A minor snowfall late on Sunday provided more interesting images.
The temperature was suitable for January so I tried out the new gloves which don’t need to be removed when using the camera or iPhone.
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Such a blessing for my fingers that suffer badly in freezing weather.
Winter-lover I may be, but I’d have been a rubbish polar explorer.
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Having a nice warm ship at hand was adventure enough for me.
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Previous winters, I’ve spent many mornings struggling to capture frost formations on the garage windows.
Now that I am equipped, frost is scarce.
Typical.
But there’s time yet.
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Today, I espied something more intriguing.
What was this curious groove?
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Surely it couldn’t be?
But I knew it was.
Oh, Scooter!
The day before she had scooted up to the porch looking for nuts, leaving that same trail.
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We had hoped she would stay in the burrow by the house, but I saw her one day making her way along the hedge toward the driveway and scoffing peanuts I’d scattered for the birds.
There’s a burrow nearby, so I’ve been putting carrots and nuts there.
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This snowy night, she had scooted all the way along the driveway, over the road and down toward our neighbour’s house.
There are many burrows there.
Perhaps she was tired of the daily competition for nuts above where she was trying to snooze.
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When I went out this morning, after yesterday’s rather heavier snowfall, I didn’t expect to see Scooter tracks but there they were again.
This time she appeared to have headed off up the slope toward a burrow in the woods.
It seems she used another set of tracks but then veered off.
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Not knowing quite what to do, I cleared a small parch and left some nuts though whether Scooter will find them is a matter of chance.
We think that this groundhog’s disabled condition has caused her to live day to day, unable to build up her body to sustain her through hibernation and therefore she follows what was her normal routine.
Should we trap her? She would be safe and warm.
But trapping her would not be easy and I am not convinced it would be the right thing to do.
A wild animal born in captivity is one thing but, when it has lived in its normal habitat?
Scooter’s tracks are fun to see, but also heartbreaking as they display her disability. As for trapping her, you know that wouldn’t be right. Nature must take its course with wild animals like her.
Best wishes, Pete.
It could only be done if you could put the food she likes over several months deeper and deeper inside the house or garage until she feel safe to see you and tolerate your presence. Otherwise no, as she could get very stressed. Unless she got ill and then you will have to help her, such a nice creature!
There is one thing only that I like about winter, and that is the scent in the air of of the smoke from
the open fireplaces. I don’t use mine now, but it was lovely for my girls to be back from school to a burning wood in a grate, and the wonderful dinner waiting.
Joanna
I totally agree with Pete. Scooter is beyond treatment and would not welcome being constrained, so you can only continue to do as you have been doing and try to provide a steady food supplement.
I get cold very soon, but can handle the hot summer days easily (maybe because I grew up in a sunny country). But still, I like mild temperatures … so Autumn is my favourite season. But that doesn’t mean I enjoy your Winter photos! I love the (light) snow that looks like a dusting of icing sugar on a cake and your frost formations are so unique and beautiful! Ha, I guess a ranger or tracker wouldn’t have guessed at all that those tracks belonged to a groundhog!
I think as long as you put food out for Scooter, that’s probably the best you can do for her.