What is it Wednesday: February 12, 2020

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

February 12, 2020. 

And the answer is....

These are the tracks of muskrat, seen along the edge of the frozen Upper Lake.

Muskrat are what’s known as imperfect walkers, which means that they do not put their back paw directly in the imprint made by their front paw, but near it or alongside it. This gives their track a “2x2” look – two prints next to each other, instead of a straight line of what looks like single prints. 

Muskrats also have a narrow tail that hangs low as they walk, leaving a tail drag mark in surfaces like snow. 

In addition, muskrats are active in the winter and live along the edges of lakes, ponds, and rivers, so their known habitat matches where these tracks were found. This track actually led up to a small burrow just a short distance back from the edge of the water, confirming that it was most likely made by a muskrat. It was neat to be able to use the track to find the den!

For more on how LEEP can help you identify the tracks and other animal signs in the forest, through field trips, Saturday Safaris, summer camp, special events and more, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/ee. 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

What is it Wednesday: January 9, 2019

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
the day after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on January 9, 2019.

And the answer is....

We’re actually not 100% sure what this is, but our best guess is that a muskrat attempted to build a lodge here, between the floats of the canoe dock on Lower Lake.

Muskrats build dens in burrows in embankments along the water’s edge, or in lodges built up in shallow water with piles of gathered vegetation. In both types, the entrance to the den is underwater and slopes upward to den areas above water level.

It is a little hard to understand exactly what was going on in this case because this “lodge” is now on bare ground instead of partly in the water. Lower Lake is drained every winter to reduce vegetation in the lake, so perhaps this lodge was begun when the water level was such that part of the lodge was underwater and part of it was above water.

There are several muskrat dens in Upper Lake along the “dam” end of the lake, but we don’t normally see any of these “pop-up” dens or feeding areas. Maybe one of the Upper Lake muskrats decided to venture into new territory and attempt to establish a den on Lower Lake. This accumulation of vegetation seen here does match photos and descriptions of muskrat lodges, but with the water level the way it is now, it is unlikely that muskrats found this an effective home.

At LEEP, we love learning new things about the natural environment around us! We don’t already know it all, and enjoy seeking out the answers to new things that we aren’t sure about. Find out how you can continue to learn more about the world around us with LEEP through Saturday Safaris, school field trips, summer camp, and more, at www.Lutherlyn.com/ee .

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!