Winter didn't cooperate at all this year. A scant amount of snow and most of that was iced over due to snow changing to rain. The conditions for tracking were poor at best. In spite of this I did manage to track a fisher, some weasels, a fox and a number of coyotes. Also found a coyote bed that had been used for many hours based on the amount of snow that had compacted and melted. I was also able to determine that the coyote was a female due to the manner in which it had urinated. An otter den that I had been observing for the third year in a row, had many comings and goings throughout the winter but as in the past two winters no sightings of the inhabitant. Although otters may be out and about any time of day or night I believe this otter's activities were confined to nighttime, probably due to the proximity to civilization.
On February 21st I observed six bald eagles feeding on a coyote killed whitetail deer carcass out on the ice of the Sacandaga River near Northville in New York's Adirondack Mountains. There were never more than two eagles on the carcass at any one time. Ravens and crows were lurking about harassing the large birds of prey while trying to steal a morsel. Watched and photographed the eagles for twenty minutes.
A raven comes in for a closer look.
Spring is here, now it's time to watch for the return of the migrating birds and hibernating mammals coming out of a long winter's sleep. I've already discovered a remodeled woodchuck burrow and signs of skunks out and about.
Bunch
