Tracking animals

I've just finished another commission of an animal tracks bracelet!  This time heading to identify tracks in Texas.  That's two in two weeks. 

For each track, I make a separate photopolymer plate of the track and then use that to make the impression in the silver clay.

I have 21 different tracks now, plus a few other birds, but lots of birds look quite similar so I don't tend to use many of those.

Here are the tracks that I have - and, without cheating and reading what is on the back of each square, see if you can figure which ones are used in this bracelet:

• badger, 
• beaver, 
• river otter, 
• opossum, 
• porcupine, 
• skunk, 
• fox, 
• mountain lion, 
• raccoon,
• deer, 
• bear, 
• elephant, 
• rhino, 
• dragon (!), 
• buffalo, 
• dog, 
• cat, 
• owl, 
• eagle, 
• duck, and 
• crow/raven.

Wild in Virginia!

I just finished another animal tracks commissioned bracelet yesterday for a lady who lives in Virginia.  She wanted animals and birds that live around where she lives, and wanted some earrings to match too. 

L-R tracks - Owl, Bear, Porcupine, Mountain Lion

For the earrings she decided on White Tail Deer tracks - a new track for me. 

White tailed deer

Fox, Beaver, Skunk

So how many of the tracks would you have guessed if I hadn't told you?

Porcupine, Mountain Lion, Opossum, Wolf

I have another tracks bracelet to make now, so see if you learn any here and can remember them when I show you the next one! 

Bambi visits the vineyard!

We were sat eating lunch today when we noticed this tiny little deer wandering the vineyard! Now the whole vineyard is deer fenced so that (in theory) they can't get in, because they love eating the vines - but these tiny newborn deer can squeeze in such small places! He was so sweet...wandering among the vines........then he walked over our little bridge......

and down to the pond to get a drink.......


(look at those neat lines of spots on his back!)



then settled under some grasses for a little afternoon nap!


It all looks very sweet - but it is actually quite sad when the babies get in. Often times the mother is outside of the fence looking in and running back and forth calling for "Junior". Junior doesn't seem to remember how he got in and so can't get back out. We try to help and open the gates - but they aren't the brightest of animals and panic easily - so whilst we want to encourage them in a certain direction to the outside world.....they just get frightened.....

As this little fella settled down under the grasses, I'm thinking his mum is off foraging for food for the afternoon. They leave their young napping in the afternoons to go and feed. She'll cover too much distance for Junior to come too - so you can frequently see the little guys taking their afternoon snooze while mum is out for lunch.

We are keeping an eye on him for now and also checking for mummy coming back and will see if he finds his own way out without being scared..... fingers crossed......