Sunday 5 February 2012

A walk in the snow and some animal impressions

 No chance of doing any gardening activity today (other than clearing paths and feeding chickens at home). Nevertheless, I walked to the allotment to have a look.  











When I got there I found I wasn't the first visitor today.  At least one Hare seemed to have been running around.  The two impression on the left are the back feet and the two on the right are the front feet, one landing in front of the other.  The direction of travel may seem confusing at first, in this set of prints it was from right to left; front feet landing first and then the back feet overtaking them before the next bound...

 
and so on.
















 This wasn't the only visitor to the plots though.  No, these distinctive tracks are not those of someone on a pogo stick but the characteristically single file footprints of a fox.  Several plot holders have chickens, ducks and other fowl on their allotments which are no doubt attractions foxes.  There didn't seem to be any disturbance and although the runs and coops don't always appear attractive it seems they proved secure enough, this time at least. Whilst I'm confident the fox missed out on the fowl, I wonder if the Hare got home safely?