Who Made These Tracks?

Monday, February 10, 2025

Who do you think made these tracks on the frozen river?

They suddenly appear, so that's a clue they are tracks from a bird, that flew in and landed.

If you saw the tracks in person, you would have noticed that they're very large, showing three toes in front and one in back.

This clue would lead to a possible Bald Eagle or Great Blue Heron guess! Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons both have huge tracks, up to 7" long! But they looked more like a heron's tracks, straighter and thinner without talon marks or any imprints from an eagle's long tail.

You are more likely to see a Bald Eagle here at Knoch Knolls Park in the winter time though, when they search for open water and food, (but especially near dams on big rivers where water remains unfrozen). And although we may think of herons and egrets as birds that migrate south during the winter, a few may stay here as long as they can find food. Finding their food - fish and other aquatic animals - means the water can't be completely frozen over for long stretches of time.

A couple of years ago a Great Blue Heron, enjoyed fishing in our pond and waited patiently next to the open water created by our pond aerators. His efforts paid off and he caught a large bass for his meal!