Elk Rapids Almanac - February 2021
February 15 - Walking: the easiest, yet often overlooked, exercise of all. During this pandemic many have continued their habit of walking regularly and others have just discovered its benefits. Not only does walking strengthen bones and muscles, but it prevents and manages medical conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Walking assists in improving balance and coordination and also helps to maintain a healthy weight. Walking can improve one's mood. Who wouldn't enjoy that benefit in the midst of winter?
When it is gray, cold, and windy the thought of walking may be daunting. For those who walk on a regular basis, such conditions aren't looked at adversely. It just means making some changes before going out, such as dressing more warmly, changing the timing of the walk for improved conditions, or picking a route with the least amount of wind. If you are just starting a walking routine, don't push yourself. However once outside, you may find yourself walking further than planned.
When there is snow cover, winter walking is an excellent time to seek and identify wildlife tracks. Notice the gait. Was it walking, running, or jumping? Was it traveling in a direct manner or meandering about? Was it a lone creature or were there several together? Even if unable to actually see the wildlife, it's possible to observe the tracks left behind and form a picture of the activity. While walking this winter I noticed canine tracks in the fresh snow on the path I was taking. I started paying closer attention to the tracks and took pictures. Thank you to James Dake, of Grass River Natural Area, for confirming that the tracks were made by a coyote, by the claws, oval shape, and negative space between the toes and heel pad. You can draw an “X through the negative space. Had I not been attuned to observing signs of wildlife, it would have been easy to tramp along and wipe out the tracks made by the coyote without noticing.
"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." – Frank Lloyd Wright.
-Ellen Baird.
February 16 – I recently spotted animal tracks in the snow near the village, and was curious about what they could be. My photo was tentatively confirmed by James Dake, Grass River Natural Area, as bobcat tracks. -Christine Petersen.
Note: Speaking of tracks in the snow, in late January animal tracks in the Arcadia Dunes area attracted great interest as possibly tracks of a pine marten.
Pine martens were reintroduced in the lower peninsula in 1985 in Pigeon River State Forest, and in 1986 in Manistee National Forest. These tracks look like weasel tracks-close set paired prints not close together-but too large for long-tailed weasel or ermine, and too small for otter. What do you think?
Though a population remains, the effort has not been largely successful. -Carl Freeman.
Note: A pine marten taxidermy specimen is on display in the local Guntzviller Museum. Local residents have heard animal sounds in recent months believed to be pine martens.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1308&context=mcnair
February 15 - Walking: the easiest, yet often overlooked, exercise of all. During this pandemic many have continued their habit of walking regularly and others have just discovered its benefits. Not only does walking strengthen bones and muscles, but it prevents and manages medical conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Walking assists in improving balance and coordination and also helps to maintain a healthy weight. Walking can improve one's mood. Who wouldn't enjoy that benefit in the midst of winter?
When it is gray, cold, and windy the thought of walking may be daunting. For those who walk on a regular basis, such conditions aren't looked at adversely. It just means making some changes before going out, such as dressing more warmly, changing the timing of the walk for improved conditions, or picking a route with the least amount of wind. If you are just starting a walking routine, don't push yourself. However once outside, you may find yourself walking further than planned.
When there is snow cover, winter walking is an excellent time to seek and identify wildlife tracks. Notice the gait. Was it walking, running, or jumping? Was it traveling in a direct manner or meandering about? Was it a lone creature or were there several together? Even if unable to actually see the wildlife, it's possible to observe the tracks left behind and form a picture of the activity. While walking this winter I noticed canine tracks in the fresh snow on the path I was taking. I started paying closer attention to the tracks and took pictures. Thank you to James Dake, of Grass River Natural Area, for confirming that the tracks were made by a coyote, by the claws, oval shape, and negative space between the toes and heel pad. You can draw an “X through the negative space. Had I not been attuned to observing signs of wildlife, it would have been easy to tramp along and wipe out the tracks made by the coyote without noticing.
"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." – Frank Lloyd Wright.
-Ellen Baird.
February 16 – I recently spotted animal tracks in the snow near the village, and was curious about what they could be. My photo was tentatively confirmed by James Dake, Grass River Natural Area, as bobcat tracks. -Christine Petersen.
Note: Speaking of tracks in the snow, in late January animal tracks in the Arcadia Dunes area attracted great interest as possibly tracks of a pine marten.
Pine martens were reintroduced in the lower peninsula in 1985 in Pigeon River State Forest, and in 1986 in Manistee National Forest. These tracks look like weasel tracks-close set paired prints not close together-but too large for long-tailed weasel or ermine, and too small for otter. What do you think?
Though a population remains, the effort has not been largely successful. -Carl Freeman.
Note: A pine marten taxidermy specimen is on display in the local Guntzviller Museum. Local residents have heard animal sounds in recent months believed to be pine martens.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1308&context=mcnair
Coyote Track - Picture by Ellen Baird
Pine Marten Tracks? - Photo by Carl Freemen
Pine Marten Tracks? - Photo by Carl Freemen