Who made this track?
Many small animals hibernate for the winter. Chipmunks gather lots of food, then hibernate, or stay indoors. Mice try to move inside. Voles like to play outdoors in winter.
Whom do you think made the track, or runway, you see here? Was it a vole?
Winter Gardens Full of Life
I discovered this little animal track, or runway, on Sunday after the Kansas snow melted in my backyard garden.
While little kids are low to the ground and find lots of interesting stuff, as an adult I need nature to be just a bit more glaring to attract my attention. This track was obvious – well defined.
Animal tracks can take a little detective work. When I first found this track I was surprised, then delighted, then curious about who made it.
Who Would Be Out Under the Snow?
My first thought was that a mouse had been running back and forth under the snow. But something wasn’t quite right with this picture. The track, or run, isn’t just a bare spot on the surface of the dirt. It’s actually dug down into the turf, among the grass roots.
A quick check on the list of Kansas mammals turned up several possibilities. I’m going with the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus pennsylvanicus, as my best guess because: voles like to eat grass; and (from the meadow vole information at that last link), “In spring, after the protective layer of snow disappears, runways that have been established on the ground beneath the snow are clearly evident.”
Now all I need is a wildlife night camera and maybe I could get a photo of the little guy in action. Wouldn’t that be fun? Have you ever seen a vole?
Spy on nature in your garden with a nature cam and find books about North American mammals at Amazon.com
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That is such a sweet little mamal
It’s not going to be easy tracking it by night, but with patience, lots of warm layers AND and good camera, you might experience National Geographic in your back yard.
Would love to see the pics if you get them, subscribing.
I like that Aviad, “National Geographic in your back yard.”
Yes, I have it with my own backyard… Well, my roof top inside the raised beds and inside the compost bin.
This is my first year with really composting and sometimes I find myself staring at the red worms, the fruit flies and the rest of the gang for long minutes, trying to find how they are all connected.
In out previous apt we had raccoons in the back yard. You should have seen my face in the middle of the night when one of them approached me, while I was peacefully reading a book in a warm summer night…
It’s a shame I cannot add images to your comments here. I would love to share some of MY own national geographic images with you.
Aviad
We have voles, our neighbors have moles, and we all have mice! I know some think that’s a bad thing, but they are part of nature and so cute! We have raccoons, deer, possums, rabbits, a fox and woodchucks as well. A real peaceable kingdom! Good luck with your picture!!!
Lisa, it sounds like you have a great little nature reserve there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woodchuck.