Wednesday, October 10, 2012

CyberTracker quiz question #2

These were found in a nook amongst the rocks of a stone wall in a
residential area just outside the sand quarry. What animal made the
sign? We were not required to say what they are, but if you know, you
can get extra credit!

3 comments:

  1. I am anxious to redeem myself ... qrre zbhfr/pureel cvgf?

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  2. Zbhfr if. Pureel. Gur zbhfr jba.
    Gurer'f n fvzvyne cubgb nobhg unysjnl qbja ba gur evtug.
    uggc://jjj.unvanhygsberfg.pb.hx/11Angher%20Qrgrpgvir%20Sbbq%20naq%20Cbb.ugz

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  3. You are both correct: a mouse fed on these cherry stones. Judging from the groaning after we were given the answer, a lot of people must have thought chipmunk, perhaps because we see so many chipmunks darting in and out of the nooks in stone walls. But chipmunks, we were told, would cut the cherry stone shell in two halves. I didn't know that, but I just thought such tiny holes were must have been created by something smaller than a chipmunk, and they reminded me of the tiny holes that mice make in hickory nuts.

    So, if you ever take this test, it would be a smart idea to make sure you know the feeding sign left by the various small and larger animals on the common types of mast. Many different animals eat acorns, for example -- Be able to distinguish their sign.

    And another word of advice: bring a magnifying glass. In fact, bring several magnifying glasses, and never let one of them out of your hand. We were told we could not use measuring tapes, but nothing was said about magnifying glasses. I did bring one, just in case it was allowed. Turns out it was, but mine was one of only two in the whole group, and both were constantly passed around among 13-14 people. My only complaint about this otherwise extremely useful workshop is that the group size was too large, and it was sometimes difficult to elbow my way in close enough to see the tiny little thing in question, and to end up with a magnifying glass at the same time.

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