For a photographic study of light and shadow, dog prints on a beach can’t be beat.

On an historical note, I took an animal tracking class at a nature preserve once. We learned all about tracks, tracking, and animal poop… scat. Then we went out and did surveys of the public lands in San Diego, to get an idea of how many coyotes and raccoons and so on that were out there. Never did see a mountain lion track.

You can tell a lot about an animal from its prints.

Its size and weight, how fast it was moving, and so on.

A running dog does not leave a neat print.

Coyote tracks are almost identical to dogs, but their toes tend to be closer together and do not splay out so much. Also, they do not wander aimlessly like dogs. They are looking for food.

Tracking dogs on sand is way easier than tracking animals on hard dirt.

It was best to go out after a rain, when you might find tracks in wet areas. Hey, that one looks like a flower.

A tiny dog. Looks almost like a raccoon print, but not enough claws.

That dog was stopping after running. Look how the sand pushes up in front.

But yeah, light and shadow.