| 2. The goose that was on top of the sand bar was running
at full speed, preparing for takeoff. The long stride of 25 inches is
roughly double that of a goose moving at a fast walk. Unlike marsh
ducks, geese cannot spring directly from land or water into the air –
they must run and propel themselves with both their feet and wings to
get enough momentum to take off.
Although Canada Goose is a common bird that is found in many places,
it is not very common in the mountains in winter. These tracks were a
challenge for me because I know this area well and was not expecting
goose to be a possibility at this location at this time of year. I first
thought it was a trumpeter swan, because the feet and stride were so
large. But after studying my field guides later that night, I realized
that as large as these footprints were, geese can have feet that large,
and the tracks of swans are significantly larger – there is no overlap
between geese and swans. Additionally I did not put 2+2 together and
realize that the goose would have to be running prior to taking off -- I
was originally interpreting the tracks on top of the sandbar as a
walking gait.
These tracks humbled me. Once I realized how easy they were, I felt a
bit foolish that I had initially guessed wrong. But I was glad for the
experience, as I will try to analyze the big picture more broadly, and
ask more questions next time.
At any rate, it was a beautiful day to be snowshoeing in one of my
favorite tracking areas in Washington, and I was glad to share it with
you.
Ciao,
BRIAN |
