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  1. #1
    Wisconsin Cheesehead Spike's Avatar
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    Smile Bird Challenge for Paul and AsylumSteve

    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
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Bird Challenge for Paul and AsylumSteve-tracks-1s.jpg  

  2. #2
    Wisconsin Cheesehead Spike's Avatar
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    Question Does anyone know what left these tracks?

    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
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Bird Challenge for Paul and AsylumSteve-unknown-tracks-1s.jpg  
    Last edited by Spike; 02-10-2004 at 09:53 AM.

  3. #3
    don't tase me, bro! Asylum Steve's Avatar
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    Too easy...

    Quote Originally Posted by 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
    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...
    "Riding along on a carousel...tryin' to catch up to you..."

    -Steve
    Studio & Lighting - Photography As Art Forum Moderator

    Running the Photo Asylum, Asylum Steve's blogged brain pipes...
    www.stevenpaulhlavac.com
    www.photoasylum.com

  4. #4
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    Steve,

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

  5. #5
    nature/wildlife co-moderator paulnj's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 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
    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
    CAMERA BIRD NERD #1




    BIRD NERD O'CANON

    "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" - Benjamin Franklin

  6. #6
    Wisconsin Cheesehead Spike's Avatar
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    The culprits

    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
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Bird Challenge for Paul and AsylumSteve-tracks-goose-mallardss.jpg  

  7. #7
    ...just believe natatbeach's Avatar
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    were you a lonely child

    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
    "I was not trying to be shocking, or to be a pioneer.
    I wasn't trying to change society, or to be ahead of my time.
    I didn't think of myself as liberated, and I don't believe that I did anything important.
    I was just myself. I didn't know any other way to be, or any other way to live."
    .
    Bettie Page

    My Temp site...

  8. #8
    don't tase me, bro! Asylum Steve's Avatar
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    Quite the opposite...

    "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...
    "Riding along on a carousel...tryin' to catch up to you..."

    -Steve
    Studio & Lighting - Photography As Art Forum Moderator

    Running the Photo Asylum, Asylum Steve's blogged brain pipes...
    www.stevenpaulhlavac.com
    www.photoasylum.com

  9. #9
    don't tase me, bro! Asylum Steve's Avatar
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    Are u sure???

    Quote Originally Posted by Spike
    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...
    "Riding along on a carousel...tryin' to catch up to you..."

    -Steve
    Studio & Lighting - Photography As Art Forum Moderator

    Running the Photo Asylum, Asylum Steve's blogged brain pipes...
    www.stevenpaulhlavac.com
    www.photoasylum.com

  10. #10
    Wisconsin Cheesehead Spike's Avatar
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    Ha!

    Quote Originally Posted by Asylum Steve
    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

  11. #11
    nature/wildlife co-moderator paulnj's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 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

    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
    CAMERA BIRD NERD #1




    BIRD NERD O'CANON

    "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" - Benjamin Franklin

  12. #12
    Wisconsin Cheesehead Spike's Avatar
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    Cruelty? Hmmph.

    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by paulnj
    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

  13. #13
    nature/wildlife co-moderator paulnj's Avatar
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    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
    CAMERA BIRD NERD #1




    BIRD NERD O'CANON

    "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" - Benjamin Franklin

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