Groundhog Up In a Tree

Marmota monax up a tree

It was 37º F this morning, but the weather forecasters promised we'd get our first day in the mid-60s (about average for this time of year).  I left the house at 7am, hoping to see some warblers on Rustic Road 107.

Despite the early cold temps, we spotted a Red-eyed Vireo and Blue-headed Vireo sitting high up in the trees along the road, soaking up the early morning sun.    Insects started to fly around 10am - and so did the warblers:  several hundred Yellow-rumps hawking insects, a dozen Palms bobbing to and from the road and water, and Black-and-Whites spiraling up and down tree trunks.

Recent Prairie Burn at Tyrone

Near the pine stands on the Tyrone Property (the largest privately owned property along the Lower Chippewa River) we noticed a recent prairie burn.  As we cut back to look for birds along the pine stand, I noticed an odd "lump" in one of the naked deciduous trees at the edge of the burn.

The "Lump" in the Tree

It looked like an animal.  I stopped the car and focused my binoculars.  It was a groundhog!   But what was it doing in the tree?  I walked over, stood under the tree and asked him.

Groundhog up a Tree

The groundhog wasn't talking.

He looked down at me, then out at the burned prairie.  I snapped a few photos and left him alone.

I stopped back to check on him about an hour later.  I was relieved that he was "gone."  But I was still curious.  It was so strange to see a groundhog in a tree.

When I got home, I hit the books and discovered that groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are quite the climbers.  Why do they climb?  To get away from predators, to forage or to get a bird's-eye view of their neighborhood (in this case, perhaps to survey the prairie burn).

I'm glad I resisted the temptation to help the chubby rodent get down from the tree.  They can bite.

And how did they get the nickname "woodchuck?"  It has nothing to do with "wood" or "chucking."

It comes from the Algonquians:  "wuchak."

How Do You Like Your 2010 Prius Now?

I've been spending a lot of time in my Prius lately.

And since the much-publicized "fix," I have no complaints about the brakes, or the ride.  And it's all that I hoped for as a stealth vehicle for watching wildlife.

It's a great mobile "bird blind."  With the exception of raptors and wild turkeys, most animals just don't seem to recognize my black car as any kind of a threat.

  Red Fox

13 Lined Ground Squirrel

Groundhog

Vesper Sparrow

A great vehicle for creeping up on roadside wildlife!

Groundhog Day

The ground is frozen here in cheese-head country.   I don't expect any groundhog will be up looking for his shadow.  Not in my neighborhood.

We got 3-inches of snow overnight - not enough to interfere with the Groundhog Day festivities down the road in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. 

from this year's Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Groundhog Day festivities website

The results came in this morning.
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.  Sun Prairie's Jimmy did not.

 Mayor Bloomberg does the honors in Staten Island (note the gloves) - NYC woodchucks bite

photo courtesy of the Mayor's Office

And in New York City, Staten Island's Chuck had the good sense to agree with midwestern wisdom.

Phil's accuracy rate - 39%.  Jimmy's - 80%.  Chuck's - 76%.

I'll go with Jimmy.

Keep in mind, February 2nd is always 6 weeks from the first day of spring.  

Regardless of whether Phil, Jimmy and Chuck see their shadows, technically we're in for 6 more weeks of winter. 

If you want to learn more about the history of this quaint celebration, click here. 

While I'm not likely to see any of Phil or Jimmy's cousins anytime soon, I have seen an unusual number of mammal visitors at my birdfeeding station lately:  a gray squirrel, a fox squirrel, an opossum and two cottontails.

Only six more weeks of winter.  I'm counting the days.