Stoat or Pine Martin traks??

[Shambling Shaman]

Was out checking for deer getting in to the main garden and see this.

http://http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q244/rob2nd9th/?action=view&current=Photo-0014.jpg

My glove to give an idea of size.

http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q244/rob2nd9th/?action=view&current=Photo-0015.jpg

Iv see Pine martins about but this looks like stoat? any input thx..


And as a bonus as i was kneeling to take the photo my mate came to look at what i was doing

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q244/rob2nd9th/th_Robinonknee.jpg

 

[Shambling Shaman]

No photos? will sort that out


Cant get

 

[sandbender]

I'd reckon that these are the tracks of a stoat, however an expert will be along shortly with a more reliable identification.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Is the that the only set of tracks visible?

From the picture there's no evidence in the snow of the creature arriving or leaving, which leads me to think it's a bird, possibly a magpie - they hop and drag their tails.

If it was a stoat, I'd expect to see the prints of the back feet just behind the front when they jump along.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Sorry, just on ether side of the tracks is the start/end of an old wall and the tracks did go some way and seamed to go under a part of the wall. Iv not see Magpies here, but that not to say there around. the foot prints did seam small and round and not bird like.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I'd expect to see the tracks more like this - the little 'o' being the front feet. The dashes are there because I can't put loads of spaces inbetween.

O o------O o------O o
O o------O o------O o

 

[Laughoutlouder]

Em I'm wouldnt be sure its a stoat or martin. Never seen the drag marks in between before on matrin tracks. Never seen stoat tracks though. Also, the scale seems a little small maybe. Bushwhacker has the track prints pretty well above. Usually u would see the claw marks too. Squirrell? Never seen the drag marks with them either though so dont know. Looking again the foot shape doesnt seem right for a martin but I could be well off! I love the snow for tracks!

 

[Laughoutlouder]

Looked at my photos of martin tracks in the snow and foot shape doesnt look right. Cant post em cos I dont have a photo bucket thingy or whatever it is you need. Must look into it, have a few nice pics.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Squirrell? Never seen the drag marks with them either

No what i was saying was the O-o were small and round like squirrel prints and not -< like a bird print, as for the Drag the snow is deep so more of a resting imprint? pos?

Once my dog ploughed a furrow with his "Bits" in deep snow

 

[Laughoutlouder]

No what i was saying was the O-o were small and round like squirrel prints and not -< like a bird print, as for the Drag the snow is deep so more of a resting imprint? pos?

Once my dog ploughed a furrow with his "Bits" in deep snow

Ha ha ! Is he hung low or was the snow deep?

Hard to tell from the photos alright. Doesnt look like a bird to me but hard to tell. Were there any pad impressions or nail marks in the snow? That always helps me narrow it down. When I was taking track photos in the snow I adjusted the contrast afterwards and some nice detail usually came out. Id love to post some photos now.

 

[Laughoutlouder]

The more I look at it the stranger it seems. There are 2 distinct drag marks, so prob feet and not tail. Strange there arent 2 sets of prints one behind the other so maybe whatever it was was in a run and were looking at front paws and back paws well set apart. From the size it could be a squirrell, are there many around there by the way? Reds or greys?

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Never seen any squirrels and Grey's hopefully wont get this far North, will be taking another walk out today or tomorrow so will take a camera next time ans see if i can get more detail.

 

[Laughoutlouder]

Cool. We just got a couple if inches of snow here, unusual near the coast, so am gonna get out for a walkie me thinks!