Various nature photos were taken during a Harper Park walk for members of the Peterborough Field Naturalists and Harper Park Stewardship Committee. Snow conditions were good and there were many tracks and sign observed. The species list included White-tailed Deer, Red Squirrel, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Porcupine, Eastern Cottontail, Coyote, Red Fox, Wild Turkey, American Crow and Northern Cardinal. We also heard Ruffed Grouse, Hairy Woodpecker and Black-capped Chickadee.

One interesting observation was a series of feather marks in the snow. These were later identified as likely created by a Northern Cardinal. A male was in song nearby. There were no small mammal tracks or sign such as would be evident during a Shrike attack. The wing span measured at 10+ inches approximates the 12" listed in Sibley's for Northern Cardinal, keeping in mind that a full wing span did not register in the snow. I suspect it was a bird fluttering close to snow level and landing twice as it foraged on plant seeds.
(Photographed March 4, 2016 at Harper Park, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)