We (formerly Nashaway Trackers) are a group of loosely connected nature lovers who enjoy sharing our observations and discoveries about the fauna and flora of the northeastern US. Most of us are especially interested in mammal tracks and sign, but we also post about birds, insects, plants, etc.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Can you ID this plant?
in north-central Maine. I assumed it was a juniper until I read that
juniper leaves are sharp and prickly, and the berries too bitter to be
eaten raw. The leaves of this plant were not prickly, and the berries
were sweet.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Beaver and/or muskrat sign at Delaney
while kayaking. We found the one amongst the grasses last fall and
thought (or at least I did) that it was a muskrat lodge. The mound was
about 2 ft tall, and about 4 ft wide at water level. It seemed too
small for a beaver lodge, and the smallish sticks did not appear to be
beaver cut. It seemed too large for a beaver scent mound. So, we
decided it was probably a muskrat lodge. However, muskrat lodges are
said to consist of largely of grasses and reeds, without so much mud and
sticks....so, the diagnosis of muskrat lodge always bothered me a little.
The picture with the pine branches hanging over, taken 8/8/09, shows
(I'm pretty sure) a large beaver scent mound. It is about 18 inches
high. Note that while shaped a little differently, it consists of the
same materials as the larger mound.
So is that larger mound a gargantuan beaver scent mound? Or is it the
top of a small beaver lodge, that happens to be made mostly of mud and
woody debris that the beavers found and did not have to cut? Or were we
correct first time around, with muskrat lodge?



