Bird Challenge for Paul and AsylumSteve

[Spike]

Well, maybe it won't be a challenge for these 2 bird experts, and anyone else who would like to join in. I was enjoying the wing marks and tracks left in the snow when I was out cross country skiing last week. So paul, can you ID birds by their tracks? Maybe this is really easy, I don't know. Since there is nothing in the photo to give you a sense of scale, let me point out one clue - the camera was held on the diagonal; the horizon is up in the top left corner, obviously not levelled. Oh, and I'm in Calgary, Alberta.

Spike

[Spike]

This shot was taken at a different location than the previous photo, different day, different time of day (love the golden sunset light). These tracks were not too fresh, so they were not very well defined anymore. I'm curious to know what animal left such unusual tracks. Does anyone know? They were found in a wetland area, in Calgary, Alberta. I put my handprint in the snow to give scale.

Maybe coyote? I saw a couple of them in this area, but at quite a distance.

Spike

[Asylum Steve]

Well, maybe it won't be a challenge for these 2 bird experts, and anyone else who would like to join in. I was enjoying the wing marks and tracks left in the snow when I was out cross country skiing last week. So paul, can you ID birds by their tracks? Maybe this is really easy, I don't know. Since there is nothing in the photo to give you a sense of scale, let me point out one clue - the camera was held on the diagonal; the horizon is up in the top left corner, obviously not levelled. Oh, and I'm in Calgary, Alberta.

Spike

Those skid marks and tracks were clearly left by a female Chartreuse Pompous Low-Carb Hopping Gutter Wren.

Nicknamed the "Janet Jackson Gull", it is completely out of its element in the snow.

The odd tracks are because it's exposed breast causes it lean to one side, use its wing in the snow for support, and basically stagger in a sort of "serpentine" manner...

[Peter_AUS]

Steve,

That is just so funny. A bit like Miss Piggy Avatar of Pauls.

[paulnj]

Well, maybe it won't be a challenge for these 2 bird experts, and anyone else who would like to join in. I was enjoying the wing marks and tracks left in the snow when I was out cross country skiing last week. So paul, can you ID birds by their tracks? Maybe this is really easy, I don't know. Since there is nothing in the photo to give you a sense of scale, let me point out one clue - the camera was held on the diagonal; the horizon is up in the top left corner, obviously not levelled. Oh, and I'm in Calgary, Alberta.

Spike

my guess(having never seen one) would be ptarmigan tracks due to the tail dragging the ground. but they may be grouse tracks? either way my guess is an upland game bird species

[Spike]

Steve, I knew I couldn't fool you. ;) Paul, I've seen grouse several times in the mountains nearby, but I wouldn't know a ptarmigan if I saw one. I have seen a couple beautiful pheasants in town, but not often. I'm afraid the birds who left these tracks are much more common. The water in the corner was too small to tell it was water. Here are the culprits. Not a good bird pic unfortunately, but one to show the tracks and the birds together.

Cheers!

Spike

[natatbeach]

LOL---how do you come up with this stuff...he he

That reply will have me laughing for the rest of the day---Thnaks I needed that

[Asylum Steve]

"were you a lonely child?..."

I grew up the middle of five kids. My dad was so-so funny, but my mom was (and still is) a complete smartass. Her brothers, my three uncles, were the same. Kinda like being around the Marx Brothers during my formative years. Guess that explains a lot...

BTW, after carefully looking at Spike's first photo again, I've concluded that this could also be a one-legged wolf with the bird in its mouth...

[Asylum Steve]

Here are the culprits. Not a good bird pic unfortunately, but one to show the tracks and the birds together.

Spike, I don't want to call you a liar, but I saw tracks just like these when I was a kid, and they were left by a little old man on a pogo stick...

[Spike]

Spike, I don't want to call you a liar, but I saw tracks just like these when I was a kid, and they were left by a little old man on a pogo stick...

That little old man better be careful where he pogos... or he'll go through the ice! You're right, I didn't actually see the ducks and geese making these tracks, I only saw them in the area. Bad assumption on my part.

Spike

[paulnj]

Steve, I knew I couldn't fool you. ;) Paul, I've seen grouse several times in the mountains nearby, but I wouldn't know a ptarmigan if I saw one. I have seen a couple beautiful pheasants in town, but not often. I'm afraid the birds who left these tracks are much more common. The water in the corner was too small to tell it was water. Here are the culprits. Not a good bird pic unfortunately, but one to show the tracks and the birds together.

Cheers!

Spike

CRUELTY....... you are very unfair!

i'm sorry, but the first to me looks like maybe small prints with a tail dragged through them second... had no clue!

btw.. grouse and ptarmigan look basicly the same

[Spike]

I would have given you a clue if you'd asked. But I wanted to challenge you. ;) I bet the second is a big ol' goose waddle - look at the side to side pattern, can't you just see a honker plodding along in the snow, leaving that line of tracks? The ducks seemed to prefer to fly from the water to wherever they wanted to go.

CRUELTY....... you are very unfair!

i'm sorry, but the first to me looks like maybe small prints with a tail dragged through them second... had no clue!

btw.. grouse and ptarmigan look basicly the same

[paulnj]

i believe you... but i honestly never tracked a duck or any bird ,besides turkey, that walked


i like to look good(as most do), so being wrong has hurt my fragile ego

joking