Look for crime scene footprints in snow

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) points out that the snow tells stories of shy day passers by, night visitors, muggings and worse crimes of violence.

Using its Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve in Fife as an example, it argues that the white stuff is perfect for following the, sometimes shocking, behaviour of our winter wildlife.

With frozen water and snow covering some foodstuffs, animals are forced to get out when they can and travel longer distances, even if it means, for more nocturnal animals, doing so in daylight to fight for their meals.

Some animals are also out looking for mates and this also increases the chances of alert, well wrapped up wildlife spotters getting lucky.

Footprints in the snow and the remains of creatures left there can reveal what has been going on. Traditional images of peaceful robins adorn our Christmas cards at this time of year but this harmless looking bird is actually a territorial terror. As well as defending territory during mating, they will often fight other robins, sometimes to the death, over scarce food resources in winter.

Tom Cunningham, SNH’s reserve manager said: ‘With it being winter there are usually teal although there are fewer than normal while the north and south Morton Lochs are frozen. We have regular sightings of otters, roe deer and fox, even occasionally badgers, throughout the Morton area in winter. As well as looking around and in the trees when you are out, it is worthwhile checking the snow for footprints. These can reveal a lot about who’s been passing by, where they stopped, what they did and even how long ago’.

Argyll can add pine martens, beavers and white tailed sea eagles to this list – and plenty more.

Keep your eyes down. It saves a slip and gives you access to narratives you couldn’t have imagined.

The top photograph of the footprints of a roe deer crossing a narrow ledge between a widow and a frozen pond was sent in by a site visitor.

The other photographs accompanying this piece were taken in kinder times – at the end of July 2010 – and show a confident fox, out on the prowl in the afternoon. Copyright Lynda Henderson.