something cool!  Although we've had little snow so far this season, we are still able to observe tracks and sign this winter.  If you are interested in helping with this endeavor, please contact James Fischer, WMCC Research Director.

Winter Track Transects Workshop

River Otter (Lontra canadensis)
Photo by Margaret and Thomas Sellers

December 10, 2011

9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

A. B. Ceder Classroom

Facilitated by James Fischer, Research Director

Do you enjoy the winter season?  

Do you want to learn which animals leave all of those tracks in the snow?  

Come find out who they are and how they live at White Memorial!

All who want to participate in this year's tracking transects must attend the training. 

Hope to see you there!

It will be a fun day for all of us!  The information that we gather is very useful to our long-term monitoring and conservation of these species.  Please dress for the weather and walking/standing outdoors.  This workshop is facilitated indoors and outdoors.  Bring a lunch, water, paper, pen, & your favorite tracking field guide.  We'll provide light refreshments.