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Monday, February 1, 2010

The Mystery Marks

What you see here is just an ordinary snowy scene in the wintery forest. Or is it? It seems that we have a mystery here. There are no answers; only a bit of speculation. Take a look right in the front of the picture. What do you see?

The snow has been moved away in that area where you see all of those leaves and earth. There is also a smaller area back farther with the same thing. It looks as if that branch has been moved back and forth across the ground to make that happen, but who or what did it?

I've been watching this spot for several weeks now, and whatever is making these scuff marks continues to do this over and over. The marks are fresh every time I look. These pictures are actually a few weeks old, but now without the snow on the ground here, the strange marks still persist.

At first glance I thought maybe a person went by and moved this branch. People can do the strangest things, even out in a forest like this one. But after closer examination I'm fairly sure it was another kind of animal that did this. The question is why? And how do I know?

That lighter color on the end of the branch was made by gnawing teeth. It doesn't look as if an animal was trying to chew through the branch, but maybe hold it in its mouth or something similar. The marks on the ground underneath are also somewhat irregular, as if something were digging just a little bit down there.

So maybe an animal was nosing around around and under this branch for some reason. I don't know why it did it. Maybe it was looking for food. Maybe it wanted the branch, which is highly unlikely. I think for now this will remain a mystery, but I'll keep watching. Maybe time will reveal the secret. This is very interesting. Have you ever seen anything like this before? Have you ever seen any other type of mystery marks outside?

I'll be back next time, and hopefully a little more very soon.

14 comments:

  1. Could it be somebody is teething? I know when some of Taya's later baby teeth were coming in, she chewed on the wood in the stalls. It was the same with Rina and Bella's grown up teeth :o)

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  2. If I have ever seen any other type of mystery marks outside?
    Yes I did, and just yesterday, I prepared a blogpost that will be published on wednesday about those 'mystery marks' on the branches of a linden tree ;-)

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  3. If there were more scratch marks I would suspect a raccoon or skunk, they would be looking for grubs. It could be a sleeping place for an animal, that would explain why it is consistently being disturbed. I would say keep an eye on the area to look for more clues. Also watch for tracks and droppings in the surrounding area. I love a good mystery.

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  4. I think SquirrelQueen has a great suggestion..Keep your eyes out for those..

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  5. Looks like a Beaver, is there water around? Some years ago we had trouble with Beavers gnawing down some cherry tree and moving them. They had to put cameras up to figure it out. Thought some Kids were doing it,but Alas it was Beavers. they had to trap the Beavers and relocate them. Maybe to your Area,lol.

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  6. You start to see something eerie.....

    I am not frightening you, but you have seen something..

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  7. The first thing I thought about was a beaver, too....if so, it won't be long before they chew even bigger trees down too...

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  8. I'll be back to find out. I found a man made mystery in one of our metroparks and I still don't have an answer. I'm going to have to ask a ranger.

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  9. A real mystery indeed. Hopefully you'll happen upon whatever is doing this and catch them in the act.

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  10. Maybe some deer wanted to bed down in that area. Otherwise I have no idea.

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  11. I think a porcupine or a skunk. The branch looks like a porky, but skunks will scratch the ground for grubs.

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  12. If anyone can figure it out, it's you, Ratty - or Sharkbytes!

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  13. Any tracks leading the the "mystery". In the first photo we see a bent sapling with what appears to look like antler rubs from a white tailed deer. If it were November I would suspect that the whole thing was created by deer mating behavior, the leaves and dirt would be "scrapes" or a mark left by bucks to attract females.

    February is a little late for this behavior, but occasionally a doe does not get bred and the bucks stay active (but they should leave tracks). The other problem. of course, is most bucks have shed their antlers by now.

    Just some thoughts.

    Bill:www.wildramblings.com

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  14. That's very interesting especially in the snow. I would think maybe a raccoon. Hmmm, keep us posted Ratty.

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