Sorry little rodent, but I guess it was just your time. *gulp*
I posted this on “r/AnimalTracking” and jokingly asked if anyone could ID the species. Someone over there suggested I try it here. I know it’s a long shot, but I figured why not? Regardless, it’s a pretty neat print. I’ve never seen anything like it. This is northern Vermont. The print is roughly 18-24” long. It was under a deciduous tree, near my house, in a fairly open field. --r/WeeGreyCat
Yes, I’m very much stealing this content from the evil empire, but sue me! That said, the username is above if anyone wants to see their original post.
Everything to me is saying Barred. Once I reread and saw the measurements, that locked in my answer. Snowy and GG are rarer and would be a decent bit bigger, and the face shape doesn’t look Tyto.
They seem to be narrowing it down in the original thread. When I feel more sure there’s a consensus, I’ll add an update above and tag anyone who guessed a species.
Btw, I’m a bit disappointed that this little game of sorts isn’t getting more interest here so far, but oh well. To each, their own.
Anyway, matey,
thank you for weighing in on my little steal-post. :P
Now IIRC you live near… I dunno, a forested area perhaps in which you can see and hear local owls? Is that right, and if so may I ask how many species you’ve come across? <3
It is a pretty tough game, to be fair! It’s dinner time for a lot of the US too, so there’s that.
There’s one or 2 GHO in my neighborhood, but I haven’t heard them lately, but it’s been too cold to hang outside.
I saw a Barred on a utility pole a few weeks ago, and I heard a Screech at someone’s house last year
Ooh, ooh*… now do you remember-- is it owls as well as some other animals that have various levels of (downy-to-pointy) fur / feathers that are almost magically-insulating in terms of trapping heat in times of extreme cold, but also brilliantly dispensing heat in terms of hot weather?
* frequent sound of Herman Munster’s police companion in Car 54, lol.
Between their down and flight feathers, they also have contour feathers they can floof (making the “borb” shape) and they have fuzzy legs warmers too.
The YouTube rabbit hole has gotten me interested in wool mesh base layers as the latest greatest whats-old-is-new-again tech.
Brynje
I’d probably love it, but it’s a bit spendy.
Ah, right… that’s right!
Eh, whilst I can appreciate the tradition and spirit-- let’s resist, and resist-again upon microplastics. Bloody hell mate, it was never the way anyway, Darth Orange or NOT.
Those are the classic brand and the poly is added for durability, but they’re 100% wool ones out there. I was mainly curious at first about the concept of mesh being warmer than tight knit fibers, but it makes sense in that the sweat prevention is what really keeps you warm when you’re being active.