Pt Reyes Tracking School at Abbotts

 

Richard Vacha. co-founder of Pt. Reyes Tracking School

                               Heeeeyyy Abbotts! Lagoon

today was a good day of tracking with Richard Vacha, co-founder of the Pt. Reyes Tracking School here in West Marin. i met Richard through RDNA in a round about way, and ended up moving to a trailer on his property for most of this past winter. i could not be more thankful for this man, his great knowledge of nature and tracking, and his incredible teaching and mentoring. we also have a very similar sense of humor, so it made for some great post RDNA conversations about tracking and nature. he is also craftsman of the wood working trade, and i got to ride along a few times with him for a few jobs. big thanks Richard!

Liam and i woke up early to get to Pt. Reyes Station to catch the meet up for the tracking session. today it was Abbotts Lagoon, located out in the Pt. Reyes National Sea Shore. Abbotts is a two stage lagoon with a fresh water lagoon emptying into a salt water lagoon. it has beautiful rolling dunes nestled amongst the historic cattle ranches, and the very intense pacific ocean just south from Bodega bay. on the ocean side it is still old growth northern coastal scrub, and the lagoon often in the winter will have tidal exchange with the ocean.  the wind was blowing but the sun came out and it was a nice change from the foggy and chilly days we have been having here in Bolinas just south of the sea shore.

Bird prints

Abbotts Dunes and Lagoon

 it was Liam's first time to Abbotts, and it was a great day tracking Skunk, Racoon, some Otter, Coyote, Bush Rabbit, the mice running amongst the dune plants harvesting for the fall, two deer swimming across the lagoon, a few birds of prey- Harriers, red tail, and possible Falcon or Merlin.

itty bitty insect tracks

 

 

prints in the sand

Richard got down to the nitty gritty of gaits and walks of animals and how their prints look in the different trots, baselines (the "Chill" walk of a relaxed animal), and direct register (the back foot landing in the front foot print). my tracking was minimal, or shall i say limited in the past to "hey thats a dog or cat print", so RNDA as well as Richard have blown the doors off tracking for me in the last year. this is Richards site, the meet up is the last sunday of every month, so if you are in the area come check it out! http://www.prts.me/ 

some tracking of trackers

 One last note: this little spider i almost ruined walking up the path the other night. actually he was about the size of a half dollar coin, and was half way through with his web. so i am glad i didn't interrupt or ruin it for him. he was not there in the morning, but i hope at least he got a meal or two.