Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Bruce Returns!

Regular readers know we get some wildlife here in the woods north of St Charles. A couple years ago I was shocked to see a woodchuck (at least I assumed it was one since I had never seen one before) run across the yard and through a hole under a storage shed. That was the only time I saw it in '06, but last fall, Melinda told me of a ground hog that she was seeing almost every day feeding out in the yard. I don't know where it came from, but I immediately said "Bruce!", and it was thus proclaimed. He (we assume a he) abruptly disappeared when the temperature cooled and though we waited for a reappearance this spring, he never did.



Well a week or so ago I was looking out into the yard about sunset and saw just about the biggest squirrel I had ever seen! Well, upon a second look it was Bruce! Like last year, he always appears near the cabin to the north of us, so we assume he lives under it's foundation. Tonight he was out a little before sunset, so I grabbed the little Meade scope and took some pics. He is very tentative - I suspect he doesn't have very good eyesight. He grazes for a few seconds, then stops and looks around for a few more, but I was able to approach to 80 feet or so. At that point he retreated to the corner of the cabin and chewed on some shoots before advancing back into the yard. It is always nice to have regulars coming around for a visit!

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