Creature Evidence

I haven't seen any new species to blog about recently, but I have been seeing evidence of creatures, even in seemingly empty parks or woods.   Keeping an observant eye out often leads to noticing areas where animals have fed or reproduced or otherwise left their mark.  I have seen numerous old bird nests in the winter trees, waiting to be used again in the spring or to be disintegrated by the elements.  This bird nest in a pine had the nearby bark removed, leading me to think that, perhaps, the eggs once made a meal for some crafty carnivore.

Woodpeckers leave evidence of their search for insects, too.  This dead tree must have once contained some tasty bugs, because it had been pecked to the core in numerous places.

Woodpeckers aren't always so messy.  Sometimes they create perfectly round, pretty cavities in trees like in the center of the following picture.  Every time I pass this tree, I always hope to see some cute critter stick his head out of this hole, but it has yet to happen.

Birds aren't the only creatures to leave their marks.  In several forests in the area, I have seen claw marks on aspen trees that look to me like the work of black bears.  They are likely pretty old, as the bears should still be sleeping the winter away, but it is very cool to see signs that more is going on in the quiet woods than I may be seeing on a particular day.