Groundhog Afternoon

It's not unusual for a Groundhog to be seen in our front yard.  

It's not even too unusual to see two.  

On June 9th, however, I saw five in the front yard at one time.  

That was definitely different and got me thinking about Groundhogs.  What I realized was, apart from all the hype on February 2nd (Groundhog Day), I didn't know much at all about them.  So I started doing some reading and they are actually rather more interesting than they might appear!  (aren't most creatures?)

Here's some of what I learned.  First, as far as names: Groundhog is the one I call them. They are also known as Woodchuck (possibly coming from the Algonquian word "wuchak"); having absolutely nothing to do with wood or chucking it.  Another name which I like is "mouse bear" (sounds nicer than Groundhog!) which is probably because they look sort of look like little bears when they sit up.  They are in the rodent family so the 'mouse' part of that name isn't out of place either. 

 Though they belong to the group of rodents called marmots, not mice.

Here's a Whistling Marmot from Colorado for comparison.   You can see the Marmot has a white muzzle, which our Groundhogs don't.

They live in the mountains where it's rocky, compared to Groundhogs which live in the lowlands and prefer open fields or grassy edges of woodlands. Both will whistle though, as the one above is doing, especially when they are excited.

While Marmots are social, Groundhogs are typically not, at least for most of the year.  However, when it's breeding season in early spring, a mated pair share a den until the kits are born (gestation takes about 31- 32 days).  Once it's time for the kits to be born, the male leaves.

At first, it just seemed to be snack time the afternoon I watched.  Groundhogs eat mostly vegetation (and I don't mind as long as they only eat the flowers and weeds in the yard... I would not be as happy to see them if they started in on my flowerbeds!).

Then more appeared!

The babies weren't too much smaller than the parents.  The one I assume was the mother was with them, and another adult was farther over in the lawn (probably the male, who had left the den when the babies were coming).

I watched them from about 2 pm and then off and on for the rest of the afternoon.  They didn't seem to mind much as I watched from our front deck and went quietly in and out the door.  

Groundhogs only have 1 liter per year with 2 to 6 kits.  Young groundhogs are weaned and ready to seek their own dens at five to six weeks of age.  Then the adult encourages the kits to move out and find or make their own burrow.

Our family still seemed to be a happy group.  The small ones scampered and ate with little care for what was going on around them, although if the mother ran back into the taller weeds, they all followed.

Though as you can see in the next photo, Mother did have her fierce side, as most mothers do when they think their children might be in danger.

(Notice one 'child' is still eating!)

One of the most interesting things I read about Groundhogs was about their burrows, which of course I have no photos of!  They dig them with their short legs, moving an average of 700 pounds of soil!  Some tunnels can reach up to 45' long and have 2 to 5 entrances.  Groundhogs use their burrows for sleeping, rearing young, and hibernating.  

There are lots more interesting things to read about Groundhogs.  For quick reading, click here.  For more detailed info I recommend this link.

I can't write a post about Groundhogs without using the word prognosticator!  (Isn't that a great word?).  Prognosticator means "one who predicts from current indications".    Though apparently the custom of Groundhog Day may have started with ancient European weather lore, a newspaper writer named Clymer Freas was the first 'modern' person to connect groundhogs with predictions of spring.  On February 2nd in 1886 in The Punxsutawney Spirit, he wrote, "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow." ('Beast'?  Good grief, Cylmer, you were quite the writer!)

Personally, I felt my time spent watching our groundhog family was much more interesting than 'Groundhog Day'.  Now that I know more about Groundhogs, I think they are definitely deserving to be more than just a cultural phenomenon for one day!  

Since that afternoon, I have not seen the whole family together.  Perhaps that was their last romp - the kits seem quite self sufficient.  

This one was here the afternoon of June 15th, happily eating clover flowers and other tasty lawn plants.  He or she and I will both stay happy as long as that's ALL it eats!

(Same spot... notice missing white clover flower!)