Last week we looked at how to identify tracks an animal made by their print (the shape of their indent). We counted toes, looked for claw marks, and examined the shape of various tracks to help identify the animal that made them. This week, we will dive into track patterns , which are FASCINATING!

All land animals move. For those animals with four legs, most of them move in similar ways, albeit at different times and speeds. Track patterns look at the spacing and alignment of the various prints, rather than the prints themselves.

Diagonal Walkers

In this gait, the front-left and back-right feet (diagonal) will move at the same time. Often, the back feet land in the same space the front feet just vacated, making for a very efficient movement. Deer, dogs, and cats will move in this way.

Amblers

Their body shape and size make it easier for them to sway side to side. In the video, note how the bear will move its front-right and back-right feet at the same time, then the front-left and back-left feet. Other animals that move this way include skunks, beavers, and raccoons. The different gaits result in different track patterns

Bounders

Their front feet land first, quickly followed by their back feet just behind, often overlapping. This a common pattern for slim, long bodied animals like weasels, fishers, mink, and marten.

Gallopers

Animals like hares and squirrels use this movement by landing with their front feet first, then their back feet actually ahead of their front feet. Keep a close eye on the hare as it moves through the snow.

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Did you notice anything else? What gait was the lynx moving in when it was moving slowly? How about when it was chasing the hare at full speed? While many animals have a "standard" gait, most will use many different gaits while moving at different speeds. The above video is a great example of both animals changing gaits and sometimes using the same one.

This last video, midway down THIS PAGE, does a good job of showcasing the transition an animal makes as it moves through different gaits.

Finally, the below picture is a good representation of what these patterns might look like when you find them in the snow, dirt, or sand. Happy tracking!

Answers to last week's track trivia!

Starting clockwise from top-left, we have squirrel, hare, deer, bobcat, and wolf.

Squirrel - Keys to ID: small size of prints, slightly oval in direction of travel

Hare - Keys to ID: four prints will be visible in each "set," but forepaws are often close together, looking like a single print. Hind paws will be larger than forepaws, and set ahead in the track set. This hare was moving from right to left.

Deer - Keys to ID: The prints of a deer are fairly distinct from non-hooved mammals. Notice the dewclaws (the two dots to the right of the print). The dewclaws will be visible in soft terrain or if the deer was running.

Bobcat - Keys to ID: Cat and dog (feline and canine) prints can look very similar. Cats will leave more circular prints, while a dog's print will be slightly oval shaped (stretched in the direction of travel). The small size of this print leads us to bobcat rather than lynx or cougar.

Wolf - Keys to ID: Come upon a wolf print and you'll have no doubt. Unless you are on a trail that domestic dogs frequently travel. The large size, presence of claws, and oval shape reveal this as a wolf track.

Simply knowing the fauna present in your region, and which species are abundant, helps narrow down your options significantly

Stay tuned for "Tracking: Patterns" to learn how to identify animal tracks simply by the pattern of prints left in the snow

Shout out to Lauren for capturing some awesome track pictures on her last hike in the mountains! Winter is the perfect time to hone in your tracking skills, or begin looking at tracks for the first time. A snowy landscape reveals so many secrets of the forest. Infinite stories are told in a set of tracks if you know what to look for.

The two types of pictures Lauren took are critical to track identification. It is best to have a close up of the print to show details of the animal's feet (with something next to it fur for scale, a ruler or hand), and a picture of the track pattern , to show how the animal was moving.

For starters, we will stick with tips on identifying the print an animal makes. Below are a handful of different prints from animals you may see in Washington.

How many can you identify? Try your best and answers will be in the next post

Congrats to everyone on reaching this first, big milestone of 100 observed species. Who knows where we will be in a month!

Stats

Observers: 7
Total observations: 146
Research grade : 50%
Species: 107
Identifiers: 77
Most commonly observed species: Western sword fern

77 fellow naturalists helped us identify our observations, 50% of which are research grade! An observation becomes research grade when two people agree, and are confident in the species.

I've also compiled some numbers below to show what types of organisms we have observed, and also how many more of those organisms have been found in the Seattle area and documented on iNaturalist.

Our Project	Category	All of Seattle iNaturalist Observations
36	Plants	2,025
24	Birds	242
16	Fungi	881
10	Insects	1150
7	Mammals	50

What else do you want to see and observe now that you know how much is out there?

Victoria Pedrosa spotted this British solider lichen (Cladonia cristatella) while on a hike over the weekend. It is a beautiful photo, amazing organism, and is only the 35th observation of this species in the state of Washington. Thanks for sharing your observations with us and the rest of world, Victoria!

Now for some nerdy nature notes on lichens...

Lichens are the result of a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae. They work together closely in order to produce the lichen. The fungus provides the physical structure, while the algae contributes the nutrients (through photosynthesis). These nutrients are taken up by the fungus in order for the lichen to grow and expand.

The Three Main Structures of Lichens

Foliose: We can think of these as "leafy." They'll often lie mostly flat against their substrate and grow outward from a central point.

Fruticose: These lichens grow in 3D structures, sometimes branching intricately from their substrate, or hanging down from trees.

Crustose: They cling very tightly to their substrate (growing surface), and cannot be picked or peeled off.

Can you correctly label each of these lichens as crustose, fruticose, or foliose?

On one of our first days of training in September, we all watched as a raptor flew to a perch in a tree right outside of our office. It sat there for minute, then flew off just as quickly as it landed. On a short walk this afternoon, a few of us spotted the bird again! Treading lightly this time, we were able to watch it go from perching on a light pole to eating a meal in a nearby tree (it must have caught something earlier). But what was it eating? Rat, pigeon, squirrel, a smaller bird? We scanned the area below the nest and found a few feathers, but many questions remain. We'll be sure to keep an eye out for this park resident in the coming weeks. What birds do you see around your neighborhood?