"Why did the mink go under the bridge?" December Tracking Club

Kelly Staples inspecting an insect trail.

About 20 folks braved a cold and foggy day in the Snoqualmie Valley for Tracking Club today. After a careful inspection of Chinook Bend Park which yielded several elk trails but not much else, station guides settled on holding the day under one of the valley's bridges.

Species encountered under the bridge included:

• Bobcat tracks
• Deer mouse tracks
• Opposum tracks
• Salamder tracks
• Several insects trails
• Racoon tracks
• Beaver feeding sign
• Bat scat
• Perching bird tracks
• 2 American robin nests

Jenn Wolfe explains the key features of Mink tracks.

• Mink tracks
• Muskrat tracks
• Eastern Cottontail
• Barn owl pellets
• Frog tracks
• Weasel tracks
• Rat tracks
• the mandible of a vole
• some mystery scats I believe were from rock doves (though Jonathan Goff remained skeptical).

Mink (Neovison vison) tracks from the edge of the Snoqualmie River.

Station Guide Chris Byrd, explains the ins and outs of insect feeding sign on a dogwood bush.