How To Make a Footprint Trap
A footprint trap is great way of seeing who is visiting your garden at night when you are tucked up in bed by laying down a layer of soft sand that will show up the footprints of small animals.
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Begin by clearing a space about 50 cm square, and smoothing it level. Spread a smooth layer of sand or sieved earth over the clearing and get rid of any lumps or stones so that the footprints of your garden visitors will show up easily. Place a small amount of tempting food in the centre of the clearing. A mixture of bird seed and mealworms works very well. Make a shelter over the food to protect your visitors from predators as they eat. Four large stones with a piece of wood set safely on top will do the job nicely. It may take some time to attract visitors to your feeding station, but one morning when you go to check your trap, you will notice footprints in the earth. Have a look at the footprints of common garden visitors on page xx to help you identify the marks.
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You can make night-time observations by inserting a small solar-powered lamp into the ground near your feeding station. These inexpensive lamps cast just enough light to let you identify your visitors and to enjoy their antics.
