Fourteen members from the Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN) spread out over three dates January 15, 22 & 23 went tracking on the John de Pencier trail at Trent University Nature Area. Mammal species identified by tracks or sign included Fisher, Red Fox, Coyote, Red Squirrel, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Mouse sp, Shrew sp and Porcupine. The carcass of a Northern Short-tailed Shrew was found near the trail. Tracks and snow roosts were observed for Ruffed Grouse. Ermine and White-tailed Deer tracks were observed by some members while walking the east trails.

Red Fox scat was stumbled upon early during the walk on January 22nd. As often happens with Red Fox or Coyote scat, it was deposited in the middle of the trail. This behaviour is part of territory marking. We put the Fox scat in a small bag and hid it off the trail so that it would be available for the next day. In an odd twist, the bag with scat inside was returned to the same spot on the trail when we went back on Saturday. We assume that it was picked up by a Dog and then left on the trail when the owner barked out instructions to "drop it"! The photographed Domestic Dog scat was found just off the trail at a different location. While we used the opportunity to compare it to Fox and Coyote scat, the scat should not have been there: Dogs are supposed to be on leash and poop picked up.
(Photographed January 22, 2016 at Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)