Tracks & Signs

Basilisk Lizard Nest

2012-02-01T19:49:00.003+01:00

This photo shows the open nest of a Basilisk Lizard Basiliscus basiliscus with exposed eggs. The female lizard was actually laying eggs here, in the gravel bank above a river, when a Broad-winged Hawk swooped in and carried her off. Taken in Costa Rica in January 2012, Gerard Gorman.

Snow Leopard spray site

2012-01-19T12:25:00.000+01:00

Territorial spray site (urine on rocks) of Snow Leopard Panthera uncia. Photo: Szabolcs Kokay, Ladakh, November 2011

Brown Hare Tracks

2012-01-06T07:20:00.000+01:00

Fresh Tracks of Brown Hare Lepus europaeus in snow. Western Pyrenees, Spain. Julian Gayarre Igazuirre.

Capercaillie Droppings

2011-12-21T07:57:00.002+01:00

Droppings of Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus. Cigarette stub-sized but varying in colour. Western Pyrenees, Spain. Julian Gayarre Igazuirre.

Chamois Tracks

2011-12-08T20:25:00.000+01:00

Tracks of Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra in snow. Spanish Pyrenees, Julian Gayarre Izaguirre.

Snow Leopard paw print

2011-12-03T14:03:00.001+01:00

Paw print of Snow Leopard Panthera uncia. Szabolcs Kokay, Ladakh, November 2011.

Snow Leopard Tracks

2011-11-25T07:47:00.001+01:00

Tracks of Snow Leopard Panthera uncia. Note human boot prints and the darker patches around the cat's prints, caused by the thick fur on their paws. Szabolcs Kokay, Ladakh, November 2011.

Crab Burrow

2011-11-17T12:07:00.000+01:00

New burrow of a small crab (species not documented) on beach on Havelock Island, Andamans, India. November 2011, Gerard Gorman.

Wild European Honey Bee Honeycomb

2011-10-27T20:35:00.003+02:00

Fragment of the honeycomb of European Honey Bee Apis mellifera. Something had pulled most of a bee-nest out of this cavity in a beech-tree. Photo by Gerard Gorman taken in the Pyrenees, Navarra, Spain, October 2011.

Skull and bones of Red Deer

2011-10-17T10:30:00.000+02:00

Skull and bones of a Red Deer Cervus elaphus. Cause of death unknown. Photo taken in Irati Forest, Pyrenees, Navarra, Spain, October 2011, Gerard Gorman.

Jaguar Footprint

2011-10-02T10:59:00.001+02:00

Fresh footprint of a Jaguar Panthera onca in fine sand. Photo taken in Guyana, October 2009, Gerard Gorman.

Magellanic Woodpecker feeding hole

2011-09-20T13:15:00.002+02:00

Feeding hole made by Magellanic Woodpecker Campephilus magellanicus. This species is the only large picid in Patagonian forests thus such holes are easy to assign to species. Near Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina, November 2010, Gerard Gorman.

Campo Flicker Nest Hole

2011-09-12T07:40:00.001+02:00

Not all woodpeckers nest in tree cavities. Some create holes in banks, cliffs, even the ground or buildings. The Campo Flicker Colaptes campestris of South America is one such species. This nest hole was in a sandy-bank in Brazil.

Geese Footprints in Wet Sand

2011-09-07T07:20:00.000+02:00

Geese footprints (probably Greylags) in wet sand on the coast at Haapsalu, Estonia. May 2011.

Beaver Lodge

2011-08-24T13:29:00.000+02:00

Lodge of European Beaver Castor fiber. Sooma NP, Estonia.

White-bellied Woodpecker Hole

2011-08-16T12:01:00.000+02:00

Old nest hole of White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis, Bukit Wang Forest, Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia, August 2011.

Malayan Tapir Hoofprint

2011-08-09T19:52:00.001+02:00

Fresh back hoof-print in wet mud of a Malayan Tapir Tapirus indicus. Also called Asian Tapir. Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve, Peninsula Malaysia. Back feet have 3 toes, front feet 4 toes.

Woodpecker Hole in Pole

2011-07-22T07:43:00.000+02:00

Here is another hole made by a woodpecker (species unknown but Great Spotted Woodpecker suspected) in a another wooden utility-pole. Bogacs, Hungary, June 2011.

Woodpecker hole in utility-pole

2011-07-15T20:33:00.000+02:00

Hole made by a woodpecker (species unknown) in a wooden utility-pole. Bogacs, Hungary, June 2011.

Wild Boar Hoof

2011-06-26T21:17:00.000+02:00

Wild Boar Sus scrofa hoof print in mud. Aggtelek, Hungary, June 2011.

Robin's Pin Cushion Gall

2011-06-20T21:01:00.002+02:00

A new Robin's Pin Cushion. This is a gall made by the wasp Diplolepis rosae. Velebit Mountains, Croatia, June 2011.

Close up of Black Woodpecker nest-hole

2011-06-08T09:15:00.002+02:00

Close up of the nest hole (and female) shown in the previous post.

Black Woodpecker nest-holes

2011-05-29T20:14:00.015+02:00

Nest-holes of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius. They are usually oval in shape and several may be on the same tree trunk. Bull Hulls, May, 2011.

Red-footed Falcon pellet

2011-05-22T22:06:00.000+02:00

Pellet of Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus. Hortobagy, Hungary, May 2011.

Elk Hoof Print

2011-05-16T18:41:00.001+02:00

Hoof-print of Elk Alces alces in wet mud. Kloostri, Matsalu Bay, Estonia, May 2011.

Black Woodpecker feeding holes

2011-05-03T11:12:00.001+02:00

Very recent and typical holes made by a Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius looking for prey. Near Spithami, Estonia, April 2011.

Rock Partridge dropping

2011-04-24T20:22:00.000+02:00

A very fresh dropping of a Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca. Found in the Paklenica NP, Dalmatia, Croatia, April 2011.

Otter paw print

2011-04-17T09:38:00.000+02:00

Paw print of Otter Lutra lutra in dry mud (20p coin for size comparison). Crna Mlaka ponds, Croatia, April 2011.

Common Crane Footprint

2011-04-08T07:58:00.001+02:00

Common Crane Grus grus footprint. Matsalu Bay, Estonia, May 2010.

Old House Martin Nest

2011-04-04T08:36:00.001+02:00

A House Martin Delichon urbica nest from last year. Hungary, March 2011.

Dropping of Red Fox

2011-03-31T11:36:00.001+02:00

Dropping of Red Fox Vulpes vulpes. Hungary, March 2011.

Black Woodpecker Foraging Site

2011-03-25T13:44:00.000+01:00

A new (note fresh wood chippings) foraging site of a Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius low down on a tree trunk. This species is comfortable on the ground and regularly makes such holes in trees that have heart-rot and which contain carpenter-ant colonies. Photo taken in Poland, 2010 by Gerard Gorman.

Beaver - Old Work

2011-03-17T11:27:00.001+01:00

This tree shows old work by European Beaver Castor fiber. Note that the exposed timber is dark and there are no fresh, light-coloured, wood-chips on the ground. Sooma National Park, Estonia

Black Woodpecker Foraging Hole

2011-03-07T08:22:00.000+01:00

Another typical, foraging hole of a Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius. Fehérvárcsurgó, Fejér County, Hungary, February 2011. Photo: Gergely Kovacs.

Black Woodpecker Foraging Site

2011-02-26T13:44:00.001+01:00

Classic, fresh foraging site of a Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius. Fehérvárcsurgó, Fejér County, Hungary, February 2011. Photo: Gergely Kovacs.

Red Squirrel tracks in snow

2011-02-17T12:42:00.001+01:00

Tracks (paw prints) of Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris in snow. Budapest, Hungary.

Red Fox den

2011-01-19T10:03:00.000+01:00

Entrance hole in a sandy bank of a fresh den of Red Fox Vulpes vulpes. Near Apaj, Hungary, January 2011.

Sapling barked by Roe Deer

2011-01-15T16:49:00.001+01:00

Sapling "barked" by Roe Deer. The teeth marks left when the deer gnawed off the bark can be clearly seen. Ocsa, Hungary, January 2011.

Bird Tracks in Snow

2011-01-04T09:37:00.000+01:00

Tracks of a bird in snow. Species unknown.

Tracks of domestic cat

2010-12-19T17:41:00.000+01:00

Tracks of a domestic cat in snow. Note round shape of each print and lack of claw marks. Budapest, December 19th, 2010.

Roe Deer Tracks

2010-11-23T13:54:00.000+01:00

Hoof prints of a Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus. Note the very narrow and pointed shapes.

Robin's Pin Cushions

2010-11-16T18:21:00.000+01:00

Robin's Pin Cushions are wasp galls made by Diplolepis rosae. The grub inside these fluffy galls feeds on the plant before emerging.

Black Woodpecker Hole in Log

2010-11-06T08:34:00.016+01:00

Log on the ground with hole created by a foraging Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius. Buda Hills, Hungary, October 2010.

Beetle and Woodpeckers signs

2010-10-30T10:27:00.001+02:00

Oak tree with the exposed burrows of Cerambyx beetles and the beak marks and holes (on the left) made by Black Woodpecker which has searched for them. Buda Hills, Hungary, October 2010.

Cones Gnawed by Red Squirrel

2010-10-22T15:24:00.000+02:00

Conifer cones gnawed by Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris. Buda Hills, Hungary.

Marten Dropping

2010-10-15T11:12:00.000+02:00

Dropping of a mustelid, probably a Beech Marten Martes foina or a Pine Marten Martes martes. Such droppings are often placed in prominent places, like paths or logs, where other mustelids can easily see them. Thus, though are often rather pungent they are also meant as visible markers. One Euro coin for size comparison. Found in a mixed forest in Slovensky kras, Eastern Slovakia.

More Deer Barking

2010-10-02T10:28:00.000+02:00

Barking of a sapling by a deer. Probably Roe Deer. Buda Hills, Hungary, September, 2010.

Tree barked by deer

2010-09-26T16:46:00.005+02:00

Deer strip off bark and eat it and also gnaw at the wood beneath. This is called "barking". Teeth marks are left on the tree, as in this picture here taken in the Buda Hills, Hungary in 2010. It is hard to say for certain which species did this, but only Roe and Red Deer occur in those woods and as the barking was quite low down, the most likely species is Roe Deer.

Cones Wedged in Trees

2010-09-19T09:48:00.003+02:00

Conifer cones wedged in crevices in the bark of a tree. Probably the work of Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Woodpeckers do this in order to be able to extract the conifer seeds. Bialowieza, Poland, May 2010.

Otter Tracks

2010-09-10T15:39:00.002+02:00

Tracks of Otter Lutra lutra in the mud of a drained fishpond. Near Pszczyna, Poland, September 2010.

Capercaillie droppings

2010-09-02T18:23:00.002+02:00

Droppings of Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus. Near Viiksimo, Karelia, Finland.

Beaten-up Tree Stump - Black Woodpecker

2010-08-25T11:37:00.002+02:00

Tree stump "beaten-up" (hacked into when in search of invertebrate prey) by Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius.

European Pond Terrapin Shell

2010-08-18T09:54:00.002+02:00

Shell of European Pond Terrapin Emys orbicularis. Kiskunsag Nat Park, Hungary, June 2010.

More Elk Droppings

2010-08-12T18:15:00.003+02:00

Elk Alces alces droppings. Near Kuhmo, Finland, July 2010.

Canadian and European Beavers

2010-07-29T11:41:00.003+02:00

There are two species of beaver in Europe, the native European Castor fiberis and the introduced Canadian Castor canadensis (aka North American Beaver). The field signs of both are identical so when finding marks and signs (such as in this photo) it is hard to decide which species is responsible. Photo taken in the Patvinsuo National Park, Finland where apparently only Canadian Beaver occurs.

Elk droppings

2010-07-23T11:14:00.004+02:00

Elk Alces alces droppings. Near Kuhmo, Finland, July 2010. Mobile phone placed alongside for size comparison.

Fieldfare Nest

2010-07-16T12:14:00.003+02:00

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris nest in a hide in the Bialowieza NP, Poland, May 2010.

Barn Swallow nest

2010-07-11T09:27:00.002+02:00

Partially built nest of Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, Hortobagy, Hungary, June 2010.

Red-backed Shrike Larder

2010-07-05T09:18:00.004+02:00

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita impaled on a thorn by Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. This small shrike is known as the "butcher bird" in folk-English because of its habit of storing prey in this way, on thorns, sharp twigs, barbed wire, etc, so-called larders. The victim is half-eaten and there is a parasitic wasp on the exposed flesh near the thorn. Aggtelek, Hungary, June 2010.

Shell of Roman Snail

2010-07-01T07:52:00.004+02:00

Shell of Roman Snail Helix pomatia. Aggtelek, Hungary, June 2010. Aka "Edible Snail".

Black Woodpecker Feeding Holes

2010-06-20T08:53:00.004+02:00

Classic large holes made by Black Woodpecker Dryocopos martius when excavating into a tree to reach a Carpenter Ant colony. Soutok, Czech Republic, May 2010.

Pheasant Nest

2010-06-12T09:57:00.003+02:00

Nest and eggs of Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus (aka Ring-necked Pheasant). Bogacs, Hungary. May 2010.

Blackbird Nest

2010-06-07T23:01:00.002+02:00

Blackbird Turdus merula nest in a broken, hollow tree stump. Bialowieza, Poland, May 2010.

Hoof Print of European Bison

2010-05-29T20:38:00.002+02:00

Hoof print of European Bison Bison bonasus in mud. This is Europe's heaviest land mammal. Bialowieza, Poland, May 2010.

Black Woodpecker Nest Hole

2010-05-17T06:45:00.002+02:00

Nest hole of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius in a beech tree. Bukk Hills, Hungary, May 2010. The oval shape of the entrance is typical.

Tree Stumps - Beaver

2010-05-10T12:47:00.002+02:00

Tree stumps after European Beaver Castor fiber has felled the trees. Near Nove Mlyny, South Moravia, Czech Republic, April 2010.

Beaver Dam

2010-04-24T21:31:00.002+02:00

Dam built by European Beaver Castor fiber, Nove Mlyny Reservoir, South Moravia, Czech Republic, April 2010 (Phil Briggs).

Old House Martin Nests

2010-04-18T17:14:00.004+02:00

Old, broken, House Martin Delichon urbica nests like these are often are used by sparrows as nesting sites. This colony was established in the gap above an ornate window on the Lednice Chateau, South Moravia. Taken in April 2010.

House Martin Nest

2010-04-10T20:12:00.002+02:00

Newly built House Martin Delichon urbica nest. Skradin, Croatia, April 2010.

Spanish Sparrow Colony

2010-04-06T19:36:00.003+02:00

Nesting colony of Spanish Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis. Skradin, Croatia, April 2010.

Capercaillie Tracks

2010-03-29T10:32:00.002+02:00

Fresh tracks of a male Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus in snow. Soometsa, Estonia.

Woodpecker Anvil

2010-03-20T08:19:00.002+01:00

Conifer cone wedged in the anvil (aka "smithy" or "workshop") of a woodpecker. Almost certainly Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. Sooma NP, Estonia.

Mole Hills

2010-03-14T20:32:00.004+01:00

A group of new mole-hills (mole-mounds) created by European Mole Talpa europaea. As soon as winter snows melt moles throw up these hills. Palava Hills, Czech Republic, March, 2010.

Raven Nest

2010-03-08T10:25:00.004+01:00

Nest of Common Raven Corvus corax in hole in a limestone cliff. Palava Hills, Czech Republic, March 2010.

Red Deer Hoof

2010-03-02T08:23:00.002+01:00

Hoof print of Red Deer Cervus elaphus in snow. Pilis Hills, Hungary, February 2010.

Wild Boar Tracks in Snow

2010-02-19T07:27:00.002+01:00

Trail left in deep snow by Wild Boar Sus scrofa. Bakony Hills, Hungary, February 2010.

Woodpecker Fresh Feeding Hole

2010-02-15T12:42:00.001+01:00

Feeding hole made by a woodpecker. Due to the location (Buda Hills, Hungary), tree species (pine) and size of peck marks etc, probably the work of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius.

Red Squirrel Paw Prints

2010-02-03T21:29:00.003+01:00

Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris paw prints in snow. Buda Hills, Hungary, February 2010.

Bird Tracks in Snow

2010-01-21T09:34:00.003+01:00

These tracks in fresh snow are hard to diagnose. They are of a fairly large bird but too indistinct to positively ID. The two candidates are Feral Pigeon and Hooded Crow Corvus cornix as both were present in the garden at the time. Budapest, January, 2010.

Red Deer Fraying

2010-01-16T09:27:00.003+01:00

Small tree frayed by Red Deer Cervus elaphus. Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, September 2009. To remove the velvet from antlers deer rub them against small trees. Red deer do this just before the rut in autumn. This method of rubbing off the velvet to expose the new, hard antlers is called fraying. In the process bark and twigs are removed and snapped.

Hooded Crow Tracks in Snow

2010-01-09T09:15:00.003+01:00

Hooded Crow Corvus cornix tracks and cleared patch of snow where feeding took place. Budapest, January, 2010.

Common Crane Footprint in Mud

2010-01-03T13:41:00.004+01:00

Footprint of Common Crane Grus grus. Fekete-ret, Hortobagy NP, Hungary, October 2009.

Beaver Teeth Marks

2009-12-28T12:23:00.004+01:00

Teeth marks of European Beaver Castor fiber on felled tree trunk. Sooma National Park, Estonia.

Tracks of Red Squirrel

2009-12-21T12:57:00.003+01:00

Tracks of Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris in snow. Budapest, Hungary, December 2009.

Black Woodpecker Feeding Holes in Pine Tree

2009-12-14T19:39:00.005+01:00

Feeding site of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius on a rotting pine tree. The mix of old and fresh woodchips on the ground show that this site has been used and for some time. Long, vertical, narrow holes, with some near the ground, are typical for Black Woodpecker. Found in a forest near Parnu, May 2009.

Pellets: Long-eared Owl

2009-12-10T09:51:00.004+01:00

Long-eared Owl Asio otus pellets. From left to right, from dark to pale, fresh, recent, old and older pellets. The dark one was soft, probably from the previous night. The oldest one was the driest and hardest to the touch. Collected in Serbia, November, 2009.

Steppe Mouse Storage Mound

2009-12-02T08:03:00.002+01:00

Another food storage mound of Steppe Mouse Mus spicilegus. Photo taken near Kikinda, Serbia, November 2009.

Long-eared Owl Pellets and Dropppings

2009-11-27T09:48:00.006+01:00

Pellets and droppings (amongst fallen leaves) of Long-eared Owl Asio otus on a newspaper booth roof. Dozens of owls were roosting in the tree above. Banat, Serbia, November 2009.

Storage Mound of Steppe Mouse

2009-11-25T12:02:00.004+01:00

Food storage mound of Steppe Mouse Mus spicilegus. Such mounds can contain 10kg of grain and be a metre in diameter. Photo taken near Kikinda, Serbia, November 2009.

Great Capricorn Beetle Larva Burrows

2009-11-16T18:45:00.003+01:00

The attractive pattern made by the exposed burrows of the larva of Great Capricorn Beetle Cerambyx cerdo in an oak tree. Lednice, South Moravia, Czech Republic.

Hoof Print of Roe Deer

2009-11-08T14:00:00.004+01:00

This photo shows an interesting hoof print. It was made by a Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus and taken in the UK in November 2009 (by the carcass shown in the previous post). Because it is in wet mud and fresh, the print is splayed and far from classic. For example, the dew claws at the rear (bottom of photo) have made impressions. This does not always happen with Roe Deer. But note the very narrow, pointed shape of the cleaves.

Roe Deer Carcass

2009-11-04T08:41:00.002+01:00

This photo of a dead Roe Deer was sent to me by Mike Crutch in southern England. While out one morning recently he came across this carcass. Note the eyes are still intact, so it is right to assume that it’s fairly fresh as scavengers have not yet arrived. So what killed this deer? Obviously it was large and the ripped hind indicates a dog (no wolves in England). Though the area does have the usual ‘mysterious large black cat’ sightings, a cat can be ruled out as large cats attack the neck area not the rear. In addition, the many paw-prints in the soft mud around the carcass (not really visible here) were of dogs, not cats.

Pine cone fed on by Red Squirrel

2009-11-01T11:46:00.004+01:00

Pine cone fed on by Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris. Budapest, Hungary, October 2009.

More Roe Deer Tracks

2009-10-25T08:22:00.004+01:00

More hoof prints of Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus. Again, note the narrow, pointed shape. Soutok, South Moravia, Czech Republic, March 2009.

Roe Deer Hoof Print

2009-10-16T17:43:00.007+02:00

Hoof print of Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus in damp sandy soil. Note the very narrow and pointed shape. Found near Breclav, South Moravia, Czech Republic, March 2009.

Mole Hill

2009-10-14T08:06:00.003+02:00

A fresh mole-hill (mound) created by European Mole Talpa europaea. Hungary, September 2009.

Spruce Cones Opened By Crossbills

2009-09-30T10:33:00.006+02:00

Spruce cones found on the ground below trees were Common Crossbills Loxia curvirostra had been feeding. The birds have twisted them open them to extract the seeds. High Tatras, Slovakia, September 2009.

Spruce Bark Beetle Work - 2

2009-09-27T15:47:00.003+02:00

Another example (see previous post) of the work of the larvae of European Spruce Bark Beetle Ips typographus on Norway Spruce Picea abies. Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, September 2009.

Spruce Bark Beetle Work

2009-09-23T09:33:00.006+02:00

Marks and burrows made by the larvae of European Spruce Bark Beetle Ips typographus on Norway Spruce Picea abies. The bark has been removed and peeled back by Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus. This woodpecker specialises in predating the larvae of bark beetles. Volovske Mountains, Slovakia, September 2009.

Acorn and Nuthatch

2009-09-19T20:45:00.004+02:00

Acorn wedged in bark crevice and hacked open by a Nuthatch Sitta europea. Kosice, Slovakia, September 2009.