Tasha is full of energy even though she has hardly eaten for months, and she doesn’t mind squandering her remaining fat in play. She tumbles around like she has energy to burn. I don’t know how much she has eaten. 
Woodchuck standingShe didn’t seem famished as she walked past the romaine lettuce and apples yesterday, sniffing them and finally eating an apple. She is of special interest being from Kentucky. I hope to get a look at her foot pads and samples of her underfur to measure when we can. All captured by a Lily Fan in this 5:27 minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLYzpA4Lbec She was just as dazzling in another video of her rolling around on the ice a couple days ago. https://youtu.be/U8-wnXxQHfs
ChickadeeIn my eyes, Ted had impeccable manners as he cleaned up his bowl of food and even licked it as captured in this 6:34 minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wf1wWW-qY4
Ted deserved the attention he received in this 42 second music video created by a Lily Fan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD1I6l2-TXI
Out the window, the big flock of chickadees has moved on after spending the winter here. A few locals remain. The siskins will be leaving soon. A hairy woodpecker and a red squirrel peacefully shared sunflower seed hearts. Over the winter, this same squirrel competed with this woodpecker but was deterred when the woodpecker flared its wings. Now they seem to have a truce.
The woodchuck was on the second floor deck again today. We guessed it would like sunflower seed hearts, so we quietly opened the door and snuck out a pile. On its way past as it was leaving, the woodchuck stopped to eat. It saw me in the window snapping the camera but kept eating. Later, on the ground, it stood up. Something scared it and it came racing to the bay window I was shooting through and dove down into its burrow under that window. We hear it under the window seat. We’re waiting to hear its kits (or not) so we know whether to call it Mrs. or Mr. Woodchuck.
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| Squirrel and Hairy woodpecker | Woodchuck |
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| Pine siskins coming in for a landing | |
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center