What the Deer Knows — Coyote Now

Notes and photos from the Spring 2018 Tracking and Bird Language class at Santa Rosa Junior College

Our class began on March 18, 2018 at Santa Rosa Junior College! We had one in-classroom meeting with our instructor Jim Sullivan before hitting the dirt. Over the next several months we met in different locations out on the Sonoma Coast to put in our dirt time and learn from wise and experienced folks - internationally certified trackers Jim and Ginger.

Learn more about Jim Sullivan's tracking classes and see his class calendar here: http://www.animaltrackingandbirdlanguage.com/

Some recollections of what we learned in this class:

We learned that tracking can be a deep portal to connecting with nature and to our own self-knowledge. As we watch and learn from the animals we track and trail, we become more aware of what we ourselves our projecting. Tracking is about seeing the bigger picture - about getting inside the animal's mind and about hearing the story the tracks and sign are telling us.

Some important practices to cultivate for good tracking skills:

Stay oriented - what direction are you facing? Where's the sun? Is there wind? What's the wind direction? We learned that animals can detect scent about 300 feet UPWIND of the emanating individual! Awareness of this is key when trailing, especially - following an animal in real time.
Look back often to see the landscape from a different perspective.
Look up.
Notice the horizon - the shapes, colors and shadows and how they change as you walk through the landscape.
Notice ecotone changes – don’t just step out into a different habitat, such as moving from a treeline to grassland, but quietly observe before you move between the biological communities and you may notice natural animal movement and other signs and sounds. (An ecotone is a region of transition between two biological communities.).

And there are three questions to help form the bigger picture:

What am I seeing?
What is it telling me?
What does it mean?

We also learned that tracks fall generally into 3 categories: Fresh, recent and old. It's important to learn about and observe the characteristics of tracks in each of these timelines to help round out the animal's story.

This tracking class also focuses on bird language, which is a more immediate experience of being aware of the birds and animals you encounter as you move through the tracking landscape. Not just alert and alarm calls that can tell a tracker about other animals who may be moving in his or her vicinity and that the birds and animals are aware of the tracker's presence - Also the normal, everyday communications we hear when we quietly observe birds and animals interacting with each other. Like the story Jim shared about his friend who overheard a mountain lion mama conversing with her kittens in a variety of vocalizations as they moved down the trail, unaware of the friend's presence. We learned that bird language is very much a part of a tracker's awareness in observing more complete stories around animal sign and can also bring incredible personal experiences.

Trailing an animal is different from tracking. Trailing is about flow in real time. Don’t look down. Keep your head up, on a swivel, watching for signs and embrace your gut instinct as you move. If you get too caught up in the ground right in front of you and the tracks you're seeing, you'll lose the immediacy of the trail as the animal ahead of you leaves it, and he or she will be off and beyond!

Our reality is affected by what we know. Tracking builds pattern recognition as we put in dirt time and become familiar with all the different tracks and sign we're bound to come across. And tracking is about gratitude and humility - we only learn when we're wrong. It's not about being right, it's about being present, dedicated and involved in what's being seen.

Tracking is about making meaning of what we see. We can connect with and use that meaning by holding our truth lightly. We don't need to take the truth down to the bone every time. Tracking is about 80% on correct calls and one of the great beauties is that it's ok to ask a question and not have the answer. Not knowing is knowing. We learned to hold a sacred question box in our minds for what is observed but unanswerable in the moment. It's ok to make a best call with the information we have and not always be right, because that's how we learn.

And we learned that tracking has ancient roots, that we all descend from tracking cultures. Tracking is about community - there's strength in observing together, having a dialogue and learning from each other. It's also important to have a special place to go for putting in dirt time. Become familiar with that place, it's changes as the seasons come and go and the species and resources that reside there. It's important to track with others in a community context but to also go out alone and build self-knowledge and pattern recognition in the silence of your own observations and reflections. (And you'll also see more animals!)

One other quick note: When taking photos of tracks, using a ruler is essential for scale and to help tell the difference between, say, a Canada goose track and a mallard or a Common Raven and an American Crow. Also, a ruler gives scale for to help tell the difference between things like a bobcat track and a mountain lion track!

And finally, I'm working with a great tracking and sign book right now that both Jim and Ginger recommended called Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species by Mark Elbroch. (Stackpole Books) It's a fantastic reference manual with tons of information including gaits, track information and animal sign.

Following are some images taken at different locations throughout the class.

Wolf spider carrying her egg sac.  Did you know wolf spiders carry their young on their back after they hatch?  Erin Hauge — Wolf spider carrying her egg sac. Did you know wolf spiders carry their young on their back after they hatch? Erin Hauge

Buck track with dew claws showing at the top of the photo.  Erin Hauge — Buck track with dew claws showing at the top of the photo. Erin Hauge

Another buck track with with widely splayed toes and dew claws at bottom of photo.   Erin Hauge — Another buck track with with widely splayed toes and dew claws at bottom of photo. Erin Hauge

Raccoon dig in some moss-covered substrate. We learned that raccoons generally dig a broader hole than skunks, who dig small, round deep holes with their smaller paws.  Everyone's looking for grubs and other tasty morsels just below the surface… — Raccoon dig in some moss-covered substrate. We learned that raccoons generally dig a broader hole than skunks, who dig small, round deep holes with their smaller paws. Everyone's looking for grubs and other tasty morsels just below the surface. Erin Hauge

Ginger's cool track sash!  She made the track stamps and carried this with us on all the classes.  We referred to it repeatedly out in the dirt!  Erin Hauge — Ginger's cool track sash! She made the track stamps and carried this with us on all the classes. We referred to it repeatedly out in the dirt! Erin Hauge

Killdeer tracks.  We learned that the three common ground-dwelling bird tracks it's important to know are killdeer, quail and mourning dove.  Erin Hauge — Killdeer tracks. We learned that the three common ground-dwelling bird tracks it's important to know are killdeer, quail and mourning dove. Erin Hauge

I think these are raven tracks.  Erin Hauge — I think these are raven tracks. Erin Hauge

Raccoon 2x2 walking gait in the mud. Erin Hauge

Another raccoon 2x2 walking gait, in sand. Erin Hauge

A big wasp nest about 20 feet off the ground in a tree by the side of the road.  We learned wasp colonies can build large nests pretty quickly. Erin Hauge — A big wasp nest about 20 feet off the ground in a tree by the side of the road. We learned wasp colonies can build large nests pretty quickly. Erin Hauge

Wasp action at the nest!  Erin Hauge — Wasp action at the nest! Erin Hauge

Jim points out a beetle trail in the sand.  Erin Hauge — Jim points out a beetle trail in the sand. Erin Hauge

Domestic dog tracks.  Note the round front paw at the bottom of the photo and the visibility of all toe nails.  Coyote generally has just the two middle toe nails well visible.  Erin Hauge — Domestic dog tracks. Note the round front paw at the bottom of the photo and the visibility of all toe nails. Coyote generally has just the two middle toe nails well visible. Erin Hauge

Three juvenile mallards nestling in the reeds by one of the dune ponds. When they're still young like this, it's hard to tell whether they're male or female.  They were pretty well-camouflaged!  Erin Hauge — Three juvenile mallards nestling in the reeds by one of the dune ponds. When they're still young like this, it's hard to tell whether they're male or female. They were pretty well-camouflaged! Erin Hauge

Jim watching those mallard youngsters paddle to the other side of the pond! Erin Hauge

This spider skittered right across the water!  I don't know what kind it is but I think it's a male because of the large pedipalps on the top of his head.  Erin Hauge — This spider skittered right across the water! I don't know what kind it is but I think it's a male because of the large pedipalps on the top of his head. Erin Hauge

The circle up.  This was our lecture hall and treasured time as Jim gave us knowledge, history and great stories about our classroom - nature.  He encourages questions and bird and animal observations that happen as he talks, too. Photo by… — The circle up. This was our lecture hall and treasured time as Jim gave us knowledge, history and great stories about our classroom - nature. He encourages questions and bird and animal observations that happen as he talks, too. Photo by Joe

Potato bug carcass found under the perch of a peregrine falcon.  Peregrine falcons recurgitate pellets just like owls and falcon pellets we saw were filled with shiny insect carapaces, maybe from more potato bugs!  Erin Hauge — Potato bug carcass found under the perch of a peregrine falcon. Peregrine falcons recurgitate pellets just like owls and falcon pellets we saw were filled with shiny insect carapaces, maybe from more potato bugs! Erin Hauge

Coyote track!  See the big clear 'X' between the toe pads and only the top two toe nails are really clearly visible in this track.  Erin Hauge — Coyote track! See the big clear 'X' between the toe pads and only the top two toe nails are really clearly visible in this track. Erin Hauge

Wow!  We learned that these are larva tubes made by carrion beetles, using the nutrient opportunity from the bobcat scat to lay their eggs!  The beetles lay their eggs and the young hatch and exit through the tubes into the sand.  The… — Wow! We learned that these are larva tubes made by carrion beetles, using the nutrient opportunity from the bobcat scat to lay their eggs! The beetles lay their eggs and the young hatch and exit through the tubes into the sand. The tubes face downward into the sand so you wouldn't know they're there unless you move the scat piece. Erin Hauge

A spider on a poppy!  Erin Hauge — A spider on a poppy! Erin Hauge

California quail male surveying his territory.  I saw him with his mate walking on the trail, also.  Erin Hauge — California quail male surveying his territory. I saw him with his mate walking on the trail, also. Erin Hauge

Raven tracks with toe nail drag.  Erin Hauge — Raven tracks with toe nail drag. Erin Hauge

1 of 3 sequence: Coyote lope gait, moving right to left across image. Erin Hauge

2 of 3 sequence: Coyote walking gait from right to left in middle of image. This came after the lope gait above. Erin Hauge

3 of 3 sequence: Coyote full stop after the walking sequence above.  We learned maybe he or she saw another coyote or something that gave this individual pause?  The tracks continued after this set, heading east toward one of the dune pond… — 3 of 3 sequence: Coyote full stop after the walking sequence above. We learned maybe he or she saw another coyote or something that gave this individual pause? The tracks continued after this set, heading east toward one of the dune ponds. Erin Hauge

Looking for more tracks!  Erin Hauge — Looking for more tracks! Erin Hauge

I think this is bobcat scat because it's neatly segmented and does not look twisty and hairy, like coyote scat would.  What do you think?  It also looks like maybe two different poop events.  The piece on the right looks different!&nb… — I think this is bobcat scat because it's neatly segmented and does not look twisty and hairy, like coyote scat would. What do you think? It also looks like maybe two different poop events. The piece on the right looks different! Erin Hauge

Coast garter snake that was resting on the top of a coyote brush bush.  The day was high overcast and it looked like this individual had eaten recently.  (Not fresh or old!)  Erin Hauge — Coast garter snake that was resting on the top of a coyote brush bush. The day was high overcast and it looked like this individual had eaten recently. (Not fresh or old!) Erin Hauge

Doe who stood watching us for several minutes from higher up the hill, amid a stand of wild iris.  Erin Hauge — Doe who stood watching us for several minutes from higher up the hill, amid a stand of wild iris. Erin Hauge

Buck scat.  Bucks drop their pellets all compacted together like this so it looks like one textured wad.  Does drop loose pellets that scatter individually.  Erin Hauge — Buck scat. Bucks drop their pellets all compacted together like this so it looks like one textured wad. Does drop loose pellets that scatter individually. Erin Hauge

Jim leading the pack on a beautiful day!  Erin Hauge — Jim leading the pack on a beautiful day! Erin Hauge

Mushrooms we found on our trail.  Does anyone remember what kind these were?  I don't remember.  Erin Hauge — Mushrooms we found on our trail. Does anyone remember what kind these were? I don't remember. Erin Hauge

The same mushroom species as the one above, but now past it's prime and decaying.  Erin Hauge — The same mushroom species as the one above, but now past it's prime and decaying. Erin Hauge

A badger dig.  The scat in the image below was found at the grass line at the bottom of this picture.  Erin Hauge — A badger dig. The scat in the image below was found at the grass line at the bottom of this picture. Erin Hauge

Badger scat!  Jim said this is very rare to see.  We were lucky!  Erin Hauge — Badger scat! Jim said this is very rare to see. We were lucky! Erin Hauge

Singing sparrow.  Erin Hauge — Singing sparrow. Erin Hauge

Raven foraging and watching our group.  Erin Hauge — Raven foraging and watching our group. Erin Hauge

Mole holes.  We learned that mole holes are round and if you dig your hand down into the middle of the dirt pile, there will be a vertical tunnel hole going downward.  Gopher holes are more wedge-shaped because they dig at an angle.  … — Mole holes. We learned that mole holes are round and if you dig your hand down into the middle of the dirt pile, there will be a vertical tunnel hole going downward. Gopher holes are more wedge-shaped because they dig at an angle. If you dig your hand down into the middle of their dirt pile, you won't find a vertical tunnel hole. Erin Hauge

Bobcat!  Erin Hauge — Bobcat! Erin Hauge

Track of a deer who slipped in the mud by one of the dune ponds.  Erin Hauge — Track of a deer who slipped in the mud by one of the dune ponds. Erin Hauge

A damselfly.  I have a hard time identifying these guys to species.  Erin Hauge — A damselfly. I have a hard time identifying these guys to species. Erin Hauge

Skunk scat!  Erin Hauge — Skunk scat! Erin Hauge

A wood rat's home.  Erin Hauge — A wood rat's home. Erin Hauge