During the last few weeks, we have seen quite a variety of weather. Most has not been as we expect in winter; such as rain and temperatures that reached above freezing, near 40 F.
Such conditions have left an unusual effect in early January in the Northland. Recent rain and mild temperatures caused much melting of the small amount of snow that we have. And, for a while, we could see puddles not only on streets and parking lots, but also on the ice of ponds and lakes. Subsequent freezing temperatures coated these puddles and again we had clear ice over the earlier ice. Winter's next move was to give us a light snowfall.
Though most places recorded less than an inch, this snow is providing an excellent setting for animal tracks.
Usually during January, the snow is so deep and the temperatures so cold that critters that are active at this time are often under the snow, travel well-used routes, or leave tracks in the heavy snowpack that are hard to identify. This year nearly all of these factors are different: in the light snow cover, we might find tracks of more animals that are now active in the milder weather.
Going out a day or two after a new light snowfall, we can find plenty of tracks that tell of happenings in the region. Any snow cover will record their movements, but the best messages are written on undisturbed snow. They tell us who has been here, when and what they were doing. If we had to rely only on what we see of nearby winter wildlife, we would think there is nothing here. But their tales in the snow tell us otherwise.
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In the woods, we see where squirrels hopped along the ground to retrieve a meal from a cache. Deer mice scurried among the leaves, porcupines waddled to the nearest trees and deer followed their trails. Hare fed on downed branches, while a fox wandered by on its own food hunt. Out in the fields, we see where a coyote searched for the abundant meadow mice and shrews and a rabbit hurried by.
Maybe the best place to see tracks at this time is out on the ice of ponds, swamps and lakes. Here, on the cold surface, the scene is right for autographs of those active animals active in the wetlands. Weasels (ermine) and mink hop along the shoreline. Among the swamps plants, we see the walking tracks of star-nosed moles and muskrats, the latter often dragging its tail. Sometimes a rabbit, squirrel, fox or deer will wander out onto this snow-covered ice. The trail of these woods critters often shows signs of a slipping and sliding type of gait on this surface that they are not used to.
Soon these recently deposited tracks will be replaced by others and their stories, so new now, will be old news. But the new snow cover, even if it is light and thin, gives us a setting for some good track tales in this winter of little snow.
Larry Weber is author of six nature books. He lives in Carlton County and teaches natural science at Duluth's Marshall School.
