Animal Tracks and Tasty Trees

By Gabriel L.

Dec. 4^th, 2004

On Saturday, December 4, 2004, we went on a field trip to Pakenham. It was -10 degrees, and there was snow on the ground -- about 15 cm. We saw lots and lots of animal tracks, including fisher, ruffed grouse, shrew or mouse, snowshoe hare, deer, red squirrel and Gerry Lee’s dog. We smelled fox and saw its tracks near the blue car. We went down to the waterfall and the water was yellow and there was a lot of water moving very quickly. Then we headed through the forest to a spot where we had lunch. On the way we threw snowballs at the ice. The ice was rotten in many places, and there was still some open water. There were lots of trees bent over the path or broken from the wet, heavy snow a few days before.

We had lunch in the forest. We built a camp fire. I brought matches and lit the fire. It was a three-match fire. We tried burning hemlock and it seemed to spark a bit but it was good. Everyone roasted hot dogs or sausage. We threw snowballs on the fire to put it out.

After the fire, we walked through the forest to Gerry Lee’s cabin. We jumped off some rocks and threw snowballs at the water with Rob. Some of us went inside to hear Gerry Lee talk about trapping, preparing and selling fur. He had a fisher in a trap, but we didn’t have time to go see it.

Then we walked back to the cars. We ate yellow birch, which tastes like wintergreen. Rob said the wintergreen is an insect repellent. We had fun.

Past Trips

• Sept. 17, 2005 - Aquatic Animals Galore
  
• Jan. 29, 2005 - Tagging Trees, Lots of Lichens, and Macoun Members Munching on Maple Leaves
  
• Jan. 15, 2005 - Mystery Muskrat
  
• Dec. 4, 2004 - Animal Tracks and Tasty Trees
  
• Oct. 2, 2004 - Sand Pit Excursion in Pakenham
  
• Sept. 18, 2004 - Salamander Hunting During Another Trip to the Study Area
  
• April 24, 2004 - Stalking Snakes in the Study Area
  
• Dec. 6, 2003 - Early Winter in Pakenham
  
• Sept. 20, 2003 - An Early Autumn Trip to the Macoun Club's Nature Study Area
  

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