White Cardinals and Other Wildlife News of the Day

Today I had two interesting conversations with my neighbors and learned that an "albino" cardinal had made a second visit to her feeders, while a second neighbor told me he saw tracks of a coyote or fox crossing over Apple Valley Drive from the Clubhouse woods and signs of possibly catching a rabbit.


That seems to connect with the tracks I saw in my yard on the other side of the road recently, indicating the coyote might have taken a left on the road, traveling north to my driveway, then a left into my driveway (with or without a rabbit in its mouth or belly) and then a right after passing my neighbor's house to the north.


The cardinal is most likely leucistic, a genetic mutation that causes a light to whitish coloring, but without the pink eyes of true albinos.


Also, I saw a bird fly out of my bluebird house this morning!  Go figure!!

When I finally got outside today, I went out looking for tracks, especially the tracks of the possum I had seen at 1 a.m.   I got an unexpected treat when I saw big paw tracks spread out single file all the way to Apple Valley Drive. The creature had come down my driveway, which I had shoveled the night before, and then crossed over to nearby woods.




I finally remembered to include a ruler in the photos of tracks and I found these were 3 inches long, enough to put them in the running with foxes and coyotes, both of which my portable tracking guide says have tracks about 2 inches long.  I'm pretty sure I can rule out the possum, although it was the only animal I know for sure was out there overnight.  My portable guide only says possum prints are about 2 inches wide and doesn't mention length.  I'll have to get a more comprehensive tracking guidebook!