Registration for this workshop series open on Thursday, November 23rd at 10 am.
Saturday, January 27 | 9 am - 1 pm (Re-Scheduled from the 13th due to Inclement Weather)
Saturday, February 3 | 9 am - 1 pm
Saturday, March 9 | 9 am - 1 pm
In the coldest depths of winter, life is vibrant and thriving. Blankets of freshly fallen snow bring the landscape to life with footprints: a mink bounding along the water’s edge, a fox’s careful trot across the frozen Eramosa, coyotes chasing down a cottontail rabbit. Winter conditions offer a unique glimpse into the often unseen lives of our animal neighbours.
Join seasoned wildlife trackers and naturalists Tamara Anderson and byron murray for this three-part foray into the practical magic of tracking. Please note: By registering for the series, you are signing up for all three sessions. Sorry, you cannot register for individual sessions.
Series price: $225 +HST. If cost is a barrier, please see our Economics for a Changing World page for sliding-scale and mutual aid options.
“Tracking an animal is opening the door to the life of that animal. It is an educational process, like learning how to read. In fact, it is learning how to read. Following an animal’s trail may bring you closer to the animal physically, but, more importantly, it brings you closer to it in perception.”
– Paul Rezendes, Tracking & the Art of Seeing
In this three-part series, we’ll hone our observation skills and learn to identify tracks, scat and sign for a variety of Ontario wildlife. By learning to read these clues we can piece together mysteries that bring us closer in our connection with the wild beings of the forest and shores of the Eramosa river. Tapping into this ancient skill brings the landscape to life with new reasons to love winter, and to appreciate the beauty and diversity of our region.
This series is open to nature lovers age 18 and up. All levels of experience are welcome!
About the instructors:
Tamara Anderson dove into the art and science of animal tracking under the mentorship of Alexis Burnett and Earth Tracks for many years as an apprentice wildlife tracker and intern. She completed her international wildlife Track and Sign certification with CyberTracker Conservation in 2015. Tamara presently works for the GRCA and the Guelph Outdoor School, sharing tracks and trails with children and adults on the shores of the Speed and Eramosa rivers.
byron murray has been studying wildlife tracking for the past six years, both as an Earth Tracks apprentice but also as an intern since 2019. He is out tracking nearly everyday, endlessly motivated by curiosity, discovery and inter-species learning.
In this series, you’ll learn:
Basic anatomy of mammal and bird feet
Intro to animal gaits and patterns of locomotion and what they can reveal about animal behaviour and “mood”
Understand morphological differences across mammalian family groups
Broader understandings of individual and community ecologies throughout the Eramosa river valley
How to accurately measure tracks and trails and learn to record them for future study
Awareness exercises and techniques to train to your mind and body to notice more of the world around you
Introduction to mammal skull identification
To begin recognizing associated signs of wildlife apart of tracks and scat (signs on bark and plants, signs on bone, nests, tunnels, etc)
Detailed tracking terminology to help better describe what we are observing
Best practices around tracking etiquette with humans and non-humans
Suggestions on useful books, literature and classes to keep going with your tracking journey.