Need help identifying tracks...

First of all, I don't have a photo!   I'll try a description....

The tracks in the snow were very long and very thin like a twig - a good foot or more long  (easily the length of my size 8 boot) in the form of a back slash.   Then in the middle of the back slash, a forward slash about half the size.    So it forms a sort of Y with space between the 2 slashes.  It was the size which intrigued me.   Must have been a large bird but not that heavy as it had hardly sunk in the snow - in fact it was quite a faint track but it stretched from bushes by the side of the house, across an expanse of pristine snow and disappeared suddenly after some distance (flew away?) 

It was the first day of the heavy snowfall about a week ago and so bitterly cold I didn't hang about (and foolishly thought I would be able to get back to take a picture later).   That night it snowed so tracks gone and haven't seen them again since.  

I've tried googling to get identification without luck.   Does anyone have any suggestions - either on the bird or a useful website?