Tracks in the Sand

Tracks in the sand record so many stories.  

Some are mysterious like what made these and why?            

















Others are more obvious.  A bird.  What kind of bird and what was it doing?  

I think a beetle made this.

Not really sure about this one.

Why did this track suddenly stop?  Did the critter burrow into the sand.  Thinking (or at least hoping) it wasn’t a scorpion, I dug into the sand with my hands to see.  I didn’t find anything.  Did it dig deeper than I did?  Did it tunnel under the sand to a different area?  Was this where it came out of the sand and start crawling away? 

I’m pretty sure I discovered what made these tracks.  

Any ideas?

See my next post for the answer.  

Some traces survive many sand storms.  

A mouse or rat digging in the sand.  Maybe looking for a meal.  

 

Must be a lizard.  I can almost see it.  

Most tracks I see are so interesting and add to the beauty of the dunes.  I don’t feel the same way about my own tracks.  I feel guilty even though I know they will be gone in a few days.  

 

I don’t feel as guilty as I hope the person that left these tracks feels.  Driving off established roads is strictly prohibited.  At first I was disgusted that some fool would do this.  This kind of damage can last many years.  I realized that I don’t know the story behind these tracks either.  Maybe it was a rescue team saving some crazy photography who got heat stroke.  

Although this isn’t a track in the sand it's my favorite kind of track in the desert.