Jean updates us on our mysterious burrows…
We set out with a trail cam to find who had been digging these significant holes midwinter. From the look of it, they are woodchuck holes. Woodchucks are usually dormant this time of year, hibernating until spring. The males sometimes pop out in mid February, but this is obviously a whole month early. There are unusual natural phenomenon occurring right now, due to unusual weather patterns. For example, the deer started dropping their sheds earlier than usual, most likely because of the drought. The ground hasn’t frozen yet, most likely because of unseasonably warm weather. A snapping turtle was seen crossing a road in Henry county, Iowa, when it should have been burrowed deep in the mud. The fresh digging opens up the possibilities of less common wildlife living in the area, such as foxes, coyotes, or badgers.
Up went the Cuddeback Capture, and this is who we caught. The first day there was me, setting up and taking down the camera. There was Naturalist Jenny, testing the camera’s field of vision. Then, after the sun went down and we were sleeping, things started to get more interesting.
A white tail deer, who I always think of as being sure of foot as they go leaping over fences and logs at high speed, stumbles into the hole. The next morning Jenny found a freshly shed antler close by.
The rabbit in this picture is a bit harder to find…stay tuned to see who comes by next.