On Track

Interpreting tracks is an enjoyable addition to any shore walk and much can be deduced from sand prints. In the first photo, a lesser black backed gull stood and stared for a while, before being disturbed, shedding some dead weight then taking flight by running as it took off, dropping a feather in the process.


By contrast, the photo below is made by a bird that, when disturbed didn't run as it took off but hopped as it flapped, keeping both feet side by side - a cormorant by the size of the prints.

The next example is a pigeon-toed carrion crow, leaving foot prints showing separate pads as well as claw trails in between as it waddled up the beach looking for anything interesting.

And finally, a feeding frenzy of small waders - both dunlin and sanderling - were feeding here on sandhopppers and flies amongst the seaweed.

Developing these Mears-ian tracking skills is of course a slow process requiring long hours of meticulous field observation ......

or

you can do it my way - watch the birds take off then walk up and check out the tracks.