Strange track on the way to work.

I walk to work every morning at about 6 am. Along the way I never know what I will run into. I live in a temperate rain forest in Southeast Alaska and there is a lot of wild life. Usually it is deer, but sometimes I will see wolves,and often I will see bear tracks etc..
It is normal here, but what I came across a few mornings ago was not normal.
I see tracks all the time, but this one stood out.

I wear a size 12 boot.
Everyone I have shows here is totally stumped.
I only took the one pic of the best print I saw as I was in a hurry to get to work, but there were a few more. It looked like it ran across the street from one side on the "muskeg" (swampland) to the other. They are leveling a part of the ground there to build a hospital so it is creating a lot of dust that turns to fine mud on the sidewalk at the spot I found the tracks.

I dunno what it was, but I don't want to run into it

Is that a three toe footprint?

a reply to: rickymouse

That is what it looks like to me.

I checked with the local police and no one here owns an emu or the like.

With the 3 toes it looks vaguely avian. But the heavy pad on the heel, is baffling. Although it has the rear facing claw.

It could be a Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle track that either collapsed, or was altered either by moisture or another track.

I could make an argument for moose or Elk track, with an eagle track over it.

Best I got.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Well, we don't have any elk, but do have moose and bald eagles.

What got me was the detail in the print, you could even make out the knuckles in the toes.

Maybe it's a 3 toed young Sasquatch. I've been listening to far too many Bigfoot podcasts, but on rare occasions, 3 toes have been noted. 😁

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
With the 3 toes it looks vaguely avian. But the heavy pad on the heel, is baffling. Although it has the rear facing claw.

It could be a Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle track that either collapsed, or was altered either by moisture or another track.

I could make an argument for moose or Elk track, with an eagle track over it.

Best I got.

I would have to agree with you on that...

The three toe with middle extended and a rear pad makes it Avian... the track could have been altered by moisture to make it bigger than the original track.

Golden eagles might get that big...

I doubt in Alaska there is an Emu or Ostrich running about...

The only other option is a Raptorex...

originally posted by: Darkblade71
a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Well, we don't have any elk, but do have moose and bald eagles.

What got me was the detail in the print, you could even make out the knuckles in the toes.

I might be seeing things, but it seems you can make out the moose track, with the bifurcated toes lining up with the first knuckles in the bird track. Which may mean it was bird first, moose next.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
With the 3 toes it looks vaguely avian. But the heavy pad on the heel, is baffling. Although it has the rear facing claw.

It could be a Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle track that either collapsed, or was altered either by moisture or another track.

I could make an argument for moose or Elk track, with an eagle track over it.

Best I got.

I would have to agree with you on that...

The three toe with middle extended and a rear pad makes it Avian... the track could have been altered by moisture to make it bigger than the original track.

Golden eagles might get that big...

I doubt in Alaska there is an Emu or Ostrich running about...

The only other option is a Raptorex...

I believe Golden Eagles are the largest Eagle species with a 6-8' wing span. But I thought they were South America, although a local Bird hound mentioned them in California.
I know bald Eagles stand around 4' tall when I've seen them in Washington state.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Anything is possible.

It was just a strange track.

It gets the mind going.

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
With the 3 toes it looks vaguely avian. But the heavy pad on the heel, is baffling. Although it has the rear facing claw.

It could be a Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle track that either collapsed, or was altered either by moisture or another track.

I could make an argument for moose or Elk track, with an eagle track over it.

Best I got.

I would have to agree with you on that...

The three toe with middle extended and a rear pad makes it Avian... the track could have been altered by moisture to make it bigger than the original track.

Golden eagles might get that big...

I doubt in Alaska there is an Emu or Ostrich running about...

The only other option is a Raptorex...

I believe Golden Eagles are the largest Eagle species with a 6-8' wing span. But I thought they were South America, although a local Bird hound mentioned them in California.
I know bald Eagles stand around 4' tall when I've seen them in Washington state.

Golden Eagles are in Europe, North America, North Africa, Siberia, the Himalayas and Japan. They all vary in size and appearance.

Here in Montana if they are hungry they will snag an adult Mountain Goat and throw them off a cliff.

ETA... the further north you go, the bigger the eagle. Bald Eagles in Alaska can get to a 7 foot wingspan. Gold Eagles can get roughly a third larger.

a reply to: Darkblade71

Was there only one?

I love the legends, myself.

'Mendenhall Valley (2018): Eyewitnesses reported a bird with a wingspan nearly as wide as Mendenhall Loop Road, sparking debate about its identity. While some experts suggested it could be a black-footed albatross, others remained skeptical.
Native American Legends: Ethnographic and anthropological investigations published in the 19th century documented Thunderbird reports from various Alaskan tribes, including the Tlingit, Sitka, Katalla, Diomede Islands, Sabotnisky, and Kotzebue Sound.
2002 Sightings: New reports of large birds or Thunderbirds emerged in Alaska, with southwestern residents describing a bird the size of a small plane. ABC News and David Letterman’s show covered the phenomenon.'

I know the dinosaurs died out long ago, but it's fun to imagine some may still exist in the vast unexplored lands.

originally posted by: Boomer1947
a reply to: Darkblade71

Was there only one?

That information (no; several) was in the original post.

a reply to: nugget1

I was going to suggest albatross, but what I saw from a quick google search is it's all Southern Continents for Flight patterns.
Some suggesting South America to Africa. Some including Australia. It's possible Some could go way off track, but that's a half world away.
Very possible if the magnetic fields are weakening as is being reported.

I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just saying my 2 minute google image search, suggested otherwise.

Looks kinda like an armadillo but I don't think armadillos are cruising around Alaska, or are they? 😳

I read about a huge bird seen flying somewhere in Alaska. It was investigated but it appears that their DNR does not want to verify it's existance. Probably because it is rare and they do not want to attract people to hunt it into extinction. Can't remember the name of it, but it was supposed to have a very loud sound it made. If I remember right the natives had a bird that was huge in their tales...something like a thunderbird or something.

I agree that the DNR should hide information on very rare species from the population.

Here is an article about some huge bird spotted up there. www.juneauempire.com...

a reply to: TheMisguidedAngel

No back pad at the least, and I understood Armadillos get to 3-4 ft in length, so the size mens 12 boot length, (basically an inch per sizing) would be quite impressive.
But it's a good pull.

a reply to: rickymouse

Nugget posted about Thunderbirds. We want to believe.

Or, since we are dealing with a potential cryptid here, could it possibly be the Honey Island Swamp Monster? Or maybe a relative of the HISM? 🤔

Hasn't been seen in the Honey Island Swamp lately possibly migrated north to Alaska for the summer? 🤔











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