Story of the day – Krug Tract in the drizzle
Our cool (but not chilly) breezy day began with gifts and gratitude. Upon our arrival at the Kinghurst Forest Nature Reserve we were blessed with a sighting of a great blue heron. As people were packing up their belongings, those listening closely may have heard a shallow peeping noise coming from the ditch. Before we could look twice, a spooked baby fawn darted across the road and back into the forest. We immediately went into tracking mode and delayed our usual gratitude circle to get lost in the moment. We noticed some blood in some of the hoof prints.
Here is Alistair measuring between tracks with his walking stick. He has marked out a ruler along the side and bottom. This way he can better interpret the gait patterns and this tool helps him find the next track. As he finds the tracks he can then mark them at the back of each with a popcicle stick. This way he can look down the trail and see better the repeating pattern of the fawns footfall.
measuring with walking stick
We followed the fawn’s trail all the way down the road. making out faint tracks in hard packed gravel.
After tracking the fawn for a while we got back to opening circle.
Our field guides help us dive deep into the mystery of the questions that arise through careful observation.
Alexis examining a blue egg. Could be a Robin egg, but there are other birds who lay similar sized blue eggs.
Stephanie takes a souvenir home to examine more closely.
As we passed through the forest, we found blue bird egg shells, and wondered if they were from a robin or from some other kind of bird that also has a blue shell. Someone noticed that the shape of the shell seemed to be more oval than that of a typical robin egg.
Kaya’s bug protection is ON POINT.
We examind some long dark feathers that have possibly been sitting in the same location for multiple years. Like an old kill site, definitely a feeding site. The feathers had been chewed off, not clipped.
Porcupine kill site?
looking at beaver chews
Throughout the day it drizzled a bit but we got to see fresh tracks in the soft ground and the smells were just so full. Grateful for another day on the land.
jewelled leaf
