Chuckie’s family

If you follow me, or even occasionally read what I write, you know that we’ve had a resident groundhog in our back yard for a couple of years now.  Last fall was the first time I saw more than one, and our Chuckie seemed quite happy to have a friend. 

Then this spring I noticed more..  a lot more..  and sure enough Chuckie was a Dad.  Then the babies and Mom disappeared…   and then they were back again. 

I like to say that Chuckie and the Mrs are separated and he gets custody on the weekends, because that’s when I see the babies more.  However after reading a lot of articles and opinions on groundhogs I find that they don’t stay together as a couple, and eventually the babies will go away.  9-things-you-didnt-know-about-groundhogs/

 

Taken through a foggy window and screen,
he/she was less than five feet from me. 

One has already adventured out, we found him/her nibbling on the clover in the fenced in part of the yard last night. 

This morning I happened to see these characters trying to climb the pear tree again… and he made it too.  Until Chuckie spotted me standing in the window and sent out the alarm.  The other three kiddos and Chuckie speed home, but this fellow continued up the tree, until he noticed everyone else was gone anyway.  

(And yes, they climb trees, check #6 in this article )  And I have photographic proof.