Sunday, February 8, 2009

Vaughn Hills 2/8/09

Janet led a walk at Vaughn Hills sponsored by the Bolton Conservation
Commission with the help of several other NT people on this warm, windy
day. Most tracks were melted out, so species ID was based on trail pattern.

We followed fisher tracks which led to a fisher scenting area marked
with the usual tiny, twisted scat, and also a yellowish gelatinous
material (do fishers have anal scenting glands?). We dug up the scented
area and found nothing. But a little further up the fisher trail there
were remains of a bird (feathers). Had the marking been done where the
fisher dug up a cached bird, which it carried along for a while before
consuming it? Or were those two events unrelated?

We found a trail consistent with either house cat or gray fox -- too
melted out to distinguish. Nothing else of great interest. Lots of
discussion at the beaver wetland about ecology and behavior of beavers.

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