Haiku: Clandestine Crossing

The cold and snow are upon us, making the very act of living more challenging for wild creatures. I suspect that the canid tracks above may be from a coyote, as they appear a bit larger than I would expect from a fox (though we have both here). Other tracks, mesmerizing in their own way, were left by other animals and invite imagining their destinations and their difficulties during this time of year.

There are cats tracks everywhere in the snow. They could be from the neighbor’s cat…or from one of the many seemingly-stray felines that traverse the pastures. I noticed that the canid prints seem to follow and overlap with the feline prints in many areas. Is the coyote following the cat(s), hoping for a meal?

Some of the cutest prints, I think, are made by the many birds that know where the geese are fed and come by to pick up stray bits of grain. The impressions are dainty, like tiny twigs pressed into the snow.

Last, a print for perspective: the (presumed) coyote and the farmer.

Safe travels, wanderers.