Tuesday 1 May 2012

We have a new critter, named Fred!

I spotted her near the rocks
Me an' Felix last December, her cave is to the right.
Freddie, the groundhog! She is pretty. But pretty silly to hang out here! These are the rocks where Buster & Felix like to check for prey...

She might have as many as a half-dozen babies in her cave.

Groundhogs hibernate, and wake in spring, gorging themselves on grasses, plants, fruits, tree bark. 
Herbivores, they are rodents, and the largest members of the squirrel family.
She lives in a cave

They get to be up to 60 cm, or 24", not including their tails, and weigh up to 6 kg, or 13 lbs.







I can see you! She eyes me from the dark...
I love this pose! So typical.

These rodents like woodlands, where field meets forest. You can see from the video how perfect this is for her.
Her cave is on the far side of the lawn.

I imagine I won't attempt much of a veggie garden, which is nearby. She might have been the one, last year, who uprooted my squash and cucumber plants! Between her, and Butch, the raccoon, plus white-tailed Labbit, I haven't a hope!

I hid behind the tree, sneaking up to peek around it and snap this shot. I'm getting better at this!

Silly critter lives on the edge of our yard.

5 comments:

Pearl said...

Silly critter, indeed. :-) Some days I think I'd like to be a ground squirrel...

Pearl

i beati said...

he's a cutie

Powell River Books said...

You are right, we don't have a groundhog. But we do have some kind of night critter (that can swim) that has been digging up my float garden and deck flower pots. Very annoying. - Margy

Red said...

Haven't seen a groundhog here for years. I think the habitat is too fragmented.

Hootin Anni said...

cute, cute, cute!!!!! And adorable, most 'fitting' name...Fred.