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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Morning Eye Candy: The Bronx River Mystery

Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 30 2013, by Matt Newman

Temperature drops make for phenomena even we can’t predict, and this is certainly proof of that. Matthew Cook, Assistant Manager of Arboretum and Grounds here at the NYBG, recently hit the trails to see what he could of the snowfalls and freezing temperatures along the Bronx River–only to find…. well, this baffling design. After asking the Bronx River Alliance if they could hazard a guess at what created these absurd tracks (they couldn’t), this stumped blog staff is now putting the question to its readers.

It definitely looks like one our scientists was doing the worm across the ice, but that’s as much a shot in the dark on my part as “beaver tracks,” “wayward recumbent bicycle,” and “forest hydra.” Maybe there’s a zoologist or accomplished tracker out there who can do us one better. If so, plug in your suggestions in the comments below!

Bronx River tracks

Photo by Matthew Cook

Comments

Ann Rafalko said:

I’m beginning to think it was a very scared turkey, holding her wings out for balance. Or one of those Florida pythons.

Margaret said:

Looks like snowshoes and ski poles to me….

Sara said:

Turtle? Seems the creature would be awfully cold…still, compare to the sand-based photo on this link:

http://lynne484.wordpress.com/category/turtle/

–S

Rubber said:

Was Geese attempting to go for a swim in the river only to realize it was frozen and made its way across to the other side…not so elegantly… lol

I Know Everything said:

Big Foot. Definitely Big Foot.

Jessica said:

Looks like a deer chest planted it across the river….

Alan said:

looks like snow tires with a loose chain slapping down the road

Matthew said:

Looks like a bird (goose, owl) landed and then tried to take off again. The circular areas are cleared by the beating wings and the swerving lines at the edge are from the primary flight feathers. Cool photo!

Diana said:

Turtle?

Matthew said:

I like the previous Matthew’s suggest, akin to Rubber’s. Do we know how frozen the water was, i.e. could it support a human?

AmandaMarie said:

It’s a swivel skate board!

http://www.amazon.com/Razor-15055640-RipStik-Ripster-Blue/dp/B000YJPCLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359577944&sr=8-1&keywords=Swivel+Skateboard

Audrey Burtrum-Stanley said:

It’s “SPACE ALIENS”…
They make ‘Crop Circles’ in farm fields and these odd ‘Slithering-Critter Footprints’ in the snow on ice-covered waterways.
IF NOT…
Matthew sounds like a smart dude, I cast my lot with his theory!
A wise person would consider size of the prints as having a bearing on discovery of the snow-print maker;
Plus, both (1) the prints leading up to the shoreline — as well as on (2) the far side banks — should be important in finding the answer.

Isn’t it much more enjoyable NOT KNOWING the answer on this one? Some things in life – like the ‘Loch Ness Monster’ or ‘Big Foot’ or ‘The Spook Light’ – they don’t need to be fully understood or revealed. LIFE IS A MYSTERY and these delightful, frosty prints should be too….

Ray said:

Gotta be two cockroaches. They are immense in their natural habitat. I know it is NOT my tracks!

Amy Lauber said:

The tracks of a Fordham University Crew making their morning practice run down the Bronx River.

Barbara Reiner said:

so a picture is really worth a thousand words…i’ve never been able to figure out what makes folks comment on blogs…in this case…the title, the photo, the mystery, the fun, whatever….can u do more of this….mystery photo?

i’d want to know?:
what time of day the photo was taken…
how wide are the tracks….
how thick was the ice….very important
how big/thick is that spot of somewhat melted ice at the front of the photo…
has anyone ever seen anything like this before at NYBG..

the imagination factor here is so high!!

bet natureCam has seen something like this before because she seems to constantly observe the most interesting parts of wildlife at NYBG…

Ryan said:

This is great! And I have no idea what the answer is. One question that remains is, what direction was this creature headed? It’s hard to tell from the photo, but from the direction the snow seems pushed (and this comes from my Mantracker education) I would think the tracks come from the far shore, towards us. At, least, that’s what I’m seeing…

The problem I have with it being a bird is two-fold. First there is the very deliberate turn the path makes towards the far shore. I can’t see that being the product of a bird taking off for flight. I feel like it would go in a more direct path. Secondly, assuming this photo is taken from the near bank (it seems as such), the path appears to make landfall on both shores…and I can’t imagine a bird flat out flying into the shore like that…and floundering about, it looks like. And not with one bird foot print in site?

I’m impressed with the sea turtle tracks….assuming a big snapper was still out, would it’s feet make a similar track as it’s cousin’s flippers? I’ve seen Slider turtles in Prospect park as recently as 2 weeks ago!

Margrethe said:

Definitely beaver!

Jill said:

otters. a pair of otters.

Matt Newman said:

Based on the consistency of the tracks, as well as the curvature mentioned by Ryan, I want to lean toward someone in snow shoes as the culprit–but I’ve never seen snow shoe tracks come out quite like that. Further, I can’t make out any pole marks alongside.

Not only was the snow not deep enough to warrant snow shoes (or the ice likely solid enough to walk on), but I’ve never seen anyone with them trudging around in the Garden. I can’t even imagine how gate security would react upon seeing a Jeremiah Johnson saunter in here with all that gear over his or her shoulder, especially considering we ask everyone to stay on the paths!

Karla said:

I vote turtle, too, but it must have been a large one for the tracks to be three-feet wide. I’ve never met a snapper that big. I do hope you keep this conversation going and we learn what it is. This is fascinating. Thanks for posting it.

Bryan Bauer said:

Was there enough snow before for human with snow shoes or skis? Does not look like there is anywhere close to enough now on banks for human to be out on snow shoes. So I go with a turkey that felt it was slipping on ice so was psuedo-flying /walking across. Looks like headed to opposite shore of photo and was slipping and struggling first few feet until getting ino a groove rest of way across.