ROCKPORT — Saturday, January 20, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Maine Coast Heritage Trust invites all ages to join steward and naturalist Kirk Gentalen for a lively morning outdoors and discover some of the wildlife stories that Erickson Fields Preserve in Rockport has to offer. 

Fresh snow captures animal tracks, trails, and tunnels providing lessons untaught in any other season. With its varied habitat of woods and field, Erickson Fields Preserve in Rockport offers hundreds of clues for the intrepid outdoorsman who knows what to look for. 
 
Deer, coyote, fox, raccoon, and fisher tracks are all possibilities when Erickson is under a blanket of snow. Gentalen will also instruct how to look for clues to the presence of owls. In Gentalen’s words, “There’s so much potential for exploration, it’s literally insane!” 
 
The group will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Erickson Fields Preserve, 164 West Street (Route 90) in Rockport. Participants should dress in layers and wear appropriate boots for walking off trail in deep snow. Binoculars and cameras are encouraged. 
 
Children must be accompanied by an adult. All attendees must wear sturdy shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing. 

Registration is required and available online at aldermere.org/animal-tracking.

For more information, email aldermere@mcht.org or call 207-236-2739.