Too much ground to hog

I can't think about Groundhog Day without recalling our backyard groundhogs, and today I have been imagining them snug in their burrows deep under the snow.

A surprise encounter with a groundhog when I went to photograph its burrow entrance.

Last summer we had two frequent groundhog visitors -- or rather, at least two, since I'm not very confident in my ability to distinguish between individual groundhogs.  However, I was sure it had to be at least two.  Though we only ever saw one groundhog at a time, the conspicuous difference and rapid alternation between big...

The big groundhog.

 ...and small groundhogs was enough to convince me that there was more than one.

The little groundhog.

I was especially worried that the small groundhog would make a tempting target for the red foxes, but it grew steadily larger over the course of the summer, while the squirrel population steadily declined.

Here is a video of the smaller and larger groundhogs for comparison:

The early bird and the fox

One morning I took my camera out onto the balcony to photograph the sunrise.  My plan was quickly revised when I noticed something moving on the ground below the balcony.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) that appeared below my balcony.

It was one of the foxes, prowling around the house.

It was a very handsome fox!

After pausing almost directly below me, it took a quick detour through the bushes.  It then reappeared a bit further down the lawn, where it seemed to catch the scent of something.  I hoped it was at most a very small rodent...

The fox picked up some accessories on its trip through the bushes.

 ...since one of the alternatives was another of our favorite backyard visitors.

The groundhog taking a break from eating clover to look around.

The groundhog had just made its first appearance of the summer a couple of days before, and the fox was searching very near the groundhog's burrow and favored grazing areas.  However, the fox did not catch anything, large or small, and was soon loping on its way again.

Every day is Groundhog Day

Yesterday was Groundhog Day, but it won't be the only groundhog day of the year.  When you have your very own groundhog living in your backyard, nearly every day is a groundhog day.

Our backyard groundhog (Marmota monax) standing alert to possible danger.

That is, nearly every day during the half of the year that the groundhog isn't hibernating.  In the summer, the groundhog grazing clover and grass on the lawn is an almost daily sight. 

 * To see this video in high definition (1080p), you may need to: 

(1) click "YouTube" to watch on the YouTube website

(2) change the settings at the bottom of the video screen

 

However, for the next six weeks (as predicted by Punxsutawney Phil) or so, this groundhog should still be resting in its burrow deep underground.  Only when spring arrives with its profusion of tender new shoots, will the the groundhog emerge -- ready to make up for months of fasting. 

The groundhog searching for food on the lawn.